PPIA Fellowship

The PPIA Fellowship grants future public policy leaders access to   the Junior Summer Institute®.


Each Junior Summer Institute  (JSI) site independently reviews applications and selects finalists for its respective program. Final decisions are solely made by the individual JSI Fellowship Sites.


The fellowship is a fully funded and rigorous graduate school preparation program, and lifetime participation in PPIA's Alumni Network and annual Public Service Expo.

Applications for the 2025 PPIA Fellowship are now closed.


Applications for Summer 2026 will be available in the fall.


About the Fellowship

The foundation of the PPIA Fellowship is access to the JSI Program. Hosted at some of the top graduate policy schools in the nation, these six-week summer programs prepare students with the knowledge and network to succeed in the field of public service.


Students of all backgrounds are welcome to apply to the PPIA Fellowship.


Once students have completed the Junior Summer Institute, they join an Alumni Network of more than 5,000 leaders, providing ongoing connections, opportunities, and programs. All alumni enjoy lifetime access to our annual Public Service Expo.


In addition to the opportunities this network provides for mentoring and career development, our Alumni Network has the opportunity to receive financial support for their graduate school education if they attend one of the programs in our Graduate School Consortium.


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Graduate School Preparation

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Networking

Opportunities

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Summer Stipend
for Participation

PPIA Fellowship: Building a Strong Foundation in Public Affairs

The foundation of the PPIA Fellowship, the JSI experience builds knowledge in economics, statistics, domestic & international policy studies, and leadership topics. During their time at their JSI, students will build valuable relationships with like-minded peers, graduate schools, and employers alike.


JSIs take place at one of four prestigious partner campuses.

PPIA Fellowship Benefits

Summer benefits include:


  • Summer stipend to facilitate full participation in the JSI program.
  • Fully-funded summer coursework at one of our prestigious university partner campuses.
  • Free books and course materials for the JSI program.
  • University housing during the JSI program.
  • Career guidance and coaching during the JSI program.


Alumni benefits include:


  • Guaranteed application fee waivers when applying to programs in our Graduate School Consortium.
  • At minimum, a one-time fellowship of $5,000 from a Consortium member school upon acceptance. However, many fellows receive fellowships well above this amount.*
  • Lifetime participation in our annual Public Service Expo, a conference gathering employers and graduate schools to interface with PPIA program participants.


*JSI alumni status only guarantees minimum financial assistance at a Consortium member school, not admission.

PPIA Fellowship Sites

Our PPIA Fellows are hosted at a top public policy graduate school during the Junior Summer Institute. Each institution has its own specialization in public policy and public service.

Each JSI Fellowship Site independently reviews applications and selects finalists for its respective program. Final decisions are made solely by the individual fellowship sites.

Applicants can apply for multiple sites. To learn more about how to present a strong application, review the application and join us at one of our upcoming webinars.

Follow the links below to learn more about our PPIA Fellowship Sites.

PPIA Application Components

The PPIA Fellowship Application has three parts:

  • 1. Demographic Information

    The application will ask you to provide information on your personal, educational, financial, extracurricular, and work background. 


    Documentation submitted will include: 

    • Applicant's income verification, FAFSA or official financial aid letter 
    • Applicant's resume
    • All college-level transcripts for the applicant

    Applicants will also be asked to give preference to their PPIA JSI host site to assist in the selection process. Admitted students normally match with a JSI host site ranked in their top three.


    International and undocumented students studying at a college or university in the United States are encouraged to apply.

  • 2. Recommendation

    The application will ask you to provide the contact details of a person who can discuss your qualifications for this program.


    Ideally, your recommender should be someone who is familiar with your public service involvement and/or career interests. This could be a supervisor from a professional setting, such as an internship, part-time job, or volunteer organization.


    Once you submit your recommender's information, we will contact them directly with questions about your candidacy. Please ensure that your recommender is prepared to provide the necessary information prior to the November 1st deadline.

  • 3. Personal Statements

    To complete the applications, all applicants will upload two 500 word essays.


    • What are your public service career goals? What specific skills do you want to gain this summer as you consider your academic and career goals? How will participating in a PPIA Junior Summer Institute (JSI) help you achieve these goals?

    • Diversity of all kinds is important to enriching the educational experience at colleges and universities. Please share with us life experiences that have shaped your perspectives and how they are contributing to the classroom at your college or university and community.

    JSI sites with data and law concentrations may ask for an additional essay related to their program.


    You may also submit an optional extenuating circumstances essay, where you may provide additional personal or financial information you feel is pertinent to the selection process.

Ready to Apply?

Applications are now closed.


Applications for Summer 2026 will open in the fall.

PPIA Fellowship Program

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

  • What is the PPIA Junior Summer Institute Fellowship?

    PPIA fellows participate in the Junior Summer Institute, a rigorous graduate-level preparation program for undergraduate juniors committed to public service careers. The program was started in 1980 to address the lack of diversity across the spectrum of professional public service, including government, nonprofits, public policy institutions, and international organizations. The purpose of the PPI Fellowship is to prepare students to obtain a Master’s or joint degree, typically in public policy, public administration, international affairs, or a related field.

  • What are the benefits to being a PPIA Fellow?

    PPIA Fellows that successfully complete a Junior Summer Institute are able to receive fee waivers and a minimum $5,000 scholarship to apply to and attend graduate school. Scholarships are provided by schools in the PPIA Graduate School Consortium, and many schools provide fellows half to full-tuition scholarships after being accepted to graduate school.

  • What do you look for when selecting PPIA Fellows?

    There are a variety of factors that come into play during the selection process. Selected students embody PPIA’s diversity goals, demonstrate a commitment to public service and possess the drive to succeed in graduate school. Our students will be impressive academically, and more importantly, they will be culturally aware, socially sensitive, committed to public service, and share a common vision about making the world a better place. Applicants are encouraged to clearly communicate their lived experience and passion for impact during the essay portion of the application.

  • What can I do to make my application stand out?

    PPIA is interested in knowing your aspirations in public service, how your background informs your goals, and how participating in the Junior Summer Institute can help facilitate those goals. Successful applications successfully capture these narratives in their resume and personal statements.

  • Why do you only accept college juniors?

    This requirement is designed to allow PPIA Fellows time after completion of the Junior Summer Institute to take classes during their senior year to improve, if necessary, in a particular area of study or to register for classes that are more relevant for admission into graduate programs in public and international affairs.


  • I am not part of a historically underrepresented community. Does that make me ineligible or otherwise affect my application?

    All individuals are welcome to apply. Successful applicants can demonstrate involvement with diverse communities or convey how their cross-cultural experiences enable them to contribute to PPIA’s goal of building a diverse and more representative generation of public leaders. 

  • Can I receive feedback on my application?

    Since each Junior Summer Institute (JSI) host site independently evaluates and selects finalists for their programs, PPIA does not provide individualized feedback on applications. We encourage applicants to carefully review the application guidelines and attend one of our webinars to ensure they present a strong application. 

  • Economic need is listed as part of the eligibility to apply. Are individuals from higher incomes eligible?

    All other factors being equal, a student from an economically disadvantaged background will receive extra consideration. However, students are not disqualified based on wealth and there is typically some degree of socioeconomic diversity among PPIA Fellows.

  • Is there any major difference between the PPIA Junior Summer Institutes host sites?

    All Junior Summer Institutes share a basic core curriculum designed to prepare students for graduate studies in public and international affairs. However, you can learn more about each site's respective programming and curriculum by attending a fellowship information session. The core curriculum includes statistics, economics, policy analysis, public speaking, writing for policy, and group projects.

  • What are the dates for the 2025 Junior Summer Institutes?

    The dates for the 2025 Junior Summer Institutes have not been finalized but they will be similar to the dates in 2024, starting in mid-June and running through the end of July.

  • When will I know if I have been selected and is there a waitlist?

    Applicants will be notified of their selection status on Friday, January 31, 2025. Accepted applicants will need to accept their participation in the PPIA Fellowship by Thursday, February 13, 2025. Waitlisted applicants will be updated on their acceptance status on Friday, February 14, 2025. 

  • If I am accepted, will I have to pay anything?

    No, if you are accepted to attend a Junior Summer Institute the host university will help you pay for travel expenses, cover the cost of tuition, provide housing and meals, supply all books and materials you need for your courses, and give you a stipend to cover incidental costs throughout the summer.

  • Where can I receive support to complete the application?

    We recommend contacting your school’s national scholarships or fellowships office, or your undergraduate advisors for feedback on your application materials. They may also be able to connect you with past recipients of the fellowship at your school. You can also attend PPIA webinars to get information on application best practices. Any technical questions regarding the application process or portal can be directed to apply@ppiaprogram.org.

  • If I have a grade on my transcript that I would like to explain, where can I include that?

    You can include an explanation for an element of your application that you think does not reflect your true academic abilities or conduct by providing this information in the extenuating circumstances section. As needed, you can also tell us more about your personal or family’s finances in this part of the application.

  • Can I submit grades for courses I am currently enrolled in?

    No, current semester grades cannot be submitted after the deadline. The transcript uploaded should be the most current copy available and reflect the courses you are enrolled in for the fall 2024 semester.

  • What financial documents should students who have not filed FAFSA provide?

    Students receiving any financial aid from their universities should submit their university aid letter and parent/guardian tax information.

Want to Know More?

Watch our recorded webinar below for a deep dive on the PPIA Fellowship and to hear from our campus partners about what makes their experience unique.