The Public Interest Fellowship (TPIF) is the flagship program of the organization of the same name, founded in 2015 and named after The Public Interest, the journal started by Daniel Bell and Irving Kristol whose line continues today in National Affairs. It runs for two years, with separate tracks in Washington, DC and New York, NY. Fellows hold full-time jobs at organizations working to advance American constitutional government, and study alongside that work in twice-monthly evening seminars, academic retreats and policy lectures. The organization describes the aim as giving young people professional opportunities together with a continuing education in the principles of American constitutional government and the modern tradition of freedom. Peter Berkowitz is director of studies and Garrett Exner is executive director. Cohorts are drawn from recent college graduates and young professionals with no more than five years of relevant experience behind them.
Benefits & funding
- Full-time track: paid employment through two professional rotations of nine to twelve months each, alongside the fellowship programming
- Stipend track: an annual stipend for professionals who already hold a full-time job in Washington, DC or New York, NY
- Twice-monthly evening seminars on foundational texts of liberal democracy and American constitutionalism, led by scholars
- Policy lectures covering national security and domestic policy
- Monthly dinners with members of Congress, congressional staff, nonprofit executives, policy experts and public intellectuals
- Academic retreats, plus up to three multi-day trips a year
- Professional development: speech and debate training, media training, and access to conferences
- Optional monthly networking events
- No salary or stipend figure is published on the program site
Eligibility
- Recent college graduates, or professionals with up to five years of relevant work experience
- A serious interest in at least one of: politics; rule of law and freedom of speech; education reform; domestic and economic policy; foreign policy and national security; the US–Israel relationship; journalism
- Strong writing and communication skills
- Demonstrated leadership potential
- Able to work independently, with discretion and professionalism
- Stipend track only: full-time employment already in place in Washington, DC or New York, NY
- Both tracks are built on employment in the United States, and the program publishes no citizenship, visa or work-authorization policy; anyone applying from outside the country should ask the team before applying
- No nationality, age or gender restriction is published
Can you apply?
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Education required
Bachelor
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Experience required
≤ 5 yrs
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We only check the criteria we have data for. Always confirm full eligibility on the official page before applying.
Application process
- 1Watch the program page for the opening: applications for the 2027 full-time cohort open in the fall, with no date announced.
- 2Choose a track — full-time placement, or the stipend track if a full-time job in Washington, DC or New York is already in hand.
- 3Apply through the fellowship’s application page once the window opens.
- 4Anyone can put a candidate forward instead through the nomination form linked on the program page.
- 5Selection stages, interviews and notification dates are not published; questions go to the operations team through the site’s contact form.
Program timeline
Fall 2026
applications open for the 2027 full-time fellowship; no exact date published
applications closed
2026 stipend cohort
programming runs each year, on weekday evenings
September to June
Two years in total; full-time fellows complete two rotations of nine to twelve months each
No deadline, interview or decision dates are published by the program