The Archer Fellowship Program was established in 2001 to bring highly motivated and accomplished undergraduate students from different majors and academic disciplines to live, learn, and intern in Washington, D.C., for a fall or spring semester.
Live
Archer Fellows live together in apartments near Union Station through a partnership with Washington Intern Housing Network. Housing is fully furnished and conveniently located near the city's public transportation.
Learn
Archer Fellows remain enrolled at their home institution and earn 15 hours of in-residence credit for their experience in D.C. In addition to receiving credit for the full-time internship, students take classes focused on policy, history, and communications from UT System faculty members. Fellows will connect their internship experience to the classroom as well as explore the many monuments and museums of the nation's capital.
Intern
Archer Fellows intern full-time with an organization of their choosing based on their own professional and academic goals and interests. Previous Archer Fellows have interned with a vast array of organizations such as the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, offices within the White House and on Capitol Hill, and various non-profit organizations, professional associations, think tanks, and businesses. Archer Fellows are responsible for securing their own internship but receive one-on-one support from an Archer Center staff member throughout the search process.
"My semester as an Archer Fellow was one of the most providential of my life. It challenged me to think, work, and act beyond what I thought myself capable of. More importantly, I gained insight, experience, and the benefit of world-class mentors. The Fellowship was truly transformational.” - Lance Bokinskie, Fall 2023 Archer Fellow
Required to apply
- Overall GPA: 3.0 or higher
- Applicant must be pursuing a bachelor's degree at a University of Texas System institution
- Experience serving and/or providing leadership to campus or community
- Campus leadership and/or community involvement
Required to participate
- Junior or senior status by years and hours (first and second year students are not eligible)
- 24 hours completed in-residence
- Completion of basic (core) government curriculum requirements
Funding your Fellowship
Thanks to a significant investment from The University of Texas System Board of Regents, the Archer Fellowship Program is more affordable than ever before! The Archer Center is now able to offer need-based scholarships of up to $8,000 per student. Archer Fellows are also eligible to receive campus-specific scholarships and can apply any financial aid or scholarships to to the cost of the program.
Application components
- Resume
- Personal Statement
- Policy Essay
- List of Potential Internships
- 2 Letters of Recommendation
- Official Transcript
- Signed Disclosure Statement
Deadlines
- Application opens: Mid-November 2025
- Application closes: February 15, 2026, at 11:59 P.M. CT