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U.S. Government Foreign Affairs

More information on the following opportunities is also available from:

U-M Career Center
3200 SAB
734.764.7460

Student report: U.S. Department of State Internship

Careers and Internships

U.S. Department of State Internships

This is a great way to see if a career in diplomacy is for you. These internships with the U.S. diplomatic services are available in Washington, DC and overseas. Most are unpaid, but in the case of unpaid overseas internships, housing may be provided free (see below for some funding options through U-M). These are non-credit internships. Students have arranged for credit by means of independent study with U-M professors.

Eligibility: U.S. citizens who are undergraduates (junior or senior) or graduate students, who will continue as students. You do not have to take the Foreign Service Exam in order to apply for a State Department internship.

Application deadlines: November 1 for summer internships, March 1 for Fall internships, and July 1 for Spring (U-M's Winter Term) internships. If you're a U-M student, the U-M International Center can put you in touch with other U-M students who have had these internships for help with applications and answering questions.

The application may only be submitted online. Allow yourself plenty of time to order transcripts, research the bureau (or no more than two bureaus) you choose to apply to, and write the all-important statement of interest.

U.S. Foreign Service (career positions)

Foreign Service Officers work for the U.S. Department of State in U.S. embassies around the world and occasionally in Washington, D.C. To apply, you must take the Foreign Service Exam, which is similar to the GRE, and includes:

A section on international and U.S. job-related knowledge
A biographic information questionnaire section
A test of English expression and usage
An essay to test general writing skills

It's usually given once a year (in Ann Arbor and many other locations worldwide) and is free. Most people take it more than once before passing. Since only the highest score counts, there's no reason not to take it!

Eligibility: U.S. citizens at least 20 years of age on the date of the examination, who are willing to be assigned anywhere worldwide. The U.S. Department of State also has some career positions as Foreign Service Specialists, which do not require the Foreign Service Exam, in areas such as Information Technology.

The FSO exam is usually offered once a year. Registration is typically in March, but check the U.S. Department of State's web site for the actual date. Register early to get your preferred test location. To register, obtain more information and buy a practice exam, visit www.careers.state.gov

Other U.S. Government Departments

Many U.S. government departments and agencies also offer internships in the U.S. and abroad dealing with international issues. These agencies are also good sources of career positions. They often have decentralized application procedures. Contact these agencies directly for program details and applications.

U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)
U.S. Commercial Service Follow instructions on the web site to submit applications for overseas internships directly to the desired location.
United States Department of Commerce
USDA Foreign Agricultural Service Internships and other positions are available in most disciplines, not limited to agriculture.

U.S. Peace Corps

This is possibly the best (and best-paying) entry-level job for anyone interested in grassroots development work in over 90 countries in Africa, Asia and the Pacific, Eastern Europe and Central Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, and the Middle East. Unlike the U.S. Department of State , you will live and work with ordinary local people. Peace Corps projects must be approved by the host country.

Eligibility: U.S. citizens only. Generally for those with at least a bachelor's degree; two-year commitment. Peace Corps pays all expenses plus over $6,000 resettlement allowance at the end of service. Full training and support is provided. Educational loans can be deferred and some partially canceled. Some tuition support is available for later graduate study.

Visit the U-M Peace Corps Office in the U-M International Center, 734.467-2182, peace.corps@umich.edu.

If you're not in the Ann Arbor area, contact the headquarters at: U.S. Peace Corps 800.424.8580.

Woodrow Wilson Foundation
Program in International Affairs and Public Policy

This Foundation administers the Thomas R. Pickering scholarship / internship programs, for which women and minorities are especially encouraged to apply. These scholarships fund several years of study and include summer institutes and internships. Applicants may apply as sophomores (for three-year scholarships) or as seniors (for graduate school scholarships, for a shorter period of time). Application deadlines vary from year to year, so double-check website for deadlines:

Thomas R. Pickering Foreign Affairs Fellowship Program. Scholarship for students interested in careers in diplomacy with the U.S. Department of State, leading to a masters degree and a position with the State Department. Application deadlines are typically in February. Apply as a sophomore for the FAF, and as a senior for the graduate FAF. Pickering applications are available in hard copy only at the U-M International Center, 734.647.2299, or by request directly from the program.

For the most up-to-date information and applications, visit Woodrow Wilson Foundation.

Public Affairs & International Affairs Fellowship Program (PPIA). Students are eligible to apply in their junior year for this fellowship, which leads to a masters degree.

Institute for International Public Policy

This program, administered by the United Negro College Fund Special Programs Corporation, is designed to prepare underrepresented minority students for careers in international affairs. Past internship placements have included the U.S. Department of State, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, General Motors Overseas Division, the Center for Strategic and International Studies, the Woodrow Wilson Center and the White House. For more information iipp@uncfsp.org, 800.530.6232

Financial Support for Overseas Internships

See Funding Undergraduate and Graduate International Internships for more information.

International Institute Room 2660 in the new Social Work Building 1080 S. University 734.763.9200 iimichigan@umich.edu	Offers scholarships known as “Individually-Developed Fellowships” to support overseas internships for undergraduate and graduate students who will return to U-M after the internship. Also offers scholarships such as Fulbrights for postgraduate study abroad (apply early in Fall term).
Area Studies Centers/Institutes	These centers may have funding for internships, research or language study (FLAS) in specific world regions.
Your own U-M School, College, and/or Department.	Funds may be available even if there is no formal application process. It can't hurt to ask! You should prepare a well-written proposal stating your goals, their relevance to your degree program and career plans, and your anticipated expenses and need.
U-M International Center	The U-M International Center has complete listings of scholarships and comprehensive information about international careers and internships.

See additional general tips for fundraising at:

www.worldteach.org/program_information/fundraising.html

www.amsa.org/AMSA/

Last reviewed: 10/08