View all text of Chapter 38 [§ 2651 - § 2739]
§ 2737. Department of State paid Student Internship Program
(a) In general
(b) Eligibility
(1) In generalAn applicant is eligible to participate in the Program if the applicant is enrolled at—
(A) an institution of higher education (as such term is defined in section 1002(a) of title 20); or
(B) an institution of higher education based outside the United States, as determined by the Secretary of State.
(2) Additional eligibility criteriaAn applicant in the Program should be—
(A) enrolled at least half-time in an institution described in paragraph (1); and
(B) eligible to receive and hold an appropriate security clearance.
(c) Selection
(d) OutreachThe Secretary shall—
(1) widely advertise the Program, including—
(A) on the internet;
(B) through the Department’s Diplomats in Residence program; and
(C) through other outreach and recruiting initiatives targeting undergraduate and graduate students; and
(2) conduct targeted outreach to encourage participation in the Program from—
(A) individuals belonging to an underrepresented group; and
(B) students enrolled at minority-serving institutions (which shall include any institution listed in section 1067q(a) of title 20).
(e) Compensation
(1) Housing assistance
(A) Abroad
(B) Domestic
(2) Travel assistanceThe Secretary shall provide a student participating in the Program whose permanent address is within the United States with financial assistance that is sufficient to cover the travel costs of a single round trip by air, train, bus, or other appropriate transportation between the student’s permanent address and the location of the internship in which such student is participating if such location is—
(A) more than 50 miles from the student’s permanent address; or
(B) outside of the United States.
(f) Working with institutions of higher education
(g) Transition period
(1) In generalExcept as provided in paragraphs (2) and (3), beginning not later than 2 years after December 23, 2022—
(A) the Secretary shall convert unpaid internship programs of the Department, including the Foreign Service Internship Program, to internship programs that offer compensation; and
(B) upon selection as a candidate for entry into an internship program of the Department, a participant in such internship program may refuse compensation, including if doing so allows such participant to receive college or university curricular credit.
(2) Exception
(3) Waiver
(A) In generalThe Secretary may waive the requirement under paragraph (1)(A) with respect to a particular unpaid internship program if the Secretary, not later than 30 days after making a determination that the conversion of such internship program to a compensated internship program would not be consistent with effective management goals, submits a report explaining such determination to—
(i) the appropriate congressional committees;
(ii) the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate; and
(iii) the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives.
(B) ReportThe report required under subparagraph (A) shall—
(i) describe the reasons why converting an unpaid internship program of the Department to an internship program that offers compensation would not be consistent with effective management goals; and
(ii)(I) provide justification for maintaining such unpaid status indefinitely; or(II) identify any additional authorities or resources that would be necessary to convert such unpaid internship program to offer compensation in the future.
(h) ReportsNot later than 18 months after December 23, 2022, the Secretary shall submit a report to the committees referred to in subsection (g)(3)(A) that includes—
(1) data, to the extent the collection of such information is permissible by law, regarding the number of students who applied to the Program, were offered a position, and participated, respectively, disaggregated by race, ethnicity, sex, institution of higher education, home State, State where each student graduated from high school, and disability status;
(2) data regarding the number of security clearance investigations initiated for the students described in paragraph (1), including the timeline for such investigations, whether such investigations were completed, and when an interim security clearance was granted;
(3) information on Program expenditures;
(4) information regarding the Department’s compliance with subsection (g); and
(5) the number of internship participants subsequently employed by the Department, if any, following their participation in the Program.
(i) Voluntary participation
(1) In general
(2) Privacy protection
(j) Special hiring authorityNotwithstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary, in consultation with the Director of the Office of Personnel Management, with respect to the number of interns to be hired each year, may—
(1) select, appoint, and employ individuals for up to 1 year through compensated internships in the excepted service; and
(2) remove any compensated intern employed pursuant to paragraph (1) without regard to the provisions of law governing appointments in the excepted service.
(Pub. L. 117–263, div. I, title XCII, § 9201, Dec. 23, 2022, 136 Stat. 3861.)