City of Chicago Mayor's Office Fellowship Program

The program offers graduate students a broad overview of municipal government and provides a unique “hands-on” experience in the City of Chicago. Fellows participate in policy, legislative, data, communications, and public engagement initiatives and work directly with Mayor’s Office staff, giving them and opportunity to learn about public service and policy-making by directly contributing to the executive office of the City of Chicago. The program lasts from mid-June to late-August. Mayoral Fellows will earn $20/hour working 35 hours per week for 11 weeks.

The Chicago Mayor’s Office seeks a well-rounded cohort comprising Fellows with expertise in areas such as public policy, urban planning, public health, law, business, social work, or computer science. Graduate students from all disciplines are encouraged to apply. 

Required qualifications:

• Be a currently enrolled graduate student at the time of employment
• Have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale
• Reside within Chicago during the 11-week fellowship

International students must have an F1 Student Visa and be a full-time student in order to qualify. You are required to have a social security number/card which states: “VALID FOR WORK ONLY WITH DHS [Department of Homeland Security] AUTHORIZATION.” The college or university can assist international students with obtaining authorization.

Students who are Deferred Action Recipients are eligible and encouraged to apply. You must provide your Employment Authorization Document at the time of hire. In addition, if you are selected for a Fellowship Position, you must also have a social security card.

Deadline: Early November