Our nation’s current and future challenges make it imperative that government identify, recruit and retain the next generation of public servants.
With just under 7% of the full-time federal workforce under the age of 30, executive branch agencies are working to meet this need, prioritizing the design and implementation of paid internship programs that provide students with valuable work experience, an expanded professional network, and a better understanding of the importance and impact of public service.
Managed by the Partnership for Public Service, the Future Leaders in Public Service Internship Program helps bring diverse young talent to government and offers students the opportunity to apply their educational training to work at a federal agency. Undergraduate, graduate and professional students from across all academic disciplines are welcome to apply.
Overall Program Benefits
Selected participants in the program will receive:
- A semester long internship at a federal agency
- A stipend
- Professional development sessions, including orientation and networking events throughout the duration of the internship
This program is offered year-round. Part-time and full-time opportunities are available, as well as both remote and in-person internships. To learn about specific benefits of each internship cycle, please visit its corresponding tab at the top of this page.
Overall Program Eligibility
To apply to the program, candidates must be:
- U.S. citizens at the time of application submission.
- Currently enrolled at an accredited educational institution in an undergraduate or graduate program for the entire 2024-2025 academic year. Undergraduates must be rising second-year students/sophomores and above.
- Able to demonstrate superior academic achievement and have a GPA above 2.5.
- Interested in specific career tracks. Careers tracks might differ each semester, so please visit the specific program tab to look at the options available.
Students admitted to the program must successfully complete a background check before beginning the internship.
Sample Intern Placements
Department of Commerce:
- Office of the Chief Information Officer (STEM) Intern
- Supported programs related to department’s AI and Emerging Technologies working group. Developed knowledge around U.S. Patent Law and current debates around emerging technologies.
- Office of Scheduling and Advance (Public Administration), Office of the Secretary Intern
- Provided administrative support to Secretary and Deputy Secretary and delivered department policies to the White House, Congress, and the public.
Department of Transportation:
- Office of Cargo and Commercial Sealift, Maritime Administration (Public Policy), Trade Policy Intern
- Developed policy memos on U.S. offshore wind development, which focused on how MARAD can better support U.S. shipbuilders constructing specialized offshore wind vessels.
- Office of the Secretary, Office of Deputy Secretary (Liberal Arts), Communications Intern
- Worked on communications programming related to Deputy Secretary initiatives which included developing a summer speaker series and working with senior leadership to promote the agency’s work.
FAQs
U.S. citizens currently enrolled at an accredited educational institution in an undergraduate or graduate program for the entire 2024-2025 academic year. Undergraduates must be rising second-year students/sophomores and above.
Optional reference letters may be uploaded directly through the application portal or emailed to internships@ourpublicservice.org with the applicant’s name referenced in the subject line.
Stipend amounts vary by each term, agency and part-time or full-time status. Please refer to the Program Benefits section on each page to learn more.
In-person internship opportunities in the Washington, D.C., area and fully virtual internships are available.
In-person internship opportunities in the Washington, D.C., area and fully virtual internships are available. Future Leaders can participate fully remote; however, they must be in the United States throughout the duration of their internship. Future Leaders internships cannot be completed abroad.
Participating agencies for the Futures Leaders in Public Service Internship Program vary by each term. Please refer to each program page to learn more.
Applicants can select up to two preferred career tracks at the time of application. After the application closes, the Partnership will review all candidates for this program. If candidates move to the next round, some will receive communication from the Partnership seeking the candidate’s agency preferences for their internship placement depending on their program track selections. At that time, candidates will have the opportunity to rank from their choice of participating agencies in this program.
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