The U.S. Department of State Paid Student Internship Program is an experience offering U.S. citizen students a chance to participate in the formulation and implementation of U.S. foreign policy. The State Department aims to provide student interns with opportunities both educationally and professionally substantive in nature through a 10-week summer internship. This is an in-person opportunity and applications are due Nov. 7.
Summary
The U.S. Department of State Paid Student Internship Program is an experience offering U.S. citizen students a chance to participate in the formulation and implementation of U.S. foreign policy.
Duties
The Department of State aims to provide student interns with opportunities both educationally and professionally substantive in nature. The purpose of the program is to provide students with insight into the work of U.S. foreign policy and the administration of the U.S. Department of State and its diplomatic facilities around the world. Specific duties and responsibilities vary according to the domestic office or overseas post of assignment. Generally, interns may: participate in meetings with senior-level U.S. Government or foreign government officials; draft, edit, or contribute to cables, reports, communications, talking points, or other materials used by policymakers in furthering U.S. foreign policy objectives; support events, including international and/or multilateral meetings and conferences; engage directly with U.S. audiences in helping to explain the work of the Department of State or foreign audiences in helping to promote U.S. foreign policy and improve understanding of U.S. culture and society.
Student interns may be required to do some routine administrative work.
Requirements
Conditions of Employment
To qualify you must:
- Be a United States citizen at the time of application.
- Be at least 18 years old.
- Be in good academic standing with at least a 3.2 GPA or higher.
- Be pursuing a baccalaureate or graduate degree and returning to your academic program upon completion of your internship.
- Be a college junior, senior, or graduate student with at least 60 credit hours earned at time of application—you are considered a college junior if you will be starting your junior year immediately following the completion of your internship.
- Be participating in an accredited academic institution on at least a part-time basis at the time of application for the internship. The individual may qualify as a “student” even if the individual has a break in classes, as long as the break is no longer than five months at the time the individual begins the internship.
- Be able to work Full-Time during the 10-week internship, in-person either in Washington D.C. or your assigned overseas post.
- For internships overseas, possess a U.S. Passport and be able to travel aboard at the time of application.
Education
Applicants should be pursuing a baccalaureate or graduate degree, on at least a part-time basis, with at least a 3.2 GPA or higher. College juniors, seniors, or graduate students with at least 60 credit hours earned by the time the internship begins are encouraged to apply for this opportunity. Note: Applicants are considered a college junior if they will be starting the junior year of college immediately following the completion of the internship. Applicants must also be a continuing student with the expectation and intention of returning to their course of study the semester/quarter immediately following the completion of the internship – i.e., returning to school in the Fall of 2023. Proof may be requested.
If your academic plans change after your application and you are no longer a continuing student or have a break in classes longer than five months before your internship begins, you will no longer be eligible for the internship.
All interns selected for a position will be officially notified by the Student Internship Program office by e-mail.
Required Documents
Once you have completed the online questionnaire and Statement of Interest, you will be prompted to attach your transcript to your application for it to be considered complete. Applications submitted before the deadline without the required documents attached will not be considered.
Transcripts: your current or most recent school transcript that must be included in your online application via the instructions below. Both official and unofficial transcripts are acceptable. However, if you are selected for an internship, you may be required to provide an official transcript before starting your internship. Should your official transcript indicate that you are not an eligible student, your internship offer will be rescinded. Transcripts can be added to the job application by uploading them.
Resume: Resume: You must build a resume in USAJOBS to be considered. No other resumes will be reviewed. A carefully crafted resume should include clubs and organizations, research experience, work experience, volunteer experience and internships. Please limit your resume to 2-pages.
How to Apply
Applications must be submitted electronically through the “Gateway to State” system. To begin the application process, please click on the “Apply Online” button to the right.
You have until 11:59 pm Eastern Time on the closing date of this announcement to complete the application process. This includes submitting your online application as well as any required documents as defined in the Required Documents section. Candidates are encouraged to complete their applications well before the application deadline to be assured of consideration.
Please read all instructions carefully.
