HONORS INTERNSHIP PROGRAM
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
What is the process to getting hired as an FBI Honors Intern?
There are four stages in the hiring process:
1. Initial Selection and Interviews – The most competitive candidates will be invited for
interviews.
2. Final Selection and Conditional Offer – Selections are based upon academic achievements,
are of study, life/work experiences, and the needs of the FBI. If you are selected, you will
receive a conditional offer of employment by the FBI. This offer is contingent upon the
successful completion and favorable adjudication of your full background investigation and
the receipt of an FBI Top Secret security clearance.
3. Background Investigation – Candidates who accept a conditional job offer will be sent an e-
APP application invite via email and will be scheduled for a Personnel Security Interview,
pre-employment polygraph examination, urinalysis test, and ngerprinting. FBI background
investigators will contact former and current employers, references, social acquaintances,
and neighbors. Those conducting the background investigation will also review your school,
credit, arrest, medical, and military records. The length of your background investigation
depends on a number of different variables, including how quickly and thoroughly you
complete and submit the e-APP application, the extent of your foreign travel or time living
abroad, and inconsistencies in the application and investigation process. Please see the
Background Investigation portion of this site for more information on the FBI Background
Investigation process.
4. Enter on Duty – Upon issuance of a Top Secret security clearance, you will be contacted and
scheduled for an enter-on-duty (EOD) date. The FBI Honors Internship Program begins in the
summer.
How does the FBI Honors Internship Program background
investigation process work?
The hiring process will depend on the length of the background investigation. When conditional job
offers are made and the candidates complete the necessary e-APP application and preliminary
processing, the FBI will begin the background investigation. Background investigation length can
be affected by things like foreign travel, international friends or contacts, and other factors.
However, most entry-on-duties (EOD) will take place during the summer after applications are due.
Who is my point of contact during the application process?
The applicant coordinator, or designated representative from your local FBI eld oce, is your
point of contact throughout this process.
HIP: Frequently Asked Questions and Answers
2
May I apply to both the Honors Internship Program and
Collegiate Hiring Initiative at the same time?
No. The Honors Internship Program is for students who have not yet graduated or who are not
graduating until at least fall of the year after they apply.
The Collegiate Hiring Initiative is for students who are graduating through summer of the year they
apply or who have graduated within 24 months of applying.
If I have taken illegal drugs in the past, can I still work for the
FBI?
You cannot have used marijuana or cannabis in any form (natural or synthetic) and in any location
(domestic or foreign) within the one year preceding the date of your application for employment.
You cannot have used any illegal drug, other than marijuana, 10 years preceding the date of the
application for employment.
You will be found unsuitable for employment and automatically disqualied if you deliberately
misrepresent your drug history in connection with your application for employment. For a complete
list of disqualifying criteria, please see FBIJobs.gov/eligibility.
If I have traveled or lived abroad, will that hinder my receiving a
security clearance?
Many of the permanent positions at the FBI are internationally oriented, and experience living or
traveling abroad is often viewed as a positive experience. However, there are cases in which
national security concerns may arise. Extensive foreign experiences may delay the background
investigation process if there is diculty verifying information on the application.
I am citizen of another country. May I apply?
You must be a United States citizen to apply. If you are a United States citizen with dual citizenship,
you may apply if you are willing to renounce your non-U.S. citizenship. Dual citizens who renounce
their non-U.S. citizenship will be required to execute a declaration form.
My background investigation is taking a long time, and the
program begins soon. Should I assume I have been disqualied?
Yes, if you background investigation has not been completed by mid-May. However, to verify your
application status, please contact F[email protected].
HIP: Frequently Asked Questions and Answers
3
Does the FBI furnish housing for Honors Interns?
No. The FBI does not pay for or provide housing or travel expenses. However, we do provide
recommendations for housing for interns assigned within the National Capital Region. Intern
applicants may also consider selecting location preferences on their internship application where
they have family or friends that can host them for the summer.
Can I have roommates who are not FBI employees?
Yes. However, all roommates must undergo a security check. Upon entering on duty, you and your
roommates must complete a roommate background data form.
How will I get to work, and do I need a car?
FBI Headquarters or Washington Field Oce interns can use Washington Metropolitan Area Transit
Authority (WMATA) Metrorail and Metrobus services. Use the WMATA website to determine routes
and fares. Transit subsidies are available contingent upon available funding.
Field oce assigned interns or hires are expected to live within a commutable distance to the
oce they are applying to and use the most appropriate transportation. An intern or employee may
drive to his or her assignment, but travel expenses are not reimbursed. Individuals working in
Quantico, Virginia, or Clarksburg, West Virginia, must have their own method of transportation to
and from work.
May I take any time off during the internship?
Yes. Interns earn annual and sick leave while on a full-time schedule for 10 weeks during the
summer only. As a guideline, interns may take “leave” approximately one day per month.
How should I dress for work?
Appropriate attire includes business suits, sports jackets and slacks, shirts, ties, business dresses,
dress suits, pant suits, and professional blouses.
What type of projects do Honors Interns work on?
Interns work on a variety of projects, including (but not limited to): analyzing crime data, developing
portals to facilitate the exchange of information between law enforcement agencies and the FBI,
supporting operations, and aiding with divisions audits to ensure compliance with FBI regulation.
HIP: Frequently Asked Questions and Answers
4
Will I be offered a full-time position with the FBI at the
conclusion of my Honors Internship?
Interns are not guaranteed a job offer for a full-time position. However, interns who have graduated
and receive recommendations for hire may be extended a job offer. If the job offer is accepted,
they are converted to a permanent position pending their completion of 16 hours per month of
work at the eld oce during the rest of their academic tenure. This 16 hours ensures the student
is able to maintain his or her security clearance according to OPM’s guidelines.
What is a DD-214?
The DD-214 is a document of the United States Department of Defense (DOD) issued upon a
military service member’s retirement, separation, or discharge from active-duty military.
