Congressional Fellowship Program

The Hoover Institution appreciates the important role of congressional staff, as they advise Members on the critically important policy issues that routinely come before Congress. The Hoover Institution is uniquely positioned to offer these policy seminars for congressional staff and support their work navigating complex policy issues. 

Multiple times a year, The Hoover Institution convenes congressional staff for policy-intensive programs at Hoover's main campus at Stanford University in Palo Alto, California. These educational seminars are led by Hoover scholars and include discussions on domestic and international policy issues aligned with Hoover’s key research areas. Participants are encouraged to learn from and debate key policy issues with some of the nation’s leading thinkers and practitioners.

The next iteration of this program will be on August 18 and 19, 2025. This intensive program will include two full days of programming on a range of domestic and international policy areas aligned with Hoover’s key focus areas. Click here to learn more about the topics discussed in previous Congressional Fellowship Program sessions.

"The Congressional Fellowship is a tremendous opportunity for any Hill Staffer. The caliber of speakers is only outmatched by the unprecedented access to them; intimate classes with casual Q&A sessions yield thought-provoking conversations between both the Fellows at the Hoover Institution and the fellow Congressional Staffers that come to Palo Alto with a huge variety of experiences behind them.” 

"The Congressional Fellowship Program at the Hoover Institution provides rigorous policy discussions to Hill staffers from eminent Hoover scholars.  The policy insights provided by the Program give balanced assessments of economic and social-policy issues that are useful and valuable to Congressional staff."

The Congressional Fellowship Program is best suited for mid-to-senior-level congressional staff interested in economic, education, technology, national security, and foreign policies.

Congressional Research Service staff members are also welcome to apply. This program is designed for permanent congressional staff, but submissions from congressional fellows will be considered.

The program will include two full days of programming on Monday, August 18 and Tuesday, August 19, with travel to California on the evening of Sunday, August 17 and returning on the morning of Wednesday, August 20. 

Participants receive round-trip airfare to Stanford University from Washington, DC, ground transportation in California, lodging in Palo Alto, and meals on program days. The Hoover Institution diligently complies with congressional ethics rules.

To apply, use the Hoover Institution Congressional Fellowship Program Application Form to submit your information along with a brief personal statement expressing your interest in participating in the program. Please be sure to include your First and Last Name in your personal statement.

Submissions will be open until Sunday, June 29 at 11:59pm ET.