MPI Internships 2027 | $1,472 Biweekly Stipend | Remote & In-Person Opportunities

The Migration Policy Institute (MPI) Internships 2027 offer an exciting opportunity for students, graduates, graduate students and early-career professionals interested in migration, immigration policy, refugee issues, communications and public policy.

The MPI Internship Program, officially known as the Demetrios G. Papademetriou Young Scholars Program, provides interns with practical experience while contributing to MPI’s research and communications work.

MPI internships are available remotely or in person, and applicants can participate from outside the United States if they are able to meet the applicable work authorization requirements. Full-time interns receive a $1,472 biweekly stipend, while part-time interns receive a prorated stipend.

For applicants interested in migration research, immigration policy, refugee issues, immigrant integration or communications, the MPI Internships 2027 provide an opportunity to gain valuable professional experience at a leading migration policy research organization.

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Internships 2027: Quick Overview

Opportunity	Details
Organization	Migration Policy Institute
Program	Demetrios G. Papademetriou Young Scholars Program
Opportunity Type	Internship
Internship Duration	4 months
Spring Cycle	January–April
Summer Cycle	May–August
Fall Cycle	September–December
Full-Time Stipend	$1,472 biweekly
Part-Time Stipend	Prorated
Work Arrangement	Remote or in person
Location	United States or remote from outside the U.S., subject to requirements
Citizenship Requirement	U.S. citizenship is not required
Minimum Academic Level	At least junior in college
Spring 2027 Deadline	October 15, 2026
Application	Online application + email submission

What Are the MPI Internships?

The Migration Policy Institute Internships are designed around two major objectives: contributing to MPI’s work and developing the next generation of migration and communications professionals.

The program is named after Demetrios G. Papademetriou, MPI’s founding president, in recognition of his commitment to training, mentoring and supporting emerging migration policy professionals.

The MPI Young Scholars Program welcomes applicants with different backgrounds, experiences and perspectives. MPI states that it is committed to creating an inclusive environment with equity and access for interns and staff.

The MPI internship program operates through three main internship cycles each year:

• Spring: January through April
• Summer: May through August
• Fall: September through December

The standard internship program lasts approximately four months.

Who Is Eligible for Internships?

The MPI Internships 2027 are open to a broad range of applicants.

Applicants generally must:

• Be at least a junior in college.
• Demonstrate excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Be current students, college graduates, graduate students or early-career professionals.
• Have relevant academic, research or professional experience.
• Demonstrate strong analytical and communication abilities.

Applicants who do not have college experience may also be considered if they can demonstrate substantial relevant work experience.

Additional skills that may strengthen an application include:

• Foreign-language proficiency
• Strong quantitative skills
• Research skills
• Policy analysis skills
• Knowledge of Microsoft Office and other relevant software
• Strong written communication
• Strong oral communication

MPI particularly encourages applications from minority applicants and applicants from immigrant or refugee backgrounds.

Are MPI Internships Open to International Students?

Yes, U.S. citizenship is not required for MPI internships.

However, applicants who participate in the United States must be authorized to work in the United States before the internship begins.

Applicants who live and work outside the United States throughout the entire internship cycle may participate remotely without U.S. work authorization, subject to MPI’s requirements.

Importantly, MPI is not designated by the U.S. State Department as an exchange visitor sponsor. Therefore, MPI cannot provide supporting documents for applicants seeking H-1B, J-1, H-3 or F-1 visas.

International applicants should therefore carefully review their work authorization situation before applying.

Research Internships

The MPI Research Internships are designed for applicants interested in migration research, immigration policy, refugee issues, immigrant integration and related public policy topics.

Research interns work within one of several MPI program areas.

U.S. Immigration

Research in the U.S. Immigration area covers issues including:

• Asylum and refugee pathways
• Border management
• Immigration enforcement
• Legal immigration
• Unauthorized immigration
• Employment outcomes of highly educated immigrants
• Immigration trends
• Demographic trends
• Economic trends
• Policy reform proposals

International Migration

The International Migration program focuses on comparative research involving:

• Refugee resettlement
• Asylum
• Immigrant integration
• Labor market integration
• Social cohesion
• Labor migration
• Borders and mobility
• Migration and development
• Returns and reintegration

U.S. Immigrant Integration

This area examines topics such as:

• Early childhood education and care
• Dual Language Learners
• English Learners
• K-12 immigrant education
• Adult education
• Workforce development
• Training
• State and local immigration policy
• Immigrant integration services
• Language access policy

Latin America and Caribbean Initiative

The Latin America and Caribbean Initiative focuses on migration and policy issues affecting the region.

Research includes:

• Mixed migration flows
• Northern Central America
• Venezuela
• Migration management
• Mexico
• Costa Rica
• Colombia
• Regional development policies
• International development policies
• Integration challenges

Written proficiency and oral fluency in Spanish are required for this program area.

Refugee and Forced Displacement Initiative

This research area focuses on refugee and forced displacement policy and programs.

Topics include:

• Refugee agency
• Lived experience
• Refugee livelihoods
• Self-reliance
• Host-country integration
• Faith and global responses to displacement

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What Do MPI Research Interns Do?

The responsibilities of MPI research interns can include:

• Contributing to MPI research projects.
• Conducting independent quantitative research.
• Conducting qualitative research.
• Performing policy analysis.
• Drafting research papers.
• Preparing literature summaries.
• Supporting MPI events.
• Summarizing hearings.
• Summarizing relevant public and private events.
• Performing light administrative duties.

These responsibilities can provide interns with practical experience in migration research, public policy research and policy analysis.

Communications Internship

MPI also offers a Communications Internship for applicants interested in communications, media, social media and public-facing policy work.

The communications internship provides interns with the opportunity to support dissemination activities across the Institute and gain exposure to different MPI research areas.

Communications Intern Responsibilities

Communications interns may be involved in:

• Media tracking
• Social media campaigns
• Developing visual assets
• Event organization
• Event execution
• Promoting the Migration Information Source
• Short-form writing
• Multimedia editing

The MPI Communications Internship can therefore be particularly relevant to students and early-career professionals interested in communications, journalism, digital media, public policy communications and nonprofit communications.

Internship Stipend and Benefits

One of the most important features of the MPI Internships 2027 is the internship stipend.

Full-time interns receive a $1,472 biweekly stipend.

Part-time interns receive a prorated stipend based on their work arrangement.

Interns may also be able to arrange academic credit for their internship.

Internship Benefits at a Glance

• $1,472 biweekly stipend for full-time interns
• Prorated stipend for part-time interns
• Remote internship option
• In-person internship option
• Four-month internship experience
• Research and policy experience
• Communications experience
• Potential academic credit
• Exposure to migration and public policy research
• Opportunity to work with MPI professionals

Important: MPI does not cover relocation expenses.

Internship Work Arrangement

The MPI Internships 2027 can be completed either remotely or in person.

This flexibility makes the program particularly attractive to applicants who are interested in gaining experience with MPI but may not be located in Washington, DC.

However, applicants participating from the United States must have the appropriate U.S. work authorization before beginning the internship.

Internship Deadlines 2027

MPI operates three general internship application cycles.

Spring 2027 Internship

Application deadline: October 15, 2026

The Spring internship generally runs from January through April.

Summer 2027 Internship

Application deadline: February 15

The Summer internship generally runs from May through August.

Fall 2027 Internship

Application deadline: June 15

The Fall internship generally runs from September through December.

For the currently advertised Spring 2027 MPI Internship, applicants should submit their required materials by October 15, 2026.

Documents Required for Internship Application

Applicants for the MPI Internships 2027 must complete the online application and separately submit their application materials by email.

The required materials include:

1. CV or Resume

Applicants should provide an up-to-date CV or resume highlighting their education, research, professional experience, relevant skills and accomplishments.

2. Cover Letter

The cover letter must be no more than two single-spaced pages.

It should explain:

• Your personal or professional interest in migration and/or another public policy issue.
• Which MPI program area or areas you would like to be considered for.
• Relevant research experience.
• Relevant academic experience.
• Relevant professional experience.

3. Writing Sample

Applicants must submit a writing sample of no more than five single-spaced pages in English.

The writing sample should demonstrate the applicant’s ability to write clearly and analytically about migration, integration, refugee issues or another public policy topic.

Acceptable examples include:

• Course papers
• Policy memos
• Research reports
• Published articles

If an applicant submits an excerpt from a longer document, MPI recommends selecting the sections that best demonstrate writing and analytical abilities.

4. Academic Transcript

Applicants must provide an official or unofficial transcript from all colleges and universities attended, showing courses and grades.

How to Apply for MPI Internships 2027

Applicants should complete the official online application form and separately email the required application materials.

For the Spring 2027 MPI Internship, materials should be submitted by October 15, 2026.

The email subject line should follow the required format:

First Name Last Name_Spring 2027

Application materials should include:

• CV/Resume
• Cover letter
• Writing sample
• Transcript

Official application form:
https://forms.cloud.microsoft/r/PQb87wnvjK

Application email: InternshipApplications@migrationpolicy.org

Important MPI Internship AI Policy

Applicants should pay close attention to MPI’s No AI policy.

MPI states that application materials must reflect the applicant’s authentic abilities and voice. According to MPI, using AI tools such as ChatGPT or Claude to write or substantially revise application materials can result in disqualification.

Applicants should therefore ensure that their CV, cover letter and writing sample accurately represent their own writing, analysis and experience.

Who Is the Internship Suitable For?

The MPI Internship Program may be suitable for:

• Undergraduate students
• Graduate students
• Recent college graduates
• Early-career professionals
• Migration policy students
• International development students
• Public policy students
• International relations students
• Political science students
• Sociology students
• Communications students
• Journalism students
• Refugee and forced displacement researchers
• Immigration researchers
• Applicants interested in nonprofit research

The program can be particularly valuable for candidates seeking experience in migration policy, immigration research, refugee policy, immigrant integration, communications and public policy.

Why Apply for Internships 2027?

The Internships 2027 offer an opportunity to gain practical experience while working on important migration and public policy issues.

Interns can develop skills in research, writing, policy analysis, communications, event support and public-facing work.

The availability of remote and in-person internships, together with a $1,472 biweekly full-time stipend, makes the opportunity particularly attractive to eligible applicants.

For students and early-career professionals interested in migration and public policy, an MPI internship can also provide an opportunity to build relevant professional experience and strengthen future applications for jobs, graduate programs and research opportunities.

Final Thoughts

The MPI Internships 2027 provide a strong opportunity for students, graduates and early-career professionals interested in migration policy, immigration, refugee issues, immigrant integration, public policy and communications.

With a $1,472 biweekly stipend for full-time interns, four-month internship cycles, and both remote and in-person options, the Migration Policy Institute internship program offers valuable professional development opportunities.

Applicants interested in the Spring 2027 cycle should prepare their CV/resume, cover letter, writing sample and transcript and submit their application by October 15, 2026.

Because MPI has a strict policy requiring applicants’ materials to reflect their authentic abilities and voice, candidates should ensure that their application materials are genuinely their own work.