Interning with Bernie Sanders: Requirements and Opportunities

Internships with Senator Bernie Sanders offer a unique opportunity to gain firsthand experience in the legislative and representative process. As an integral part of Senator Sanders' Senate operation, interns contribute significantly to his work on behalf of Vermont and the nation. These internships are available in various locations, including Washington, D.C., and Burlington, Vermont, and cater to different interests, such as legislative affairs, press and video production, and constituent services.

The Role of a Congressional Intern

An intern provides temporary assistance to a congressional office, whether paid or unpaid. The experience is typically considered educational, offering valuable insights into the workings of the government. An intern's role should not substitute for or replace the duties of regular employees. If an intern is paid, some rules applicable to congressional employees may apply to them.

Internships are distinct from other roles, such as volunteers, fellows, and pages. A volunteer also assists a congressional office and gains educational value, similar to an unpaid intern. However, a volunteer cannot receive financial compensation from any source. A fellow performs services on a temporary basis, often through a graduate-level or mid-career education program, and typically receives compensation from a sponsoring organization. A page is a high-school junior who participates in a structured program, providing assistance in the Senate chamber.

General Requirements and Eligibility

The application for Sen. Sanders’ Spring 2026 internships is now open. While specific requirements may vary, several general criteria apply to all applicants. A strong interest in progressive politics and familiarity with Senator Sanders’ legislative priorities are highly preferred, along with ties to Vermont. House and Senate offices have the freedom to set many of their own requirements for intern selection, just as they do with general personnel decisions. Some offices, for example, may require that interns are currently enrolled students, have reached a certain level of education, or that interns live in a Member's district or state.

All candidates must be able to reside locally to their duty station (D.C. or Burlington) for the duration of the internship. Due to current office policy, interns are expected to work both remotely and in-person, depending on office needs. Applicants with disabilities who require reasonable accommodations to participate effectively in the application or hiring processes are encouraged to request an accommodation at any time during those processes.

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The office is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate based on race, sex, color, age, religion, disability, national origin, genetic information, uniformed status, sexual orientation, or gender identity or expression. People of color, LGBTQ+ individuals, working-class individuals, and those from other traditionally underrepresented communities are strongly encouraged to apply.

Internship Terms and Compensation

Internships are divided into three terms:

Spring: January through mid-May
Summer: Late May through mid-August
Fall: Late August through December

Exact dates are flexible based on availability.

Interns are compensated at a rate of $17.95/hour, unless sponsored by an outside organization or academic program that prevents such compensation.

Internship Opportunities

Senator Sanders' office offers various internship opportunities tailored to different interests and skill sets.

D.C. and State Office Internship

Interns in the Vermont office experience the various ways in which Senator Sanders’ staff assists Vermonters on a day-to-day basis, from representing the Senator at events to helping Vermonters resolve problems with federal agencies. Interns will help respond to constituent requests for information and assistance; join visits with Vermont organizations; help organize and staff public meetings and events, track local news stories, and much more.

Press/Video Internship

Press and video interns in the Vermont office assist with photography and videography, production of videos and graphics, and drafting of social media content. Interns should have interest in learning Adobe Premiere Pro and After Effects, as well as creative drive to explore new approaches to video storytelling.

Legislative Internship

Legislative internships are geared toward Vermonters and other entry-level candidates. Legislative interns play a key role in the committee office of Ranking Member Sanders and will work closely with policy advisors and counsels. The HELP Committee works on a wide range of issues in the areas of health, education, labor, disability, pensions, and oversight. The internship position offers Vermonters and other entry-level candidates the opportunity to gain substantive experience in a Senate office while participating directly in the legislative process.

Rules and Regulations

While few statutes or standing rules of the House or Senate make specific references to congressional interns, the distinction between paid and unpaid internships affects which formal rules apply. Fewer rules may apply to unpaid interns than to paid interns. The Office of Congressional Workplace Rights (OCWR) notes that interns are covered by the Congressional Accountability Act under certain limited circumstances.

To enhance accountability, the House or Senate ethics committees or individual congressional offices can set standards for unpaid interns that mirror some of the rules that paid interns or congressional employees follow. The House Committee on Ethics advises that offices obtain a written agreement from unpaid interns, while the Senate Select Committee on Ethics requires that unpaid interns file a disclaimer acknowledging that their service is voluntary. The conflict-of-interest provisions in the Standing Rules of the Senate apply to any intern, fellow, or volunteer providing Senate services, even if the individual is only working for a single day.

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Paid interns are required to follow the House or Senate gift rules that apply to regular employees, and the House and Senate ethics committees advise that unpaid interns should also abide by the gift rules. Generally, these rules prohibit (1) receiving gifts from lobbyists or foreign agents, (2) receiving any individual gift valued at over $50, and (3) receiving $100 or more in gifts (each valued at $10 or more) from a single source.

Office Policies and Procedures

Offices often provide additional information or guidance to interns about congressional operations or resources. This may include an overview of the House or Senate rules that apply to interns, or clarification of office policies regarding attendance, technology use, phone etiquette, and other expectations. Information about emergency procedures and contact information for the appropriate police or medical services is also commonly provided. Some offices may provide interns with a basic overview of the legislative process or how to perform legislative research.

Special Considerations

In many instances, Members of Congress have broad discretion to determine who works in their offices, but different laws, rules, and considerations may apply to a noncitizen's potential service, based on the individual's status, particularly if the individual receives pay. The respective ethics manuals remind Member offices to be careful not to mix official congressional resources with campaign resources. Interns working in a congressional office may also work for a political campaign, but the two responsibilities must be carefully delineated and kept separate. If an intern is paid, then the standard prohibitions regarding nepotism or employment of relatives established in law and House or Senate rules apply.

Internship Length and Timing

Internship lengths often reflect time periods designated by the academic calendar, occurring over the course of the fall or spring semester, or during the summer. There are no minimum lengths for House or Senate internships in statute, but certain considerations may affect the parameters offices choose for how long an internship should last.

Compensation and Sponsorship

Interns may receive pay from the congressional office in which they work, if the office chooses to provide it. The continuing resolution for FY2025 and the FY2024 appropriations bill provide some designated funding for internships in House Members' personal offices, in House committees, in House leadership offices, and in Senators' personal offices. Members may also use their own office resources to provide compensation for interns. Many educational institutions or other organizations sponsor congressional internships, and interns may receive stipends from these groups for their internships.

Academic Credit

The House and Senate expect that a congressional internship provides an educational experience but, institutionally, make no requirements that an intern receive school credit or be a currently enrolled student. Some congressional offices may choose to select interns on the basis of whether they will receive, or will not receive, academic credit for the experience. Each educational institution sets its own requirements for granting academic credit.

Number of Interns

There is no minimum required number of interns for each congressional office; offices are not obligated to hire any interns unless they choose to. If interns are unpaid, there is no cap on the maximum number of interns for either the House or Senate. If interns are paid, there may be a maximum number of interns an office can employ, based on applicable staff ceiling rules for the office.

Location and Responsibilities

The substance of the work performed in an internship may vary between district/state offices and Washington, DC, offices if the roles assumed by those different Member offices vary. For example, an intern's tasks may involve more constituent service activities in a district or state office than they would in a Washington, DC, office where the emphasis may be more on legislative activities. House interns who are paid under the House Paid Internship Program may work in Washington, DC, in the office of a Member, in a committee office, or in a House leadership office, or interns may work in a Member's district office. For security purposes, interns in Washington, DC, offices can obtain a congressional ID badge, available from the Office of the Sergeant at Arms for the appropriate chamber. District or state office interns are also eligible to receive ID badges at the request of the employing Member office.

Training and Development

If interns are paid by Congress, then they are to take many of the mandatory trainings that new House or Senate employees are required to take. If interns are unpaid, however, fewer House or Senate trainings are mandatory for them. All interns in the House of Representatives are required to complete a training session on workplace rights and responsibilities. Also in the House, any individual who has access to the House network needs to complete an information security training online. A paid intern who is employed for 60 days or more is to take a House ethics training, which is mandatory for new House employees. In the Senate, all interns or fellows are required to receive the same antiharassment training as paid employees. The Senate Office of Education and Training has provided a number of courses specifically designed for interns, including harassment prevention and an overview of the Senate Code of Conduct. Some programs and courses offered by CRS are open to congressional interns, provided that they have completed the CRS intern orientation.

Additional Opportunities

Beyond the core internship duties, Senator Sanders is actively involved in various initiatives to engage and support young people. These include:

Vermont Youth Climate Summit: Senator Sanders is an honorary co-chair of the annual Vermont Youth Climate Summit, which brings together high school students to learn about climate change and potential solutions.
College and Career Fairs: Senator Sanders hosts College and Career Fairs at schools across Vermont to help students plan their futures after high school.
Youth Creative Writing Contest: Senator Sanders invites all Vermont students in Kindergarten through 12th grade to participate in a Youth Creative Writing Contest.
Arts Education Support: Senator Sanders organizes a concert to showcase choral groups from Vermont schools and holds town meetings with students on arts education.
Military Academy Nominations: Senator Sanders nominates exceptional young Vermonters for appointment to our nation’s military academies each year.
State of the Union Essay Contest: Bernie invites Vermont high school students to write an essay describing what they think are the most pressing issues facing our country.

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