Public Policy

There are unnumerable fellowship opportunities available to MU students. Some are large programs that fellowships advisers work with frequently. You can find the subset of those on our core fellowships page.

Other fellowships are smaller or more niche, but that doesn’t mean they are less valuable. You can find, as well as our core fellowships, in the database below.

It’s important to know that there is no single fellowship database that is complete. This is merely one among many. Other good databases can be found through the University of Illinois and Arizona State University.

  • Bill Emerson National Hunger Fellowship

    The Bill Emerson National Hunger Fellowship trains and inspires new leaders in the movement to end hunger and poverty in the United States. Fellows gain vital first-hand experience through placements with community-based organizations across the country as well as policy-focused organizations in Washington, D.C. The program bridges gaps between local efforts and national public policy, as fellows support partner organizations with program development, research, evaluation, outreach, organizing, and advocacy projects.

  • Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange (CBYX) for Young Professionals

    The Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange (CBYX) for Young Professionals is a fellowship funded by the German Bundestag and U.S. Department of State, that annually provides 75 American and 75 German young professionals, between the ages of 18½–24, the opportunity to spend one year in each other’s countries, studying, interning, and living with hosts on a cultural immersion program.

  • Ernest F. Hollings Scholarship

    The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Ernest F. Hollings (Hollings) scholarship program is designed to increase undergraduate training in oceanic and atmospheric science, research, technology, and education, and foster multidisciplinary training opportunities.

  • Hertog Foundation Political Studies Program

    Each year, the Hertog Foundation brings together top college students to the nation’s capital to explore the theory and practice of politics in an intensive seminar setting with outstanding faculty. Political Studies Fellows take courses in a wide variety of subjects, from political philosophy to contemporary public affairs, from economics to foreign policy. In the afternoons and evenings, they have the opportunity to hear from leaders in American government and politics.

  • National Science Foundation Research Experience for Undergraduates (NSF REU)

    NSF funds a large number of research opportunities for undergraduate students through its REU Sites program. An REU Site consists of a group of ten or so undergraduates who work in the research programs of the host institution. Each student is associated with a specific research project, where he/she works closely with the faculty and other researchers. Students are granted stipends and, in many cases, assistance with housing and travel.

  • NIH Graduate Partnership Program

    The NIH Office of Intramural Training & Education (OITE) hosts the Graduate Partnerships Program (GPP), which is designed to bring PhD graduate students to the NIH Intramural Research Program for dissertation research. Participants enjoy the academic environment of a university, the extensive research resources of the NIH, and the breadth and depth of the research programs of both the host university and the NIH Intramural Research Program (IRP). The goal is to create a different kind of graduate experience, one that focuses on training the next generation of scientific leaders by emphasizing communication and collaboration skills, integration of information, and interdisciplinary investigation.

  • PPIA Junior Summer Institute

    The PPIA Junior Summer Institute (JSI) Fellowship Program is a rigorous academic preparation program for undergraduate juniors committed to graduate study and public service careers.

  • U.S. Foreign Service Internship Program

    Experience Diplomacy First-Hand as a U.S. Foreign Service Intern and spend two consecutive summers in paid 10-week internships designed to expose undergraduate students to U.S. diplomacy and the work of the Department of State. This merit and needs-based  opportunity is available to rising juniors and seniors (who apply as sophomores and juniors) with a 3.2 GPA or higher. In the first summer, participants receive three weeks of academic and professional training in Washington, D.C. followed by seven weeks working in a policy office at the U.S. Department of State. In the second summer, participants are given a ten-week assignment to a U.S. Embassy or Consulate abroad.

  • Voyager Scholarship

    The Voyager Scholarship is open to students entering their junior year of college at an accredited four-year college or university in the US, who have demonstrated a financial need, and who are US citizens, permanent residents, or DACA recipients.Students will receive up to $25,000 per year in “last dollar” financial aid to cover remaining tuition and/or living costs for their junior and senior years of college and additional benefits.