Virtual Student Foreign Service

The Virtual Student Foreign Service (VSFS) is a U.S. Department of State program that offers opportunities for American college and university students to virtually intern at U.S. federal agencies. In 2017, the application period for VSFS internships is open from July 2-26. There are over 500 opportunities available at 33 federal agencies, and many of the opportunities are looking for more than one intern. Interns can be enrolled in a class or classes at any tertiary institution, but they must be American citizens. All work is virtual, and background clearances are not required. These opportunities are unpaid, but offer real work experience, sometimes involving foreign languages.

The Virtual Student Foreign Service was announced by United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in May 2009 as one of several programs in Clinton’s 21st Century Statecraft initiative. Twenty-first Century Statecraft is defined as, “[t]he complementing of traditional foreign policy tools with newly innovated and adapted instruments of statecraft that fully leverage the networks, technologies, and demographics of our interconnected world.” VSFS partners with U.S. diplomatic posts overseas and State Department, U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), NASA, and many other federal agencies to provide virtual internship opportunities.

The first virtual internship year coincided with the 2009-2010 academic year.

Internships begin in the fall and end in the spring, with an application open period in July. Students commit for the academic year, contributing 10 hours a week for the virtual internship. Students communicate with their supervisors often through email, telephone, and Skype.

The nature of work varies depending on what the agency needs. The work may be research-based, where the student is required to contribute to reports on issues such as economics, the environment, and human rights, or the work may be technology-focused, such as creating blogs and producing electronic journals. Language skills are sometimes required.

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