PIPS Research Fellow Applications

PIPS is looking for juniors and seniors who are interested in conducting international security policy research. Successful applications for a PIPS fellow position have outstanding writing skills, excellent analytical ability, the capacity to conduct independent research, superb time management, self-motivation, and responsibility.

Students selected to be PIPS Fellows will:

Enroll in a three-credit course during the fall and spring semesters. The course will meet on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 1 – 1:50 PM.
Interact with members of the policy community visiting William & Mary or through travel to Washington, D.C.
Supervise and work as part of a team with two PIPS undergraduate research associates during the academic year.
Present their work to policy analysts and officials at a variety of venues.
The estimated workload for a PIPS Fellow during the fall semester is 10 hours per week and for the spring semester is 10-15 hours per week.
For more insights into the program, visit the Student Endorsements page of this website.

Eligibility Requirements

PIPS Fellows applicants must:

Have a minimum 3.7 cumulative GPA. (No exceptions will be made.)
Have completed one of the following courses: GOVT 204: Introduction to International Politics; HIST 192: Global History Since 1500; or SOCL 205: Global Social Problems
Be a rising academic junior or senior
Be a full time William & Mary undergraduate student during the academic year
Students cannot participate in the program if they are away for study abroad during the fall or spring semesters.

Preference will be given to applicants who:

Have also completed GOVT 329: International Security or GOVT 328: International Political Economy• Can demonstrate a strong prior interest in international relations (e.g., by having taken courses on international relations, foreign policy, completed classes on regions of strategic interest to the United States, and/or completed internships in fields related to the study and practice of IR, etc.)
Can demonstrate strong knowledge of current events in international relations.

Application Instructions

Applicants should submit the following required material to the PIPS Research Fellow listing in Tribe Careers. Search for PIPS to find the listing.

Required Material:

PIPS Fellows Application Form. To save your completed document, “save as” and use the file name formatting listed below.
Resume, which includes cumulative and major GPAs and graduation year.
A 5-page writing sample from a previous class, an excerpt from a larger document is acceptable.
Applicants will list two potential references on the Fellowship Application Form. Do not include letters of recommendation in the application.

The submission deadline for the 2026-2027 academic year is Friday, August 1, 2026 by 5PM. PIPS Fellowship selection is a two-step process. The first step involves a review of applications and an initial down select to a short list of applicants. The second step involves online interviews. The program will notify applicants whether they have been selected to interview. Students should regularly monitor their William & Mary email accounts. Applicant interviews take place approximately two to three weeks after the application deadline. Selected students will be given an override into the fall semester PIPS course and must register during the fall semester registration period.

If you have any questions, please contact the PIPS Director, [[dasmi2,Dennis Smith]].