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Summer Internship: Expression of Interests now CLOSED
FORE Australia runs remote/hybrid internships - available for the semester, summer and winter sessions on an ongoing basis
Interns at Australian Parliament House as part of FORE Australia's Parliamentary Launch
The team and leaders at one of our daily check-in meetings
Program Details
What's Involved?
TLDR:
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Research, write and review policy briefs
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Work in a large, motivated cohort
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Meet with experts (academics, NGOs, decision makers, etc.)
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Engage with guest speakers
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Explore your interests with autonomy
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Remote/Hybrid program (with optional city networking catch-ups)
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Assigned a mentor + 2 in-person training days
FORE Australia’s Policy Internship is a hands-on, remote/hybrid training program that gives you practical experience in policy research, writing, and communication.
Interns learn to independently and collaboratively draft and refine one-page policy briefs for Australia’s first free, online Policy Library of One-Page briefs — a tool used by policymakers, staffers, and advocates to surface ready-to-implement solutions.
Through structured training, mentoring, and daily team collaboration, you’ll learn how to:
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Translate complex issues into clear, impactful policy proposals
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Action policy ideas and navigate resources like the Federal Register of Legislation and state law frameworks.
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Utilise artificial intelligence (AI) and other tools in a policy context
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Navigate real-world engagement with experts, stakeholders, and decision-makers
You’ll be part of a motivated, cross-disciplinary cohort, building your skills and network through peer learning, all while contributing to work that directly reaches decision-makers.
If you’re passionate about making a difference through policy, this is your chance to kickstart your policy career.
Ideal Candidate
Successful applicants will be selected based on:
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Your motivation and application responses: We’ll assess your written responses to understand why this program matters to you and what you hope to gain.
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Your commitment: We prioritise people who can attend all training and onboarding sessions and commit at least 1 full day pw.
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Your availability: We aim to build a team with strong weekday coverage across Tuesday–Saturday.
You’re passionate about creating real change and eager to contribute to meaningful policy work. Curious and self-motivated, you thrive when given autonomy to explore your interests while delivering impactful results. You’re excited by the opportunity to collaborate with peers and engage with partners and decision-makers.
Whether you’re a student, a recent graduate, looking for a career change, or just someone looking to gain experience in policy, this program could be for you! What we value most are passion, drive, persistence, collaboration, strong research and writing skills, and a knack for problem-solving, which is an absolute bonus!
If you’re ready to be part of a mission-driven organisation, translating your passion into real-world solutions, we’d love to have you on board!
A Day in the Life as a Policy Intern at FORE Australia
You start your day at 9 am, coffee in hand, diving into research on a new policy idea you’re excited to explore. By 10 am, you're in the team check-in, swapping updates, sharing what you're working on, and getting inspired by the range of ideas coming to life. At noon, you're in a fast-paced peer feedback session, sharpening your thinking and strengthening your brief. After lunch, you meet with a partner working on the frontlines of the issue, adding lived experience and expert insight to your draft. Around 2 pm, you hit a snag, but a quick call with the team gets you unstuck and back into the flow. The rest of the afternoon flies by as you draft, refine, respond to feedback, and support your peers with theirs. By 4 pm, your brief is polished and off to the copyeditors. At 4:30 pm, the team regroups to celebrate wins and wrap up the day. You clock off at 5 pm knowing you’ve helped move a real solution one step closer to Parliament.
Availability Criteria
FORE Australia runs remote/hybrid internship and training programs.
Interns are empowered to have full control over which days of the week they would like to work. To ensure a rewarding and manageable experience, we ask for:
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A commitment of 1+ full days (9-5 pw) (excluding public holidays) between Tuesday and Saturday.
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Must be available to attend our in-person Intro to Policy Weekend
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Open to feedback, peer learning, and working in a fast-paced, collaborative team environment
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Must be willing to use artificial intelligence (AI) tools for policy writing
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Must have access to reliable internet/wifi
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Must have access to a laptop or computer for remote work
If you have any questions regarding your availability and whether you’ll be eligible for the program, feel free to email info@foreaustralia.com.
Testimonies
"This program offered practical, hands-on policy experience that went beyond anything I’d encountered in my studies. It bridged the gap between learning about policy and actually creating it." - Emily McDonald, 2025
"Meeting partners and guest speakers gave me insights I couldn’t get anywhere else. Representing FORE Australia in these spaces was both inspiring and empowering." - Manika Gupta, 2025
“The autonomy I had during the program was incredible. I was able to dive into policy areas I was passionate about and develop briefs that really aligned with my interests. It made the work so much more meaningful." - Chris Noonan, 2025
Application Process
TLDR:
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Rolling application period
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Notified through email of acceptance/rejection
Two-stage recruitment process: initial expression of interest, then selected applicants will be invited to complete a formal application with a short written assessment.
FORE Australia uses a rolling application process, meaning candidates will be assessed throughout the application period. Successful applicants will be notified via email.
Summer Internship
Internship Criteria
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Minimum commitment: 1 full day/week (9am–5pm) between Tuesday and Saturday
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Must be available to attend our in-person Intro to Policy Weekend in
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Sydney (Sat 8 - Sun 9 November) or
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Melbourne (Sat 15 – Sun 16 November)
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Open to feedback, peer learning, and working in a fast-paced, collaborative team environment
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Must be willing to use Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Key Dates
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Internship runs: Tuesday, 18 November 2025 – Saturday, 14 February 2026
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Mandatory in-person training
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Sydney: Sat 8 November and Sun 9 November 2025 (all day) OR
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Melbourne: Sat 15 November and Sun 16 November 2025 (all day)
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APPLICATION DATES
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Expression of Interest closes: Sun, 14 September
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Successful applicants notified:
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NSW: Fri, 10 October
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VIC: Fri 17 October
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* Meaning those who will be attending the following conferences. Applicants may be outside those states but they will need to cover the costs of travel.
EOI's close: Sun, 14 September 11:59pm AEST
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Looking for Future Opportunities
Tentative Schedule - Subject to change
Semester 1 2026 Internship:
Application: December 2025 - January 2026
Duration: Tuesday, 24 February - Saturday, 30 May 2026
Training Weekend:
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VIC: Saturday, 22 February - Sunday, 23 February 2026
Winter 2026 Internship:
Application: March - April 2026
Duration: Tuesday, 9 June - Saturday, 1st August 2026
Training Weekend:
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VIC: Saturday, 6 June and Sunday, 7 June 2026
Semester 2 2026 Internship:
Application: May - June 2026
Duration: Tuesday, 11 August - Saturday, November
Training Weekend:
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VIC: Saturday, 8 August - Sunday 9 August 2026
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