|
FBI HONORS INTERNSHIP PROGRAM
Each summer, a special group of outstanding undergraduate and graduate students are selected to participate in the FBI Honors Internship Program in Washington, D.C., or at a Regional Computer Forensics Laboratory (RCFL) located throughout the US (www.rcfl.gov). Interested applicants should continue to view the website for updates and instructions on how to apply for the summer 2009 Honors Internship Program. The application deadline for the summer 2009 program is September 30, 2008.
Program Overview
The FBI Honors Internship Program offers undergraduate and graduate school students an exciting insider's view of FBI operations and provides an opportunity to explore the many career opportunities within the Bureau. The Honors Internship Program brings students to work at FBI Headquarters in Washington, D.C., and will begin on June 8, 2009 and end on August 14, 2009. FBI Honors Interns can look forward to ten extremely rewarding and interesting weeks. You'll be working side-by-side with Special Agents and Professional Staff personnel on important cases and management issues. You'll feel like you're a part of the Bureau...because you are.
Honors Interns are assigned to an FBI Headquarters division based on their academic discipline, potential contribution to the division, and the needs of the FBI. For instance, Honors Interns whose discipline is in the physical sciences may be assigned to the FBI's Laboratory Division in nearby Quantico, Virginia. Honors Interns whose discipline is in information technology may be assigned to the FBI's Cyber Division or one of the FBI's IT divisions. All Honors Interns are under the supervision of the head (i.e., Assistant Director) of their assigned division.
By the end of your internship, you will have a thorough understanding of the inner workings of the FBI and a deep feeling of satisfaction that the work you have done has helped the lives of ordinary citizens. You will also learn about the many career opportunities at the FBI. No matter what career path you eventually choose, serving as an FBI Honors Intern will be an experience you will never forget, and one that will benefit you in all of your future endeavors.
Back to Top
Program Status
Applications for the Summer 2009 Program are being accepted on an ongoing basis and must be received by September 30, 2008.
Back to Top
Required Qualifications:
Due to the very selective and highly competitive nature of the FBI Honors Internship Program, a limited number of internships are awarded each summer. Only individuals possessing strong academic credentials, outstanding character, a high degree of motivation, and the willingness to represent the FBI upon returning to their respective campuses will be selected. In order to be considered, individuals must meet all of the following qualifications at the time they apply:
- Candidates must be attending a college or university that is accredited by one of the regional or national institutional associations recognized by the United States Secretary of Education
- Undergraduate students must be in their junior or senior year, attending a college or university full-time
- Graduating seniors do not have to be returning to school the following semester
- Students must have a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 or above on a 4.0 scale and be in good standing with their academic institution
- Candidates must be citizens of the United States
- Candidates must meet all FBI Employment Requirements, be able to pass an
FBI Background Investigation, and receive a Top Secret Security Clearance
Back to Top
How to Apply
To apply, please click here to begin the application process.
Once you have completed the online application, you will be directed to fill out and fax back the following forms along with a fax cover sheet that will be provided at the end of the application. The documents that you fax in are automatically being photocopied into the computer along with your application.
• Transcripts - All students are required to fax a copy of their official transcripts to the fax number provided. If your school is unable to provide you with an official transcript, then an unofficial transcript can be faxed instead. However, an official transcript will be needed if you are selected for an interview by the Field Office Recruiter.
• FD-956 School Certificate Form - This form can be faxed by you or your school's registrar or admissions office to verify your current status and GPA. If a school is unwilling to fill out the FD-956 form, a letter or any other document the school provides verifying current status and GPA will be acceptable.
• Letter of Reference - A letter of reference must be faxed in from the Dean or Department Head. Only if the Dean is unable to provide a statement, a letter of reference from a professor will be acceptable.
• Program Term Acknowledgement - The Program Term Acknowledgement form will only required if you are contacted by the Field Office for an interview. Therefore, only those students selected to participate in the program will be required to fill out a Program Term Acknowledgment Form.
• DD-214 - If you have ever served in the military, please obtain and fill out a DD-214 and fax a copy to the number provided. The DD-214 is a document of the United States Department of Defense issued upon a military service member's retirement, separation or discharge from active-duty military. The FBI does not provide a copy of this form.
Back to Top
Selection Process
FBI representatives from each Field Office will arrange interviews with the most competitive candidates. Interviews normally take place in October. Each field office will then nominate a designated number of candidates to FBI Headquarters (FBIHQ) in Washington, D.C., by early November. A Headquarters selection committee will make the final determination of successful candidates. Selections are based upon academic achievements, area of study, life/work experiences, and the needs of the FBI. The FBI actively seeks women, minorities and persons with disabilities for participation in the Honors Internship Program.
Final decisions are generally made in November, and selected candidates receive a conditional job offer soon thereafter. The initial offer is conditional because candidates selected must undergo an extensive
FBI Background Investigation and receive an FBI Top Secret Clearance in order to be eligible to participate in the program.
Back to Top
Compensation
The FBI reimbursement for travel expenses incurred to and from Washington, D.C., at the beginning and end of the Honors Internship program, will be limited to the lesser of the actual cost paid or the one-way government city pair air fare. Honors Interns who wish to travel by air should have travel coordinated by the processing field office through the FBI/HQ hiring entity's Government Travel Account (GTA). If an Honors Intern decides to drive to arrive at his/her assignment, reimbursement will also be limited to the lesser of the mileage reimbursement or the one-way government city pair airfare. Mileage will not be paid to travel to work on a daily basis.
Interns participating in a Regional Computer Forensics Laboratory (RCFL) are expected to already live within commutable distance and will not receive reimbursement for travel expenses to and from their assigned RCFL. Any travel on behalf of the RCFL or FBIHQ during the internship will be reimbursed by the FBI hiring entity.
Back to Top
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How does the FBI Honors Internship selection process work?
There are four stages of the Honors Intern hiring process:
i. Initial Selection and Interviews – The most competitive candidates will be invited for interviews at their local FBI Field Office. Interviews generally take place in October. During the interview, an FBI official will ask you various questions to determine if you possess the necessary knowledge, skills, and abilities for the Honors Intern position.
ii. Final Selection and Conditional Offer – Field Offices (or RCFLs where applicable) nominate their most competitive candidates to FBI Headquarters by early November. A Headquarters selection committee will make the final determination of successful candidates. Selections are based upon academic achievements, area of study, life/work experiences, and the needs of the FBI. If you are selected you will receive a conditional offer of employment by the FBI. This offer is contingent upon the successful completion of a full background investigation and the receipt of an FBI Top Secret Security Clearance. Conditional offers are generally made in November.
iii. Background Investigation – Candidates who accept a conditional job offer will be asked to complete the required background investigation paperwork and will be scheduled for a security interview, pre-employment polygraph examination, urinalysis test, and fingerprinting. FBI investigators will also contact former and current employers, references, social acquaintances, and neighbors, and review school, credit, arrest, medical, and military records. The length of your background investigation depends on a number of different variables, including how quickly and thoroughly you complete the background investigation documents; the extent of your foreign travel or time living abroad; and inconsistencies in the application and investigation process. Please see the Background Investigation portion of this site for more information on the FBI Background Investigation process.
iv. Enter on Duty - Upon successful completion of the background investigation, you will be contacted and assigned an enter-on-duty (EOD) date. The FBI Honors Internship Program generally begins on the first Monday in June.
2. How long does it take to be hired as an FBI Honors Intern?
The length of the hiring process will depend upon the length of the background investigation. Conditional internship offers are generally extended in November. The FBI will commence with the background investigation as soon as selected candidates complete all of the necessary paperwork. In the past, most Honors Internship candidates receive their security clearance shortly before the beginning of the internship.
3. Who is my point-of-contact during the application process?
The Applicant Coordinator, or designated field office representative, from your local FBI Field Office or RCFL (i.e., the Field Office nearest to your college campus). The Applicant Coordinator can tell you the status of your application, make travel arrangements, etc.
4. May I apply for more than one FBI Internship Program at a time?
Yes. If you are applying to more than one program, you must prepare separate packages and send them to the respective contact people. Include a statement in your applications that you are applying to multiple programs and indicate which program is your first choice, which is your second, etc. Internship Program Managers will coordinate any interviews to minimize travel or time needed. Please note: the FBI Academy Internship Program does not allow students to apply to more than one of the FBI Academy's 13 Internship Programs. Please be sure to read carefully the information regarding the
FBI Academy Internship Programs.
5. If I have taken illegal drugs in the past, can I still work for the FBI?
The FBI's illegal drug policy is both clear and explicit. No exceptions will be made to the policy, and your answers are subject to verification by urinalysis and pre-employment polygraph examination(s). Please review the FBI Employment Disqualifiers and the FBI Employment Drug Policy to ensure you are eligible to apply for employment with the FBI.
6. If I have traveled or lived abroad, will that hinder my receiving a security clearance?
No. Many of the positions at the FBI are internationally oriented, and experience living or traveling abroad is often viewed as a positive experience. However, there are cases where national security concerns may arise. Additionally, extensive foreign experience may delay the background investigation process if there is difficulty verifying information on the application.
7. I am a citizen of another country. May I apply?
No. All interns must be United States citizens. If you are a U.S. citizen and hold dual citizenship with another country, the FBI Security Division will have to review your file to make a determination if you are eligible for employment with the FBI.
8. My background investigation is taking a long time and the program begins soon. Should I assume that I have been disqualified?
No. You will be notified in writing if you have not been accepted. You may contact the Applicant Coordinator from your processing Field Office or the FBIHQ Honors Internship Program Manager(s) at any time to ascertain your status.
9. Does the FBI furnish housing for Honors Interns?
No. The FBI does not pay for or provide housing. The Honors Internship Program Managers do work with a provider of temporary housing in the Washington, D.C. area that offers fully furnished apartments/condominiums/etc. to our Interns on a temporary basis.
10. Can I bring a friend, spouse or pet?
No. You may not bring a friend, spouse or pet if you plan to stay at the FBI-arranged housing complex with the Intern class. If you wish to bring a friend, spouse or pet, you must arrange housing requirements to accommodate your needs.
11. Can I have roommates who are not FBI employees?
Yes. All of your roommates, however, must undergo a security check. Upon your entering on duty, you and your roommates must complete a roommate background data form (FD-773).
12. How will I get to work?
The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority provides Metro rail and Metro bus to make your commute relaxing and as easy as possible. It is the safest, cleanest, and most efficient way of getting around the Washington Metropolitan area. Five rail lines and an extensive bus system connect the District with the Maryland and Virginia suburbs. RCFL interns are expected to live within commutable distance to the RCFL they are applying to and utilize whatever transportation means appropriate.
13. Will I be reimbursed for expense related to my travel to and from my home state to Washington DC? Do I need a car during the internship?
The FBI reimbursement for travel expenses incurred to and from Washington, D.C., at the beginning and end of the Honors Internship program, will be limited to the lesser of the actual cost paid or the one-way government city pair air fare. Honors Interns who wish to travel by air should have travel coordinated by the processing field office through the FBI/HQ hiring entity's Government Travel Account (GTA). If an Honors Intern decides to drive to arrive at his/her assignment, reimbursement will also be limited to the lesser of the mileage reimbursement or the one-way government city pair airfare. Mileage will not be paid to travel to work on a daily basis.
14. May I take any time off during the internship?
Interns have all Federal holidays off. Reasonable accommodations will be afforded for needs such as job interviews or school business. As a guideline, interns may take "leave" — approximately one day per month.
15. What types of activities are available to Honors Interns at the FBI?
As an Honors Intern, you will have opportunities to participate in executive briefings; field trips to the FBI Academy, the FBI Laboratory, and the Washington Field Office; special tours of FBI Headquarters, etc. You will find it to be an intense, fun-filled, and rewarding summer. Because RCFL interns are located in the Field, opportunities available to interns located in DC will not be available to RCFL interns. The RCFL National Program Office (NPO) will make every effort to expose the RCFL intern to FBIHQ entities but experiences may vary year to year based upon funding availability. Local opportunities with the RCFL however are numerous and rewarding.
16. How should I dress for work during the Summer Internship?
Appropriate attire for men includes business suits, sport jackets and slacks, shirts, and ties. Appropriate attire for women includes business dresses, dress suits, pants suits, and professional blouses.
17. What types of projects do Honors Interns work on?
Projects vary according to the background of the Honors Intern. For example, in past years Honors Interns with a Psychology, Forensic Psychology, Sociology, Behavioral Science, or Criminology background have worked on research projects such as the analysis of crime data. Honors Interns with a Computer Science background have worked on projects such as the development of a portal to facilitate the exchange of law enforcement data between the FBI and law enforcement agencies at the state and local levels. Projects also vary based on the division of assignment. For example, Honors Interns assigned to the FBI's Inspection Division have audited divisions throughout the United States to assure compliance with FBI regulations. Honors Interns assigned to the FBI Office of Public Affairs have conducted readership surveys for the FBI's internal magazine ("The Investigator"), analyzed the results, and presented recommendations for future issues. These are just a few examples of the many different types of projects on which Honors Interns work.
Entering the RCFL Network as an intern, students can expect to work in a cutting edge digital evidence laboratory supporting state, local, and federal investigations. Exposure to and participation in the digital forensic examination of casework will provide you with a unique once in a lifetime opportunity. You will be able to apply your computer skills in areas that support, extend, and enhance the digital forensic efforts of the premiere digital forensics law enforcement laboratory network.
18. Will I be offered a full-time position with the FBI at the conclusion of my Honors Internship?
Students are not guaranteed to receive a job offer for a full-time position. Honors Interns who do an outstanding job over the course of the summer, however, may receive a job offer to return to the FBI on a full-time basis once they graduate.
19. What is a DD-214?
The DD-214 is a document of the United States Department of Defense issued upon a military service member's retirement, separation or discharge from active-duty military.
Back to Top
Back to FBI Internship Programs Main Page
| 
