The Carter Center Educational Programs offer students and recent graduates opportunities to gain practical professional experience while contributing to initiatives focused on peace, health and organizational operations. The programs are designed to help emerging professionals develop career-relevant skills, explore potential career pathways and contribute to the Carter Center’s mission of advancing peace and health around the world.

For more than four decades, the Carter Center’s Educational Programs have supported the professional development of thousands of interns and graduate assistants. According to the Center, nearly 4,000 interns and graduate assistants from around the world have participated in its educational programs, gaining experience while contributing to the organization’s work.

The current opportunities include internships for undergraduate students, graduate students and recent graduates, as well as funded graduate assistantships for currently enrolled master’s and doctoral students.

About The Carter Center Educational Programs

The Carter Center is an organization whose work focuses substantially on promoting peace, improving health and addressing global challenges. Its Educational Programs provide students and early-career professionals with opportunities to gain exposure to this work in a professional environment.

The programs are intended not only to provide participants with work experience, but also to help develop a new generation of professionals interested in contributing to peace, health and related fields.

Participants can potentially gain experience through program areas including:

• Peace
• Health
• Operations
• Research and program support
• Professional and organizational activities related to the Center’s work

The opportunities can therefore be relevant to students and graduates pursuing a wide range of academic and professional interests.

1. The Carter Center Internship Program

The Carter Center’s internship program provides opportunities for students and recent graduates to develop professional skills, gain practical experience and explore career options connected to their areas of interest.

The program is particularly suited to candidates who can demonstrate strong academic performance alongside academic, professional or personal experiences and interests that relate to the Carter Center’s programs.

Interns are based in Atlanta, United States, making the location an important consideration for prospective applicants.

Who Can Apply for the Internship?

To qualify for the internship program, applicants must fall into one of the following categories:

• Undergraduate juniors
• Undergraduate seniors
• Graduate students
• Recent graduates

For recent graduates, the applicant must have graduated within the previous 24 months.

This means that the program is aimed primarily at students who are relatively advanced in their undergraduate studies, individuals undertaking graduate-level education, and people who have recently completed their degrees.

What Makes a Strong Internship Candidate?

The Carter Center indicates that strong candidates demonstrate superior academic ability and have relevant academic, professional or personal experience and interests connected to the Center’s programs.

Applicants can therefore strengthen their applications by clearly demonstrating how their:

• Academic background
• Previous professional experience
• Research interests
• Volunteer activities
• Leadership experience
• Communication skills
• International or community engagement
• Career aspirations

relate to the work of the Carter Center.

Rather than simply presenting academic qualifications, prospective applicants should demonstrate a clear connection between their background and the type of work carried out by the organization.

Internship Program Areas

The Carter Center identifies three broad areas in which internship opportunities may be available:

Peace

Internship opportunities connected to the Peace program can be relevant to individuals interested in areas such as international peacebuilding, conflict prevention, diplomacy, human rights, governance and related global affairs.

Students with academic backgrounds in international relations, political science, diplomacy, development studies, peace and conflict studies, law, communications and related disciplines may find relevant opportunities depending on the positions available during a particular application cycle.

Health

The Health program provides opportunities associated with the Carter Center’s global health work.

Potentially relevant backgrounds may include public health, global health, health communications, development studies, epidemiology, social sciences and other disciplines related to international health and development.

The precise academic or professional requirements will depend on the individual internship opportunity.

Operations

The Operations area encompasses work supporting the effective functioning of the organization.

Opportunities in this area may be relevant to students and graduates interested in areas such as administration, communications, finance, human resources, information management, project support and other organizational functions, depending on the available positions.

Applicants should always review the specific requirements of individual opportunities before applying.

Internship Location

An important consideration for international applicants is that the Carter Center states that its internship opportunities are based in Atlanta.

Therefore, while the Educational Programs have an international orientation and the Center has welcomed participants from around the world, applicants should not assume that the internships are remote.

Prospective applicants should carefully review the individual internship announcement for information concerning location, working arrangements and any additional requirements.

2. Carter Center Graduate Assistantship Program

In addition to internships, the Carter Center offers a Graduate Assistantship Program for a limited number of graduate students.

Unlike the internship program, the graduate assistantship is specifically designed for currently enrolled master’s and doctoral students.

The assistantships provide funded opportunities and require a substantial commitment from successful participants.

Graduate Assistantship Commitment

Graduate assistants are required to make a:

• 9–12 month commitment
• 20-hour-per-week commitment

The program therefore represents a significant professional and academic commitment rather than a short-term placement.

Graduate assistants receive hourly compensation for their work.

The opportunities are also based in Atlanta, meaning applicants should take the location and associated practical arrangements into account when considering the program.

Who Is Eligible for the Graduate Assistantship?

The Graduate Assistantship Program is intended for students who are currently enrolled in master’s or doctoral degree programs.

This distinction is important because the graduate assistantship is not simply an extension of the undergraduate internship program.

Applicants should be actively pursuing graduate-level studies and should review the requirements of the specific assistantship opportunity for any additional eligibility conditions.

Graduate Assistantship Program Areas

Graduate assistantship opportunities may be available across three broad areas:

Peace

Graduate students interested in peace, conflict resolution, international affairs, governance, diplomacy, human rights and related disciplines may find opportunities within the Peace program, depending on the positions available.

Health

Students pursuing graduate-level studies related to public health, global health, international development and other relevant disciplines may find opportunities within the Health program.

Operations

Graduate assistantships in Operations may be relevant to students with interests and qualifications in areas that support organizational management and administration.

The actual responsibilities and educational requirements can vary by position, so applicants should examine each available opportunity individually.

2027 Carter Center Internship Deadlines

The Carter Center has announced application deadlines for three internship sessions in 2027.

Spring 2027 Internship

• Application deadline: October 12, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. ET
• Start date: January 12, 2027

Applicants interested in the Spring 2027 session should ensure that their applications are submitted before the stated deadline.

Summer 2027 Internship

• Application deadline: March 1, 2027, at 11:59 p.m. ET
• Start date: May 18, 2027

The Summer session may be particularly relevant to students whose academic calendars allow them to undertake professional placements during this period.

Fall 2027 Internship

• Application deadline: June 14, 2027, at 11:59 p.m. ET
• Start date: August 27, 2027

Applicants seeking an internship beginning in the Fall 2027 session should plan their applications around the June deadline.

2027 Carter Center Graduate Assistantship Deadline

The Graduate Assistantship application cycle has a separate timeline.

According to the Carter Center:

• Application opens: February 2027
• Application deadline: April 23, 2027, at 11:59 p.m. ET
• Recommendation letters deadline: April 30, 2027, at 11:59 p.m. ET

The recommendation-letter deadline is later than the main application deadline, but applicants should not wait until the final days to arrange their references.

Because recommendation letters are an important part of many graduate-level applications, prospective applicants should identify suitable referees well before the application deadline.

What Participants Can Gain from the Program

The Carter Center Educational Programs can provide participants with several forms of professional and academic development.

1. Practical Professional Experience

Participants have the opportunity to gain hands-on experience within an established organization working on international peace and health issues.

This can help bridge the gap between academic study and professional employment.

2. Exposure to Peace and Health Work

The program allows participants to gain exposure to the practical application of concepts related to peace, health and organizational operations.

For students interested in international development, global affairs, public health, diplomacy and related areas, this type of experience can provide valuable insight into professional environments.

3. Career Exploration

The internship program is explicitly designed to help students and recent graduates explore career options in their fields.

This can be particularly useful for candidates who are still determining which professional pathway they want to pursue.

4. Development of Professional Skills

Participants can develop practical workplace skills that complement their academic qualifications.

Depending on the specific position, these may include:

• Research
• Writing
• Communication
• Project support
• Program coordination
• Data-related work
• Administrative skills
• Team collaboration
• Professional correspondence
• Organizational skills
• Problem-solving

The exact skills developed will depend on the specific role and program area.

5. Exposure to an Internationally Oriented Organization

The Carter Center’s programs are connected to international peace and health initiatives, providing participants with an opportunity to understand how a major organization approaches complex global challenges.

This exposure can be valuable for individuals planning careers in international organizations, nongovernmental organizations, government institutions, development agencies, research institutions and related sectors.

Qualifications and Backgrounds That May Be Relevant

The Carter Center does not present one universal academic discipline for every internship or graduate assistantship. Instead, requirements can vary according to the specific position.

However, the programs may be relevant to applicants with backgrounds connected to areas such as:

• International relations
• Diplomacy
• Political science
• Peace and conflict studies
• Development studies
• Public policy
• Public health
• Global health
• International development
• Communications
• Journalism
• Social sciences
• Research
• Administration
• Business and management
• Finance
• Human resources
• Operations
• Data and information management
• Other disciplines relevant to individual program positions

Applicants should not assume that studying one of these fields automatically guarantees eligibility. The specific internship or assistantship description should be used to determine whether an applicant’s academic and professional background matches the position.

International Applicants and Countries Eligible to Apply

The Carter Center states that its Educational Programs have provided opportunities to interns and graduate assistants from around the world.

This indicates that the programs have an international participant base. However, the information provided on the program page does not establish a blanket rule that every internship or graduate assistantship is open to nationals of every country without additional conditions.

International applicants should therefore check:

• The eligibility requirements of the specific position
• Whether international students are eligible
• Any requirements relating to study status
• U.S. work authorization requirements, where applicable
• Whether the position has additional location or documentation requirements
• Any other conditions included in the individual vacancy announcement

The programs are physically based in Atlanta, United States, which is particularly important for applicants currently living outside the U.S.

Race, Nationality and Continent Eligibility

The Carter Center’s description emphasizes that its Educational Programs have included participants from around the world. The information supplied for these opportunities does not identify a specific race, ethnicity or continent as a prerequisite for applying.

Accordingly, eligibility should be determined primarily from the formal requirements of the specific opportunity rather than assuming that the program is restricted to applicants from a particular racial, national or continental group.

International applicants, including prospective applicants from Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, South America, Oceania and other regions, should consult the detailed application requirements for the particular position to determine whether they meet all applicable conditions.

For applicants from Kenya and elsewhere in Africa, the Atlanta-based nature of the program and any U.S. eligibility or authorization requirements should be examined carefully before applying.

How to Prepare a Strong Carter Center Application

Prospective applicants can take several practical steps to prepare for these opportunities.

1. Identify the Right Program

First determine whether you are applying for:

• An undergraduate or recent graduate internship, or
• A graduate assistantship for a master’s or doctoral program.

The eligibility requirements differ between these two pathways.

2. Review the Specific Program Area

Consider whether your background aligns with:

• Peace
• Health
• Operations

Your application should make the connection between your experience and the relevant program area clear.

3. Demonstrate Academic Strength

Because the Carter Center identifies superior academic ability as a characteristic of strong internship candidates, applicants should ensure that their academic achievements are clearly presented.

This could include relevant degrees, academic projects, research, awards or other evidence of academic engagement.

4. Highlight Relevant Experience

Do not focus exclusively on academic qualifications.

Relevant experience can include:

• Internships
• Employment
• Research projects
• Volunteer activities
• Leadership roles
• Community engagement
• Student organizations
• Professional projects

The strongest examples are those that demonstrate skills or interests relevant to the Carter Center’s work.

5. Connect Your Career Goals to the Opportunity

Applicants should explain why the particular program fits into their professional development.

For example, a candidate interested in international peacebuilding could explain how an internship in the Peace program would complement their academic training and career interests.

Similarly, a public health graduate student could demonstrate how a Health assistantship aligns with their research and professional objectives.

6. Prepare Early

Applicants should pay close attention to the deadlines because the internship program has different deadlines for Spring, Summer and Fall sessions.

Graduate assistantship applicants should also remember that recommendation letters have a separate deadline.

Preparing application materials and contacting referees early can reduce the risk of missing a deadline.

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Key Dates at a Glance

All times listed above are Eastern Time (ET).

Why This Opportunity May Be Relevant to Students and Recent Graduates

The Carter Center Educational Programs combine academic development with practical exposure to work related to peace, health and organizational operations.

For undergraduate juniors and seniors, the internship program can provide an opportunity to gain professional experience before graduation. For recent graduates, it can offer a pathway for gaining additional experience during the early stages of their careers.

For master’s and doctoral students, the Graduate Assistantship Program provides a longer-term opportunity involving a 9–12 month commitment and 20 hours of work per week, together with hourly compensation.

The programs can therefore serve different stages of academic and professional development.

Important Considerations Before Applying

Applicants should keep several factors in mind.

Location: The internships and graduate assistantships are based in Atlanta, rather than being presented as remote opportunities.

Academic status: Internship applicants must be undergraduate juniors or seniors, graduate students or recent graduates within the previous 24 months. Graduate assistantship applicants must be currently enrolled in master’s or doctoral programs.

Program fit: Candidates should demonstrate relevant academic, professional or personal interests connected to Carter Center programs.

Timing: Each internship session has a different deadline, while graduate assistantships have a separate application and recommendation-letter schedule.

International eligibility: The Center has welcomed participants from around the world, but applicants outside the United States should check the requirements associated with the specific opportunity and any applicable U.S. authorization requirements.

Position-specific requirements: Eligibility and responsibilities can differ depending on the individual internship or assistantship, so applicants should read the full description before submitting an application.

Application and Official Information

Prospective applicants should use the Carter Center’s official Educational Programs page to review available opportunities, program requirements, application information, FAQs and current deadlines.

Applicants should also check the official page for updates because individual opportunities and requirements may change between application cycles.

Visit HERE for more information about the Carter Center Educational Programs 2027.

Conclusion

The Carter Center Educational Programs 2027 provide opportunities for students, graduate researchers and recent graduates to gain practical professional experience while contributing to work connected to peace, health and operations.

The internship program is open to eligible undergraduate juniors and seniors, graduate students and recent graduates who completed their studies within the previous 24 months. Meanwhile, the Graduate Assistantship Program provides a limited number of funded opportunities for currently enrolled master’s and doctoral students, with a 9–12 month, 20-hour-per-week commitment and hourly compensation.

With internship sessions beginning in January, May and August 2027, prospective applicants have several entry points throughout the year. The most immediate internship deadline is October 12, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. ET, for the Spring 2027 session.

Because the opportunities are based in Atlanta and individual positions can have different requirements, applicants should carefully verify eligibility, location, academic requirements and any applicable authorization conditions before applying. Preparing application materials early and demonstrating a clear connection between one’s academic background, experience, career goals and the Carter Center’s work can help ensure that the application accurately reflects the candidate’s qualifications.

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