International and Global Studies Program

Summer, Fall, Spring internship program for all active students

Application Deadline: September deadline for Summer Internship, February deadline for Fall Internship, May deadline for Spring Internship 

The Department of State’s Internship program provides undergraduate as well as graduate students opportunities to work with embassies, consulates, and other federal bureaus related to the department’s work. Interns will work with U.S. officials as well as foreign diplomats as they aid crucial office functions, events and even sit in on meetings.

This is an incredible opportunity to get a jump-start on a diplomatic career and it is an extraordinarily competitive internship. 

For undergraduate students

Announcement typically posted on USAJOBS during the Nov. 1-Nov. 15 time frame

The Department of State will be recruiting for the Pathways Internship Program in the coming weeks.  Announcements are typically posted on USAJOBS during the November 1–November 15 time frame.

The upcoming vacancy announcements for the Pathways Internship Program will include position series such as:  Office Automation, Program Analysis, Passport, Accounting, Paralegal, Engineering, Foreign Affairs, Contracting, Intelligence Research, Human Resources, Investigative Assistance and IT.  Locations for these vacancies include DC, San Francisco, San Diego, Miami, Seattle, Denver, Boston, New York, Charleston, Boston, Chicago and Los Angeles.  Grades 1-7 will be recruited.  The specific program (ITEP or IEP), grade level, location and series will be listed in each vacancy announcement when it is posted on USAJOBS.

Summer internship program 

Applications are typically due the third week of August. It is also recommended to reach out to a regional Diplomat in Residence (DIR) for additional details on the program and the application process. You can find the DIR for your region here. 

The Foreign Service Internship Program is a two-year opportunity for current sophomores or juniors to experience the foreign service and U.S. diplomacy at work during the next two summers. In the first summer, selected interns will be trained in the essentials for working in the foreign service, followed by a multiple-week posting at a policy desk in the Department of State. In the second summer, selected interns will be posted overseas in an American embassy.

Note that a 3.20 GPA is required for application, and it must be maintained throughout the full term of an internship, including during the academic year.

For undergraduate and graduate students

Application Deadline: Typically November 

The Critical Language Scholarship Program, offered through the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, is a fully-funded, intensive overseas language program for students of all disciplines. For 7 – 10 weeks each summer, undergraduate and graduate students from across the U.S. live and study at over twenty sites abroad, covering the equivalent of a full year of college-level language study in thirteen critical languages.

Levels available for each CLS language are as follows:

•      Azerbaijani, Bangla, Hindi, Indonesian, Korean, Punjabi, Turkish, Urdu, Swahili

•      Arabic, Persian: advanced beginning, intermediate and advanced levels

•      Chinese, Japanese, Russian: intermediate and advanced levels

Application Deadline: Typically the first week of Feburary

This six-week, fully funded summer enrichment program offers three courses at Howard University designed to prepare students for careers in international affairs. Site visits include the U.S. Department of State, the CIA, World Bank, Organization of American States, U.S. Congress, various NGOs and think tanks.

Application Deadline: Typically September

Up to $37,500 annually. This fellowship provides graduate students enrolled in two-year programs support and mentoring as they are prepared for high-powered internships on Capitol Hill and abroad over the course of two summers. Successful fellows who meet State Department qualifications will receive appointments to the U.S. Foreign Service.