Last updated: October 2026
The Brennan Center for Justice's spring 2027 undergraduate internships close on 23 November 2026, and they pay $18.40 an hour. On 26 October 2026 its own job board listed 19 internship postings in New York City: 13 for undergraduates and 3 for law students in spring 2027, plus 3 summer 2027 postings for law students only, due 4 January 2027. There was no summer 2027 posting for undergraduates yet. The Brennan Center at NYU Law is a nonpartisan law and policy institute, and it posts a new cohort each fall, spring and summer, so the next door for undergraduates is spring now and summer once it's posted. In plain words: apply this fall for spring 2027, and watch the board for summer 2027.
Quick Facts
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Where to apply | Brennan Center job board (linked from the careers page). Each department is a separate posting and application |
| Application window (2027–28) | Spring 2027 (13 undergraduate, 3 law postings): deadline 23 November 2026. Summer 2027 law postings: deadline 4 January 2027. Summer 2027 undergraduate: not posted as of 26 October 2026; expected from about October to November 2026 with a deadline in December or early January, based on the last two summers. Fall 2027: expected around July 2027 |
| Rolling? | Reviewed on a rolling basis; the postings say positions are filled once qualified candidates are found. The deadline is a last day, not a target |
| Eligibility | Undergraduate postings: undergraduate students only. Legal postings: law students only. In person in New York City (summer law postings: New York or Washington, DC). Work authorization and GPA aren't stated |
| Duration | Spring 2027: the spring semester, about 10 to 20 hours a week (law postings 10 to 15). Summer law: 10 weeks, Monday to Friday, 9:00 to 5:00 |
| Compensation | Spring 2027: $18.40 an hour for undergraduates and $20.90 for law students. Summer 2027 law: stipend of $8,360 (1L) or $9,360 (2L) for 10 weeks. If your school bars paid internships (for example for credit), the internship is unpaid. Prior summer undergraduate rates: $17.50 (2025), $17.95 (2026) |
| Return offers | Not published. The careers page says legal interns are encouraged to apply for postgraduate fellowships |
| Locations | New York City for all 19 postings; the three summer law postings are New York or Washington, DC. No remote option stated |
| # Programs | One internship program with a separate posting per department each semester: 13 undergraduate and 6 law postings live on 26 October 2026 |
Spring 2027 is the only undergraduate cohort open today (closes 23 November 2026); summer 2027 undergraduate postings haven't appeared, and the summer postings that are live are for law students only.
Externships are short, remote programs where you finish a real project for a real company, most commonly over 8 weeks at 5 to 10 hours a week, so one can run alongside your Brennan Center application. The Khan Academy Strategic Partnerships & Growth Externship matches the development track, and the ARCeH Data Analytics, Health Outcomes Externship fits research and data work. Explore all Externships.
What Is a Brennan Center for Justice Internship?
A Brennan Center internship is a paid, in-person role at the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU Law, an "independent, nonpartisan law and policy organization" with offices in New York and Washington, DC. Undergraduate interns support one department, such as Democracy, Justice, Liberty and National Security, Communications, Development, Digital, IT or Operations, with research, administrative and clerical work. Law students take separate legal postings. The Center says it posts internships in the fall, spring and summer on its careers page. Programs open only to NYU Law students, such as its clinic, are separate.
When Do Brennan Center for Justice Internship Applications Open for 2027–2028?
The Brennan Center runs three cohorts a year, so the next open door depends on your year in school. Spring 2027 postings were on the board by 7 to 17 October 2026 (Wayback captures of its own postings) with a 23 November deadline, about three months before the semester. The summer 2027 law postings carry a 4 January 2027 deadline. For undergraduates, summer 2026 postings were on the board by 9 November 2025 with a 2 January 2026 deadline, and summer 2025 closed on 6 December 2024, so a summer 2027 undergraduate posting is likely by late 2026. That's a low-confidence projection, because the deadline moved about four weeks later in one year.
Spring 2027 undergraduate postings are open: 13 departments, all in New York City. Pick the department that matches your skills; each needs its own cover letter explaining why you want that role and department.
Spring 2027 applications close for undergraduate and law postings. The Brennan Center reviews on a rolling basis, so earlier applications get read earlier.
Expected: summer 2027 undergraduate postings appear and close in December or early January, following the last two summers. The summer 2027 law postings are already up and close 4 January 2027.
Summer law interns work 10 weeks, Monday to Friday, in New York or Washington, DC. Earlier summer undergraduate cohorts ran 27 May to 5 August (2025) and June to August (2026).
Expected: fall 2027 postings. The fall 2026 undergraduate posting was on the board by 18 July 2026 with a 24 July deadline, a very short window, so check in mid-summer.
How to read this page: our dates come from tracking previous recruiting cycles and daily posting data. Treat them as informed estimates based on historical patterns, not confirmed dates. The company's official careers page is always the most current source. If a role is posted there, go by that, even if this page suggests the window hasn't opened yet.
Why You Must Apply the Week Applications Open
The Brennan Center reviews applications on a rolling basis and says positions are filled once qualified candidates are found, so the stated deadline is a last day, not a target. Spring postings sat on the board for about seven weeks, while fall windows have been as short as a week. Apply to your department in the first weeks, and check the job board every week from now through early December for the summer undergraduate postings.
Which Brennan Center for Justice Internship Programs Should You Target?
The Center posts one internship per department each semester. These are the undergraduate groups on the board on 26 October 2026, with the law postings labelled.
| Program | Focus | Duration | Key skills |
|---|---|---|---|
| Policy programs (undergraduate, 5 postings) | Democracy, Justice and Liberty and National Security (2) interns, plus Legal Department: research, reports, litigation support and administrative work | Spring 2027, 10 to 20 hours a week | Research, writing, Microsoft Office, data |
| Communications and creative (undergraduate, 4 postings) | Communications (Brennan en Español, requires English and Spanish fluency), Digital, Graphic Design/Creative and Multimedia Producer | Spring 2027, 10 to 20 hours a week | Writing, design or video editing, social media |
| Development (undergraduate) | Supports the Center's Development (fundraising) team | Spring 2027, 10 to 20 hours a week | Writing, organization, databases |
| IT (undergraduate, 2 postings) | Help-desk support for New York and Washington staff: tickets, Office 365, computers and printers | Spring 2027, 10 to 20 hours a week | TCP/IP basics, Office 365, troubleshooting |
| Operations (undergraduate) | Administration, event support and reception; must be able to lift over 25 pounds | Spring 2027, 10 to 20 hours a week | Organization, Microsoft Office |
| Legal internships (law students only) | Spring 2027 (3 postings) and summer 2027 (3 postings): legal research and writing for amicus briefs, reports and public comments. Summer is New York or Washington, DC | Spring: 10 to 15 hours a week; summer: 10 weeks full-time | Legal research and writing |
Each posting is a separate application. See the Brennan Center careers page for how the internship cohorts work.
What Are the Eligibility Requirements?
These rules come from the postings on the Center's own job board.
• Undergraduate postings: open only to undergraduate students; the application asks whether you'll be enrolled in your bachelor's program for the whole internship.
• Legal postings: open only to law students. Summer applications ask for a cover letter, law school transcript, a legal writing sample of 5 to 10 pages, a resume and three supervisor references.
• Format: in person in New York City. Summer law postings are New York or Washington, DC. The application asks if you can be in person for the term.
• Application materials: undergraduate applications need a resume, a cover letter and contact details for three supervisor references; the Democracy posting also asks for a writing sample of up to 10 pages.
• Credit: the Center follows your school's rules; if your school doesn't allow a paid internship (for example for credit), the internship is unpaid.
• GPA and work authorization: not stated in the postings.
Do You Need to Meet Every Qualification?
No. Each posting says "If you're uncertain about meeting 100% of our qualifications, we encourage you to apply anyway." The core asks are research, writing and analytical skills, Microsoft Office and "a passion for our issues." The Brennan en Español posting also requires English and Spanish fluency, and Operations requires being able to lift over 25 pounds. Note that programs such as the Public Policy Advocacy Clinic are only for NYU Law students.
What Skills Does Brennan Center for Justice Look For, and How Do You Build Them?
We read the 13 undergraduate postings from the Center's own board. Research, writing and analytical skills are the shared core, and Microsoft Office is named as a must in the Democracy, Operations and Brennan en Español postings. IT postings add TCP/IP basics, Office 365 and the Sage fundraising database. Communications and creative postings add Spanish fluency, design or video work. The tools listed are the Center's own wording, not a market average.
Note: Thirteen postings share a large block of identical text, so counting skills would mostly measure the template. The shared requirements are summarized above and in the table below. Source: Brennan Center job board, 26 October 2026.
How Is Demand for Policy Interns Moving Right Now?
Policy intern postings · Sep vs Aug 2026
vs 537 in August
For Brennan Center applicants: the Center's own job board listed 19 internship postings on 26 October 2026, with spring 2027 closing 23 November and undergraduate summer postings not yet up. Use the market picture to see how many other employers you're up against, then apply to the open cohort.
Daily US job-posting counts, Sep 1–30 vs Aug 1–31, 2026. Covers under half of US postings; shows direction, not market size. Pay = median of employer-published ranges only (47 postings in September, 55 in August).
Build These Skills Before You Apply
Each row maps a task from the Brennan Center's postings to a remote Externship that produces a finished project.
| Skill (from real JDs) | JD evidence | Externship that builds it |
|---|---|---|
| Research and data work | Democracy and Justice interns: "research, administrative, and clerical support"; "Experience working with data is very helpful" | ARCeH Data Analytics, Health Outcomes |
| Nonprofit development and partnerships | Development intern; the Center's fundraising and communications teams | Khan Academy Strategic Partnerships & Growth |
| Operations and strategy | Operations intern: administration and event support; "Applicants must be open to evolving responsibilities" | Lean Startup Co. Corporate Strategy |
| IT and databases | IT intern: help-desk tickets, Office 365 and the Sage fundraising database | Breaking Games SQL & Database Architecture |
None of these Externships is affiliated with the Brennan Center. Most run about 8 weeks, so one started in November can finish before the spring semester ends.
What Is the Brennan Center for Justice Application and Interview Process Like?
The Center's postings describe the application, but not the interview, so this combines the postings with community reports.
1. Choose your department. Each posting is its own application, with a role-specific cover letter.
2. Apply through the job board. Upload your resume, cover letter and the names and contact details of three supervisor references. Calls aren't accepted.
3. Wait for contact. Review is rolling. Community reports say some applicants waited weeks or months for 2026 undergraduate roles.
4. Interview. The Center doesn't publish interview steps. One applicant described the IT interview as easy.
5. Confirm credit rules. Check your school's internship policy, since it can change whether the internship is paid.
What Students on Reddit Say
Reddit has a few posts from Brennan Center applicants, mostly about waiting to hear back. They're small samples.
In February 2026, two applicants for the Center's 2026 undergraduate internships said they still hadn't heard back, so expect a wait and don't read silence as a rejection.
A student interviewing for the IT intern role in DC called it by far the easiest interview they'd done, and added a personal impression that policy and law interns come mostly from prestigious schools. That second point is one person's opinion.
A March 2026 applicant who had applied a couple of weeks earlier hadn't heard back. One commenter said they'd seen a LinkedIn post from someone who got a communications internship, which is second-hand.
How Do You Stand Out for a Brennan Center Internship?
First, apply to the single department that fits you and write a cover letter that says why that role and department, since the postings ask for exactly that. Second, show research and writing you've done, such as a policy memo or a class paper, because the Democracy posting asks for a writing sample of up to 10 pages. Third, apply early in the window, as review is rolling. The Center publishes no applicant counts or return-offer rate, so don't assume a conversion path.
What Other Companies Should You Consider?
These policy institutes and nonprofits also hire students for research and advocacy.
For more nonprofit and policy employers, see our nonprofit and social impact internships summer 2027 guide.
FAQ
Can I still apply for a summer 2026 Brennan Center internship?
No. The summer 2026 undergraduate cohort ran from June to August 2026 and its postings closed on 2 January 2026. Open now are spring 2027 postings closing 23 November 2026, and summer 2027 postings for law students only, due 4 January 2027.
When do Brennan Center internship applications close?
Spring 2027 undergraduate and law postings close on 23 November 2026. Summer 2027 law postings close on 4 January 2027. Summer 2027 undergraduate postings weren't up on 26 October 2026; the last two summers closed in early December and early January.
Are Brennan Center internships paid?
Yes, with a school-rules exception. Spring 2027 pays $18.40 an hour for undergraduates and $20.90 for law students. Summer law interns get a stipend of $8,360 (1L) or $9,360 (2L). If your school doesn't allow paid internships, such as when you earn credit, yours is unpaid.
Can undergraduates apply for a summer 2027 Brennan Center internship?
Not yet. On 26 October 2026 the only summer 2027 postings were for law students. The Center has posted undergraduate summer roles in the fall in recent years, so check its job board weekly through early December. Undergraduates can apply now for spring 2027.
Where are Brennan Center internships located?
All 19 postings on 26 October 2026 are in person in New York City, and the three summer law postings are New York or Washington, DC. The Center states no remote option. The application asks whether you can be in person for the term.
How many hours do Brennan Center interns work?
Spring undergraduate interns work about 10 to 20 hours a week, and spring law interns 10 to 15. Summer law interns work Monday to Friday, 9:00 to 5:00 for 10 weeks. Hours can differ if a school's formal internship program allows more.
Do you need to be a law student?
No. Thirteen of the 19 postings are for undergraduates, in departments such as Democracy, Justice, Communications, Development, Digital, IT and Operations. The six legal postings are for law students only, and programs like the Public Policy Advocacy Clinic are limited to NYU Law students.
Is the Brennan Center part of NYU?
The Brennan Center for Justice sits at NYU School of Law and describes itself as an independent, nonpartisan law and policy organization with offices in New York and Washington, DC. This guide covers the Center's own internships, not NYU's other student programs. Some clinics are exclusive to NYU Law students.
The Brennan Center's spring 2027 internships close on 23 November 2026, so apply to your department now and watch the board for summer. If you want a finished project to discuss in the interview, a remote Externship can run alongside your application.
About the Author
Bifei Wang has spent 17 years focused on human flow and the growth of young professionals, spanning international education, career training and coaching, and recruitment process outsourcing. Over 7 years at Extern, he has had one-on-one sessions with thousands of students exploring careers in consulting, finance, tech, marketing, and data, giving him a firsthand view of how the job market has shifted for early-career professionals and what it actually takes to break in.
