Established in 2014, the U.S. Foreign Service Internship Program (USFSIP) is a merit- and needs-based opportunity that offers two paid summer internships to expose undergraduate students to U.S. diplomacy and career opportunities at the Department of State. The program is both professionally and academically beneficial as it provides writing training, diplomatic history, and hands-on experience in the daily operations of U.S. foreign policy.
Established in 2014, the U.S. Foreign Service Internship Program (USFSIP) is a merit- and needs-based opportunity that offers two paid summer internships to expose undergraduate students to U.S. diplomacy and career opportunities at the Department of State. The program is both professionally and academically beneficial as it provides writing training, diplomatic history, and hands-on experience in the daily operations of U.S. foreign policy.
This announcement is open to all U.S. citizens currently enrolled in an undergraduate degree program with a cumulative GPA of 3.2 or above. Students must be rising sophomores or juniors when applying and demonstrate financial need via the Student Aid Index in the Free Application for Federal Student Aid Submission Summary and/or Statement of Financial Need. They must be continuing students during the program with an est. graduation date no earlier than spring 2026.
Interns must commit to completing two consecutive summers. In the first summer (2025), participants come to Washington, D.C. for three weeks of orientation and training including: U.S. diplomatic history, Department writing, and professional development. In addition to 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 (2026) 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.
To qualify you must:
Please see the below "Requirements" section for a list of required qualifications.
To be eligible to participate, students must be entering their sophomore or junior year in an undergraduate degree program when applying. If you will be a freshman, senior, or graduate student - you are not eligible for this program.
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 are 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 provides housing.
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 USAJOBS. Outstanding academic performance, financial need, relevant experience, and strong interest in foreign affairs and public service are important considerations in the selection process. Selection criteria are tied to the following dimensions sought in Foreign Service candidates: Critical Thinking, Cultural Adaptability, Experience and Motivation, Information Integration and Analysis, Negotiation, Integrity, Presentation Skills, Teamwork, Leadership, Written Communication and Planning and Organizing.
Potential applicants are strongly encouraged to connect with a Diplomat in Residence (DIR) to discuss their interest in this program or State Department careers generally. To find your local DIR clickhere.
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 are 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 provides housing.
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.
Transcripts: Your current or most recent transcript uploaded as a PDF 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 in spring 2025 and demonstrate that you are a current and continuing student.
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 and work experience, special skills or knowledge, volunteer experience and internships.
Part IV- Optional Documents
The fourth part of the application is the optional submission of the FAFSA Submission Summary generated by the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
FAFSA Submission Summary: If you have completed a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) you may submit a PDF copy of your FAFSA Submission Summary to confirm Student Aid Index listed on the application. You will also have the opportunity to highlight your personal circumstances in the Statement of Financial Need, which is a required submission. You can attach the required documents by uploading them to USAJOBS.
Please note the following:
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 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:
*Special Note on Documents*
If you have completed a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) you may submit a PDF copy of your latest FAFSA Submission Summary to confirm the Student Aid Index (SAI) listed on the application. The FAFSA Submission Summary is optional. You will also have the opportunity to highlight your circumstances in the Statement of Financial Need.
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 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 to be able to move forward to the application in the Gateway to State.
Special Note on Resume: You must build a resume in 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:
Please see above for Part III and IV.
Application Status
Applicants may view the status of their application on the Gateway to State site. CLICK HERE and enter your login information. Click "Applications," under the "Application Status" heading select "More Information." On the following screen, you will be able to verify your application status.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
