CEIP James C. Gaither Junior Fellows Program

The Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (CEIP) Junior Fellows program is a private, nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing cooperation between nations and promoting active international engagement by the United States. The Junior Fellows program is designed to provide substantive work experience for those students who have an identified career interest in the area of international affairs. Junior Fellows provide research assistance to scholars working on Carnegie Endowment projects, such as nonproliferation, democracy building, Middle East political reform, trade and environment, economics, international security, international economics, South Asian politics, China-related issues, and Russian and Eurasian affairs. Visit the CEIP website for more information.

Application Materials

Applications are accepted only from graduating college seniors (December 2025 or April 2026) or individuals who have graduated within the past academic year. No one will be considered who has started graduate studies (except those who have completed a joint bachelor’s/master’s degree program). 

  • CEIP James C. Gaither Junior Fellows Program application
  • Personal Essay: one-page or less essay, double-spaced, on why you would like to become a Junior Fellow (please include your name on each page)
  • Resume: one-to-two-page résumé including phone number, address, extracurricular activities, and work experience
  • Two recommendation letters: at least one letter should be from a professor from your major department
    • Letters should be emailed directly from the recommenders to our@pitt.edu by the posted deadline
  • Unofficial transcript(s) for all college-level coursework
  • Topical Essay: no more than three typewritten, double-spaced pages on a topic you are interested in researching as a Junior Fellow at the Carnegie Endowment. The essay is intended to test skills in analysis, logic, and written expression. The essays are to be thought pieces, not research papers. Please refer to the official CEIP application for the essay prompts.

Applications will reopen in Fall 2025.