The Mayor’s Office Fellowship Program is the premier opportunity for bright, motivated, and civic-minded graduate students from all disciplines to apply their coursework to the greatest municipal laboratory in the world: the City of Chicago. Fellows serve the people of Chicago by supporting policy, legislative, data, communications, and public engagement initiatives within city government. By working hand-in-hand with senior staff in the Office of the Mayor and leaders from various departments and sister agencies throughout the City, Fellows deliver recommendations and implement programs that improve the lives of Chicago’s 2.7 million residents.

Applications for the 2024 Mayor’s Office fellowship are now open. The deadline to apply is Monday, November 6.

By clicking the “Apply Now” button, you will be directed to Taleo, the City of Chicago’s jobs website. Search the keyword “Fellows” to find the application for the 2024 Mayor’s Office Fellowship Program.

Why Apply?

The City of Chicago Mayor’s Office Fellowship Program provides an in-depth view of how city government operates. Fellows will have the opportunity to: 

• Work directly with the Mayor’s senior staff
• Research policies and evaluate their potential benefit to Chicago
• Meet with Commissioners, Aldermen, senior-level staff from various City departments and sister agencies, community partners, and experts in a variety of policy fields
• Draft memoranda on upcoming issues and new initiatives
• Learn about the work and mission of the City’s departments through weekly presentations by department commissioners and senior level staff, and via guided tours of City facilities
• Attend press conferences, City Council meetings, staff meetings, and strategic planning sessions
• Develop “New Ideas” for City policies and initiatives
  
  

Through the Mayor's Office Fellowship Program, you may accomplish the following:  

• Develop new initiatives that keep Chicago green
• Research ways to keep Chicago affordable
• Work on workforce development initiatives targeting specific industries
• Build a new technology product that impacts residents' lives
• Outline best practices in public safety programs and youth engagement
• Research and compare housing-related policies in U.S. cities
• Create innovative solutions to traffic and infrastructure challenges
• Recommend ways to better integrate technology with City functions
• Integrate human-centered design practices into digital services for residents
• Analyze information on regional issues and Great Lakes policies
• Create new programs that connect City residents with the great cultural resources of Chicago

Mayoral Fellows will earn $21/hour working full-time for 11 weeks.

• Download the flyer to learn more.
• View the "New Ideas" books generated by previous classes of fellows.
  • 2023 New Ideas Book
  • 2022 New Ideas Book
  • 2021 New Ideas Book
  • 2020 New Ideas Book

Eligibility Criteria

The Chicago Mayor’s Office seeks a well-rounded cohort comprising Fellows with expertise in areas such as public policy, urban planning, public health, law, business, social work, or computer science. Graduate students from all disciplines are encouraged to apply. 

Required qualifications:

• Be a currently enrolled graduate student at the time of employment
• Have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale
• Reside within Chicago during the 11-week fellowship

Desired qualifications:

• Demonstrate a strong commitment to excellence as evidenced by professional success, academic honors, leadership ability, extracurricular activities, and involvement in community or public service
• Be enthusiastic about public service and city government
• Embody strong personal character and conviction
  
  

International students must have an F1 Student Visa and be a full-time student in order to qualify. You are required to have a social security number/card which states: “VALID FOR WORK ONLY WITH DHS [Department of Homeland Security] AUTHORIZATION.” The college or university can assist international students with obtaining authorization. 

Students who are Deferred Action Recipients are eligible and encouraged to apply. You must provide your Employment Authorization Document at the time of hire. In addition, if you are selected for a Fellowship Position, you must also have a social security card.  If you do not have a social security card, you can obtain one by following the instructions here.

How to Apply

Applying to the Summer 2024 Mayor’s Office Fellowship is a two-step process. All prospective fellows must complete Step 1 of the application process. Short-listed fellows will advance to Step 2. 

Step 1 (Due Monday, November 6, 2023): Prospective fellows must complete an initial application screening through the City of Chicago’s Department of Human Resources CAREERS website. Applicants will be asked to provide: 

• Cover letter and resume
• A letter of enrollment from their current graduate school
• An official transcript from their current graduate school (For graduate students in their first year of study who have not yet received grades, an official dated letter of acceptance to your current school AND a current class schedule will be accepted in place of an official transcript) 

Step 1 of the application process will close on Monday, November 6, 2023 at 11:59 pm CT. No late applications will be accepted. Applications will be screened for eligibility and qualifications. A short-list of applicants will be selected for interviews and move on to Step 2. 

By clicking the “Apply Now” button, you will be directed to Taleo, the City of Chicago’s jobs website. Search the keyword “Fellows” to find the application for the 2024 Mayor’s Office Fellowship Program.

Step 2: Applicants selected for the interview process will be required to provide the following supplemental documents to the Mayor’s Office:

• Personal Statement: Why are you interested in a fellowship in municipal government? What qualities or attributes will you bring to the City of Chicago Mayor’s Office Fellowship Program? What do you hope to gain from this program?

Supplemental documents will be due on Friday, December 1, 2023 by 11:59 pm CT. No late materials will be accepted. Supplemental documents should be no more than a maximum of two pages each (four pages total). Documents should be 12-point font and have one-inch margins.

Interviews: The Mayor's Office will then contact the short-listed applicants to schedule a 30-minute interview with Mayor's Office staff, either at Chicago's City Hall or virtually.

Notification: Selected Fellows will be notified by late February/early March 2024.