The Department of Education (ED) offers internships for students interested in seeking valuable work experience in government and federal education policy and administration. Volunteers have the opportunity to make meaningful contributions to the Department’s mission to promote student achievement and preparation for global competitiveness by fostering educational excellence and ensuring equal access.
ED offers internships in the fall, winter/spring, and summer. Typically interns are with the Department for eight to ten weeks (some can stay shorter or longer depending on circumstances). Read more details about application timelines.
Types of Internships
The Department works to tailor each intern’s experience to the interests, and skills of the interns against the needs of Department offices. In the past, students have completed projects focusing on:
- Policy analysis and evaluation.
- Research.
- Finance.
- Public affairs and communications.
- Community outreach.
- Intergovernmental relations.
- Legislative affairs.
- News media.
- Legal work.
- And a host of other projects.
Candidates should indicate which offices most interest them in their application. See a list of ED’s offices. Please note that availability of internships within given offices varies throughout the year, and some offices require specialized subject knowledge to qualify.
Activities for ED Interns
In addition to the opportunities within their offices, students are encouraged to participate in ED-sponsored intern events, such as:
- Brownbag lunch series with senior ED officials.
- Tours of D.C. landmarks.
- Professional development and resume-writing workshops.
- Social activities.
Interning at ED makes it easy to take advantage of the Department’s location in the heart of the nation’s capital.
Eligibility
In order to apply to intern at ED, students must:
- Attend an accredited educational institution, including but not limited to; high school, trade school, technical or vocational institute, junior college, college, university, or graduate school.
- A recent graduate is ineligible to apply unless he/she can provide confirmed proof of future enrollment.
- Have permission from the institution at which he/she is currently enrolled to participate in internship program.
- Be enrolled not less than half time in a course of study related to the work to be performed.
International Applicants: Individuals who are not U.S. citizens, but who reside in the U.S., may volunteer (1) if they are lawful permanent residents; or (2) if they are non-immigrant aliens with F-1 or J-1 visa status, who are bona fide students residing in the U.S. solely to pursue a course of study at a recognized, approved institution of education, or (3) have deferred action (DACA) status.
All foreign national intern applicants will be required to meet the following criteria for consideration:
- Must have resided in the United States for three (3) out of the last five (5) years. This ensures an adequate background investigation can be completed.
- Must either be a Lawful Legal Resident of the United States or hold a valid F1 Visa.
- Must be a citizen from a country that is allied with the United States. A current list of allied nations can be located at: http://www.state.gov/s/l/treaty/collectivedefense/
- A requisite investigation must be conducted on all non-U.S. citizen interns. All investigation materials must be submitted and approval granted by the OM Personnel Security Office prior to commencing the internship.
- The following forms will be needed for a complete package: SF-85P, OF-306, Fingerprinting (Digital or Ink), and Fair Credit Release, Resume (if applicable)
- Additionally, the Cyber Security and Privacy Awareness Training module must be completed, and certificate received, before approval to start will be granted.
- Meet Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12 (HSPD-12) and Federal Information Processing Standard 201 (FIPS 201-2) pre-employment requirements for PIV ID issuance.
- Interns must present two (original) forms of identification, prior to badge issuance, for identity proofing. Acceptable documents are listed on Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification (pg.9). At least one submitted document must be a valid State or Federal government-issued picture ID. Identity proofing may be completed at any time, prior to the commencement of work.
Timeline
Please note that the dates below are approximate. Based on a student’s availability and school schedule, internships can begin or end before or after the dates indicated below.
- Fall
- Dates of program: September through December
- Submission Deadline: July 15
- Winter/Spring
- Dates of program: January through May
- Submission Deadline: October 1
- Summer
- Dates of program: May/June through July/August
- Submission Deadline: March 15
Note: Please be aware that you may not receive correspondence from our office until after the submission deadline has expired. You will be contacted via e-mail in regards to the status of your application.
Interns usually work 20 to 40 hours per week during the spring and fall terms and full-time during the summer session. While these timeframes work best for most students, all scheduling, including start/end dates and hours per week, is flexible and negotiated between the candidate and his or her office during the interview stage of the selection process.
If you have any questions, please email StudentInterns@ed.gov