The Arizona Legislature provides many internship opportunities for qualified applicants, including our Legislative Internship, Legal Internship and the Broadcast Internship. Select a program on the left and discover which one is right for you!
The Legislative Internship is offered during the spring semester, from January through May. Interns are placed in various positions at the
Arizona State Senate or House of Representatives. Interns may also be selected to work in the Governor's Office or with the Supreme Court.
Interns receive a stipend of $5,000, a tuition/fee waiver and earn 12 hours of undergraduate upper division credit or 9 hours of graduate credit upon successful completion
of the internship.
Students from outside Maricopa County are eligible to apply for reimbursement of qualified relocation expenses up to $1,000, with receipts.
Duties include conducting research; writing summaries of bills; attending committee hearings; presenting bills in committees and caucus; preparing amendments; and communicating with legislators, liaisons of state agencies, lobbyists, constituents and members of the general public. Interns are supervised and mentored by a legislative staff person. Specific duties vary, depending on intern assignments.
Interns may be placed in the Legislature, Governor’s Office or Supreme Court. However, all three placements are LEGISLATIVE internships.
This means that interns in the Senate and House are in the midst of the action, taking part in the crafting of legislation. Interns placed
in the other branches observe this work.
The Senate and House each select approximately 20 interns. They analyze public policy either with a subject-area committee or the offices
of the Republican Staff or Democratic Staff.
Senate and House interns participate directly in the legislative process, rather than monitoring the process as observers.
Applicants must be candidates for a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree at one of Arizona’s participating universities and have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher at the time of application.
Candidates for a Bachelor's degree must have at least 75 hours at the end of the fall semester prior to the internship. Individual universities may have additional eligibility requirements, please contact your university coordinator for information.
The position requires communication and writing skills, the ability to work in a team setting and self-starting independence.
Interns do not have to be political science majors or know anything about the legislative process; your supervisors will teach you everything you need to know. The most important attributes of an intern are enthusiasm, a willingness to learn through hands-on experience, and interest in the legislative process. Students from all academic disciplines are encouraged to apply.
Do I have to know about the government or be a political science major?
No! Students from all majors and disciplines are encouraged to apply. Former interns’ majors have included
communications, religious studies, ecology and evolutionary biology, economics, finance, media arts and psychology, among others.
Legislative Staff trains, supervises and mentors interns at all times.
What is the selection process?
There are two rounds of panel interviews. Campus interviews are conducted in October to determine which candidates will be
interviewed at the State Capitol by the Legislative Selection Committee. Interviews at the State Capitol are the last week
in October. Interns are selected and notified in November.
How many interns are hired?
There are between 40 and 50 interns who serve in various capacities at the Senate and House of Representatives.
How long does the internship last and do I get paid?
The internship lasts for 18 weeks during the spring semester, beginning the first week of January.
Interns receive a $5,000 stipend, plus a tuition/fee waiver and credit hours. Students from outside Maricopa
County may be eligible for reimbursement of moving expenses up to $1,000 (with receipts).
What are the working hours for the internship?
Interns normally begin work at 8:00 a.m. and work until 5:00 p.m. or until their work is complete, whichever is later.
Interns generally work long hours, so additional coursework and second jobs are not encouraged.
Does the Legislature set up my housing?
No. Reimbursement of up to $1,000 is available for students from outside Maricopa County, but interns are responsible
for setting up their own housing.
Are there job opportunities?
Yes! Many former interns have succeeded in obtaining positions at various state agencies, with lobbying groups,
law firms and the private sector. Several former interns are currently on permanent staff with the House of Representatives
and the Senate and some have gone to various federal agencies in Washington, D.C.
How do former interns describe the experience?
“The Arizona State Legislative internship was one of the greatest experiences of my college career.”
“…way more than I expected… an invaluable experience.”
“This exclusive internship gives a great inside view to state policymaking…”
“I didn’t feel like an intern. I felt like a member of a team…”
“…the experiences I had, the skills I gained, and just participating so hands-on in the legislative process has really positively impacted my life.”
“I learned more about the inner workings of government during this program than I ever could have in a classroom setting.”
How do I apply?
Contact your university coordinator for more information. Their contact information can be found on the Contacts tab.
Download Application:
How do I find the Arizona State Capitol?
| September 5 (Tuesday) |
ASU Downtown Campus (3:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.) Post Office Building Rm 135 (San Carlos) |
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| September 7 (Thursday) |
ASU Tempe Campus (11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.) Memorial Union |
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| September 11 (Monday) |
Grand Canyon University (11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.) Student Union |
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| September 13 (Wednesday) |
UA Briefings & Meet/Greet Student Union Memorial Center |
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| September 14 (Thursday) |
NAU Open House University Union and Social & Behavioral Sciences Castro building |
**Application Deadline: Tuesday, September 26 by 5:00 P.M. **
(Please Note: Applications must be submitted to the university by the deadline)
| October 3, 4, 5 (Tuesday - Thursday) |
UA On-Campus Interviews TBD |
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| October 11 (Wednesday) |
Grand Canyon University Embry-Riddle University Senate Caucus Room #2 |
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| October 12, 13 (Thursday, Friday) |
NAU On-Campus Interviews TBD |
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| October 18, 19, 20 (Wednesday - Friday) |
ASU On-Campus Interviews (Tempe) Memorial Union |
| Oct. 30, 31 and Nov. 2, 3 |
House of Representatives Basement Rooms 035-038 |
**Application Deadline: Tuesday, September 26 by 5:00 P.M. **
(Please Note: Applications must be submitted to the university by the deadline)
The Arizona Legislative Legal Internship program occurs during the annual Regular Session beginning the second Monday in January and lasts throughout the spring semester.
The legal internship provides a unique opportunity to second and third year students from Arizona State University Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law and the University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law to learn about constitutional law, state government, current legal issues and the legislative process. The program affords participants intensive legal research and writing opportunities.
Legal interns generally work 20 hours each week. A flexible schedule can be accomplished with the supervising attorney to accommodate your law college class schedule.
Positions are available in the Arizona Senate and the House of Representatives with the non-partisan Rules Committee legal staff and the Republican and Democratic legal staff. A position is also available with Legislative Council, which is the Legislature’s non-partisan bill drafting and legal research agency.
If selected for the legal internship, students may receive up to 6 pass/fail credits for completion of up to 330 hours (20 hours or less per week for 18 weeks) from their law college. * Legal interns receive a stipend of $5,000. The legislature may provide reimbursement to students for reasonable out-of-pocket costs associated with the legal internship.
Click on the "Application" link to download the form and additional information. You will submit your application and all other materials through the externship office at your law college. The deadline to submit your application is Wednesday, October 3, 2018 at 5:00 p.m.
Carolyn Landry at the Law Externship Program office
Amanda Bynum at the Career Development office
After applications have been reviewed, interviews will be held in late October or early November at the Arizona State Capitol. Interviews are conducted by a panel of legislative attorneys and staff and lasts approximately 20 minutes. Those applicants selected to participate in the program will be notified within the same week of the interviews.
1 Financial aid, including scholarships, loans, or tuition waivers may be available to students depending on applicable law college policy and participation.
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