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Marines

Unit HomeAgenciesOffice of Legislative AffairsCongressional Fellowship Program

Congressional Fellowship Program

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Office of Legislative Affairs
Arlington, Virginia

The Marine Corps Congressional Fellowship Program (CFP) offers participants the opportunity to work in the legislative branch of the federal government for one session of Congress.  Eligibility requirements can be found in the MARADMIN.  The CFP is a 42-month tour with an additional 12 months of obligated service. The program can be broken down into four phases.

Phase 1: Professional Development (6 months): Selectees generally report to OLA in June, approximately six months in advance of their first day as a Fellow on Capitol Hill. This is the designated education and professional development period that helps prepare Fellows for their time on the Hill.

  • Officers and eligible SNCOs enroll at George Mason University's Schar School of Policy and Government. During this six-month period, officers and eligible SNCOs earn a majority of the credits required to earn a Master's in Public Policy (MPP) degree. The remaining credits must be completed online and at night while the Fellows are on the Hill or during their utilization tours.
  • SNCOs that are not eligible or do not desire to earn an MPP & civilians receive blended training and education through the Congressional Research Service and the Government Affairs Institute at Georgetown University. Portions of this education carry over into the fellowship and utilization periods.​

Phase 2: Congressional Fellowship (1 year): Fellows serve as a personal staff member on Capitol Hill in the office of a Senator or Member of Congress for one year, starting in January. This is a uniquely valuable opportunity to observe how our government works and learn about the people and institutions that shape our Corps.​

Phase 3: Utilization Tour (2 years): Marine Fellows must complete a 24-month utilization tour immediately upon completion of their fellowship year on Capitol Hill. OLA coordinates with M&RA to assign Fellows to billets in the NCR. The intent is to place fellows into billets that leverage Fellows’ experience with policy, appropriations, and the legislative process.

​Phase 4: Additional Obligated Service (1 year): After completing their two-year utilization tour, Fellows have a remaining obligation for an additional year of service. Per federal law (10 USC § 2603), each applicant who is accepted for the Congressional Fellowship Program must agree in writing to a three-year service obligation that begins immediately upon completion of the fellowship year on Capitol Hill. Two of the three years include the utilization tour. The remaining year is coordinated through M&RA and MOS Occupational Field Specialists. 

Applicants should fill out the survey on eligibility questions and upload their Congressional Fellowship Program application via the following link: https://www2.manpower.usmc.mil/application_cac/

*Note: Applicants are advised that application guidance may be updated up until the current MARADMIN publishes. If applicants prepare their package prior to the MARADMIN's release, it is recommended they double check their package after the MARADMIN is published to ensure compliance with application requirements. The MARADMIN should be used as the authoritative guidance if there is any conflict between sources.* 

FY26 CFP Application Guidance - Updated 15 May 2025 (removed requirement for RS assessment)

CFP Application (Example) - Updated 15 May 2025 (removed requirement for RS assessment, added guidance from Application Guidance document into example letters, made minor formatting updates)

CFP FAQs - Updated 15 May 2025 (added Q/A on requesting an ETP for eligibility criteria)

Questions regarding the Congressional Fellowship Program can be sent by email to hqmc_ola_cfp@usmc.mil. The program managers can be contacted by phone at 703-692-0198 or 703-692-7692.

Headquarters Marine Corps