LODI GYARI TIBETAN EMPOWERMENT PROGRAMS

Washington Internship Program for Tibetan Americans

About WIPTA

ICT’s Washington Internship Program for Tibetan Americans (WIPTA) is dedicated to promoting Tibetan American participation and representation at all levels of the political process. As part of our Lodi Gyari Tibetan Empowerment Programs, WIPTA gives Tibetan American students the opportunity to work in Washington, D.C., gaining firsthand experience in public service and policymaking. Participants, known as Lodi Gyari Fellows, develop professional skills and networks while learning how to exercise their civic rights and bring their perspectives as Tibetan Americans into public life.

APPLY THROUGH JANUARY 22, 2027

Fellowship Experience

After internship placements are confirmed, Lodi Gyari Fellows complete a six to eight-week summer internship in Washington, D.C. Placements may include congressional offices and other eligible public policy or democracy-focused organizations and institutions. Fellows also participate in ICT orientations and check-ins, and complete weekly journals.

ICT provides round-trip airfare within the continental United States and a stipend towards housing and other expenses.

Eligibility

WIPTA is open to Tibetan American undergraduate and graduate students who are enrolled in a degree program at the time they submit their application.

Applicants must be U.S. citizens or legal permanent residents and have completed at least one year of study by the start of the internship.

Students who have independently secured an internship with a congressional office or federal agency in Washington, D.C., may also be eligible if they meet the program’s requirements.

Application Timeline

Application deadline	January 22, 2027, 11:59pm ET
Application review and finalist selection*	February 2027
Host office consideration & interviews	March-April 2027
Lodi Gyari Fellows Announced	After placements are confirmed

*Selection as a finalist does not guarantee an internship placement. Finalists may be invited to interview with potential host offices, with placements subject to host office selection. Review and timeline are approximate.

Lodi Gyari’s Legacy

WIPTA participants are known as Lodi Gyari Fellows in honor of Lodi Gyaltsen Gyari, who served as President of the International Campaign for Tibet in Washington D.C. from 1991 to 1999. Following his term as President of the International Campaign for Tibet, Mr. Gyari joined the organization’s Board of Directors as Executive Chairman until 2014. He cared deeply about advocacy for Tibet and empowering Tibetans to shape their own future. The fellowship carries that commitment forward by opening pathways for Tibetan Americans into public service.