Announcement Number: San Jose – 2023
Position: Fall 2023: Foreign National Student Internship Program
Opening Period: September 2023 through November/December 2023
Who May Apply: Students who are citizens or permanent residents of Costa Rica
Work Hours: Part-Time (20 hours per week)
The FNSIP is designed for students who are citizens or permanent legal residents of Costa Rica seeking internships with the U.S. Mission, in San Jose, Costa Rica. The program benefits both the Mission and students by providing participants with valuable, educational, and relevant work experience, and/or academic credits, and assists the Mission in meeting its goals, including strengthening and broadening ties between Costa Rica and the United States.
The program is open to all qualified students and provides the opportunity to work for a limited period to be determined by the Mission (no more than 4 months). Post’s FNSIP program is administered in compliance with both U.S. and Costa Rican law.
NOTE: No benefits (i.e. food or transportation) or compensation will accrue from an internship, nor any future employment rights.
Eligibility Requirements
- Age: Students must be at least 18 years old at the time of participation in the program.
- High School Degree: Students must have graduated from high school or equivalent secondary school prior to beginning the program.
- Citizenship/Legal Residence: The FNSIP is only open to students who are either citizens or permanent legal residents of Costa Rica.
- Meet Definition of Student: Applicants must meet the definition of student, as defined in 5 CFR § 308.101: “Student is an individual who is enrolled not less than half-time in a high school, trade school, technical or vocational institute, junior college, college, university or other accredited educational institution. An individual who is a student is deemed not to have ceased to be a student during an interim between school years if the interim is not more than 5 months and if such individual shows to the satisfaction of the agency that the individual has a bona fide intention of continuing to pursue a course of study or training in the same or different educational institution during the school semester (or other period into which the school year is divided) immediately after the interim.”
- Transcript and Permission: Applicants must be in good academic standing at their current educational institution and must provide a certified transcript verifying this. Applicants must also provide written permission from the educational institution at which they are currently enrolled to participate in the FNSIP.
- Security and Medical Certifications: Applicants must receive a successful security certification and medical certification from the Embassy prior to beginning the program.
- Medical Insurance: Applicants must have their own medical insurance, for the duration of the internship.
Available Positions
The following employment opportunity is available.
Consular section
Duties to be performed
- Support all Consular operations, aiding with the American Citizen Service and Visas teams.
The Consular section has 48 team members, including the Federal Benefits Unit. The team is responsible for the safety and well-being of U.S. Citizens in Costa Rica. The team also provides immigrant and nonimmigrant visa services.
Information Management Assistant
Duties to be performed
Perform basic system administration tasks such as imaging and replacing computers.
- Install software.
- Provide customers operational guidance on computer application software such as the Microsoft Office suite and Internet Explorer.
- Assist IRM staff with receiving, inventory, and dispose of IT equipment in accordance with property management guidelines.
Political Assistant
Duties to be performed
- Update cabinet contacts.
- Draft biographies of political leaders.
- Updates contacts at CRM database.
- Start drafting gratuities lists.
- Do research in internet for officers.
- Help gather information for office reports.
Human Resources assistant
Duties to be performed:
- Duties such as filing, shredding, making copies, scanning, calling candidates to set up interviews, preparing letters, coordinating English tests, ordering supplies, preparing reports, setting up appointments, etc.
How to Apply
Interested applicants must submit ALL of the following information to SanJoseInterns@state.gov:
- Completed Internship Application Form
- Any other documentation (e.g., certificates, awards, copies of degrees earned) that addresses the qualification requirements of the position as listed above.
- Letter from University specifying current enrollment on their institution.
Please note that incomplete packages will NOT be accepted after the Vacancy Announcement closing date of June 23, 2023.