Order Code 98-654 C
Internships, Fellowships, and Other
Work Experience Opportunities in
the Federal Government
Updated January 29, 2007
Jennifer E. Manning
Information Research Specialist
Knowledge Services Group

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Internships, Fellowships, and Other Work Experience
Opportunities in the Federal Government
Summary
This report describes Internet resources on internships, fellowships, and work
experience programs within the federal government. It is intended as a selective
guide for students of all levels: high school, undergraduate, graduate, and
postgraduate. This report will be updated annually.

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Contents
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
General Government Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
USA.gov . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Student Jobs/e-Scholar Page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
USA Jobs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Federal Career Intern Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Presidential Management Fellows (PMF) Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Student Educational Employment Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Executive Branch Opportunities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
White House Fellows Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
White House Internship Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Department of Agriculture (USDA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Department of Education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Department of the Interior (DOI) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Department of State . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Judicial Branch Opportunities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Supreme Court Fellows Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Judicial Intern Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Legislative Branch Opportunities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
U.S. Congress . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Congressional Budget Office (CBO) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Congressional Research Service (CRS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Government Accountability Office (GAO) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Library of Congress . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Other Opportunities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Smithsonian Fellowship & Internship Programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
The Washington Center for Internship and Academic Seminars . . . . . . 6
Minority Opportunities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies
(APAICS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Congressional Black Caucus Foundation (CBCF) Fellows Program . . 6
Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI) Internship &
Fellowship Programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU)
National Internship Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Minority Access Internship Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Morris K. Udall Foundation Native American Congressional
Summer Internship Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Women’s Research and Education Institute Congressional
Fellowship Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Bibliography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

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Internships, Fellowships, and Other Work
Experience Opportunities in the Federal
Government
Introduction
The federal government offers many opportunities for internships, fellowships,
and work experiences. However, there is no single centralized source for finding
information on every opportunity. This report describes the major and most popular
Internet resources for such opportunities and gives applicants a place to begin their
search. The Internet resources provided are not exhaustive.
Applying for an internship or fellowship is similar to applying for admission to
a college or university. The application process takes time and effort, often requiring
essays and interviews. Applicants should begin their search early and explore what
best suits their interests and career goals. Application deadlines and program
durations vary from agency to agency. Because competition is stiff in many
internship and fellowship programs, with applicants often far exceeding the number
of positions available, one should apply to more than one program. Opportunities are
generally available in the spring, summer, and fall, with summer positions being the
most popular and the most competitive.
The terms “fellowship” and “internship” are sometimes used interchangeably
in the names of specific programs. Fellowships are generally intended for persons
with advanced degrees or substantial professional experience, and are usually salaried
positions lasting nine months to a year or more. Internships, which are either salaried
or volunteer short-term arrangements, usually require relatively little experience and
are often filled by students. Although they are sometimes confused with interns,
congressional pages are high school students who serve the Congress as messengers;
for more information on the congressional page system, see CRS Report 98-758,
Pages of the United States Congress: Selection, Duties, and Program
Administration.
The duties, responsibilities, and salaries (if any) of interns and fellows vary from
program to program. Most program responsibilities are substantive in nature and
often involve challenging projects. They may range from conducting legislative
research for a congressional office to biomedical research at the National Institutes
of Health. Some programs or universities that offer academic credit may require the
intern/fellow to produce a report on the work experience and obtain evaluations from
program supervisors. In addition, some programs lead to federal job placement.
Recruitment programs like Presidential Management Fellows and the Student
Educational Employment Program may offer permanent employment after the
successful completion of program requirements. Because program details vary from

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agency to agency, it is best to consult the appropriate website or to contact the
program office directly.
General Government Resources
USA.gov. The federal government’s official Web portal provides an A-Z list
of all federal agencies and departments.
[http://www.usa.gov/Agencies/Federal/All_Agencies/index.shtml]
USA.gov also offers a “Federal Government Jobs” website at
[http://www.usa.gov/Citizen/Topics/Work_for_the_Government.shtml]
Student Jobs/e-Scholar Page. The e-Scholar website, a joint project of the
Office of Personnel Management and the Student Financial Assistance Office of the
U.S. Department of Education, provides students with information on various
educational opportunities available within the federal government, including
internships, fellowships, apprenticeships, and cooperative programs.
[http://www.studentjobs.gov/e-scholar.asp]
USA Jobs. Although this official U.S. federal government job website is a
portal for finding permanent positions within the federal government, it also provides
students with links to federal internships, student programs, and volunteer
opportunities.
[http://www.usajobs.opm.gov/]
Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Programs
Federal Career Intern Program. This program’s goal is to aid agencies in
attracting and recruiting top individuals into various occupations at grade levels
GS-5, GS-7, and GS-9. Normally, individuals are appointed to two-year internships.
Upon successfully completing their internships, interns may be eligible for permanent
positions in an agency. Those interested in this program must contact specific
agencies directly.
[http://www.opm.gov/careerintern/index.htm]
Presidential Management Fellows (PMF) Program. The Presidential
Management Fellows Program was created to attract outstanding persons from many
academic disciplines to the federal government who are interested in, and committed
to careers in, the analysis and management of public policies and programs. Students
who want to be considered for the PMF Program have to be nominated by their
school’s nomination official (dean, chairperson, program director, or their designate)
of their graduate program. Applicants must finish a graduate degree (master’s, law
or doctorate), in the academic year that they are applying, from a school accredited
by a body recognized by the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education.
[http://www.pmf.opm.gov/]
Student Educational Employment Program. This program offers federal
job opportunities to students who are enrolled or have been accepted for enrollment
as degree candidates taking at least a half-time academic, technical, or vocational
course of study in accredited high schools, technical or vocational schools, two or

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CRS-3
four-year colleges or universities, or graduate or professional schools. The program
has two components: the Student Temporary Employment Program (STEP) and the
Student Career Experience Program (SCEP). In the STEP component, the work does
not have to be related to the student’s academic or career goals. However, the SCEP
component is designed to be directly related to the student’s career goals. SCEP
students may be converted noncompetitively to term, career, or career-conditional
positions after finishing their academic and work experience requirements.
[http://www.opm.gov/employ/students/index.htm]
Executive Branch Opportunities
White House Fellows Program. Intended for young professionals who
have demonstrated academic and professional excellence, this program places
recipients in Cabinet-level agencies, the Executive Office of the President, the Vice
President’s office, or in smaller federal agencies for one year. Fellows make domestic
and foreign trips to study U.S. policy and take part in roundtable discussions with
leaders from the private and public sectors. Applicants must have finished their
undergraduate degrees and be working in their chosen fields.
Tel: (202) 395-4522
[http://www.whitehouse.gov/fellows]
White House Internship Program. This program provides unpaid
opportunities to learn more about the daily processes of the White House. The
competitive program selects about 100 interns every spring, summer, and fall. Each
applicant must be a U.S. citizen, enrolled in (or recently graduated from) a college
or university, and at least 18 years old on or by the first day of the internship.
[http://www.whitehouse.gov/government/wh-intern.html]
Department of Agriculture (USDA). USDA provides undergraduate and
graduate students with paid internships in several departmental offices, such as the
Food and Nutrition Service, the Foreign Agricultural Service, and the Office of
Inspector General. Students work as assistants to scientific, professional,
administrative, and technical employees.
[http://www.usda.gov/da/employ/intern.htm]
Department of Education. The U.S. Department of Education offers
internships in several departmental offices such as Elementary and Secondary
Education, Civil Rights, and Leadership and Teacher Development. These unpaid
internships are available year-round. Students must be enrolled in a high school,
trade school, technical or vocational institute, junior college, college, university, or
other accredited educational institution.
Tel: (202) 401-5344
[http://www.ed.gov/students/prep/job/intern/index.html]
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The department’s
website provides a portal to student programs available in several offices.
“Student Programs” [http://www.hhs.gov/careers/students.html] is a listing of
internship opportunities and research and training opportunities throughout the
department.
The Emerging Leaders Program is described at

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[http://www.hhs.gov/careers/elp.html] — this is a two-year program designed to let
applicants explore fields related to their academic background within HHS. The
program involves rotations within departmental agencies during the first year and
then a fixed placement the following year. Students must have one or more of the
following degrees: bachelor’s (with work experience), master’s, JD, or Ph.D.
Department of the Interior (DOI). The department operates three career
intern programs, all described at [http://www.doi.gov/hrm/employ5.html]:
The Office of the Secretary Management Intern Program covers functional areas,
such as budget administration, financial management, contracting, information
management, human resources management, equal employment opportunity, and
policy management.
Tel: (202) 208-3757
The Governmentwide Acquisition Management Intern Program is a two-year
internship designed to develop federal contract specialists into procurement
professionals and future government business leaders.
Tel: (202) 219-2213
The Financial Management Career Intern Program is a two-year program designed
to develop future DOI financial leaders. Interns enter these programs at the GS-5,
GS-7, or GS-9 grade levels and are permanently assigned to jobs upon completion
of the internships.
Tel: (202) 208-3757
Department of State. The department’s website provides a portal to student
programs, internships and fellowships available within the U.S. Department of State.
Opportunities range from the Summer Clerical Program to the Thomas Pickering
Foreign Affairs Fellowships. To help students choose the most appropriate program
for them, an online questionnaire is available to aid them in matching their interests
and career goals. E-mail: Careers@state.gov
[http://www.careers.state.gov/student]
Judicial Branch Opportunities
Supreme Court Fellows Program. This program places individuals for a
calendar year in the U.S. Supreme Court, the Federal Judicial Center, the
Administrative Office of the United States Courts, or the U.S. Sentencing
Commission. The paid fellowships are open to individuals from various professions
and academic backgrounds. Applicants must have at least one postgraduate degree,
two or more years of exceptional professional experience, and multidisciplinary
training and experience, including understanding of the judicial process.
Tel: (202) 479-3415
[http://www.fellows.supremecourtus.gov/index.html]
Judicial Intern Program. This program is geared toward advanced
undergraduates and graduating college seniors interested in law, management, or
social sciences. Interns work in the Office of the Administrative Assistant to the
Chief Justice. Internships are offered in the fall, spring, and summer and are unpaid.
Tel: (202) 476-3415
[http://www.supremecourtus.gov/jobs/jip/jip.html]

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Legislative Branch Opportunities
U.S. Congress. Internships are available in many Members’ offices in
Washington, DC, and in their district offices, as well as in congressional committee
offices. Internships are generally unpaid and offered year-round. Applications are
often found at each individual Member’s or committee’s website, or candidates may
contact the desired office directly. For lists of Member and committee websites and
office contact information, see the following Senate and House of Representatives
Home Pages.
Senate — [http://www.senate.gov]
House of Representatives — [http://www.house.gov]
Fellowships in congressional offices are offered by many organizations — such
as the American Political Science Association, the American Planning Association,
and the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers — which give persons
exposure to public policy and the legislative process. Placement for these
fellowships is generally not done through the Members’ or committee offices but
instead through the sponsoring organizations. Because there is no centralized listing
of all available congressional fellowships, finding them via the Web is best done by
searching on the phrase “congressional fellowship.” Several congressional fellowship
programs, such as those sponsored by the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation
and the Women’s Research and Education Institute, are described in the “Minority
Opportunities” section of this report. Some congressional fellowships are listed on
the “Fellowship Programs” page of StudentJobs.gov:
[http://www.studentjobs.gov/d_fellowship.asp]
Congressional Budget Office (CBO). The Congressional Budget Office
provides Congress with budget-related information and explains possible budget
ramifications of proposed bills reported by congressional committees. College
students and recent college graduates can apply for paid 10-week summer
internships, in which they work on analyses in CBO’s various divisions. CBO also
offers paid Economic Policy Fellowships for applicants with Ph.Ds
Tel: (202) 226-2628
Internships website: [http://www.cbo.gov/employment/intern.shtml]
Fellowships website: [http://www.cbo.gov/employment/fellowships.shtml]
Congressional Research Service (CRS). The Congressional Research
Service provides research and analysis in all policy issue areas upon request to
Members and committees. Internship opportunities are available year-round. In
partnership with seven organizations CRS offers a limited number of paid internships
to outstanding minority students. Volunteer internships are available primarily to
graduate students, postgraduate students, faculty, and other professionals. In
addition, CRS offers special hiring and recruitment programs under the Presidential
Management Fellows Program, the Hispanic Association of Colleges and
Universities (HACU) Cooperative Education program, and the Law Recruit Program.
[http://www.loc.gov/crsinfo/internships]
Government Accountability Office (GAO). The Government
Accountability Office is a congressional auditing and investigative agency that makes
recommendations for more effective government operations. College students who

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are U.S. citizens may be chosen to serve as paid or volunteer interns, generally for
10-12 weeks.
Tel: (202) 512-5811
[http://www.gao.gov/jobs/intern.pdf]
Library of Congress. The Library of Congress offers unpaid and paid
internship, fellowship, and volunteer opportunities in several departments such as the
American Folklife Center, the Conservation Division, and the Hispanic Division. Go
to [http://www.loc.gov/hr/employment/index.php], then choose “Internships,
Fellowship & Volunteer Programs.”
Other Opportunities
Smithsonian Fellowship & Internship Programs. The Smithsonian
Institution provides various fellowship and internship programs and academic
appointments within its museums and research institutes. Program descriptions are
available online and in the annual print publication, Smithsonian Opportunities for
Research and Study.
Tel: (202) 633-7070
Fellowship opportunities: [http://www.si.edu/ofg/fellowopp.htm]
Internship opportunities: [http://www.si.edu/internopp.htm]
The Washington Center for Internship and Academic Seminars. The
center’s internship program provides unpaid opportunities in the Washington, DC,
area to college students and postgraduates. Students are placed within the public
(including the federal government), private, and nonprofit sectors. Several internship
programs are available for minority applicants. Financial assistance is also available.
Tel: (202) 336-7600
[http://www.twc.edu/internships/index.htm]
Minority Opportunities
Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies
(APAICS). APAICS offers paid and unpaid internship and fellowship opportunities
to Asian Pacific Americans to encourage participation in the political process.
Selected students work with a congressional office or government agency in
Washington, DC.
Tel: (202) 296-9200
[http://www.apaics.org/programs.html]
Congressional Black Caucus Foundation (CBCF) Fellows Program.
The CBCF offers two fellowship programs: the Congressional Fellows Program and
the Louis Stokes Urban Health Policy Fellows Program. Both aim to provide
research and policy analysis opportunities for persons with graduate or professional
degrees.
Tel: (202) 263-2800
[http://www.cbcfonline.org/Congressional_Fellows.html]

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Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI) Internship &
Fellowship Programs. The CHCI Summer Internship Program provides 32
undergraduates the opportunity to work in congressional offices. Interns receive
housing, round-trip transportation, and a stipend. The CHCI Public Policy
Fellowship Program provides a maximum of 20 graduate students, or recent college
graduates, with the opportunity to obtain experience in public policy. The range of
placements includes congressional offices, federal agencies, media, business federal
affairs offices, advocacy groups, and government-related institutions. Fellows
receive round-trip transportation and a stipend.
Tel: (800) 392-3532 or (202) 543-1771
[http://www.chci.org/chciyouth/]
Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) National
Internship Program. The HACU National Internship Program (HNIP) recruits
undergraduate and graduate students from all academic majors for paid summer and
semester internships at federal agencies and private companies in Washington, DC
and throughout the country. Interns may also receive round-trip transportation and
housing.
Tel: (202) 467-0893
[http://www.hnip.net]
Minority Access Internship Program. This is a paid internship program
for undergraduate and graduate students. Applicants are selected by federal agencies
and other participating organizations in the Washington, DC area. Interns may
receive assistance with housing and travel expenses.
Tel: (301) 779-7100
[http://www.minorityaccess.org]
Morris K. Udall Foundation Native American Congressional
Summer Internship Program. The foundation offers Native American students
the opportunity to work in congressional offices, federal agencies, or the White House
for 10 weeks. Interns receive round-trip transportation, housing, and a stipend.
Tel: (520) 670-5187
[http://www.udall.gov/]
Women’s Research and Education Institute Congressional
Fellowship Program. The program provides graduate and post-graduate students
the opportunity to work for nine months in congressional offices as legislative aides
on policy issues that affect women.
Tel: (703) 812-7990
[http://www.wrei.org/Fellows.htm]

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Bibliography
This selective bibliography lists more sources of information on internships,
fellowships, and summer job opportunities. The publications can be used to find
additional work experience opportunities, both inside and outside the federal
government. These works may be available in local libraries or school or college
guidance offices. Publisher contact information, including Web addresses, is also
provided. Annotations identify publications that are issued annually. Other
publications are updated irregularly; check with publishers for information on the
latest editions.
The Best 109 Internships (Princeton Review). 9th ed. New York: Random House,
Inc., 2003.
Information is given on more than 20,000 internship opportunities in such areas
as law, the environment, advertising, sports, computers, journalism, music,
health care, publishing, finance, education, and television.
Available from: Random House, Inc., Distribution Center, 400 Hahn Road,
Westminster, MD 21157
Tel: (800) 726-0600.
[http://www.randomhouse.com/catalog]
Congressional Intern Handbook: a Guide for Interns and Newcomers to Capitol Hill.
Washington, D.C.: Congressional Management Foundation. Annual.
A “nuts-and-bolts guide to working in a Congressional office,” this publication
includes a chapter on “Finding a job or another internship” on Capitol Hill. This
handbook is used in many congressional offices.
Available from: Congressional Management Foundation, 513 Capitol Court NE,
Suite 300, Washington, D.C. 20002
Tel: (202) 546-0100.
[http://www.cmfweb.org]
Encyclopedia of Associations. Farmington Hills, MI: Thomson Gale. Annual.
This publication can be used to locate organizations by subject area. When
standard internship directories contain no entries for internships in a specific
field, relevant groups may be able to suggest contacts for internship
opportunities. This work can be found in many libraries in print, on CD-ROM, or
in the Associations Unlimited subscription database on the Web.
Available from: Thomson Gale, 27500 Drake Road, Farmington Hills, MI
48331-3535
Tel: (800) 877-4253
[http://www.gale.com]
The Internship Bible (Princeton Review). New York: Random House, Inc. Annual.
This publication provides information on more than 100,000 internships on
almost every field of study. It can be found at most bookstores.

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Available from: Random House, Inc., Distribution Center, 400 Hahn Road,
Westminster, MD 21157
Tel: (800) 726-0600.
[http://www.randomhouse.com/catalog]
Peterson’s Internships. Lawrenceville, NJ: Peterson’s. Annual.
Listed here are profiles of internship opportunities across the United States and
abroad. It includes indexes by geographic area, field of interest, and employer
name. This work is generally available in bookstores.
Available from: Peterson’s (a Nelnet Company), 2000 Lenox Drive,
Lawrenceville, NJ 08648
Tel: (800) 338-3282
[http://www.petersons.com]
Summer Jobs in the U.S.A.. Lawrenceville, NJ: Peterson’s. Annual.
Provided in this directory are state-by-state listings of more than 55,000 summer
work experiences available to students, teachers, and others in a variety of fields.
The index includes access to opportunities for interns and volunteers.
Available from: Peterson’s (a Nelnet Company), 2000 Lenox Drive,
Lawrenceville, NJ 08648
Tel: (800) 338-3282
[http://www.petersons.com].

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