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FBI Honors Internship Program - Summer 2026

Federal Bureau of Investigation
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This announcement is open to all qualified U.S. citizens.

This posting will be open from April 14, 2025 – May 2, 2025.

Please read the entire announcement carefully for detailed information on qualifications and application procedures.  Any questions, email FBI_Internship@fbi.gov.

The salary listed for this position represents the base salary. Applicants are encouraged to visit OPM.gov to find the specific locality pay adjustments that apply to their area. It's important for applicants to familiarize themselves with these adjustments as they can significantly affect the total compensation package offered for this position. For more detailed information regarding locality pay rates, please refer to the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) website. 

Job Summary

The FBI Honors Internship Program is a full-time, 10-week paid summer internship will occur from June 1, 2026 to August 7, 2026.  This program is for undergraduate, graduate, and post-doctoral college students and offers exposure to the world’s premiere law enforcement and intelligence agency while also serving as a pipeline for entry-level positions after graduation.  While exploring the FBI’s exciting career options, students will work side-by-side with FBI employees at one of our FBI offices nationwide. This internship offers students an unmatched opportunity to protect the American people and uphold the Constitution of the United States.  At the end of their summer, Honors Interns who receive a positive evaluation may continue in the program throughout the school year.

FBI interns come from a variety of backgrounds, and those hired as interns will be placed in assignments based on their location preferences, educational background, skill sets, and unique life experiences.  The application cycle for the 2026 class will begin 14-months before the start of the internship in an effort to provide more time for applicant intake processing and our background investigation.  Official conditional job offers are scheduled to be extended between July 10 - July 25, 2025; recipients of a conditional job offer will have (3) business days from receipt to accept or decline it.


The FBI has 55 field offices centrally located in major metropolitan areas across the U.S.  Our main headquarters offices are in Washington D.C., but we also have headquarters satellite offices located outside of the Washington D.C. area. 


In the application you must identify your preferred location where you wish to intern.  You can select up to three (3) preferred divisions/offices.  We highly recommend that you choose locations that align with your interests and skills (see FBI Honors Internship Program Skills & Locations), and where you can secure housing for your summer assignment.  If you receive an offer for your selected preferred work location, but are no longer available to work at that location, the offer may be rescinded before the start of the program.


Key Requirements to Participate in the Honors Internship Program

You must be a student, attending an accredited college or university on a full-time basis within the United States as an undergraduate, graduate, or post-doctoral student.  You are not eligible to participate in the program if you will graduate before the program start date June 1, 2026, unless you are continuing your education in the semester following your graduation.  

  1. You must currently have and maintain through June 1, 2026, a minimum of a 3.0 GPA.  If you are a first-semester freshman, you must have maintained a 3.0 high school GPA.
  2. You must complete this application, upload an unofficial transcript and 2026 Program Terms Acknowledgement Form by 11:59 p.m. ET on May 2, 2025.
    • Your School Certification Form (or Enrollment Verification Certificate) confirming your graduation date and student status is optional but highly recommended.
  3. You must be able to successfully complete a Top-Secret security clearance background investigation which includes a drug test, fingerprinting, polygraph, and be in the continental United States, Hawaii, or San Juan for some parts of your background investigation.   Please review automatic disqualifiers below.
  4. You must be a full-time student articulating towards a degree at an accredited U.S. college or university throughout the application process (cycle).


Upon acceptance of the conditional job offer you will need to fill out an SF-86 (click here for sample SF-86), and have your initial processing completed no later than October 2, 2025.

Background Investigation

If selected, you must successfully complete a comprehensive background investigation. Before that investigation is initiated, you must complete the SF-86: Questionnaire for National Security Positions. You must then meet with a special agent for an interview, pass a polygraph examination focused on your responses on the SF-86, and pass a urinalysis drug test. The background investigation will include a check of your credit history and criminal record, and interviews with prior employers, references, co-workers, personal associates, family members, and friends. Based on the information obtained during this background investigation, you may be disqualified from selection or removed from employment.


You cannot begin the internship until the background investigation has been completed and you are cleared for hire.  A full-scope background investigation can take six months or longer to process, in which some parts of the process will require you to be physically present and located in the United States.  Not being physically present and/or available, could delay your processing and start date of the internship.  Your investigation timeline may vary depending on the complexity of your background, the number of places you have lived, overseas travel, and more.  


To best manage the process, the FBI has deadlines for key milestones in the background investigation:


Those selected candidates that have not successfully completed their SF-86, interview, polygraph, and drug test by October 2, 2025, may be discontinued from the process.


Those selected candidates whose investigative phase of their background is not completed by March 2, 2026, may be discontinued.

Automatic Disqualifiers

You must meet ALL eligibility requirements posted on our Employment Eligibility page.  During the polygraph, you will be asked questions related to these requirements. You will be automatically eliminated from the application process if you meet any of the following disqualifiers:

  • You are not a U.S. Citizen (born or naturalized)
  • You have been convicted of a felony
  • You have used illegal drugs in violation of the FBI Employment Drug Policy
  • You have defaulted on a student loan insured by the U.S. Government
  • You have failed an FBI-administered urinalysis drug test
  • You have failed to register with the Selective Service System (males only – exceptions apply. Please click here to view exceptions.)

Please note:  If you do not meet all the key requirements or have any of the automatic disqualifiers, you are NOT eligible for the Honors Internship Program and/or employment with the FBI.

If you fail the polygraph because you withheld information about illegal drug use, criminal activity, or any other violation, you will be automatically disqualified from this and ALL future employment with the FBI.  Also, failing the polygraph or background investigation will likely negatively affect future employment opportunities with the U.S. Intelligence Community and with any other agency of the federal government.

Completing the Application

You must complete this application and upload all required documents by 11:59 p.m. ET on May 2, 2025.  If applying online is a hardship, please request assistance by sending an email before the application closing date to FBI_Internship@fbi.gov with “Intern Application Hardship” in the subject line.

If you are selected for the program, you will have to go to the FBI Field Office closest to your address for the interview, polygraph, and drug test.  To determine which field office you will visit, you must list an address within the United States where you will be for the majority of time from July 28, 2025 to October 2, 2025.  Be sure that you enter the correct address so you can be assigned to the appropriate field office.

If you are selected for this internship and your student status changes (e.g., you graduate early with no follow-on plans for education), then you must notify us before the start of the internship as you will no longer be eligible to participate as an intern.

Required Documents

Along with a completed application, you must submit the following additional documentation: Resume (Federal format preferred), Unofficial Transcript and the 2026 Program Terms Acknowledgement Form. To confirm your current student status and graduation date an Enrollment Verification Certificate is optional but highly recommended.  You must provide all required documents before the application closes on May 2, 2025, at 11:59 PM ET to be considered for the Honors Internship Program. If you are missing any of the required documents, your application may be discontinued.

Required documents must be uploaded as .PDF files.  Do not submit any of these file types: HTML, TIF, JPEG, DOC, DOCX, Password Protected, or Web Link.

In some circumstances, you may be required to upload additional documents.  If any of the following situations apply to you, submit the documents noted below:

  • 1st Semester Undergraduate Freshmen/No GPA: Unofficial College Transcripts, High School Transcripts, and 2026 Program Terms Acknowledgement Form.  Your unofficial transcripts must show that you have enrolled in classes and are a full-time student at an accredited institution.
  • 1st Semester Undergraduate Transfer/Graduate Students: Unofficial Transcripts from previous school, Unofficial Transcripts from current school and 2026 Program Terms Acknowledgement Form.
  • If you are graduating before the program starts, you must indicate your intentions of continuing your education to be eligible for the Honors Internship Program in your application, i.e., site your anticipated post-bachelor’s degree graduation date on your resume, etc.  You must submit these forms at the time of application: Unofficial Transcripts and 2026 Program Terms Acknowledgement Form. Participation in the Honors Internship Program will be contingent upon receipt of your Program Acceptance Letter.
  • Veterans: Unofficial Transcripts, 2026 Program Terms Acknowledgement Form, and DD-214
  • Disabled Veterans: Unofficial Transcripts, 2026 Program Terms Acknowledgement Form, DD-214, SF-15, and VA letter dated 1991 or later.

Veterans’ Preference

If you are entitled to Veterans’ Preference, you must indicate on your resume and application the type of Veterans’ Preference you are claiming. To enable the FBI to verify your Veterans’ Preference entitlement, please provide a copy of your DD-214 with your application, and if you are a disabled veteran, please also include a copy of your SF-15 and VA letter dated 1991 or later.

Housing/Travel

Relocation and housing costs are not provided.  You are responsible for making your own housing arrangements. The FBI will not intervene in any contractual arrangements negotiated between you and a housing provider.    The FBI strongly recommends that you wait to sign any formal agreement with a housing provider until you have received a Final Offer Letter upon your successful completion of the FBI background investigation process. The FBI is not responsible for any housing or travel expenses incurred by you, nor can we guarantee an internship start date until your background investigation is complete and you have been cleared for hire.