Last updated: October 2026
The Ford Foundation pays its summer interns $38.50 an hour for ten weeks, but the program is open only to full-time rising juniors and seniors who live in the New York tri-state area and receive need-based financial aid. In plain words: you apply from December 2026 to roughly late January 2027, and you intern in summer 2027. As of October 16, 2026, applications aren't open. The foundation's program page says the 2026 application is closed and asks applicants to come back in December, and its Workday board lists three openings, none of them an internship. Last time the dates were public, the application opened December 6, 2023 and closed January 26, 2024. The foundation doesn't publish a class size or an acceptance rate.
Quick Facts
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Where to apply | Ford Foundation Internship Program page (links to the Workday careers site, where the requisition posts) |
| Application window (2027–28) | Summer 2027 applications expected to open ~December 2026 (the official page says to return in December) and close ~late January 2027, projected from the 2024 cycle (Dec 6, 2023 to Jan 26, 2024). Low-to-medium confidence |
| Rolling? | No. A hard deadline (Jan 26 in 2024), though interviews ran on a rolling basis, so earlier is better |
| Eligibility | Full-time rising juniors and seniors (undergraduates only); permanent residents of the NY tri-state area; receiving need-based financial aid; cumulative GPA of 3.0/4.0 or higher |
| Duration | 10 weeks, full time, first week of June to second week of August; summer only |
| Compensation | $38.50/hour, per the foundation's FAQ |
| Return offers | Described as a learning experience, not a hiring pipeline; some past interns were hired later, typically not right away |
| Locations | New York City office (320 E 43rd Street); the 2024 program was hybrid, 3 days in the office |
| # Programs | 1 (the Ford Foundation Internship Program), with placement in a department that fits your background |
The two numbers that matter: $38.50 an hour and a window of about seven weeks that closed on January 26 the last time its dates were public. For summer 2027, applications are expected to open in December 2026 and close around late January 2027. The eligibility rules (residency, need-based aid, a 3.0 GPA) decide whether you can apply at all.
Externships are short, remote programs where you finish a real project for a real company, and you can complete one before the December window. The Center for Improving Youth Justice Data Analytics Externship practices the data-driven decision-making that social-impact work relies on, and the Attronica Financial Planning & Analysis Externship builds spreadsheet and valuation skills useful on a foundation's finance and investments teams. Explore all Externships.
What Is a Ford Foundation Internship?
A Ford Foundation internship is a paid, full-time, ten-week summer placement at the foundation's New York City office, run through the Ford Foundation Internship Program. Interns are embedded in a team and work alongside professionals in operations and grantmaking, on administrative, analytical, research and special project support. The program has run for more than 40 years. The foundation describes itself as an international social justice philanthropy and pays $38.50 an hour, a rate it calls above the living wage for New York City. The program was built for students who might not be able to afford the typically unpaid opportunities in this field, which is why need-based aid is an eligibility rule. This page is about the Ford Foundation, the philanthropy, not Ford Motor Company and not the foundation's separate fellowships for graduate students.
When Do Ford Foundation Internship Applications Open for 2027–2028?
The Ford Foundation runs one cohort a year, in summer, with a single application window in winter. The only cycle with public dates is 2024: the listing went up on December 6, 2023 with a deadline of Friday, January 26, 2024 at 11:59 pm, for a program running June 3 to August 9, 2024. That's a lead of roughly six months from posting to start, and a window of about seven weeks. Archived copies of the program page show the 2025 and 2026 applications already marked closed by January 15, 2025 and February 15, 2026, so the exact windows in those years aren't known and a shorter window is possible. For summer 2027, the foundation says to come back in December, so applications for summer 2027 are expected to open in December 2026.
Applications for summer 2027 aren't open yet. The official page says the 2026 application is closed and to return in December, and the Workday board showed three openings on October 16, 2026, none of them an internship. Use these weeks to check the five eligibility rules and line up your documents.
Confirm that your home address counts as a permanent residence in the New York tri-state area and that your financial aid is need-based. Finalists provide proof of need-based aid, an unofficial transcript and two professional references, so ask your references now.
Applications for summer 2027 expected to open in December 2026 and close around late January 2027, projected from the 2024 cycle. Apply in the first weeks: interviews in 2024 ran on a rolling basis, and archived pages show closed notices by mid-January in 2025.
Interviews and decisions, expected. Per the foundation's FAQ, the process starts with a video interview with Talent Acquisition, then a screening interview, then meetings with a department manager and team members. You may not hear until a final decision is made.
The ten-week program, expected to run from the first week of June to the second week of August 2027. Interns join a team, attend weekly learning sessions with senior staff, visit grantees and have an assigned mentor, at $38.50 an hour.
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 Ford Foundation sets a hard deadline, not a rolling cutoff, and the window is short. In the 2024 cycle it ran about seven weeks, from December 6 to January 26. The program page was already marked closed in archived copies from mid-January 2025 and mid-February 2026, which means a late-January target could be too late in some years. The 2024 listing also said candidates would be interviewed on a rolling basis, so an early application meets an emptier interview calendar. The foundation also notes that the large number of applicants means it can't give individual feedback, so submit a finished application the first time.
Which Ford Foundation Internship Programs Should You Target?
There is one program, the Ford Foundation Internship Program, and you don't choose a track on the application. The foundation places you in the department that best fits your background and interests. Departments that have hosted interns, per the FAQ, are grouped below.
| Program / Team group | Focus | Duration | Key skills |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grantmaking and program teams (BUILD; Civic Engagement and Government; Creativity and Free Expression; Gender, Racial and Ethnic Justice; JustFilms; Natural Resources and Climate Change; Technology and Society) | Research, analysis and special-project support alongside program staff; grantee site visits | 10 weeks, full time | Research and writing; interest in social justice; Office and Google tools |
| Finance, Investments and Grants Processing | Administrative and analytical support on the foundation's operations and grant payments | 10 weeks, full time | Not published by team; the general list in the 2024 listing applies (Excel, written and verbal communication) |
| Information Management and IT | Administrative and project support for the foundation's systems | 10 weeks, full time | Not published by team; the general list applies |
| Communications, Events, People and Culture, Facilities and the Office of the President | Administrative and special-project support for internal and public-facing work | 10 weeks, full time | Written and verbal communication; Office and Google tools |
The full program description and FAQ are on the Ford Foundation internship page. Departments change year to year, so treat this list as past placements rather than a guarantee.
What Are the Eligibility Requirements?
The foundation states that applicants must meet all of the criteria below:
• Class year: full-time rising juniors or seniors, undergraduates only.
• Residency: permanent residents of the New York tri-state area (certain areas of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut). Having a family member who lives there, or only attending school there, doesn't count.
• Financial aid: you must receive need-based aid, such as a Pell Grant, FSEOG, Direct Subsidized Loan, Perkins Loan or Federal Work-Study. If scholarships cover your need, you may still qualify with documentation.
• GPA: a cumulative minimum of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, with transcripts requested to verify conversions from other grading scales.
• Schedule: full time, for all ten weeks of the program.
• Work authorization: the official pages don't state citizenship or visa rules. The residency rule is about where you live, not your immigration status, so check the 2027 requisition for any work-authorization line.
Is the 3.0 GPA a Hard Cutoff?
As written, yes. The program page lists a cumulative minimum GPA of 3.0 as one of the criteria and says applicants must meet them all, and the foundation asks finalists for an unofficial transcript to verify it. It doesn't publish any exception or waiver. If you're close, the safer assumption is that the number is a gate rather than a preference.
What Skills Does Ford Foundation Look For, and How Do You Build Them?
The foundation doesn't publish a skills list for each team, so this section rests on the one detailed listing available: the 2024 internship posting, a copy of the foundation's own text. It asked for leadership and interest in social justice through coursework or extracurriculars, proficiency with Word, Excel, PowerPoint and the Google Slides, Sheets and Docs suite, strong written and verbal communication, and interest in nonprofits and foundations. All majors were welcome. The 2027 requisition may differ, so read it when it posts.
Note: Skills chart not shown: the Ford Foundation's Workday board had no internship requisition on October 16, 2026, and only one earlier listing (2024) could be read, too few to chart. The skills above come from that listing.
How Is Demand for Policy Interns Moving Right Now?
Policy intern postings · Sep vs Aug 2026
vs 537 in August
For Ford Foundation applicants: none of this volume is the foundation's. Its Workday board listed three openings on October 16, 2026, none an internship, and its summer program is posted once a year around December.
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
No Externship teaches grantmaking itself, but four open cohorts build the analytical and operational skills the foundation's placements describe.
| Skill (from real JDs) | JD evidence | Externship that builds it |
|---|---|---|
| Data-driven decision-making for social impact | Placements include analytical and research support (program page) | Center for Improving Youth Justice Data Analytics |
| Spreadsheets and financial analysis | 2024 listing asked for Excel proficiency; Finance, Investments and Grants Processing have hosted interns | Attronica Financial Planning & Analysis and Private Company Valuation |
| Environment and climate data | Natural Resources and Climate Change has hosted interns (FAQ) | ARCeH Data Analytics, Health Outcomes |
| Operations and special projects | Placements include administrative and special project support (program page) | Institute of Mental Health Healthcare Operations & Consulting |
These Externships don't replace the foundation's own program, and none is run by or affiliated with the Ford Foundation. They give you finished, remote project work to describe in the application's short answers and interviews.
What Is the Ford Foundation Application and Interview Process Like?
The foundation's FAQ describes the process this way:
1. Check every criterion first. Residency, need-based aid, class year and GPA are all required, so confirm them before you spend time on an application.
2. Apply on the foundation's Workday careers site once the 2027 requisition posts. The program page links to it, and the foundation says to return in December. You get an automated confirmation but no individual feedback.
3. Video interview with Talent Acquisition. In the 2024 process this came first.
4. Finalists send documents. Expect to provide proof of need-based aid, an unofficial transcript and two professional references.
5. Screening interview, then department manager and team. You may not be notified of your status until a final decision has been made.
The foundation doesn't offer shadowing or volunteering for students at this time, so the internship is the only student route.
What Students on Reddit Say
There is nothing usable to quote: the only Reddit thread about the program is a 2019 post from an applicant who never heard back, and it has no replies.
How Do You Stand Out for the Ford Foundation Internship?
Start with the gates, because the eligibility rules do most of the screening. Confirm residency, need-based aid and your GPA before anything else, then have your finalist documents ready so a request doesn't slow you down. Second, show the interest the program is built around. The 2024 listing asked for leadership and interest in social justice shown through coursework or extracurriculars, and for interest in nonprofits and foundations, so name specific things you've done rather than general enthusiasm. Third, say which departments interest you, since placement uses your background and interests. Be realistic about what follows: the foundation calls the program a learning experience rather than a pipeline for full-time work. Some past interns were hired later, but typically not right away.
What Other Companies Should You Consider?
Students who look at the Ford Foundation usually weigh other large foundations and social-impact employers.
- Rockefeller FoundationNew York philanthropy peer with its own careers site and hiring calendarGuide →
- MacArthur FoundationChicago-based foundation; check its own careers page for student programsGuide →
- Teach For Americaeducation nonprofit with its own routes in; our guide explains themGuide →
- World BankWashington-based development lender with a separate internship programGuide →
For more employers in this space, see our nonprofit and social impact internships guide for summer 2027.
FAQ
Can I still apply for a summer 2026 Ford Foundation internship?
No. The foundation's program page says the 2026 summer application is closed and asks applicants to return in December for the 2027 program. Its Workday board listed three openings on October 16, 2026, none an internship. Applications for summer 2027 are expected to open in December 2026.
When do Ford Foundation internship applications open for summer 2027?
Expected in December 2026, based on the foundation's own instruction to return to its program page that month. The deadline is expected around late January 2027, projected from 2024, when the listing opened December 6, 2023 and closed January 26, 2024. Archived pages suggest the window can be shorter, so apply early.
How much do Ford Foundation interns earn?
$38.50 an hour, according to the foundation's FAQ, which describes the rate as above the living wage for New York City. The program is full time for ten weeks, and the foundation doesn't provide housing. The 2024 listing also said interns aren't eligible for the benefits full-time staff receive.
Who is eligible for the Ford Foundation internship?
You must be a full-time rising junior or senior undergraduate, a permanent resident of the New York tri-state area, a recipient of need-based financial aid, and hold a 3.0 cumulative GPA. The foundation says applicants must meet all criteria. Graduate students aren't eligible, and it publishes no visa rules.
Is the Ford Foundation internship remote?
The program page places interns at the foundation's New York City office. The 2024 program was hybrid, with three days a week in the office, but the current page doesn't restate a split. Confirm the work arrangement in the 2027 requisition before you plan housing or commuting.
Does the Ford Foundation offer fall or spring internships?
No. The foundation says internships are offered only in the summer, in a single ten-week program that runs from the first week of June to the second week of August. It also doesn't offer a shadowing or volunteering program for students, so the summer internship is the only student route.
What is the Ford Foundation interview process like?
It starts with a video interview with Talent Acquisition, per the foundation's FAQ. Finalists then provide proof of need-based aid, an unofficial transcript and two professional references, followed by a screening interview and meetings with a department manager and team members. Don't expect a status update before the final decision.
Do Ford Foundation interns get full-time offers?
Not as a rule. The foundation describes the program as a learning experience rather than a pipeline for full-time employment. Some past interns were hired afterward, though typically not immediately, and no conversion rate is published. Past interns have gone on to work across the private, public and nonprofit sectors.
Applications for summer 2027 are expected to open in December 2026 and close around late January 2027, so use the weeks before to confirm your eligibility and collect your documents. A remote Externship gives you finished project work to point to when the window opens.
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.
