International Justice Mission Internship 2027–2028: Dates & How to Apply

Last updated: November 2026

International Justice Mission (IJM) runs its US internship three times a year, with a separate application window for each cohort. The plain-words version: you apply from November 2026 and intern in summer 2027. IJM's interns and fellows page says summer applications "open in November", but as of November 11, 2026 no US summer 2027 posting is on its Workday board yet. What is open today is a different track: eight 12-month field-office internships and fellowships abroad for graduates, starting June 2027.

Quick Facts

The next US door is summer 2027, and IJM says its applications open in November 2026. Watch the Workday board now. Graduates can already apply for the June 2027 field-office track abroad.

Externships are short, remote programs where you finish a real project for a real organization. They fit the weeks while you wait for IJM's summer postings. The Reggie Stephens Foundation AI Strategy Consulting Externship gives you nonprofit strategy work to talk about, and the ARCeH Health Research & Data Analytics Externship builds the research habits IJM's postings ask for. Neither is affiliated with IJM. Explore all Externships.

What Is an International Justice Mission Internship?

An International Justice Mission internship is a 2 to 3 month volunteer placement with a faith-based human rights nonprofit, either at its Washington, D.C. headquarters or remotely. IJM calls itself "the global leader in protecting vulnerable people from violence" and says it has "over 1,200 professionals" in "over 30 offices", according to its own job postings. It says it has worked on this "for over 25 years". IJM is a Christian organization, and every intern applicant submits a statement of faith. The US internship is separate from IJM's 12-month field-office internships and fellowships, which place graduates in offices abroad. This page covers both, but the US cohorts are the main route for current students.

When Do International Justice Mission Internship Applications Open for 2027–2028?

IJM recruits each US cohort on its own short window. Its interns and fellows page gives one open month per cohort: spring applications open in August, summer applications in November and fall applications in April. That puts the lead time at about 7 months for summer (November to a June start) and about 5 months for spring and fall. Applications for summer 2027 are therefore due to open this month, November 2026; none was posted when we checked on November 11. Fall 2027 applications are expected in April 2027, and spring 2028 applications in August 2027. The field-office track runs on a longer lead: IJM says its applications open 10 to 11 months before each January or June deployment, and the June 2027 postings went up on November 9, 2026.

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

IJM doesn't publish closing dates for its US cohorts, so we can't tell you how long a window stays open. That uncertainty is the reason to move in the first week: a posting with no stated deadline can close whenever the cohort fills.

The packet also takes longer than it looks. The current postings ask for your resume, cover letter and statement of faith "in one PDF document", and IJM's FAQ says the statement of faith is "generally no longer than one page single spaced". Draft all three now, then check the Workday board through November.

Which International Justice Mission Internship Programs Should You Target?

IJM has four routes. Only the US cohorts are open to current undergraduates.

The June 2027 field-office postings cover eight areas, including Aftercare, Communications & Partnerships, Government Relations & Advocacy and Program Management, at offices such as Accra, Bucharest, Lima and Manila. Workday labels them "United States - Remote", but the postings describe an "in-person, year-long deployment". Full details are on IJM's global fellowships page.

What Are the Eligibility Requirements?

None of IJM's pages states a GPA minimum. The main requirements are year of study and faith.

• Year of study: the interns and fellows page says US internships are for "second-year university students and beyond", and the FAQ says they "require at least two years of university". IJM's older DC program page says applicants "must have completed at least 3 years of undergraduate study". Check the posting when it appears.

• Faith: IJM asks for a "mature orthodox Christian faith as defined by the Apostles' Creed" and a written statement of faith. Its postings cite the religious-organization exemption in Title VII.

• Background check: selected candidates go through a security background check.

• Work authorization: the US pages we read don't state a citizenship or sponsorship rule. For the field-office track, IJM says citizenship requirements vary by local labor laws and candidates from all countries are welcome.

• Field office: a bachelor's degree, at least one prior professional internship or significant leadership experience, and Spanish fluency for Latin America offices.

Is the Faith Requirement Strict?

Yes, as IJM states it. The statement of faith goes into the same PDF as your resume and cover letter, and the postings ask you to describe your spiritual disciplines and your current fellowship or place of worship. Daily stillness and corporate prayer are part of the D.C. program, with a quarterly prayer retreat.

What Skills Does International Justice Mission Look For, and How Do You Build Them?

IJM doesn't publish a skills list for US interns, and no US posting is live yet, so we haven't built a skill chart. Two sources give a fair picture. First, a 2020 D.C. intern described research on violence against women and children for the Latin America team, a summary of a grant report and an assessment of a possible new country office. Second, the June 2027 field-office postings (abroad, graduates) ask for organizational and administrative skills, Microsoft Office, attention to detail and, in communications, the ability to "check facts and use research skills". Expect research, clear writing and careful organization to matter on the US side too.

Note: No US intern posting was live on November 11, 2026. The only current postings are the 12-month field-office roles abroad, so we don't count their skills as US intern requirements.

How Is Demand for Communications Interns Moving Right Now?

Build These Skills Before You Apply

Each skill below maps to a remote Externship you can finish before IJM's summer cohort starts. None of these is affiliated with IJM.

A finished project gives your cover letter something concrete to describe, which matters when the rest of the packet is a resume and a statement of faith.

What Is the International Justice Mission Application and Interview Process Like?

IJM publishes the application steps but not its interview format.

1. Find the posting. Open IJM's Workday board and filter "Intern or Fellow?". Check that the role is a US cohort and not a field-office deployment.

2. Build one PDF. Combine your resume, cover letter and statement of faith into a single file, as the postings require.

3. Write the statement of faith. Keep it to about one page single spaced and cover your spiritual disciplines and current fellowship or place of worship.

4. Selection. IJM reviews applications; we couldn't find a published interview format or number of rounds.

5. Checks. Selected candidates complete a security background check. Field-office candidates also give references and a police clearance.

6. Orientation. D.C.-based interns attend a required orientation week at headquarters, then work 40 hours a week, 8:30 to 5:30, Monday to Friday, with five personal days.

Questions about verification go to internships@ijm.org, per IJM's FAQ.

What a Former IJM Intern Wrote

We found no Reddit threads about IJM's US internship. The best first-hand account is a 2020 blog post by a student on Hope College's Washington, D.C. semester, so read it as one intern's experience, not current program detail.

How Do You Stand Out for an IJM Internship?

IJM doesn't publish applicant numbers, cohort sizes or an intern-to-staff conversion rate. It also says interns and fellows are volunteers, not employees, so treat the internship as experience and contacts rather than a hiring pipeline.

Three moves help. First, be ready on day one: have the single PDF with resume, cover letter and statement of faith drafted before the summer posting appears. Second, show you understand the work. IJM focuses on protecting people from violence, including slavery and violence against women and children, so a cover letter that connects your research or writing to that mission is stronger than a general one. Third, bring proof of research and organization, since those are what the 2020 intern's projects and the current postings point to. If you're a graduate, compare the US cohort with the 12-month field-office track, which is open now.

What Other Companies Should You Consider?

Applicants to International Justice Mission often look at other faith-based and international humanitarian or human rights organizations.

Our nonprofit and social impact internships guide for summer 2027 covers more human rights, humanitarian and public-interest employers.

FAQ

Can I still apply for a summer 2026 International Justice Mission internship?

No. The summer 2026 cohort ran from June to August 2026. The next US door is summer 2027, and IJM says its applications open in November 2026, though none was posted as of November 11. Graduates can already apply for the June 2027 field-office track abroad.

When do IJM summer 2027 internship applications open?

IJM's interns and fellows page says summer applications open in November, so expect them during November 2026. No closing date is published. Fall 2027 applications are expected in April 2027 and spring 2028 applications in August 2027, following the open months IJM states for each cohort.

Are IJM internships paid?

IJM describes interns as volunteers who receive a monthly stipend to help with expenses, and its postings say the stipend isn't an hourly wage. The amount isn't published on IJM's own pages. IJM's older DC program page still says all internship positions are unpaid, so confirm the terms in the posting.

Do I need to be Christian to intern at IJM?

Yes. IJM asks for a mature orthodox Christian faith as defined by the Apostles' Creed, and every applicant submits a statement of faith of about one page. IJM's postings cite the religious-organization exemption in Title VII of the Civil Rights Act as the legal basis for this requirement.

Who can apply for a US IJM internship?

IJM's current interns and fellows page says second-year university students and beyond, and its FAQ says at least two years of university. An older DC program page says three years of undergraduate study, so check the posting. No GPA minimum is published, and selected candidates complete a background check.

Can I do an IJM internship remotely?

Yes. IJM says it offers remote part-time and full-time internships and fellowships alongside the in-person program at its Washington, D.C. headquarters. D.C.-based interns work 40 hours a week and attend a required orientation week. The field-office track is different: it's an in-person, year-long deployment abroad.

What are IJM field-office internships?

They're 12-month internships and fellowships at IJM offices abroad for people with a bachelor's degree, starting each January or June. The June 2027 postings are open now in eight areas, from Aftercare to Program Management. Applicants need a prior internship or leadership experience, and Spanish for Latin America offices.

Do IJM interns get hired afterward?

IJM doesn't publish a conversion rate or a return-offer policy. It says interns and fellows are volunteers and not IJM employees. Staff roles are posted on the same Workday board, so use the internship to build a track record and contacts, and watch the board for entry-level openings afterward.

IJM's summer 2027 applications are due this month, and the packet is short but personal. Use the wait to build proof: a remote Externship gives your cover letter a finished project to point to.