Navigating Department of Education Internships: Requirements and Opportunities
The Department of Education offers various internship programs providing valuable experience and potential career pathways. These programs, often falling under the umbrella of the federal government's Pathways program, offer students opportunities to explore Federal careers while being paid for the work performed. This article delves into the requirements, opportunities, and considerations surrounding Department of Education internships.
Understanding the Pathways Internship Program
The Department of State's Pathways Internship Program includes both the Internship Experience Program (IEP) and the Internship Temporary Program (ITEP). These programs are designed for U.S. citizens enrolled in a wide variety of educational institutions from high school to graduate school and professional academic levels.
Internship Experience Program (IEP)
This program offers a more long-term internship experience. Interns in this program are appointed to non-temporary, excepted service appointments, expected to last the length of the academic program for which the intern is enrolled.
- Benefits: IEP participants, while in the program, are eligible for noncompetitive promotions if they meet the developed qualification standards for the position. IEP interns are also eligible for federal employee benefits (e.g. life, health, and retirement).
Internship Temporary Program (ITEP)
The temporary nature of the ITEP allows for interns to work during seasonal and holiday breaks in academic programs as well as year-round. Interns in this program are appointed to temporary appointments, not to exceed one year or their projected graduation date (whichever is shorter) and extensions may be made in one year increments.
- Promotion Potential: The positions to which the interns are appointed have no promotion potential, therefore, students must apply through USAJOBS to be considered for higher-graded positions.
- Health Benefits: ITEP participants who are expected to work 130 hours per month or more for at least 90 days will be eligible to enroll in a health benefits plan. ITEP participants are not eligible for any other benefits until after conversion into the competitive service.
General Eligibility Requirements
To be eligible for a Department of Education internship, candidates must generally meet the following criteria:
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- Student Status: A student means you have been accepted for enrollment, or are enrolled as a degree-seeking student in an accredited college or university at least half time. You may also be currently enrolled in high school for some positions.
- Educational Credentials:
- For non-research positions, completion of all requirements for a Ph.D. is often a requirement.
- At the undergraduate level, successfully completed education that has not led to possession of a degree is credited based on its relationship to 120 semester hours or 180 quarter hours. For example, 30 semester hours or 45 quarter hours is comparable to 1 year of undergraduate education. Four years of progressive study or 120 semester hours meets the degree requirements.
- An academic year of graduate education is considered to be the number of credit hours that the school attended has determined to represent 1 academic year of full-time study. This determination is made based on normal course loads for a full year of study in the graduate program. If that information cannot be obtained from the school, 18 semester hours or 27 quarter hours should be considered as satisfying the 1 year of full-time study requirement.
Compensation and Benefits
Interns within the Department of Education receive compensation for their work.
- Pay Scale: While the government uses at least six different pay scales, the majority of Civil Service employees are paid using the GS (General Schedule) pay scale. The General Service pay scale for Civil Service employees features 15 pay grades, GS-1 (lowest) - GS-15 (highest) with 10 steps within each grade.
- Leave: Employees hired under the Pathways Programs on appointments for 90 days or more are eligible to earn annual and sick leave.
- Health Insurance (ITEP): Interns hired under the Internship Temporary Experience Program (ITEP) are considered temporary employees and are generally eligible to enroll in the Federal Employees Health Benefit Program if they are expected to work 130 hours per month or more for at least 90 days, in accordance with 5 CFR 890.102. Those who meet the criteria laid out in these provisions will receive the same government contribution as full-time permanent employees.
Application Process
Prospective candidates may apply for a Pathways position only when one is announced in a position Vacancy Announcement on the USAJOBS online application site.
- USAJOBS: Once an announcement is posted on www.USAJOBS.gov, complete applications (to include all required documents) must be submitted electronically through the "Gateway to State" system.
- Application Deadline: Candidates have until 11:59 pm Eastern Standard Time on the closing date on the announcement to complete the application process, or when the specified application limit has been reached, whichever comes first. This includes submitting the online application as well as any required documents as defined in the Required Documents section in the listed announcement. Candidates are encouraged to complete their applications well before the application deadline to ensure they receive consideration. Please note if a candidate modifies their application before the announcement closes, a new time stamp will be assigned to their submission, potentially pushing them past the application cut-off limits.
- Vacancy Limits: There is a maximum number of applications for each vacancy announcement. The vacancy will close on the closing date listed in the announcement or the day the maximum number of applications is received. The vacancy will close when the first of these conditions are met.
- Position Availability: All Internship positions will be posted to USAJobs, year round, on an as-needed basis based on the needs of the Department.
Required Documents
The following documents must be submitted for your application package to be considered complete. It is your responsibility to ensure all required documents are received within the required time frames.
- Transcripts:
- Current transcripts: an unofficial copy is sufficient with the application; however if selected, an official college transcript will be required.
- Transcripts MUST include the student's name, name of the school, current GPA/academic standing, past and current coursework, and degree program.
- Proof of Enrollment: Proof of Enrollment may include a screen shot of the semester class schedule, an official letter of enrollment, or listed on official transcripts.
- Veterans' Preference Documentation (if applicable):
- For 5-point veteran's preference, you must provide a copy of your DD-214 Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty (Member Copy 4 is preferable) which must show the type of discharge and dates of active duty. If you are currently on active duty, you must provide a certification on letterhead from your military branch which contains your military service date, expected date of discharge or release, and the character of service to show that your military service was performed under honorable conditions. The expected date of discharge or release must be within 120 days of the date the certification is submitted for consideration for this vacancy announcement.
- For 10-point veteran's preference, you must submit a current version of the SF-15 (Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference), dated October 2013, and any documentation required by this form to support your claim. Previous editions of the SF-15 will not be accepted.
Interns and the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)
It's important to understand how the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) applies to internships. The FLSA requires “for-profit” employers to pay employees for their work. However, the applicability of the FLSA to internships hinges on whether the intern is considered an employee.
- The Primary Beneficiary Test: Courts have used the “primary beneficiary test” to determine whether an intern or student is, in fact, an employee under the FLSA. This test allows courts to examine the “economic reality” of the intern-employer relationship to determine which party is the “primary beneficiary” of the relationship. The extent to which the intern and the employer clearly understand that there is no expectation of compensation. Courts have described the “primary beneficiary test” as a flexible test, and no single factor is determinative.
- Employee Status: If analysis of these circumstances reveals that an intern or student is actually an employee, then he or she is entitled to both minimum wage and overtime pay under the FLSA.
- Volunteer Exceptions: The FLSA exempts certain people who volunteer to perform services for a state or local government agency or who volunteer for humanitarian purposes for non-profit food banks. WHD also recognizes an exception for individuals who volunteer their time, freely and without anticipation of compensation, for religious, charitable, civic, or humanitarian purposes to non-profit organizations.
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