Department of Education Internship Opportunities
ED’s Student and Recent Graduates Internship Programs



Being An ED Intern

The Department of Education (ED) offers internships for students and recent graduates interested in seeking valuable work experience in government and federal education, policy, and administration. Program participants 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. The length of time that an intern is with the Department is based on the internship program that they are participating in and/or circumstances. Please read the programs information below.

Types of Internship Programs

Student Volunteer Trainee Program:

An eight to ten week program that offers volunteer opportunities to students enrolled in accredited educational institutions. Students who participate in the program will gain educational experience in their field of study or career interest and will develop personal and professional skills.

ED offers internships in the fall, winter/spring, and summer. Depending on circumstances, program opportunities may be reduced or extended.

Pathways Programs:

Internship Program – provides students who are enrolled in or accepted for enrollment in a wide variety of qualifying educational institutions with paid opportunities to work either part- or full-time in agencies and explore career paths related to their academic fields of study or career interests.

Recent Graduates Program – a one-year developmental program that promotes careers in the Federal Government to recent graduates.

Presidential Management Fellows (PMFs) Program – a two-year leadership development program for advanced degree (i.e. Masters, PH.D., etc.) candidates who demonstrate academic excellence, possess management and leadership potential, and have a clear interest in and commitment to public service.

Please note that availability of internships within given offices varies throughout the year. Some offices require specialized subject knowledge to qualify, and some programs have a positive education requirement.

In addition, Pathways Programs positions may be non-competitively converted to a permanent position; however, conversions are not mandatory or guaranteed.

For additional information on the Pathways Programs, please click here.

Types of Internship Opportunities

The Department works to tailor each intern’s experience to the interests and skills of the student against the needs of the Department Program Offices. ED offers internship opportunities in the following areas:

ED offers internship opportunities in the fall, winter, spring, and summer. The duration of ED’s internship opportunities can vary depending on the program that the student or recent graduate is participating in. See below for typical program durations:

Activities for ED Student and Recent Graduates

In addition to the opportunities within their offices, students and recent graduates are encouraged to participate in ED-sponsored intern events, such as but not limited to:

Interning at ED makes it easy to take advantage of the Department's location in the heart of the nation's capital.

The Application Process

Please note that, for all programs, the dates listed below are approximate. Based on a student's or recent graduate’s availability, internships can begin or end before or after the dates indicated below. Some programs can last up to 1-year or more or less.

Also, 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 regard to the status of your application.

In order to apply for an internship opportunity at ED, applicants must:

Student Trainee Volunteers

Eligibility
How to Apply

All available internship opportunities that are currently being offered at ED will be announced via the www.usajobs.gov website. All interested applicants should search for ED internship opportunities and apply there.

Student Volunteer Timeline

Note: Applicants who are interested in internships with the Office of General Counsel (OGC) please click here. For candidates interested in internships with the Office of Civil Rights (OCR) please click here. If you are also interested in internships outside of OGC or OCR, you will need to submit a separate application following the instructions listed above. All interns, including those selected by OGC and OCR will be included in the internship programming.

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 can be negotiated between the candidate and his or her office during the interview stage of the selection process.

If you have any questions, please email StudentVolunteers@ed.gov

Pathways Internship

Eligibility
How to Apply

All available internship opportunities that are currently being offered at ED will be announced via the www.usajobs.gov website. All interested applicants should search for ED internship opportunities and apply there.

Pathways Internship Timeline

If you have any questions, please email Pathways@ed.gov.

Pathways Recent Graduate

Eligibility

Veterans (as defined in 5 USC 2108) who were precluded from applying due to their military service obligation begin their two-year eligibility period upon release or discharge from active duty. Eligibility for a veteran in this case cannot exceed six years from the date on which the veteran completed his or her degree or certification.

How to Apply

All available internship opportunities that are currently being offered at ED will be announced via the www.usajobs.gov website. All interested applicants should search for ED internship opportunities and apply there.

Pathways Recent Graduates Timeline

If you have any questions, please email Pathways@ed.gov.

Pathways Presidential Management Fellows (PMFs)

Eligibility
How to Apply

All available PMF appointment, rotational, and training opportunities that are currently being offered at ED will be announced via the PMF Talent Management System (TMS). Such opportunities are exclusively for current Finalists and Fellows only. Finalists will use the PMF TMS to search for available PMF appointment opportunities and Fellows will use it to search for rotational opportunities.

All interested applicants should search for ED PMF opportunities and apply there.

For information on how to become a PMF, please visit the PMF website for information on the "Application Process".

OPM announces the opportunity to apply for the PMF Program.

For more information regarding the PMF Program, please visit: https://pmf.gov/.

If you have any additional questions, please email Pathways@ed.gov.



Student and Recent Graduates Internship Program
U.S. Department of Education
Washington, DC 20202


Last Modified: 07/12/2023