HNIP National Federal Internship Program
Connecting college students to paid federal internships since 1992

We are your employer on record. The program acts as a federal contractor of the federal government, and interns are sub-contractors.

For hybrid or in-person positions requiring relocation to Washington, D.C., HNIP arranges housing. HNIP does not pay for housing but fully arranges it with no upfront cost. Interns live together in furnished apartments with no credit check, no security deposit, and no upfront fees. Rent is deducted equally from bi-weekly paychecks. Interns may alternatively arrange their own housing.

For hybrid or in-person internships requiring relocation, first-time transportation to housing is arranged and covered by HNIP.

Most positions require current enrollment. However, limited positions exist for recent graduates. Spring graduates are eligible up to the summer session of the same year.

No. The pay rate is based on your degree level at the time of the internship. You would be paid at the undergraduate rate for the summer session.

You may mention specific agencies as a separate sentence before your essay. However, keep the rest of your application generic, as HNIP can submit your application to multiple agencies. Be detail-rich in describing your qualifications but not overly agency-specific.

Internships are 40 hours per week full-time. Some agencies accommodate part-time schedules at a minimum of 20 hours per week.

• In Progress: Your application has not yet been submitted.
• Submitted: Your application has been submitted but is either pending HNIP staff review or is incomplete/missing required documents.
• Eligible: Your application has been reviewed, is complete, and you are eligible for consideration for available positions.

Only general contact information can be edited directly through your account. For document changes, email updated PDFs to hnip@hnip.us with your full name, session, and document type. For resume, work history, or education edits, email hnip@hnip.us and staff will either make edits or revert your application to in-progress status.

Please submit a support ticket or contact HNIP at hnip@hnip.us for technical assistance with your application.

Once your application is marked eligible, it is considered for all matching positions. HNIP reviews the applicant pool when agencies submit openings and submits qualified applications to agencies. Agencies submit requests at varying timelines throughout the session. After the last position is filled (likely a few weeks into the session), non-selected applicants are notified via email.

Absolutely! Positions change each session as agencies submit new openings. Update your application with new accomplishments, activities, and transcripts to strengthen your candidacy.