Fall Internship Program
The AAPD Fall Internship Program is a professional and career development opportunity for disabled students and recent graduates. Interns explore career opportunities, gain leadership skills, and connect to the broader disability community.
For over 20 years, AAPD’s internship programs have placed college students, graduate students, law students, and recent graduates with all types of disabilities in paid internships with Congressional offices, federal agencies, nonprofit, and for-profit organizations. In Fall of 2023, AAPD launched the Fall Internship Program as an expansion to our longstanding Summer Internship Program. Our Fall Internship Program is fully virtual and part-time, which makes it easier for disabled individuals to take part while they are in school or while they are balancing other work commitments.
The 2026 Fall Internship Application
Applications for Fall 2026 will close on February 5, 2026.
The 2026 AAPD Fall Internship Program is 14 weeks long, running from August 31 to December 4, 2026. Interns will work part-time, virtually, for 15 hours a week. As part of the 2026 Fall Internship Program, interns will:
- Attend a virtual kickoff call on April 8, 2026
- Attend an optional in-person gathering in Washington D.C. during the week of July 20, 2026
- Participate in a virtual orientation on Sunday, August 23, 2026 from 12:00 – 4:00 PM ET with breaks.
- Participate in weekly community events on Fridays between 12:00 – 3:00 PM ET.
- Connect one-on-one with a virtual mentor.
Deadline to apply: Thursday, February 5, 2026 at 5:00 PM ET.
We will have an information session to learn more about the program and application. The information session will be January 8, 2026 at 3:00 PM ET. CART and ASL will be provided. The session will be recorded and available on the AAPD website. Please email info@aapd.com with any questions or accommodation requests.
Fall Internship Application and Frequently Asked Questions
Who Can Apply?
To be an AAPD Fall intern, you must:
- Identify as a person with a disability
- Be a current student or recent graduate of a U.S. based university or program
- Have a high school diploma or equivalent
We often get questions about who can apply, so below is some additional information about the requirements:
- You will not be required to share your specific disability or provide any documentation. You just need to identify as a person with a disability
- A recent graduate is anyone who has graduated from an educational setting or a skills-based program in the last five years. For Fall 2026, this includes anyone who graduated Fall 2021 or later
- You do not need to be a traditional degree-seeking college student. A U.S. based school or program could include a university, a community or technical college, a skills-based transition program, a non-degree seeking inclusive college program, an apprenticeship or trade school.
AAPD is committed to cultivating a diverse cohort of interns. We select interns who demonstrate their passion and vision of contributing to an inclusive workforce. In order to create gainful employment opportunities for people with disabilities, we recognize the importance of selecting a class of interns that reflect the diversity of our community. We strongly encourage individuals from historically excluded groups to apply.
If you have a question about if you are able to apply, please email info@aapd.com or call 202-521-4316.
How To Apply?
You can view the entire application in our Fall Application Google document.
You must submit your application through the online portal. It will include:
- Applicant information
- Internship Placement Preference
- Essays
- Resume
If the online application is not accessible or you would like to request a disability accommodation to fill out the application, please contact us at info@aapd.com or call 202-521-4316.
Placement Sites
AAPD’s Internship placements fall into the following categories:
- Congressional offices: Current Representative or Senator’s office in U.S. Congress
- Federal agencies: Government organizations that direct policy, programs, and resources at the national level.
- Non-profit: Organizations that typically use its funds for the community to further a social cause or advocate for a shared point of view rather than using the funds internally
- For-profit: Private sector companies that have an interest in disability inclusion
We work closely with interns to find the best placement site match based on their career goals and preferences. View AAPD’s Placement Site Overview to learn more about our past partners and potential new placement sites.
Intern Expectations
- Interns will work 15 hours a week remotely at their placement site.
- Interns will attend AAPD-sponsored activities, including weekly community events on Fridays from 12:00 – 3:00 PM ET.
- Interns will be good communicators throughout the program. We will use platforms like Google, Zoom, Slack, and email to communicate
- Interns will attend a kickoff call on April 8 at 3:00 PM ET and orientation on August 23, 2026 from 12:00 PM – 4:00 PM ET.
- Interns have the option to attend an in-person gathering in Washington, D.C. during the week of July 20th, 2026.
- Interns will follow the Code of Conduct and Community Guidelines.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: What is a placement site and why does it matter?
A: A placement site is where an intern will work full-time during the Fall. It can be at a federal agency, congressional office, not-for-profit organization, or for-profit organization.
Q: Can I choose my placement site?
A: AAPD will strive to place all interns with a placement site that matches their career goals and preferences, but AAPD has the final decision on all placement sites.
Q: What if I want to be placed in a specific Congressional office or only in Congressional offices of a specific political party?
A: Since AAPD is a nonpartisan organization with many relationships with Congressional offices, we cannot guarantee a specific Congress person and/or placement with a member of a specific party. AAPD places interns in both Republican and Democratic offices.
Q: What is a skills-based program?
A: A skills-based program combines learning and job training to help prepare you for a career. AAPD requires that the skills based program be from an accredited institution or government agency. An accredited program is a program that has been checked in detail to make sure it is good quality and meets high standards. Some examples of skills-based programs are apprenticeships, transition programs, or inclusive college programs.
Q: I am an International student studying in the U.S., can I apply for the internship program?
A: Yes, international students can apply if they have the required work authorization documents.
Q: How much do fall interns get paid?
A: In Fall 2025, AAPD interns received a stipend of $20/hour for 15 hours a week for 14 weeks. For Fall 2026, the stipend will be at least $20 an hour.
Q: Do I have to pay for my travel and hotel for the in-person gathering?
A: No. AAPD will pay for your travel and hotel if you would like to join in-person for the gathering.
Q: I have more questions, where can I get more information?
A: You can email info@aapd.com or call 202-521-4316.
