To apply for the Embedded Scholars fellowship in democratic institutional development, please follow the steps below.
Eligibility
This fellowship is open to all undergraduate and graduate students of any major at UT Austin. Students are eligible during any year they are enrolled at UT Austin, as well as the summer after they graduate in May.
Students must have a GPA of at least 3.5 and a demonstrated interest in democracy and/or the region for which they are applying. Students must be able to take a 3-hour course in Spring 2027 to prepare for their fieldwork.
Students applying for internships in Latin America must be proficient in Spanish, as the working language of hosting organizations in Latin America is Spanish. Students applying for internships in the Balkans and Eurasia must be proficient in English, as the working language of hosting organizations in those regions is English.
Deadline
The deadline to apply for the 2027 summer internship is October 15, 2026.
Process
Step 1: Review the Embedded Scholars website and eligibility criteria. Contact Liz Stitt with any questions about the program.
Step 2: Upload your application in a single pdf file to the Embedded Scholars Application Submission page. The application should include: (1) a one-page statement of interest explaining the alignment of your experience and interests with this program, (2) your resume, and (3) your college transcript. The file should be named by the student’s last name, student’s first name, and the word “application,” separated by underscores (for example, Mayer_Hans_Application).
Step 3: Applicants must submit two recommendation letters: (1) one professional letter of recommendation and (2) one academic letter of recommendation (from anyone who has taught you at the university level). For students applying to the internships in Latin America, one of these recommendation letters must describe the applicant’s proficiency in Spanish.
Recommenders must upload their letter to the Embedded Scholars Application Submission page. The file should be named by the student’s last name, student’s first name, the word “recommendation,” and the recommender’s last name, separated by underscores (for example, Mayer_Hans_Recommendation_Pérez).
Step 4: Top applicants will be invited to an interview.
Step 5: Accepted applicants will need to register for the 3-hour spring course and work with Texas Global to complete travel paperwork.
Some Informal Advice
This program is more than a traditional academic program, as students intern full-time at our partner organizations and interact with leaders across government and civil society. As such, students’ professionalism and interpersonal skills are as important as their academic records. Applicants’ interactions with us are a key indication of how successfully they will interact with our partners in the field which is, in turn, a reflection on us and the university.
Applicants’ interactions with us—from emails to interviews—are thus an opportunity for them to demonstrate the strong interpersonal skills needed for this work in the field. Professional and timely emails, proactive communication, attention to detail in the application, and a high level of preparation are essential. We recommend that applicants’ review these or other resources on professional etiquette and professional communication. We look forward to talking with you!
More Information
The Embedded Scholars blog a great source of information on the variety of projects and experiences interns have in the field.
For more information on program details, see the 2027 Embedded Scholars Balkans and Eurasia Flyer, the 2027 Embedded Scholars Latin America Flyer, and the Embedded Scholars Program.
If you have any additional questions, please do not hesitate to contact Liz Stitt.