Federal Career Intern Program: Your Gateway to U.S. Federal Service

The U.S. Federal Government offers unparalleled career opportunities for students through the Federal Career Intern Program, a component of the broader Pathways Programs. This initiative is designed to attract the best and brightest students from high school through graduate level into federal service. If you’re a student seeking valuable work experience, career exploration, and potential conversion to a full-time federal position, understanding the Federal Career Intern Program is your first step.

Understanding the Pathways Programs Framework

The Pathways Programs serve as a bridge connecting students and recent graduates with federal agencies. It’s structured into three distinct paths, each catering to different educational stages:

Internship Program (Federal Career Intern Program): This program is your entry point. It offers paid internship opportunities across various federal agencies to high school, undergraduate, and graduate students. It’s more than just a summer job; it’s a chance to delve into federal careers while you’re still in school. To be eligible, you need to be enrolled at least part-time in a qualifying educational institution or program, including Registered Apprenticeships and specific volunteer service programs. A key element is the internship hour requirement – generally 480 hours, but potentially reduced to 320 with a waiver – which must be completed for potential conversion to a competitive service position.
Recent Graduates Program: Tailored for individuals who have recently graduated from qualifying educational institutions or career and technical education programs. This program offers developmental experiences, typically lasting one to two years, within federal agencies. You must apply within two years of receiving your degree or certificate (with exceptions for veterans).
Presidential Management Fellows (PMFs): This prestigious program is aimed at advanced degree candidates and graduates. It’s a two-year leadership development program within the federal government, offering mentorship, professional development, and rotational assignments. Application is required within two years of completing a master’s, professional, or doctoral degree.

These programs are formally regulated and codified within the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), specifically in 5 CFR parts 362, 213, 302, and 315. For a comprehensive understanding, agencies and applicants alike should refer to these regulations before engaging with the Pathways Programs.

Eligibility for the Internship Program

Gaining access to the Federal Career Intern Program requires meeting specific eligibility criteria. To qualify, applicants must be:

Enrolled or Accepted for Enrollment: You must be accepted for enrollment or currently enrolled in a degree-seeking program (diploma, certificate, etc.) at a qualifying educational institution. Enrollment must be at least half-time as defined by the institution.
Career or Technical Education Program: Alternatively, you can be accepted for or enrolled in a qualifying career or technical education program. This includes programs that award recognized postsecondary credentials, such as Registered Apprenticeship Programs or Job Corps.

Even if you’re in the final stages of your academic program and your remaining course load is less than half-time, you may still be eligible.

Qualifying Career or Technical Education Programs encompass:

Federally Administered Programs: Educational programs with rigorous academic content, technical skill development, and recognized postsecondary credentials, preparing individuals for further education or careers.
Registered Apprenticeship Programs: Structured programs combining on-the-job training with related technical instruction.
Federally Administered Volunteer Service Programs: Local, state, national, or international volunteer programs under federal oversight.

A Federally administered career or technical education program involves federal agency oversight in areas such as work scope, training types, skill development, mentoring, and program completion metrics. This oversight is often formalized through partnership or cooperative agreements.

When verifying eligibility for the Federal Career Intern Program, agencies may accept various forms of documentation:

Transcripts (official or unofficial)
Diplomas
Letters from educational institutions or career and technical education programs confirming enrollment or acceptance.

For certificate programs to qualify for Pathways Programs eligibility, they must represent post-secondary education equivalent to at least one academic year of full-time study at an accredited college-level, technical, trade, vocational, or business school, or a qualifying career or technical education program of at least one year.

Regarding citizenship, while there isn’t a blanket requirement for U.S. citizenship for excepted service positions, many agencies have funding restrictions. Generally, agencies can appoint non-citizens to Pathways Program positions if they are lawful permanent residents or otherwise authorized to work in the U.S. However, for potential non-competitive conversion to permanent federal employment, U.S. citizenship is required by the end of the program.

Public Notification and Custom Postings for Internship Positions

Public notification is a crucial aspect of the Pathways Programs, ensuring transparency and equal opportunity. For the Federal Career Intern Program, agencies can meet public notification requirements in two primary ways:

USAJOBS.gov Announcement: Posting a searchable announcement directly on USAJOBS.gov. This is the most common and widely accessible method.
Agency Career Page with USAJOBS Link: Alternatively, agencies can post job information on their public-facing career or job information web page, including a direct link to a custom job announcement on USAJOBS.

In addition to these methods, agencies are encouraged to broaden their reach through recruitment and advertisement on third-party websites and social media platforms.

Job announcements for Federal Career Intern Program positions, whether on USAJOBS or custom postings, must include essential information:

Position title, series, and grade level
Starting salary
Geographic location(s)
Minimum qualifications
Application instructions or a link to the agency website for details
Reasonable Accommodation statement
Veterans’ preference information
Possibility of conversion to permanent appointment (if applicable)
Promotion potential (if applicable)

OPM also recommends including:

Brief job duty descriptions
Available work schedules
Links to Pathways Programs information
Relocation expenses or recruitment incentives (if applicable)

It’s important to note that agencies cannot solely rely on career fairs for recruitment without broader public notification. While career fairs can be valuable, agencies must also provide an accessible alternative application method for candidates who cannot attend such events.

Agencies have several strategies to manage the volume of applications for Federal Career Intern Program positions advertised on USAJOBS:

Limited Announcement Period: Agencies can set specific opening and closing dates for announcements, considering the position type, grade level, and location.
Application Limits: Agencies can cap the number of applications they will review (e.g., first 75 or 100 received), ensuring fairness by accepting all applications until 11:59 p.m. on the day the limit is reached.
Specific Eligibility Requirements: Agencies can include specific requirements like minimum weekly work hours or GPA maintenance as eligibility criteria for their Federal Career Intern Program. However, they cannot mandate specific coursework unless it’s a positive education requirement for the occupation. Agencies may also require applicants to confirm their availability to work in listed locations.

Any limitations used must be clearly stated in the job opportunity announcements, and agencies must ensure fair and open competition, considering merit system principles.

USAJOBS custom postings offer agencies a unique approach to public notification. These are announcements stored on USAJOBS but accessible only through a unique URL, not through general searches on the site. They are useful for targeted recruitment while still allowing applicants to track their status and providing agencies with applicant flow data.

Agencies can use custom postings for the Federal Career Intern Program by sharing the unique link on their websites and other recruitment materials. This is particularly useful when agencies want to control who sees the announcement, perhaps targeting specific schools or organizations, while still adhering to public notification guidelines.

Custom postings are created within the Talent Acquisition System (TAS), and the unique URL is provided to the HR specialist for distribution. For detailed instructions, agencies should contact their TAS point of contact or [email protected].

Recruitment Strategies for Federal Internships

Effective recruitment is key to attracting top talent to the Federal Career Intern Program. Agencies have the flexibility to conduct outreach activities even before or without posting formal announcements on USAJOBS. This outreach can include informational sessions and liaison activities on college campuses.

Strategic outreach and recruitment efforts are encouraged to build a diverse applicant pool. Agencies should consider these activities as part of a broader recruitment plan, always ensuring that public notice of opportunities is available to all.

If an agency holds or attends an on-campus recruitment event where applications for the Federal Career Intern Program are accepted, the announcement publicizing the event on USAJOBS or the agency’s career page must include:

Event location, date, and time
Accessibility information, including reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities
Position details: title, series, grade, and geographic location
Information on how to attend the event and alternative application methods for those unable to attend
Veterans’ preference claim information

To maximize the effectiveness of Federal Career Intern Program recruitment, OPM recommends agencies:

Base recruitment strategies on workforce planning.
Conduct strategic recruitment across diverse talent sources.
Recruit from a wide range of campuses and schools.
Ensure on-campus events are open to all students, not just those at the host campus, and provide alternative application methods for non-attendees.

Agencies should also promote USAJOBS, the Federal Internship Portal (https://intern.usajobs.gov/), and the Recent Graduate Portal (https://recentgrad.usajobs.gov/) to students and recent graduates. When planning on-campus recruitment, proximity to the job location should be considered to ensure feasibility for student participation.

Veterans’ Preference in Pathways Programs

Veterans’ preference is a significant aspect of federal hiring, and it absolutely applies to the Pathways Programs, including the Federal Career Intern Program. Agencies are required to apply veterans’ preference when filling positions under these programs.

The application of veterans’ preference depends on the selection method used by the agency, which can be a ranked list, unranked list, or a category rating-like process.

Ranked List: Similar to the ‘rule of three’ in competitive service, applicants are scored, and preference eligibles receive added points (5 or 10). Veterans with a 30% or more disability are placed at the top. Selection is made from the top three ranked candidates. Agencies must follow pass-over procedures if selecting a non-preference eligible over a preference eligible with equal or higher scores.
Unranked List: Applicants are grouped by veterans’ preference category. Agencies must first consider candidates in the highest preference group before moving to lower groups or non-preference eligibles, again with pass-over procedures required.
Category Rating-like Process: Agencies can use their own systems, provided they give preference eligibles at least as much advantage as ranked or unranked methods. Many use a category rating-like approach, placing applicants into quality categories (e.g., superior, highly qualified). Preference eligibles are listed ahead of non-preference eligibles within each category, with 10-point disabled veterans in the highest category. Selection is made from the top category, and pass-over procedures apply.

For professional and scientific positions at GS-9 and above, rules are slightly different. Agencies may use ranked or unranked lists. Ranked lists function as described above. Unranked lists categorize applicants by preference status, with preference eligibles considered first. Pass-over procedures are required before considering non-preference eligibles.

Pass-over procedures are in place to protect veterans’ preference rights. For veterans with less than 30% compensable disability, an agency can only pass them over with OPM approval based on adequate reasons, such as medical disqualification or suitability concerns. OPM must approve medical disqualifications or pass-overs based on medical reasons. The veteran is entitled to the agency’s reasons for pass-over upon request.

For veterans with a 30% or more compensable service-connected disability, the pass-over process is more stringent, especially for medical disqualification. Agencies must notify both OPM and the veteran in writing, providing reasons and the veteran’s right to respond to OPM. OPM makes the final determination on medical ability, considering reasonable accommodation possibilities. For non-medical pass-overs of 30% or more disabled veterans, a similar notification and OPM approval process is required, ensuring proper and adequate reasons for pass-over.

It is important to note that Schedule A hiring authority cannot be used for Pathways Program positions. Pathways positions use Schedule D. While Schedule A is for individuals with disabilities, it’s a separate authority from Pathways. Applicants with disabilities apply to the Federal Career Intern Program through standard announcements and are considered in the same manner as all other applicants, with agencies required to provide reasonable accommodations as needed.

Qualifications and Assessments for Interns

Assessments play a key role in ensuring qualified candidates are selected for the Federal Career Intern Program. Agencies are required to use valid, job-related assessments for both the Internship and Recent Graduate Programs. These assessments can include crediting plans (rating schedules or occupational questionnaires) or structured interviews. Agencies may also utilize Administrative Careers With America (ACWA) rating schedules for Pathways Program selections. Depending on the chosen selection method, assessments may focus on general eligibility and minimum qualifications. For the PMF Program, OPM uses assessments to establish a list of finalists.

For the Recent Graduates Program, agencies must use OPM Qualification Standards or OPM-approved standards. Agency-specific qualification standards are not permitted. This ensures consistency and federal-wide standards are met.

However, for the Federal Career Intern Program, agencies have more flexibility. They are not required to use OPM Qualification Standards. Agencies can establish their own agency-specific qualification requirements or use OPM qualification requirements for the competitive service, or the Group Coverage Qualification Standard for Schedule D, Pathway Internship Positions.

In summary, assessments are mandatory for the Federal Career Intern Program and Recent Graduate Programs, ensuring job-related evaluations. While Recent Graduates must adhere to OPM Qualification Standards, agencies have more flexibility in setting qualification standards for Internships.

Career Progression: Promotions and Reassignments for Interns

The Federal Career Intern Program is designed to provide not just an entry point, but also potential career growth within federal service.

Promotions for Interns: Interns appointed without a “not-to-exceed” (NTE) date are eligible for promotion without further public notification or competition if the agency has an excepted service promotion policy and the intern meets the qualifications for the higher-grade position. However, interns with NTE appointments, similar to temporary employees, are generally not eligible for promotion.

Reassignment of Interns:

Interns with NTE dates: Reassigning an intern with an NTE date to a different intern position requires internal public notification within the agency to similarly situated interns. If multiple interns are interested, the agency must apply competitive selection procedures, including veterans’ preference and pass-over procedures. This applies regardless of whether the position is in the same series, a different series, or a career ladder position.
Interns without NTE dates: Reassigning interns without NTE dates to another intern position is simpler. Agencies must follow their internal policies for excepted service personnel movement, and the intern must meet the qualifications for the new position.

Reassignment of Recent Graduates: Similar to interns without NTE dates, reassigning Recent Graduates within the same agency is governed by the agency’s policies for excepted service personnel and the qualification requirements of the new position.

Time-in-Grade Limitations: Participants in the Federal Career Intern Program, Recent Graduates, and PMFs are exempt from time-in-grade limitations typically applicable in the competitive service. Time-in-grade restrictions only apply to movements within or into the competitive service, not within the excepted service Pathways Programs. However, interns, recent graduates, and PMFs must still meet the qualification requirements for promotion to higher grade levels, and promotions are never guaranteed. Agencies must have excepted service policies in place for promotions within these programs.

Training and Development for Federal Interns

Training and development are integral components of the Federal Career Intern Program. OPM mandates that agencies provide all interns with appropriate training and development opportunities, irrespective of appointment length.

Individual Development Plans (IDPs): While not strictly mandatory for all interns, OPM recommends that interns appointed for over a year, and intern NTEs for over 90 days, should document their activities in a training plan, Individual Development Plan (IDP), or Pathways Participant Agreement, approved by their supervisor within 45 days of appointment.

Types of Training Activities: Agencies should offer a range of training activities to enhance intern skills and knowledge, including:

On-the-job training
Formal training classes
Mentoring sessions
Product and tool testing
Assisting colleagues with projects

Detail Assignments: Interns and recent graduates can participate in temporary detail assignments at other agencies, subject to the discretion of their home agency. This provides valuable exposure to different agency environments and expands their federal experience.

Conversion to Competitive Service: Internship to Federal Career

A primary goal of the Federal Career Intern Program is to provide a pathway to permanent federal employment. Conversion to the competitive service is a significant benefit for successful interns.

Changes in Conversion Requirements: Recent updates have made conversion more accessible. The period allowed for agencies to convert interns has been extended from 120 to 180 days after degree completion. Additionally, the minimum work hours required for conversion have been reduced from 640 to 480 hours. Agencies, however, can set higher minimum hour requirements.

180-Day Conversion Clock: The 180-day period for non-competitive conversion begins when the student completes their educational requirements, as determined by their educational institution or career and technical education program, not necessarily graduation date. Agencies should rely on the institution’s determination.

Impact of Extended Conversion Period: The extension to 180 days is effective from June 11, 2024. Interns who haven’t reached the former 120-day limit by this date now benefit from the extended 180-day period.

Minimum Work Hours for Conversion: While the minimum is now 480 hours, agencies can set higher requirements in their Pathways Policies and may vary these requirements by position.

Waiver of Work Hour Requirement: Agencies can waive up to half of the minimum service hour requirement (up to 160 hours for a 480-hour minimum, or 320 hours for a 640+ hour minimum) if the intern has completed at least 320 hours of career-related work under the Federal Career Intern Program with exceptional job performance and demonstrated high potential.

Exceptional Job Performance: This is defined as a formal performance evaluation resulting in a rating higher than fully successful or equivalent, consistent with agency performance appraisal programs.

Demonstrating High Potential: Interns can demonstrate high potential through:

A GPA of 3.5 or higher on a 4.0 scale
Ranking in the top 10% of their graduating class
Induction into a nationally recognized scholastic honor society
A letter of recommendation from an instructor or program administrator attesting to outstanding performance.

Crediting Non-Federal Internship Experience: Agencies can credit up to half of the minimum service hour requirement for prior non-federal internships at a federal agency through a third-party provider, provided the intern completes at least 320 hours under a Federal Career Intern Program appointment. The maximum credit is 160 hours (for a 480-hour minimum) or 320 hours (for a 640+ hour minimum).

Documentation for Waiver/Credit Approval: Agencies should consider documentation demonstrating exceptional performance and high potential, such as performance ratings, transcripts showing high GPA or class rank, honor society acceptance letters, or recommendation letters.

Conversion to Recent Graduates Program: Interns in the Federal Career Intern Program are not eligible for non-competitive conversion to the Recent Graduates Program. Conversion is specifically for positions in the competitive service. The intent is to transition interns into permanent roles, not another developmental program.

Conversion to Excepted vs. Competitive Service: Pathways Programs, by design, are exceptions to competitive hiring processes. Therefore, non-competitive conversion refers to competitive service positions. Conversion to excepted service positions is not предусмотрено for interns or recent graduates under the Pathways Program regulations.

Conversion of Intern NTE Positions: Interns with NTE appointments can be non-competitively converted if the initial job announcement stated conversion potential and all other conversion requirements are met. However, NTE positions are intended for temporary projects or tasks, so conversion should be infrequent.

Agency Obligation to Convert: Agencies are not obligated to convert interns to competitive service positions, even upon program completion. Conversion is discretionary and depends on whether the job announcement indicated conversion potential and all requirements are fulfilled. Conversion is not an entitlement.

180-Day Grace Period for Intern NTE: Interns with NTE appointments do not have a 180-day grace period post-graduation. Their appointments end upon expiration. However, conversion can occur within 180 days of degree completion if the job announcement mentioned conversion potential and requirements are met, effectively allowing conversion before the NTE appointment ends.

Retaining Interns Post-Graduation: Agencies can retain interns, including NTE interns, after graduation if they are accepted into another qualifying educational program at the time of graduation. This allows continuous intern status without needing public notification or competition, accommodating students pursuing further education immediately after graduating.

Conversion to Career Ladder Positions: Interns meeting conversion requirements can be non-competitively converted to positions with established career ladders if the initial job announcement mentioned the career ladder.

Trial Period for Interns: Interns are not required to serve a trial period unless the agency has a policy mandating trial periods for all excepted service employees.

Conversion to Term or Permanent Appointments: Agencies can convert interns, recent graduates, and PMFs to either term or permanent positions upon successful program completion. Conversion to term appointments provides flexibility, especially with budget constraints, with the option to later convert to permanent positions without further competition within the term period.

Conversion to a Different Federal Agency

Opportunities for Federal Career Intern Program participants extend beyond their initial employing agency.

Conversion to Another Agency: Interns who meet conversion requirements can be converted to term or permanent positions in a different federal agency. This is particularly relevant when the original agency cannot offer conversion.

Pathways Internship Talent Program: To facilitate inter-agency conversion, the Pathways Internship Talent Program exists within the USAJOBS Agency Talent Portal (ATP). This program helps connect interns who cannot be converted by their current agency with opportunities in other agencies.

When an agency cannot convert an intern, the intern is offered participation in the Pathways Internship Talent Program. Agencies with open early career positions can use this program to recruit interns for conversion. More information is available through agency Pathways Program Officers or [email protected], and the ATP Help Center (https://usajobs.github.io/ATP-Support/).

Conversion of Recent Graduates and PMFs to Different Agencies: Similar to interns, recent graduates and PMFs can also be converted to positions in different agencies if their original agency cannot convert them. Reasons for this may include budget constraints, reorganizations, or program completion.

Extending Appointments for Inter-Agency Conversion: Agencies can extend recent graduate and PMF appointments for up to 120 days to allow time for conversion to another agency. Extensions beyond 120 days are not permitted.

Conversion to Career Ladder in Another Agency: When converted to a different agency, recent graduates and PMFs can be placed in positions with career ladders, provided the new position’s full performance level is equivalent to or lower than what they would have had in their original agency.

Termination and RIF for Pathways Participants

Understanding termination conditions is important for both agencies and participants in the Federal Career Intern Program and other Pathways Programs.

Termination of Interns: An intern’s appointment typically expires 180 days after completing their academic course of study, unless converted. Termination as a condition of employment occurs at the end of this 180-day period. If termination happens before 180 days, the agency must determine if the intern is considered an “employee” under chapter 75 of title 5, which grants appeal rights. If appeal rights apply, adverse action procedures in 5 CFR 752 must be followed.

RIF Rules for Recent Graduates and PMFs: Reduction in Force (RIF) rules do not apply when a recent graduate or PMF is terminated due to the expiration of their appointment. According to 5 CFR 362.306(a) and 5 CFR part 351, appointment expiration is not subject to RIF requirements.

Pathways MOU and Agency Policy

Formal agreements and policies guide the implementation of Pathways Programs within federal agencies.

MOU and Pathways Policies: OPM has replaced Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) with a requirement for each agency to have a Pathways Policy (in accordance with § 362.104) to make Pathways appointments. This policy outlines how the agency will use the Pathways Programs. Agencies must make their Pathways Policies available to OPM, applicants, employees, and stakeholders upon request.

Using Existing MOUs: Agencies with existing Pathways MOUs can continue using the Pathways Programs under the new regulations while they develop and update their policies. Agencies without MOUs must establish a Pathways Policy before making any Pathways appointments.

Information in Agency Pathways Policy: A Pathways Policy must include elements specified in 5 CFR 362.104, such as:

Agency-specific program labels (e.g., “OPM Internship Program”).
Delegations of authority for Pathways Programs use.
Implementing policy or guidance for program administration.
Description of formal training and development.
Agency commitment to providing information to OPM, adhering to program caps, providing onboarding, and aligning Pathways usage with workforce and recruiting plans.
Criteria and procedures for agency-approved extensions for recent graduates and PMFs (up to 120 days).
Criteria and procedures for determining resources for conversion and communicating conversion decisions to participants (at least 60 days prior to appointment end).
Minimum service-hour requirements for intern conversion.
Program length for Recent Graduate Programs and justification for programs longer than one year.
Identification of the agency’s Pathways Programs Officer (PPO) and Presidential Management Fellows (PMF) Coordinator.

Establishing Longer Recent Graduate Programs: While the Recent Graduates Program is typically one year, agencies can establish longer programs if specific position training needs warrant it. These longer programs must be justified in the agency’s Pathways Policy and described in the Pathways Participant agreement. Individual managers cannot unilaterally decide program length.

Presidential Management Fellows (PMF) Program (Briefly Mention)

While the focus is on the Federal Career Intern Program, it’s worth briefly touching on some aspects of the Presidential Management Fellows (PMF) Program, the third component of Pathways.

PMF developmental assignments must be within the Federal government, including other agencies or participating Legislative Branch agencies. Optional rotations outside the agency may be permitted.
PMF finalists have 12 months from selection to accept and start an appointment, with possible extensions for background check delays.
PMFs can be appointed to positions with career ladders if the opportunity announcement specified it.
Executive Resources Board (ERB) certification of program completion is required 30 days before the fellow’s 2-year anniversary for conversion.
Formal interactive training for PMFs can include online training if it meets IDP competencies.
PMFs can participate in agency-wide or Presidential initiatives for their developmental assignments.
OPM does not grant waivers to PMF training requirements due to budget constraints.
Non-Executive Branch agencies can participate in the PMF Program through a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with OPM.
Part-time work schedules for PMFs may be approved for up to 6 months, considering program requirements and promotion eligibility.
Agencies should inform PMFs about conversion inability at least 60 days before appointment end.
PMFs can be converted to different agencies, with possible appointment extensions up to 120 days for inter-agency conversion.
Conversion to career ladder positions in other agencies is allowed, with equivalent or lower full performance levels.
RIF rules do not apply to PMF appointment expirations.
OPM does not have authority to waive PMF Program requirements.

Contact Information

For further inquiries about the Pathways Programs, including the Federal Career Intern Program, agency headquarters-level human resources offices should contact OPM at [email protected]. Component-level HR offices should contact their agency headquarters. Employees should contact their agency HR office. Applicants with specific opportunity questions should use the contact information provided in the job opportunity announcement.

Image alt text: Diverse group of students engaging with federal agency recruiters at a career fair, discussing federal career opportunities.

Image alt text: A diverse team of federal interns collaboratively working on a project in a modern government office setting, highlighting teamwork and engagement.