• Home »
• Education »
• Education Programs

Graduate Internships are awarded to qualified master's and doctoral degree candidates in science, mathematics, engineering, and technology or other areas that support the Department of Energy's mission for the INL. The awards are made available through funding from the Department of Energy and the INL. These internships provide the opportunity to conduct thesis or dissertation research or to explore research and technology career options.

NOTE: Foreign national students who wish to apply for an INL undergraduate or graduate internship, must be currently attending a United States university on a F-1 visa and if selected, will be required to initiate a Curricular Practical Training (CPT) or Optional Practical Training (OPT) with your university visa office/department in order to be eligible to be employed at INL. If you meet the eligibility criteria, please click on this link online application to apply.

Eligibility

• Full-time Masters and Doctoral degree students at an accredited college or university (minimum 9 credits per semester or completion of course work and full-time status for credits to complete thesis or dissertation)
• Maintain a minimum cumulative 3.0 GPA
• Awards are contingent upon INL security access approval if located at the INL

Qualifications

Applicants will be reviewed on the basis of academic performance, research potential, career goals, recommendations, and compatibility of education interests and proposed research with the resources of the INL.

Duration

• Graduate internships range from a minimum 8 weeks up to a maximum of 3 years per award type.
• Internships may be awarded anytime throughout the year
• Terms of an award are written for a maximum one year increment
• Mentors may request an extension to their student's original award. The student must provide an updated transcript and a list of courses for each continuing semester to verify proof of meeting the eligibility criteria of our internship program.

Award

If student internship is located at the college/university, university stipend standards may be enforced. If the student internship is based at the INL, the following hourly wage scale is used.

Wages can be adjusted to part-time, 20 hours or less, during the academic year to reflect full-time student status. Students are encouraged to seek academic credit at their home institution for their internship. If a student completes his/her Masters degree and is accepted into a Doctoral program, the student must provide proof of acceptance to Education Programs.

Optional Allowances:

• Housing: Interns may receive a housing allowance of $100/week based on mentor approval (determined by permanent residence if greater than 50-mile radius of Idaho Falls).
• Travel to Idaho Falls: One round trip travel based on mentor approval, program requirements and federal government travel regulations. Distance traveled one way must be greater than 50-mile radius of Idaho Falls. If driving, students will receive reimbursement for mileage, per diem and lodging along the way per Federal Travel Regulations (FTR).

Internship program process

• Students become Battelle Energy Alliance (BEA) temporary part-time employees
• Paid weekly based on a monthly salary rate set by INL internship program
• Taxes are withheld from paycheck
• Receive holiday pay based on average hours worked
• Follow INL holiday schedule
• Do not receive medical or retirement benefits

Application Information

Key Dates

Only a complete application consisting of a submitted online application and two submitted online recommendations will be forwarded to mentors for review and selection.

Complete the online application.