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Summary

Start your career with a student internship at the Central Intelligence Agency. Our interns have the opportunity to make a difference on day one, working alongside experts in their career field to learn the world of intelligence while helping secure our nation. Successful interns may be offered a full-time position upon graduation, with a chance to build a future in the world of intelligence.

Check out our website for more details: https://www.cia.gov/careers/student-programs/.

Overview

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Accepting applications
Location
Many vacancies in the following location:
Work site options
Telework eligible
No
Remote job
No
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Salary
$54,378 - $71,209 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 5 - 7
Promotion potential
None
Pay scale and grade determines the salary of the job.
Work schedule
Full-time
Travel Required
Not required
Appointment type
Internships
Occupations and job series
Supervisory status
No
Federal service type
This job is in the Excepted Service
Represented by a union
No
Drug test
Yes
Security clearance
Sensitive Compartmented Information
Position sensitivity and risk
High Risk (HR)
Jobs require a background check and some require a security clearance. The type depends on the job.
Background check type
Financial disclosure required
Yes
Some jobs require financial disclosure to identify conflicts of interests.
Announcement number
26-13057222
Control number
883860200

Videos

Duties

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CIA has opportunities for highly-motivated students to contribute to our national security mission. Students bring their talent and fresh perspective and are a valued part of our workforce. We're looking for talented students to submit a resume for one of our programs, where they'll do substantive and meaningful work alongside experts, while developing tradecraft excellence, leadership attributes, and intelligence acumen.

Our student program opportunities consist of the following:

  • Undergraduate Internship Program
  • Undergraduate Co-Op Program
  • Graduate Studies Program
  • Part-Time Parallel Program (must have previously completed a summer work tour)
Student tracks include, but are not limited to:
  • Accounting and Finance
  • Analysis
  • Attorneys
  • Auditor/Program Analyst
  • Contracting Officer
  • Data Science/Data Engineer
  • Facilities
  • Human Resources
  • Logistics
  • Police Officer/Security Officer
  • STEM
  • Support
**If interested in operations internships, please check out our website in December 2026.

** CIA is not hiring Stokes Scholars for Summer 2027.

Students must be in a full-time academic status and commit to a 12-week internship. Students receive benefits during their internship, including annual and sick leave, healthcare benefits, and more. All internships are in the Washington, DC area. Non-local students are provided travel reimbursement from their school to the Washington, DC are for the summer. Due to the nature of our work, all applicants must meet their specific criteria to qualify for employment. If eligible, you will go through our hiring process, including medical and security evaluations. Learn more about how we hire before you apply. Successful interns may be offered a full-time position following graduation, dependent upon career hiring requirements.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • You must be physically in the United States or one of its territories when you submit your resume via MyLINK.
  • You must be registered for the Selective Service, if applicable.
  • You must be a U.S. citizen and at least 18 years of age (dual-national US citizens are eligible).
  • You must be willing to move to the Washington, DC area.
  • You must successfully complete a thorough medical and psychological exam, a polygraph interview, and a comprehensive background investigation.
  • For further requirements information, please visit: https://www.cia.gov/careers/cia-requirements/.

Qualifications

Interested candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the US Constitution. Hiring decisions will not be based on race, sex, color, religion, or national origin.

Minimum Qualifications

  • Attending school on a full-time basis before/following this internship
  • Exceptional customer service skills
  • Strong interpersonal and communication skills (verbal and written)
  • Attention to administrative detail
  • Ability to work effectively as part of a team and independently
  • Flexibility, adaptability, and commitment to the mission of the CIA
  • Others as specifically outlined in the vacancy
  • Ability to meet the minimum requirements for joining CIA, including U.S. citizenship and a background investigation

Desired Qualifications

  • Willingness and ability to establish strong personal relationships
  • Ability to develop creative yet practical solutions to anticipated and unanticipated problems
  • Interest in seeking answers, learning foreign languages or studying other cultures

Education

  • At least a 3.0 GPA on a 4-point scale required for most internships.

Additional information

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

For more information, please visit:Student Programs.

Central Intelligence Agency

We are the Nation's first line of defense, and we have a mission for you. Join us as we leverage the power of information to keep our Nation safe by collecting foreign intelligence, producing objective all-source analysis, conducting covert action at the president's direction, and safeguarding secrets that protect the United States. Our workforce is our strength. CIA is a place that values people with different backgrounds and perspectives. The goal being to create a community that fosters a sense of belonging in a way that enriches officers and empowers them to advance CIA's mission.

Read more about life at CIA here: https://www.cia.gov/careers/working-at-cia/.

Agency contact information

Central Intelligence Agency

Visit our careers page

Learn more about what it's like to work at Central Intelligence Agency, what the agency does, and about the types of careers this agency offers.

https://www.cia.gov/careers

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