About the Program  

Who is eligible?

The New New York Leaders: Student Intern Program attracts talented students from undergraduate and graduate programs at colleges and universities throughout New York State, as well as New York State residents enrolled out of state. Students must be actively enrolled in an accredited program at a degree-granting two or four-year college or university, completed a minimum of one year as a student, and have a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 2.0, or the letter grade equivalent. Applicants may come from any academic discipline. Candidates must be available to work at assigned New York State offices.

How does it work?

Please use the Student Intern Program Portal to submit applications, upload resumes, and indicate preferences for internship opportunities. Participating state agencies will then review applicants, conduct interviews, and, if applicable offer internship positions to selected candidates.

Once you have been selected for an internship, you will be contacted by agency personnel. If you accept an internship opportunity, you are essentially accepting a position with the agency. Many of the rules of normal employment will apply to you, and your hiring agency will provide an orientation when you start.

The Application 

How do I apply?

Students use the Student Intern Program Portal to submit applications, upload resumes, and select your preferences for internship opportunities.

When can I apply for an internship?

Applications for the New New York Leaders: Student Intern Program are reviewed and accepted for three sessions each year: Spring, Summer, and Fall.

The summer session, beginning in May, offers student interns a condensed and intensive experience. Summer session interns work for 8 to 10 weeks. The number of hours per week vary based on the needs of the student and agency.

Do I have to reapply each session?

Yes. By applying each session, you can provide the most current information on your application and select new opportunities.

How many internship opportunities may I apply for?

There is no limit to how many internship opportunities you may apply. You are encouraged to apply to all that interest you. However, you may also be considered for internships for which you do not apply.

What information do I provide in my application?

The internship application guides you through six distinct components:

• Attestation - where you confirm you meet eligibility requirements
• Contact Information - where you enter your mailing address, phone number, and email address
• Academic Information - where you provide your academic information, such as college name, major, standing, and GPA
• Internship Preferences - where you select your occupational interests, tell us how many hours/weeks you are available, indicate if you plan on receiving college credit for your internship, and tell us which New York State counties you would like to work
• Activities - where you have the opportunity to tell us about some additional activities in which you participate (optional)
• Document Upload - where you upload your required resume, along with a writing sample and/or letter of recommendation

After you provide the above information, you will be shown a summary of your information, which you may print. You can continue to update your application information until the submission deadline.

What happens after my application is submitted?

After the application filing period, agencies review their listings and contact selected candidates for interviews. After the interview process, agencies select and contact the candidate(s).

Can I add information and upload documents to my application after the filing period closes?

No. Once the application period has ended you are unable to upload documents or add additional information to your application. The next opportunity to upload and update information is during the next application filing period.

When will I be contacted by agencies?

There is no specific timeframe an applicant can expect to be contacted by agencies. Typically, agencies contact candidates several weeks before the end close of the application period for a given session. You may refer to the Student Intern Program Portal to check on the status of your internship.

Internship Details  

How long is the intern program?

The Fall and Spring sessions are 12 to 13 weeks long. The summer session lasts 8 to 10 weeks. The number of hours per week will vary based on the needs of the student and agency.

Do I get paid? Can I receive academic credit?

Monetary compensation may be available for some internship opportunities. Colleges and universities may grant academic credit. "For credit" internships will require an understanding between your educational institution and the host agency. You will be responsible for facilitating that understanding and fulfill all the requirements agreed upon.

Where are internship opportunities located?

Internship positions are available in various locations around New York State including, but not limited to, Albany, New York City, Buffalo, Syracuse, Watertown, and Utica.

Additional Information 

What professional skills should a student intern have?

A student intern should have the following skills:

• Analytical and evaluative skills
• Interpersonal and communication skills
• Organizational skills, efficiency, and flexibility
• Computer skills, including familiarity with Microsoft products (MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint), email software, internet searching, and other programs

What other information can I access in the Internship Portal?

Once your application has been completed, you are invited to click on the "All Internships" link to review all available internship opportunities and select any internships you are interested in. State agencies will be informed of your interest in their internship opportunity.

Once you have selected internships, click on the "My Internship" link to see a complete list of the internships you selected. From here, you can also enter comments for the agency to review, letting them know why you have an interest in their internship opportunity.

How do I know if an internship has been filled?

In the Internship Portal, there is an option to "View Internships" on the left-hand side navigation bar . When you click on "View Internships", a list of all internships for the most recent session is displayed. The column farthest to the right shows whether an internship is filled.

What is the Student Intern Program contact information?

If you have any questions or would like more information on the New New York Leaders: Student Intern Program, please contact Student Intern Program Staff at nysinternships@cs.ny.gov or at (518) 473-9945.