Internships

If possible, you should attempt to obtain an internship during the summer or academic year. The most productive internships are paid internships with federal agencies, but be advised that they are difficult to acquire. Also, because they usually require security clearances, the application deadline is usually in late October or early November. Each agency runs its own internship program; not only is there not a single U.S. government center for internships, there is not, for example, a single Defense Department center for internships. Graduate students pursuing internships should therefore expect to file numerous applications - perhaps ten or twenty for a given summer. Summer internship applications for the national security agencies are generally due by the end of October if not even earlier, as it takes many months even for an interim Secret-level clearance to be adjudicated. Some government agencies also offer unpaid internships; clearly, these are not as competitive. In addition, many state and local governments, NGOs, research institutes, and corporations maintain internship programs. Terms, application deadlines, conditions of service, and pay (if any) vary widely.