The Liu Xiaobo Fellowship is the paid fellowship of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC), the body of Senators, House Members and Administration officials that monitors human rights and the rule of law in China.
Fellows support Commission staff in Washington with research, often in Chinese sources, attend China-related events, help draft analyses and may research cases for the Political Prisoner Database. Places are filled twice a year: a part-time Spring term and a full-time Summer term.
Benefits & funding
- US$20 per hour.
- Transit benefits; no other federal benefits.
- Spring term: part-time, 15–20 hours a week, roughly early February to mid-May.
- Summer term: full-time, 32–40 hours a week, roughly mid-May to August/September.
- Exact dates follow the Commission’s schedule; end dates can be negotiated.
Eligibility
- U.S. citizens only.
- Graduates of an accredited Bachelor’s, Master’s or J.D. program, or current graduate-level students.
- Some China-related coursework completed.
- Able to read Chinese well enough to research newspapers, journals and government documents.
- Preferred, not required: background in the human rights or rule-of-law issues of the CECC mandate; stronger Chinese; having lived or studied in mainland China, Hong Kong or Taiwan.
Can you apply?
Here's who can apply
Decoded from the official rules. A free account checks them against your passport, degree and age in seconds.
Eligible nationalities
USA
Education required
Bachelor
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Application process
- 1Prepare a cover letter, resume/CV, an English writing sample (up to 500 words, two pages double-spaced) and the names and contact details of two references; no recommendation letters.
- 2Merge everything into one PDF and email it to CECC.Resumes@mail.house.gov.
- 3Submit by 11:59 p.m. Eastern on 5 November (Spring term) or 15 February (Summer term).
Program timeline
Spring term deadline (11:59 p.m. ET)
Nov 5, 2026
Spring term starts
Early February 2027
Spring term ends
Mid-May 2027
Summer term deadline
Feb 15, 2027
Summer term
Mid-May to August/September 2027