The US foreign service internship program is now open for those who are interested to work in the U.S. can apply.
Spend two summers in an experiential-learning program designed to expose undergraduate students to U.S. diplomacy and the work of the Department of State. Established in 2014, this merit and needs-based opportunity is available to undergraduate sophomore and junior students with a 3.2 GPA or higher who are available to participate in two consecutive summer internships as rising juniors and seniors.
The program includes two paid summer internships:
- Three weeks of academic and professional training in Washington, D.C. followed by seven weeks working in a policy office at the U.S. Department of State
- A ten-week assignment in a U.S. Embassy or Consulate abroad
Typically, you can apply on the US Foreign Service Internship Program online or follow our step guide to know how to apply.
US Foreign Service Internship Program
USFSIP consists of participation for two consecutive summers and interns must commit to completing a 2-year program. In the first summer (2022), participants come to Washington, D.C. for three weeks of orientation and training including: U.S. diplomatic history, Department writing, and professional development. Following the training, interns work for seven weeks on policy desks in regional or functional bureaus at the U.S. Department of State. The second summer (2023) is a ten-week assignment to a U.S. embassy or consulate overseas. In the intervening year, USFSIP interns must maintain at least a 3.2 GPA and take the Foreign Service Officer Test (FSOT) to gain a better understanding of the Foreign Service assessment process.
Requirements
Conditions of Employment
To qualify you must:
- Be a U.S. citizen at the time of application.
- Demonstrate financial need via Student Aid Report (SAR) and/or Statement of Interest.
- Have a cumulative GPA of 3.2 or above.
- Be a sophomore or junior when applying (i.e. be a rising junior or senior at the start of the program).
- Be enrolled as a degree-seeking undergraduate student in an accredited academic institution at least half-time.
- Must have firm plans to continue education after the first USFSIP summer.
- Must be available during program dates of June 6, 2022 – August 12, 2022 (similar dates for 2023).
- Must be able to obtain and maintain SECRET security clearance.
- Remain in good academic standing (3.20 GPA or higher) for the duration of the program.
Qualifications
Please see the below “Requirements” section for a list of required qualifications.
Education
To be eligible to participate, students must be in their sophomore or junior year in an undergraduate degree program when applying. If you are a current freshman, senior, or graduate student – you are not eligible for this program.
Additional information
The U.S. Foreign Service Internship Program is not a job program. It consists of two temporary appointments for experiential learning. USFSIP is NOT a Pathways program for paid students and recent graduate trainees.
Security Clearances
All applicants tentatively selected for this position will be required to undergo a pre-employment background investigation for the necessary security clearance. Interns going overseas for the second summer of this internship program may be required to receive a higher level of clearance than previously required for the first summer in Washington.
The Bureau of Diplomatic Security (DS) advises that routine SECRET level clearances normally require ~150 days to complete but Investigations may take substantially longer if you have a history of extensive overseas travel, education, residence and/or employment; or if you have dual citizenship, foreign contacts, immediate family, relatives, and/or a spouse or partner who is a citizen of a foreign country.
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In addition, if DS identifies a security, suitability, or medical issue, your investigation may require additional time to process and review. These issues could include, but are not limited to, a current or past history of drug or alcohol abuse, indications of a mental or emotional health condition, or indications of financial problems. Such issues may not necessarily preclude DS from granting you a security clearance, but they will likely lengthen the time required to complete the clearance process.
We cannot guarantee that every selectee will be able to obtain a security clearance before the May 15th deadline. If a selectee is not able to secure a secret clearance by the deadline the selectee cannot participate in the program.
Other Internship Opportunities
If you wish to be considered for other internship opportunities within the Department of State, you are required to complete a separate job application per program. You will not be considered for another program without completing an application for that particular program.
Equal Opportunity
It is the policy of the Federal Government to treat all of its employees with dignity and respect and to provide a workplace that is free from discrimination, whether that discrimination is based on race, color, religion, sex (including gender identity or pregnancy), national origin, disability, political affiliation, marital status, membership in an employee organization, age, sexual orientation, or other non-merit factors.
Reasonable Accommodation
This agency provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the Office of Employee Relations, Disability/Reasonable Accommodations Division, at (202) 261-8163 or reasonableaccommodations@state.gov. The decision on granting reasonable accommodation will be on a case-by-case basis.
Benefit
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding.
Participants in the U.S. Foreign Service Internship Program are considered temporary employees. As such, they are eligible to accrue leave and sick time but not eligible for Federal Employee Health Benefits or TSP coverage. Their internship service is not creditable for retirement benefits unless and until the intern is subsequently appointed into a Federal career position. USFSIP covers reasonable travel expenses to and from the internship and assists with housing.
Eligible
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
How You Will Be Evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
A selection panel will review the applications of qualified students who submit a complete and timely application package via US Foreign Service Internship. Outstanding academic performance, financial need, relevant experience, and strong interest in foreign affairs or public service are important considerations in the selection process. Selection criteria are tied to the following dimensions sought in Foreign Service candidates: Cultural Adaptability, Information Integration and Analysis, Initiative and Leadership, Judgment, Oral Communication, Written Communication, Planning, and Organizing, and Working with Others.
Potential applicants are strongly encouraged to contact the closest Diplomat in Residence (DIR) or Washington Based Recruiters to discuss their interest in this program or State Department careers generally. To find your local DIR click here or find an event near you here.
Required Documents
Part III – Required Documents
The third part of the application process is the submission of required documents. These documents MUST be included in your online application for it to be complete. Incomplete applications cannot be considered. These documents are any domestic or overseas transcript(s).
Transcripts: Your current or most recent transcript must be included in your online application per the instructions below. Usually, one transcript is sufficient, but if an additional transcript is needed to document your stated GPA, you must supply it here. Both official AND unofficial transcripts are acceptable as part of the application process. However, if you are selected for an internship, you will be required to provide official transcripts by Jan 28, 2022. Your official transcript must show that you are a current and continuing student.
Resume: You must build a resume in US Foreign Service Internship (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.
Part IV- Optional Documents
The fourth part of the application is the optional submission of the Student Aid Report (SAR) generated by the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
SAR: If you have completed a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) you must submit a PDF copy of your latest Student Aid Report (SAR) showing your Expected Family Contribution (EFC). We must confirm the Expected Family Contribution (EFC) listed on the application.
If you did not complete a FAFSA, you will not need to submit a copy of your SAR. However, we highly encourage you to highlight your circumstances in telling us your story in the Statement of Interest.
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You can attach the required documents by uploading them to US Foreign Service Internship (USAJOBS).
Please note the following:
- Applications received without the required documents are automatically disqualified for consideration.
- Documents mailed or faxed directly to the U.S. Department of State, or any Department of State office either before or after the vacancy announcement has closed, will not be accepted.
Applications received without required documents will be deemed ineligible. You are encouraged to submit your application early and to go back into your application to confirm that your documents have been attached.
Technical questions about attaching required documents to your application, either via upload or fax using the system-generated coversheet and phone number, should be addressed to the Help Desk at 1-866-656-6830 or mgshelp@monster.com.
How to Apply
Applications must be submitted electronically through the “Gateway to State” system. To begin the application process, please click on the “Apply” 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 for guaranteed consideration. If you should run into any technical issues, please do not hesitate to contact the Help Desk at 1-866-656-6830 or mgshelp@Monster.com to ensure your application’s submission. Please read all instructions carefully. There are four parts to the online application process:
- Applicant Profile — for applicants new to US Foreign Service Internship- USAJOBS
- USFSIP Application — including Statement of Interest and one essay question
- Required Documents — transcript(s) and resume built in USAJOBS Resume Builder. No other resumes will be reviewed.
- Optional Documents — Student Aid Report (SAR)
Special Note on Documents
If you have completed a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) you must submit a PDF copy of your latest Student Aid Report (SAR). We must confirm the Expected Family Contribution (EFC) listed on the application.
If you did not complete a FAFSA, you will not need to submit a copy of your SAR. However, we highly encourage you to highlight your circumstances in telling us your story in the Statement of Interest.
Part I – Applicant Profile
Applicants new to USAJOBS must create an applicant profile by providing biographic and prior Federal government employment information. You must answer all “required” fields in order to proceed through the application process. (If you are not new to USAJOBS, you can proceed directly to the intern application.) All applicants must also “build” a USAJOBS resume. You must complete these two steps in order to be able to move forward to the application in the Gateway to State.
Special Note on Resume: You must build a resume in US Foreign Service Internship (USAJOBS) to be considered. No other resumes will be reviewed.
Part II– Internship Application
The second part of the online application process is specific to the internship program. In this section, you will be required to:
- Answer a questionnaire regarding your personal, professional, academic, and extracurricular history.
- Identify up to two bureaus in which you would prefer to be placed during your Washington internship assignment. Please keep in mind, that placement is based on the need of the bureau so there is no guarantee of preferred placement.
- Answer one short-essay question.
- Provide a Statement of Interest that describes your objectives and motivation in seeking this internship. Use the statement to explain how your academic courses and other experiences relate to the State Department and bureaus chosen and demonstrate what you would bring to the program. Include any financial hardship or impactful adversity to highlight your individual circumstances and tell your story. (Maximum 3000 characters, spaces included).
Note: Your statement of interest is important. It should demonstrate your ability to write concisely and clearly and it should tell your story.
Reviewing applications
Salary
- $13.47 – $13.47 per hour
Pay scale & grade
- GS 04
Location
- Department of State Posts – Overseas and Domestic, United States MANY vacancies
Remote job
- No
Telework eligible
- Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
- No
Appointment type
- Temporary – Interns serve for a period of ten weeks each during the summers of 2022 and 2023.
Work schedule
- Full-time – This announcement is for full time internships.
Service
- Excepted
Promotion potential
- 04
Job family (Series)
- 0099 General Student Trainee
Supervisory status
- No
Security clearance
- Secret
Drug test
- Yes
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