Internship Opportunities

The internship opportunities program with Department of Education is established to expose students to what it is like working for a wide-range of departments on educational policy within the Department of Education as well as acquiring experience working for the government.

Interns applying for the Department of Education Internship Program have a chance to request specific work assignments as well as a particular department that they would like to work in. Listed below is a list of the types of internships and departments where students have interned in the past:

• Evaluation and Research
• Project and program management
• Finance
• Public Affairs and communications
• External Affairs and Intergovernmental Relations
• Legislative Affairs
• New media
• Legal work

Few of the offices where students have worked in the past include:

• Office of the Secretary
• Office of the Deputy Secretary
• Office of the Undersecretary
• Office of Communications and Outreach
• Office of the General Counsel
• Office for Civil Rights
• Office of Legislation and Congressional Affairs
• Office of Elementary and Secondary Education
• Office of Early Learning
• Office of Management
• Office of Planning, Evaluation, and Policy Development

• Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships
• International Affairs Office
• Office of Innovation and Improvement
• Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services
• Office of English Language Acquisition
• Office of Vocational and Adult Education
• Office of Postsecondary Education
• White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanic Americans

• White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders
• White House Initiative on American Indian and Alaska Native Education
• White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities

Benefits of Internship Opportunities

Department of Education interns have internship opportunities to participate in events that are geared towards their internship. The weekly brown bag lunches with top ED officials that are provided for students is one of the most precious benefits they have since it gives them an opportunity to network with professionals presently working in the field. Students also get a chance to participate in White House tours, softball games (staff vs. interns), and a trip to a DC public school.

Requirements for Internship opportunities

• Students must be granted permission to engage in the program by the institution they are currently attending.
• Students must be enrolled almost half-time in a course of study related to the work they will be doing.
• Students must be attending an accredited educational institution, like high school, trade school, technical or vocational institute, junior college, a four-year college or university.
• Students agree to do the work without any compensation by the designated agency or department.

• All students must sign a written document of agreement between themselves, The Department of Education, and their educational institution.
• All applicants must be a minimum of 16-years-of-age.

To Apply

All interested students must submit the following 3 documents to apply:

1. Application Form
2. Cover Letter
3. Resume

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis, but it is suggested that students apply several months prior to their desired start date.

Students may then be opted for a first and second round of interviews prior to being notified of their acceptance into the program. Students who are chosen for an interview then have a week to either accept or decline the internship offer.

However interns might start at any time of the year as negotiated between supervisor and student, there are basically 4 terms where the bulk of internship programming actually occurs (summer, fall, winter, and spring).

Be certain to review any specifics in regards to the resume and cover letter needed to apply for the program. Below is some information that might be beneficial in preparing your cover letter and resume.