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Future Leaders in Public Service Internship Program

Group photo of interns

  • Program Status

    Applications Currently Open for Spring 2027

    Applications for the current Future Leaders program cycle are open for the Spring 2027 cohort.

    Visit the Spring 2027 webpage to learn more!

    Please email internships@ourpublicservice.org with any questions.
    Learn more

About Future Leaders

Our nation’s current and future challenges make it imperative that government identify, recruit and retain the next generation of public servants.

But today, just under 8% of the full-time federal workforce and 12% of the state and local workforce is under 30. To bridge the gap, executive branch agencies are 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 is an exciting, paid opportunity for students of all majors to gain professional experience in federal and state government. Since 2022, the program has placed highly skilled talent from across the country into government, enabling students to apply their educational training to public service.

Explore specific opportunities on our Future Leaders program pages:

Overall Program Benefits

Selected participants in the program will receive:

  • A 10-12-week internship at a federal or state government agency
  • A stipend
  • Professional development sessions, including orientation and networking events for the duration of the internship

Overall Program Eligibility

To apply to the program, candidates must be:

  • A U.S. citizen at the time of application submission
  • Enrolled at an accredited educational institution in an associate-, undergraduate- or graduate-degree program for the entire academic year. Undergraduates must be rising second-year students, or sophomores and above, at the time of the internship.
  • Able to demonstrate superior academic achievement and have a GPA above 2.5.
  • Interested in specific career tracks. Career tracks might differ for each cohort, so please visit the specific program tab to explore the available options.

Students admitted to the program must successfully complete a background check before beginning the internship.

Past 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, 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 (MARAD), 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 Deputy Secretary, 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.

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Alaska Fisheries Science Center, Intern

Explored and used AI and machine learning methods to train and evaluate object detection models to detect fish in survey trawls.



Coast Survey Development Laboratory, Intern

Analyzed data on sea surface conditions and sea surface height using machine learning (ML) techniques.

State of Maryland

Maryland Department of the Environment, AI Intern

Built three AI chatbots with the goals of streamlining the environmental permitting process and simplifying technical workflows.



Maryland Department of Education, AI Intern

Researched and made recommendations for the use of AI for the Maryland public school system, module for teachers, students and parents from grades K-12.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is eligible for the Future Leaders in Public Service Internship program?

Applicants must be U.S. citizens at the time of application submission and enrolled in a university partner institution for the fall 2026 semester. Applicants must meet their university’s eligibility requirements, as outlined above. Students graduating in May or June 2026 are not eligible to apply. Students with an expected graduation date of December 2026 are eligible. Applicants must also demonstrate strong academic achievement and have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5.

How do I submit my reference letter?

Optional reference letters may be uploaded directly through the application portal or emailed to internships@ourpublicservice.org with the applicant’s name written in the subject line.

All reference letters must be emailed by May 1, 2026, by 11:59 pm EST.

How much is the stipend?

Stipend amounts vary by agency and opportunity type. Please refer to the Program Benefits section on each page to learn more.

Are all internship opportunities based in the Washington, D.C., area?

For fall 2026, in-person internship opportunities are located in the Washington, D.C., area, including in surrounding Maryland and Virginia counties.

Can my internship be fully remote?

Fully remote internship options for Future Leaders may be limited, as more government internship opportunities are now offered in person or hybrid only. Government agencies will ultimately decide if an internship opportunity can be offered on a fully remote basis.

Who are the participating agencies?

Participating agencies for the Future Leaders in Public Service Internship program vary by term and will be added to this website once they are confirmed. Please refer to this website for any updates.

Can I choose my agency placement?

Participating agencies will be confirmed between spring and summer 2026. If candidates move to the next round, some will receive a message from the Partnership seeking their agency preferences.

Does the Future Leaders program provide housing?

The Partnership for Public Service does not provide housing for the Future Leaders Program.

Program Resources

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