Get Involved

Develop personally and professionally. Interview your heroes. Help a new friend become a US citizen. Get a selfie with the vice president. Join one of 15 programs at the Institute of Politics.

Harvard undergraduates can get involved with the IOP by applying to any programs that interest you at the beginning of each semester through the IOP common application. The entire Harvard and extended community is invited to attend JFK Jr. Forums, debates, special events and study groups.

Spotlight on Harvard Political Union

Founded in 1832 as the Harvard Union, the Harvard Political Union (HPU) is the world’s oldest collegiate debate society. Today, the HPU is the center for political discourse and discussion on Harvard’s campus.

Spotlight on Citizenship Tutoring

Each week, we spotligh one of the IOP's programs to share all of the amazing work that they do. Learn more about Citizenship Tutoring, where members at the Institute of Politics strive to foster civic engagement and maintain our strong, diverse Harvard community.

Internships and Career Services Spotlight

IOP Programs

Campaign & Advocacy Program

The Campaign & Advocacy Program (CAP) was created to address student interest in developing campaign and advocacy skills. CAP members gain a better understanding of campaigns and advocacy through discussions and interactive workshops.

Citizenship Tutoring

Citizenship Tutoring is a program which aims to combine public service and policy discussion, specifically with regard to the issue of immigration. Students involved in the program are each matched with one Harvard employee who is applying for US Citizenship. Meeting once a week for one hour sessions, tutors help prepare the employee for the US Citizenship exam. Subjects range from US history to the structure of the American government to recent current events.

Community Action

The Community Action Committee (CAC) is the entry point for community service and direct action at the IOP. CAC coordinates HVOTE, the IOP-sponsored campaign to get Harvard College students registered, educated and mobilized for all elections.

Harvard Political Review

The Harvard Political Review (HPR) is a quarterly, nonpartisan political journal and dynamic online platform produced entirely by undergraduates.

Harvard Political Union

The Harvard Political Union is the premier association for political debate and discussion at Harvard University.

Harvard Public Opinion Project

Members of the Harvard Public Opinion Project brainstorm and draft the questions for a biannual poll examining the political opinions and civic engagement of young Americans, analyze the collected data, and present the results to the media and other interested parties.

Internships and Career Services Program

The IOP Internships and Career Services Program offers diverse political and public service opportunities for Harvard undergraduates and recent alumni.

John F. Kennedy Jr. Forum

Students support the John F. Kennedy Jr. Forum, Harvard’s premier arena for political speech, discussion, and debate, by helping with event execution, promotion, and outreach.

National Campaign

Students on the National Campaign committee work closely with Ambassadors from 27 partner schools across the country on joint projects to spur college students to engage in electoral politics and public service.

National Campaign 2017

Political Conferences

Conferences extend the Institute's reach beyond the academic community. Since 1972, the Institute has conducted training every other year for newly elected members of Congress. Training for newly elected mayors of large cities is also held every other year.

Politics of Race and Ethnicity

The Politics of Race and Ethnicity (PRE) program focuses on highlighting and discussing the intersection of race, ethnicity, and politics.

STEAM: Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics

The IOP STEAM branch with the intention of helping students find opportunities for in studying and learning about the intersection between politics and science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics.

Study Groups

The Fellows program offers a unique opportunity to interact with and get to know one of our Resident Fellows - public figures with exceptional careers and experiences in politics and public service - in an intimate & personal setting. Student liaison teams of six help plan, produce and publicize a study group each week.

The Civics Program

The Harvard CIVICS Program places motivated undergraduates in classrooms throughout the Boston area, teaching civics and government classes to inspire students to take an active role in their communities and grow into participants in our democracy. We focus our curriculum on the function of government, the meaning of active citizenship, and avenues of community engagement.

The Policy Program

The Policy Program develops topical policy recommendations that identify the best solutions to pressing current issues, with an emphasis on research.

Women's Initiative in Leadership

The Women's Initiative in Leadership (WIL) explores and works to understand leadership for women students through seminars and interactive workshops over the course of a semester.