Inclusion Economics Internships
Learn more about how Inclusion Economics at Yale University engages with Yale students on our research.
Get involved!
Each semester, we hire interns to support our work; these internships provide an opportunity to learn about real-world challenges at the intersection of research and policy. Interns typically focus on either data analysis or communications, and come from a variety of majors, including Economics, Global Affairs, Political Science, Computer Science, and more.
Learn more about our different internship opportunities:
Inclusion Economics Summer Research Internship: Summer
For summer 2026, students will join our teams in India or Nepal for eight weeks to assist with on-the-ground development economic research within our portfolio (gender, political economy, and the environment). Our internships are ideal for candidates interested in learning more about applied economic research in fields ranging from development, labor, environmental, and/or gender economics, to political economy. The Inclusion Economics Summer Research Intern will contribute to the planning and implementation of primary data collection and related activities associated with applied development economics research (including surveys and programmatic interventions) in India and Nepal. This may include management and tracking of incoming data and basic data cleaning and analysis. Candidates may also be asked to conduct literature reviews, draft policy briefs and memos, provide support for the training of government partners, and/or provide support for additional research-linked activities.
Tobin Undergrad Research Assistantships: Fall and Spring
The purpose of the Tobin Research Assistantships (Tobin RAs) is to give undergraduates in economics at Yale an opportunity to learn about conducting research in economics by working as a research assistant for a professor. Tobin RAs begin in the Fall or Spring of each academic year and are renewable, upon mutual agreement of the professor and the research assistant, for up to one additional term. In each term, each Tobin RA requires approximately 10 hours of work per week for 12 weeks.
Herb Scarf Summer Research Opportunities: Summer
Herb Scarf Summer Research Opportunities in Economics is a program designed to give Yale students a chance to immerse themselves in ongoing research with their professors in the Department of Economics and other affiliated departments and professional schools. Scarf RAs will be required to work 160 hours on their faculty mentor’s research project from May to July (or other dates mutually agreed upon with the student’s faculty mentor) and participate in the supplemental research and social activities organized by the Program Directors.
Read more about our Summer 2020 Internship Program
Due to the pandemic, many students' summer internship plans were canceled, including students whom Inclusion Economics at Yale University had identified to conduct in-person field internships in India that summer. Fortunately, we were able to instead offer remote opportunities to nine undergrads to work on a variety of projects, including new surveys on India's Covid-19 response.
Student testimonials
I got exposure to all steps in the development economics research process, from sitting in on interviews with potential surveyors, to data cleaning, to research for a literature review, to communications and reports. There was an emphasis on getting the research results out to the people who can use them effectively.
– Bilal Moin ‘24
It was exciting to be there as it happened...The dashboard helped ministers and officials get a much better idea about where they needed to send resources to help migrant workers. Our work helped inform policymakers about what sorts of actions they needed to take.
– Michael Chang ’21
You can also reach out directly with your CV and a statement of interest to inclusion.economics@yale.edu.
Are you a student based in India or Nepal and want to get involved? Please reach out to those offices directly with your CV and a statement of interest: inclusion.economics.india@ifmr.ac.in or inclusion.economics.nepal@govlab.com.np.
Additionally, join the Salus Populi Foundation, a new student society where Yale undergraduates can engage with development economics faculty and research programs.