The Internship Program provides students in high schools, colleges, trades schools and other qualifying educational institutions, as defined in § 362.102 of this part, the opportunity to explore Federal careers as paid employees while completing their education. Students appointed under this authority are referred to as Interns.

In this subpart:

Intern not-to-exceed (Intern NTE) means an Intern appointed for an initial period not to exceed one year.

Student means an individual who is:

(1) Accepted for enrollment or enrolled and seeking a degree (diploma, certificate, etc.) in a qualifying educational institution, on a full or half-time basis (as defined by the institution in which the student is enrolled), including awardees of the Harry S. Truman Foundation Scholarship Program under Public Law 93-842. Students need not be in physical attendance, so long as all other requirements are met. An individual who needs to complete less than the equivalent of half an academic/vocational or technical course-load immediately prior to graduating is still considered a student for purposes of this Program; or

(2) Enrolled or accepted for enrollment in a qualifying career or technical education program that awards a recognized postsecondary credential.

(a) Announcement—(1) Public notification requirement. An agency must adhere to merit system principles and thus must provide public notification in a manner designed to recruit qualified individuals from appropriate sources in an endeavor to draw from all segments of society. An Executive department may treat each of its bureaus or components (i.e., the first major subdivision that is separately organized and clearly distinguished from other bureaus or components in work function and operation) as a separate agency or as part of one agency but must do so consistent with its Delegated Examining Agreement.

(2) Meeting the public notification requirement. An agency may use any of the following options for meeting the public notification requirement:

(i) Posting a searchable announcement on www.USAJOBS.gov; or

(ii) Posting job information with a link to a USAJOBS custom job announcement on the agency's public facing career or job information web page. This public facing web page must provide applicants with information about how to apply or seek additional information about the position(s) being filled.

(iii) The agency may also consider whether additional recruitment and advertisement activities to supplement paragraphs (a)(2)(i) and (ii) of this section, such as posting to third-party websites, are necessary or appropriate to further support merit system principles.

(3) Contents of announcements. Announcements used to meet the public notification requirement must include:

(i) Position information. Position title, series, and grade;

(ii) Position location. Geographic location where the position will be filled;

(iii) Appointment length. Duration of the appointment;

(iv) Salary information. The starting salary of the position;

(v) Qualifications. The minimum qualifications of the position;

(vi) Promotion potential. Whether the individual in the position will be eligible for promotion to higher grade levels;

(vii) Conversion information. The potential for conversion to the agency's permanent workforce;

(viii) How to apply. A public source (e.g., a link to the location on the agency's website with information on how to apply) for interested individuals to seek further information about how to apply for Intern opportunities;

(ix) Equal employment information. Equal employment opportunity statement (agencies may use the recommended equal employment opportunity statement located on OPM's USAJOBS website);

(x) Reasonable accommodation information. Reasonable accommodation statement;

(xi) Other relevant information. Any other relevant information about the position such as telework opportunities, recruitment incentives, etc.; and

(xii) Other requirements. Any other information OPM considers appropriate.

(4) Other information. OPM will publish information on Pathways Internship opportunities in such form as the Director may determine.

(b) Eligibility. Except as provided in paragraph (h) of this section, Interns must meet the definition of student in § 362.202 throughout the duration of their appointment.

(c) Qualifications. Individuals may be evaluated against either agency-developed standards or the OPM Qualification Standard for the position being filled.

(d) Appointments. (1) An agency may make Intern appointments, pursuant to its Pathways Policy, using the Schedule D excepted service appointing authority provided in § 213.3402(a) of this chapter.

(2) Appointments may be made to any position for which the individual is qualified. The duties of the position to which the individual is appointed should be related to either the Intern's academic or career goals.

(3) An agency may:

(i) Appoint an Intern for an initial period expected to last more than 1 year. Intern appointments are not required to have an end date. However, agencies are required to specify an end date of the appointment in the Participant Agreement with the Intern; or

(ii) Appoint an Intern on a temporary basis, not to exceed 1 year, to complete temporary projects, to perform labor-intensive tasks not requiring subject-matter expertise, or to fill traditional summer jobs. The agency may extend these temporary appointments as provided in part 213 of this chapter.

(e) Promotion. An agency may promote an Intern, on an initial appointment expected to last more than one year (without a not to exceed (NTE) date) who meets the qualification requirements for the position. An Intern NTE on a temporary appointment is not eligible for promotion. This paragraph (e) does not confer entitlement to promotion.

(f) Classification. (1) Intern positions under the General Schedule or appropriate pay plan must be classified to the -99 series of the appropriate occupational group.

(2) Intern positions under the Federal Wage System must be classified to the -01 series of the appropriate occupational group.

(g) Schedules. There are no limitations on the number of hours an Intern can work per week (so long as any applicable laws and regulations governing overtime and hours of work are adhered to). Agencies and students should agree on a formally-arranged schedule of school and work so that:

(1) Work responsibilities do not interfere with academic schedule;

(2) Completion of the educational program (awarding of diploma/certificate/degree) and the Internship Program is accomplished in a reasonable and appropriate timeframe;

(3) The agency is informed of and prepared for the student's periods of employment; and

(4) Requirements for noncompetitive conversion to a term or permanent position in the competitive service are understood by all parties.

(h) Breaks in program. A break in program is defined as a period of time when an Intern is working but is unable to go to school, or is neither attending classes nor working at the agency. An agency may use its discretion in either approving or denying a request for a break in program.

(i) Required developmental activities. Agencies are required to provide appropriate training and development activities to Interns regardless of the length of the appointment. OPM recommends that agencies ensure, within 45 days of appointment, that each Intern appointed for an initial period expected to last more than 1 year, or an Intern NTE appointed for more than 90 days, documents planned training activities in a training plan, Individual Development Plan (IDP), or the Pathways Participant Agreement that is approved by their supervisor. Documentation of training activities is also recommended for an Intern NTE appointed for an initial period less than 90 days. Appropriate training opportunities may include but are not limited to on-the-job training activities, formal training classes, mentoring sessions, testing products or tools, organizing work activities or functions, and assisting colleagues with projects or tasks.

(a) An agency may noncompetitively convert an Intern who is a U.S. citizen, to a term or permanent appointment in the competitive service.

(b) To be eligible for conversion, the Intern must have:

(1) Completed at least 480 hours of work experience acquired through the Internship Program, except as provided in paragraphs (c) and (d) of this section, while enrolled as a full-time or part-time, degree- or certificate-seeking student or participant in a career or technical education program. (An agency may require a minimum that is higher than 480, including setting varying minimums for different types of positions);

(2) Completed a course of academic study or a career and technical education program, within the 180-day period preceding the appointment, at a qualifying educational institution conferring a diploma, certificate, or degree; or successful completion in a qualifying career or technical educational program;

(3) Received a favorable recommendation for appointment by an official of the agency or agencies in which the Intern served;

(4) Met the qualification standards for the position to which the Intern will be converted; and

(5) Met agency-specific requirements as specified in the agency's Participant Agreement with the Intern.

(c)(1) Subject to the limitations in paragraph (e) of this section, an agency may evaluate, consider, and grant credit for up to one-half of the service requirement in paragraph (b)(1) of this section for comparable non-Federal internship experience in a field or functional area related to the student's target position and acquired while the student:

(i) Worked in, but not for, a Federal agency, pursuant to a formal internship agreement, comparable to the Internship Program under this subpart, between the agency and an accredited academic institution;

(ii) Worked in, but not for, a Federal agency, pursuant to a written contract with a third-party internship provider officially established to provide internship experiences to students that are comparable to the Internship Program under this subpart;

(iii) Served as an active-duty member of the armed forces (including the National Guard and Reserves), as defined in 5 U.S.C. 2101,provided; or

(iv) Worked in a Registered Apprenticeship Program at a Federal Agency (prior to appointment as an Intern).

(2) Student volunteer service under part 308 of this chapter, and other Federal programs designed to give internship experience to students (e.g., fellowships and similar programs) including a Department of Labor Job Corps Program prior to an intern appointment may be evaluated, considered, and credited under this section when the agency determines the experience is comparable to experience gained in the Internship Program.

(d) An agency may waive up to one-half of the minimum service requirement in paragraph (b)(1) of this section provided the Intern has completed at least 320 hours of career-related work experience under an Internship Program appointment with exceptional job performance and demonstrates high potential in an academic or career and technical education program. For purposes of this paragraph (d):

(1) Exceptional job performance means a formal evaluation conducted by the student's internship supervisor(s), consistent with the agency performance appraisal program that results in a rating of record (or summary rating) of higher than Fully Successful or equivalent.

(2) Demonstrates high potential in an academic or career and technical education program means attaining at least one of the following:

(i) An overall grade point average of 3.5 or better, on a 4.0 scale;

(ii) Standing in the top 10 percent of the student's graduating class;

(iii) Induction into a nationally recognized scholastic honor society; or

(iv) A letter of recommendation attesting to the Intern's outstanding program performance from an instructor or program administrator.

(e) An agency may not grant a credit or waiver (or a combination of a credit and waiver) unless the Intern has performed at least 320 hours under a Pathways Internship appointment. An agency may not grant a credit or waiver (or a combination of a credit and waiver) totaling more than 320 hours.

(a) Reduction in force. Interns and Interns NTE are covered by part 351 of this chapter for purposes of RIF.

(1) Tenure Groups. (i) An Intern serving under an appointment for an initial period expected to last more than 1 year is in excepted service Tenure Group II.

(ii) An Intern NTE who has not completed 1 year of service, is in excepted service Tenure Group 0.

(iii) An Intern NTE serving under a temporary appointment not to exceed 1 year, who has completed 1 year of current, continuous service, is in excepted service Tenure Group III.

(2) [Reserved]

(b) Termination—(1) Intern. As a condition of employment an Intern appointment expires 180 calendar days after completion of the designated academic course of study or career and technical education program, unless the Participant is selected for noncompetitive conversion under § 362.204.

(2) Intern NTE. As a condition of employment an Intern NTE appointment expires upon expiration of the temporary internship appointment, unless the Participant is selected for noncompetitive conversion under § 362.204.