2027 Summer Internship

Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression

About the Role

The 10-week, paid Summer Internship Program offers undergraduate students hands-on experience defending civil liberties and advancing free speech. Interns perform meaningful work alongside staff, receive mentorship, participate in weekly seminars with experts on freedom of expression, and contribute to key student programs. The program is full-time and located at FIRE’s Philadelphia office.

• Program Dates: Tuesday, June 1 through Friday, August 6, 2027.
• Stipend: $6,400, with additional compensation for work as counselors during FIRE’s Free Speech Forum.
• Competitiveness: FIRE typically selects 8–12 interns from hundreds of applicants. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis.

Key Responsibilities

• Work closely with student development, defense, policy reform, legislation, development, and media teams to assist with research and administrative projects.
• Assist with the planning and execution of the FIRE Student Network Summer Conference (Philadelphia, July 2027), and lead educational and interactive sessions for attendees.
• Serve as a residential counselor during the Free Speech Forum, providing supervision, mentorship, and facilitation of educational activities focused on free speech.
• Contribute to FIRE’s Newsdesk.
• Learn foundational arguments for protecting core rights through reading and weekly seminars with FIRE’s staff and experts on civil liberties.

Requirements & Tech Stack

• Undergraduate students who will be rising sophomores, juniors, or seniors.
• Must attend colleges or universities in the United States.
• Full-time commitment required: 40 hours per week.
• Must be available for the entire 10-week program.
• The internship is fully in-person at FIRE’s Philadelphia office.
• Housing and transportation during the internship are the responsibility of individual interns.

Qualifications

• Passionate, team-oriented, and driven with a strong interest in free speech and civil liberties.
• Excellent research, writing, and communication skills.
• Responsible, organized, and eager to take initiative.
• Willing to engage with ideas and viewpoints they may not agree with.
• Ability to work under pressure and a sense of humor.
• Collaborative, open to feedback, and excited to contribute to a team.
• Previous camp counselor experience is not required, but experience in supervisory roles (resident advisor, teacher, coach, mentor) can strengthen an application.
• Strong applications demonstrate intellectual curiosity and a willingness to handle both small tasks and lead major projects.

Application & Selection Timeline

• Application Open: Monday, October 19, 2026

• Application Close: Sunday, January 3, 2027, at 11:59 p.m. ET

• Finalists Invited: By January 20, 2027

• Final Interviews & Student Development Conference (Florida): February 25–27, 2027

• Offers Extended: Beginning March 5, 2027

• The selection process includes two virtual interview rounds followed by an in-person finalist interview in Florida.

• FIRE covers travel and lodging for candidates invited to the final interview.

• Students studying abroad during the final round may participate virtually.