Graduate Student Summer Associate Program

RAND's Graduate Student Summer Associate Program offers current PhD and professional degree students a 12-week paid opportunity (~$15,000 stipend) to conduct policy research alongside RAND experts in fields ranging from national security and health to education, labor, and infrastructure. Associates work on client-driven projects, author RAND publications, and build lasting mentorship relationships. The 2026 program runs in hybrid format with offices in Santa Monica, Washington, Pittsburgh, and Boston, and fully remote options for U.S. residents. Applicants must be 2nd-year or later graduate students not graduating before the following fall.