Intern in Washington, D.C. or Abroad

How far could a student internship at the U.S. Department of State take you? Just for starters, it would give you a coveted inside look at diplomacy in action, and the range of careers and responsibilities found in the Foreign Service and Civil Service. You’ll gain valuable work experience that you can apply to virtually every endeavor — whether you work in government or the private sector. Most of all, you will feel good about doing something worthwhile for your nation.

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 Call for Applications for Fall 2024 program cycle of the Student Internship Program is now open from February 1st -9th!!! The application is here (USAJOBS – Job Announcement) on USAjobs.gov which you will need an account in order to apply.

If you have any questions about the program or how to apply, please contact us at studentinternship@state.gov

Please sign up to receive updates about our upcoming application cycle and for ongoing updates related to the program.

The U.S. Department of State Student Internship Program

This is a paid internship with the opportunity to work in U.S. embassies and consulates throughout the world, as well as in various bureaus located in Washington, D.C. and at Department offices around the United States. This program is designed to provide substantive learning experiences in a foreign affairs environment.

While the duties of the U.S. Department of State Student Internship Program participants vary from bureau to bureau, office to office, and embassy to embassy, it is not uncommon for these students to:

• 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 or
• 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.