Choose the term before building the application
CHCI lists Summer 2027 from May 19 through July 30, with applications due December 1, 2026. Fall 2027 runs August 18 through November 12, with applications due March 1, 2027. Both application deadlines are 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time.
| Term | Program dates | Application deadline | Published compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Summer 2027 | May 19–July 30, 2027 | December 1, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. ET | $4,776 |
| Fall 2027 | August 18–November 12, 2027 | March 1, 2027 at 11:59 p.m. ET | $5,400 |
CHCI publishes $4,776 for the Summer term and $5,400 for Fall. It also lists furnished housing, domestic round-trip transportation, medical-insurance premiums and a $100 monthly Metro stipend. Internship placement work is at least 32 hours per week alongside required program activities.
Record cash compensation and provided benefits separately when comparing this program with another offer. Do not convert furnished housing or transportation into an invented cash wage.
Sources[1]
Check academic status and work authorization against the term
CHCI focuses the program on students enrolled full time and working toward an undergraduate degree in the academic period before participation, with specified recent-graduate exceptions. Summer 2027 requires full-time enrollment in Spring 2027 and allows Spring graduates. Fall 2027 uses Spring and/or Summer 2027 enrollment language, but the current FAQ also contains an outdated ‘Summer 2026 graduates’ reference. If that edge case controls your eligibility, ask CHCI rather than silently changing the year.
A GPA of 3.0 or higher is preferred rather than stated as an absolute minimum. CHCI also evaluates leadership, analytical and communication skills, public-service activity and commitment to the Latino community.
The program publishes citizenship, residency and work-authorization conditions and excludes F-1 and M-1 students. Use CHCI’s current application for your exact status rather than transferring a rule from another public-service program.
Sources[1]
Build the exact application package
A complete application includes a one-page PDF resume or CV, the most recent unofficial transcript, one professional recommender and three essays of 300–600 words each. CHCI’s FAQ says the recommender completes a recommendation questionnaire; it is not simply a letter you upload yourself.
Ask the recommender early enough to handle the separate questionnaire. For the essays, assign different evidence to different questions so three responses do not repeat one leadership story.
Use concrete examples: a service commitment, a coordination problem, a policy or research question, or another experience where you can explain your contribution and what happened. Read the live prompts before deciding which example belongs in which essay.
Sources[1]
Treat placement, housing and the weekly schedule as separate decisions
CHCI decides Congressional placements based on program needs and applicant profiles; an office preference is not a placement guarantee. Put the minimum 32 placement hours, required programming and any immovable academic obligation on one calendar before committing.
Confirm any academic-credit arrangement with your school rather than assuming participation replaces classes. If you are comparing another offer, include the actual housing and transportation support CHCI publishes rather than a guessed D.C. cost offset.
Sources[1]
Apply through CHCI and keep adjacent routes distinct
Choose Summer or Fall based on eligibility and your real calendar, request the recommendation, prepare the three essays and submit through CHCI before the term-specific deadline. Save the confirmation and any interview instructions.
Graduates looking for a fellowship should use CHCI’s fellowship programs rather than treating the Congressional Internship as a graduate route. Keep a separate internship search active while CHCI reviews applications.