Virtual Internship with a Federal Department

Applications for the 2015-16 Virtual Student Foreign Service (VSFS) will be open July 2-22 on USAJobs.

The VSFS is designed to engage civil society in the work of the government by harnessing the expertise and digital excellence of citizen students.

Since 2009, more than 1,200 eInterns, college students working remotely, have expanded the reach of government efforts around the world. Selected eInterns will contribute their skills and creativity to 323 projects from different government agencies, including: Department of State; Agency for International Development; Army Research Laboratory Library; Department of the Interior; Environmental Protection Agency; Department of Education–Federal Student Aid; Federal Emergency Management Agency; Millennium Challenge Corporation; National Aeronautics and Space Administration; the Smithsonian Institution and the Department of Agriculture–Foreign Agricultural Service.

Applicants may be contacted to arrange an interview, provide writing samples, share an online portfolio or provide other examples of their work. All applicants will be notified of selection or non-selection by mid-September.

Selected students are expected to virtually intern an average of 10 hours per week from September 2014 through April/May 2015. Some students have received course credit for their VSFS eInternships through their own efforts with their schools.

There are a variety of opportunities for students, whether they are aspiring to work on diplomatic or development issues overseas, a graphic designer, a software engineer, or a scientist. To learn more about the VSFS, students can watch this introductory video that provides an overview of the VSFS program.
 
For more information on VSFS, visit the FAQ section or email VSFS@state.gov.