State is now offering a paid student internship, which is the most exciting recruitment news to come out of the Department of State in a long time.
Paying interns is a significant improvement for the state. When I was younger, I was discouraged from interning at the Department due to a lack of financial support. I was offered the chance to intern, which would have been fantastic, but I didn’t want to incur debt in one of the most expensive cities in the nation.
Although the paid student internship is a big step in the right direction, I can’t help but feel that it is only a step and not really a leap. There are many positives to this paid internship. However, there are also negatives. In addition to introducing the role, I’ll discuss areas for improvement in this post.
Intern in Washington, D.C. or Abroad
How far could a student internship at the U. S. It would provide you with a sought-after inside look at diplomacy in action as well as the variety of careers and obligations found in the Foreign Service and Civil Service. Whether you work in the public or private sector, you will gain worthwhile experience that you can use in almost any endeavor. Most importantly, you’ll feel good about helping your country out.
New Paid Student Internship Program
The Student Internship Program is now offering paid internship opportunities. It is intended to expand global opportunities for students from all backgrounds who are pursuing post-secondary degrees. All our compensated internships provide opportunities to gain experience and insight into the business of diplomacy as our employees work to advance U.S. interests worldwide. Please sign up to receive ongoing updates related to the program and the application opening, as well as all our student programs.
The Summer 2023 paid student internship application period is currently closed. We’ll open our Fall 2023 paid student internship applications period in the New Year
Please sign up to receive ongoing updates related to the program and the next application cycle.
The U.S. Department of State Student Internship Program
This is a paid internship with a chance to work in the United States. S. there are numerous offices in Washington, D.C., as well as embassies and consulates around the globe. C. and at Department offices around the United States. This program is made to offer in-depth learning opportunities in a foreign affairs setting.
While the duties of both the paid and unpaid U. S. Participants in the Department of State Student Internship Program vary by bureau, office, and embassy. It is common for these students to:
- Participate in meetings with senior-level U. S. Government or foreign government officials.
- Prepare cables, reports, communications, talking points, or other documents that policymakers use to advance U S. foreign policy objectives.
- Support events, including international and/or multilateral meetings and conferences or
- Engage directly with U. S. audiences in explaining the Department of State’s work or foreign audiences in promoting U S. foreign policy and improve understanding of U. S. culture and society.
Most U. S. Opportunities for the Department of State’s student internship program are available at the bureau level. The numerous offices that comprise the corresponding geographic or functional bureaus are open to students for employment. There are also opportunities offered at U. S. embassies, consulates, and diplomatic missions abroad. The Bureau of Consular Affairs, the Bureau of Diplomatic Security, the Management Bureau, and the United States Information Agency are among the few bureaus that provide internship opportunities in cities across the United States. S. Mission to the United States in New York.
- Geographic Bureaus: Manage policies for a specific geographic area. East Asian and Pacific Affairs (EAP), European and Eurasian Affairs (EUR), Near Eastern Affairs (NEA), South and Central Asian Affairs (SCA), and Western Hemisphere Affairs (WHA) are some of the geographical bureaus.
- Functional Bureaus: Focus on particular issues and are in charge of areas of law that have an impact on all nations and regions. The Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor (DRL), the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL), the Bureau of International Organization Affairs (IO), the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs (PM), and the Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs (OES) are among these bureaus. Other functional bureaus, such as Administration (A), Consular Affairs (CA), Diplomatic Security (DS), Legislative Affairs (H), Global Talent Management (GTM), and Overseas Buildings Operations (OBO), are in charge of various crucial operations and facets of the administration of the Department of State.
Identify the offices that are most appropriate for your major. Regardless of your major there’s an opportunity for you.
To be eligible for the U. S. Department of State Student Internship Program, you must:
- Be a U.S. citizen
- Have a minimum 3. 2 GPAIf your institution does not calculate Grade Point Averages (GPAs), please consult with the registrar’s office to comprehend the notations on your transcript that correspond to each course before using the GPA Calculation Table. Please take note that in order for your application to be considered complete and for an internship with the Department, a GPA must be entered.
| Grade | A+ | A | A- | B+ | B | B- | C+ | C | C- | D+ | D | D- | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4.0 Scale | 4.0 | 4.0 | 3.7 | 3.3 | 3.0 | 2.7 | 2.3 | 2.0 | 1.7 | 1.3 | 1.0 | 0.7 | 0.0 |
| 4.0+ Scale | 4.3 | 4.0 | 3.7 | 3.3 | 3.0 | 2.7 | 2.3 | 2.0 | 1.7 | 1.3 | 1.0 | 0.7 | 0.0 |
- possess the ability to obtain a Public Trust, Secret, or Top Secret clearance.
- An applicant is considered a junior if he or she will have finished all sophomore credits (60 or more semester hours or 90 quarter hours) by the time the internship begins and will be entering at least the junior year immediately following the internship. An applicant is still considered a student if they are enrolled in a graduate program. Students must also include a transcript, either official or unofficial, with their application to verify that they are currently enrolled in school. If you have not yet finished registering at a college or university for graduate or post-graduate studies (including law school) or are awaiting an admissions decision for graduate or post-graduate studies (including law school), you are eligible to apply for this program. However, before you can start your internship, you must show proof that you have registered for or been accepted for enrollment in studies for the semester or quarter that will immediately follow the internship.
Furthermore, you may be required to undergo random drug testing.
The U. S. The Department of State Student Internship Program offers paid internships and the chance to work in the United S. world’s embassies and field offices, as well as in various bureaus in Washington, D.C. C. This program aims to give participants valuable exposure to the field of foreign affairs.
- Paid interns will receive compensation as a GS-04, $17. 51/hour and be a temporary employee of the U. S. Department of State.
- Unless and until the intern is subsequently appointed into a federal career position, the internship service is not creditable for retirement benefits.
- The program helps with housing and pays for reasonable travel costs to and from the internship.
Those interested in applying for the U. S. To get started, go to the Student Programs section of the Intern tab of Home – careers for the Department of State Student Internship Program. state. gov, clicking the “U. S. “Gateway to State: Department of State Student Internship Program” and beyond Only open and active applications will have access to the “Gateway to State” button. Additionally, candidates can go directly to USAJOBS* and look for the U S. Department of State Student Internship Program.
There are five (5) sections:
- Eligibility
- Series Grade Questions
- All Grade Questions
- Documents
- Application Review
Note: Some eligibility questions are exclusionary. If an applicant’s application is rejected as a result of their answers to these questions, they won’t be notified until after the announcement has ended. Please carefully read the program eligibility requirements before applying. Once the announcement has ended, no applicant will be able to make changes to their application.
When a candidate sees “The U,” they are in the actual online application. S. At the top of the screen, you can see “Department of State” and “Diplomacy in Action.” New users of USAJOBS must register for an account and use the USAJOBS Resume Builder to create a resume. To proceed to the actual application, candidates must create (not upload) a USAJOBS resume. After building a profile and a resume, they can select the “Apply Online” button on the right side of the job posting. Following this, candidates will be directed to a different screen where they must identify and highlight their resume in order to attest that the data they have provided is accurate and made in good faith. Applicants must then click on “Apply for this position now!”.
Provide all required documents
A country will not be accepting students for that season if it is not listed on the application.
Applicants must submit official or unofficial transcripts as proof of their enrollment in school. The transcripts must be attached to the submitted application. According to the instructions in the application, applicants must attach official transcripts if using them. The application gives applicants two options for submitting their transcripts: by fax or by upload. The application will be deemed ineligible if the transcript cannot be properly attached.
It is highly recommended that applicants upload their transcripts with their applications. The faxing process frequently encounters technical issues that result in incomplete applications being received after the announcement has ended.
After starting an application, candidates can access and edit it whenever they want until the vacancy announcement closes. For consideration, applicants must finish all sections of the application, submit it, and include their most recent transcript. S. Department of State Student Internship Program.
The selection process involves several steps, and students need to be aware of the following:
- Step 1: The Student Internship Program team receives all eligible applicants’ complete applications and sends them to the relevant bureaus or posts for review.
- Step 2: The Paid Student Internship Program Selection Committee will evaluate applications, choose the top candidates, and offer suggestions for the finalist candidates’ placement in host offices. The requirements of the bureaus/posts and the finalists’ personal interests and professional goals determine this.
- Step 3: The Student Internship Program team reviews, clarifies, and coordinates the bureau/post selections as well as the official notification to the selected students.
- Step 4: The Student Internship Program team sends conditional offer letters to both primary and alternate selections, identifying the relevant selection bureau/post and a bureau point of contact. In the event that a primary rejects the offer or isn’t given a security clearance, an alternate is chosen to take their place.
- Step 5: Selectees are initiated in the security clearance process. Selected candidates must ask the Student Intern Program team to release the security clearance application to the diplomatic security team after it has been completed.
These problems may include a history of drug or alcohol abuse, either present or in the past, as well as a recent history of credit issues. Additional details on dual citizenship and foreign influence issues are available. Although these issues won’t always prevent students from receiving security clearances, they will increase the amount of time needed to complete the clearance process. Your notification of acceptance will come with the necessary security forms to finish your security clearance application. When you receive instructions on how to submit an application for a security clearance, please complete, sign, and return all paperwork by the specified date. If the student misses the deadline, DS might not be able to process the security clearance.
NOTE: If you would like to be notified when we open the application, you can sign up for email updates here. In the meantime, you may want to create an account and your resume on the USAJOBS website — and obtain a copy of your college transcript.
| Application Process | Summer Internship | Fall Internship | Spring Internship |
|---|---|---|---|
| Application Open Period | November | February | July |
| Application Review/Interview | December | March | August |
| Selection/Non-Selection & Notification | January | April | September |
| Security Clearances | January – July | May – November | September – March |
| Interns Enter on Duty | May – July | September – December | January – March |
| Internship Ends | August/September | December/January | April/May |
*Be sure to access Join Our Talent Network to sign up to receive alerts regarding the availability of future opportunities.
Paid Internships at the Department
FAQ
Are government internships hard to get?
Don’t Give Up. It will be difficult to be chosen for an internship with the federal government because they are competitive. But don’t become discouraged. If you continue the internship-seeking process, you’ll find success!.
What percentage of students get internships?
53 graduates out of all those who applied for full-time jobs 2% got a minimum of one job offer. Out of that, 57. 5% had an internship on their resume.
How likely are interns to get hired?
56% of all interns in the United States have accepted job offers from the company they interned for An additional 14% of all interns in the U. S. are given a part-time job offer after completing their internship. 80% of interns who are extended job offers at the company where they interned accept them
Is it hard to get a for internship?
Finding internships without experience can occasionally seem difficult or even impossible. But anyone can do it because it is very feasible. You simply need to be able to market yourself effectively.