Georgia Legislative Internship Program

Student Opportunities

Georgia Legislative Internship Program

Your chance to work with Georgia’s leaders!

picture of GLIP students sitting around table listening to professor speak

Program Background

Every spring semester, around 35 junior and senior students from Georgia's public and private universities and colleges intern with the Georgia General Assembly. These students gain first-hand experience in the lawmaking process through the Georgia Legislative Internship Program (GLIP). The GLIP was created in the 1970s under the leadership of then Lt. Governor Zell Miller and is a paid internship opportunity coordinated by the Georgia General Assembly.

Program Highlights

GLIP participants will:

work directly with these Georgia General Assembly committees and offices like the Speaker’s Office, Speaker Pro Tempore, President Pro Tempore, Minority Office, Ways and Means, Rules, Majority Whip, Legislative Counsel, House Media Services, and Majority Leader.
learn about the inner workings of state government.
research bills or issues before the General Assembly, work with a legislative committee, monitor the progress of legislation and perform other duties as assigned by their committee.

participate in the legislative process with a full-time internship in a standing committee of the Georgia General Assembly during the Georgia legislative session, which starts on the 2nd Monday of January and typically runs through the end of March.
make contacts for a future career in public service.
receive four to 12 hours of pre-approved internship credit from their school or college/experiential learning.
Earn a weekly stipend of approximately $300 a week.

Program Details

Students apply for the program and are selected through a process that includes an evaluation of their application and an interview session at the Capitol.

Students will apply in the Fall semester prior to the Spring semester in which the legislative session occurs. (For example, students who wish to participate in the 2027 Georgia Legislative Session will apply the Fall semester before, which would be Fall 2026.)

The application process begins with a written application that is due to the Georgia General Assembly in October. If selected, candidates will be notified via email to schedule a selection interview. If a student is chosen to participate in GLIP, they will participate in placement interviews in December to be matched with an office within the General Assembly.

Student interns are matched with an office (taking their preferences into account) and generally work 40 hours per week during the session. The length of each work day may vary since the session days will also differ in length. Session work may take place in the mornings, evenings, or times in between depending upon that day’s session.

Student must have completed at least 60 hours of course credit (junior status) and be enrolled in a college or university in the state of Georgia at the time of the internship.
Applicants must NOT have completed graduation prior to the beginning of the legislative session.
Program is open to ALL majors.
Students must receive school credit from their college or university.
This is a FULL-TIME paid internship. Each intern will earn a stipend pay of $300 per week.
Work hours are generally 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m., but office hours can fluctuate on a daily basis.
Students are advised NOT to take any classes while serving as an intern.
If necessary, classes online or after work hours are acceptable. Please notify your College Program Coordinator and Dr. Amy Steigerwalt if you plan to take classes.
Accepted students must participate in a state legislative process workshop presented by the Carl Vinson Institute of Government and the School of Public and International Affairs prior to the legislative session.
A GPA of 2.5 or higher is required.

There is a required on-campus application process for University of Georgia students. The Carl Vinson Institute of Government assists in the selection of UGA students for participation in the GLIP.

Students must submit the following items to complete the application process:

Georgia Legislative Internship Application Form.
A two- to five-page essay indicating how your studies and experiences have prepared you to participate in the internship program, what you expect to gain from the program, and specific knowledge and skills you will contribute.
Official or Unofficial Transcript: The transcript must be shared directly with the Carl Vinson Institute of Government via email or via mail. Transcripts may be emailed to cviog-students@uga.edu or mailed to the Carl Vinson Institute of Government C/O Georgia Legislative Internship Program, 201 N. Milledge Avenue, Athens, GA 30605.
Three to five reference forms, with at least two being from professors from the applicant’s school or college. Recommender must share form directly with the Carl Vinson Institute of Government via email or via mail. Forms may be emailed to cviog-students@uga.edu or mailed to the Carl Vinson Institute of Government C/O Georgia Legislative Internship Program, 201 N. Milledge Avenue, Athens, GA 30605.
Current resume

Students who do not meet the eligibility requirements listed above will not be considered.

Students must submit their Internship Application Form, their 2-5 page essay, and their current resume in one PDF document. Students may create the PDF within Adobe Acrobat, which can be downloaded from UGA EITS.

Open Adobe Acrobat. To combine the single documents into one document:
1. Select “Tools”
2. Click “Combine Files”
  1. Application form
  2. Essay
  3. Transcript
3. Add Files
4. Click “Combine”
5. Save Adobe PDF document
  1. Naming convention should be: Last name_First name_GLIP YYYY Application
6. Email Adobe PDF to cviog-students@uga.edu and copy polaah@uga.edu

2026 Georgia Legislative Intern Program dates will be made available in Fall 2025.

“Because of the GLIP Program, I was able to work during the 2021 Georgia Legislative Session at the Georgia Capitol with the Senate Majority Leadership Office, .... I learned so much from my time at the Capitol, and I would say my favorite part of my internship was the opportunity to be in the office and speak to the different Senators, Representatives, staff, and lobbyists who come in each day. I was able to pick their brains and hear about their roles within the legislative process!”

Alexa Hernandez, UGA '22

“I interned in the Senate President Pro Tempore’s office during the 2023 Georgia Legislative Session. Not only was it the Pro Tem office, but it’s right next to the Senate chambers at the Georgia Capitol. It was really fun meeting everybody who came into the office. I got to see the whole legislative process, from the bill to becoming the law. I learned about it in the classroom, but actually seeing how much work it takes to pass a bill… gives you a different sense of appreciation for the legislative process. After my internship, I was offered a full-time position. I’m currently the Director of Operations in the President Pro Tempore’s office.”

Oswald Hernandez, UGA '23

Questions? Contact Us.

UGA Institute of Government Student Engagement
cviog-students@uga.edu

Georgia Legislative Internship Program