Campus Scholars Program

Overview

FIRE is excited to offer a year-long, paid, remote program as part of our efforts to educate and empower students on American college and university campuses. This opportunity gives current undergraduates the opportunity to collaborate with FIRE in defending civil liberties on campuses across the country, while also working with our staff to create and build a personal project to promote FIRE’s mission on their own campuses.

This experience is remote. The 2026 fall semester program will begin on October 5, 2026 and run remotely until May 7, 2027. Campus Scholars will receive a stipend of $2,000 upon completion of the program and their project in December.
 

Qualifications and Responsibilities

FIRE is looking for intelligent and energetic undergraduates attending colleges and universities in the United States who are looking to engage in free speech activism on their campuses. Ideal candidates are responsible, focused, and organized; have a passion for civil liberties; and have a history of taking action in support of causes they believe in. All Campus Scholars are expected to demonstrate excellent research, writing, and communication skills. 

FIRE Campus Scholars will:

• Create, draft, and complete a personal project congruent with FIRE’s mission, and funded through a FIRE grant, over the course of one semester
  • Examples of a personal project could include:
    • Host a free speech conference on campus
    • Build a free speech website
    • Research proposal aligned with FIRE’s mission
    • Or, something that we haven’t thought of! (See past project examples here.)
• Attend the FIRE Student Development Summit in early 2027. This event is fully-funded by FIRE. All travel expenses are paid by FIRE.
• Assist with various projects such as research, development, and outreach tasks, throughout the course of the semester
• Recommend fellow peers to FIRE events, our Summer Internship program, and the Campus Scholars Program 
• Submit a final report detailing the outcomes and impact of their project

Application Procedures

The application deadline is Wednesday, September 30, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. ET. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Due to the program’s competitive nature, early applications are strongly encouraged.

Applicants must submit:

• A résumé
• A project proposal outlining their goals and plans
• A budget estimate, detailing how they would use the FIRE grant to support free expression or First Amendment rights on their campus
  • Budget guidelines and instructions

Proposals do not need to be final, but they should include a clear objective, a plan for achieving that objective, and a thoughtful, realistic budget.

Selected applicants will be invited to participate in a formal interview, which will include an opportunity to present their proposed project.