Internship FAQs

FAQs

Tab/Accordion Items

State government agencies submit project proposals by late August. The approved projects and program information are placed online by late October. Applications can be submitted as soon as project descriptions and application information are posted and the firm deadline for applications is mid-January; however, the application due date can change from year to year. Please check the website by October for the established application due date.

The Internship Council screens intern applications by mid-February and supervisors conduct interviews by the end of February. Applicants are informed of placement at the end of March and internships begin in late May.

Check the Internship Program website for current deadlines.

  • An applicant must be a permanent North Carolina resident attending a college, university, law school, community college or technical institute in North Carolina or a North Carolina resident attending an equivalent institution out of state.
  • Applicants must carry a 2.5 or greater overall grade point average on a 4.0 scale.
  • Applicant must be a high school graduate and must be at least 18 years old by Jan. 1, 2026.
  • Applicants must be continuing their education in the fall following their participation in the program.
  • To qualify for a law internship, applicants must have completed at least one year of law school before the beginning of the internship, unless other majors are listed.
  • Students having previously held paid internships with this program are not eligible to apply.
  • Applicants must be willing and able to work full-time for the entire 10-week internship. Applicants must be able to provide legal proof of identity and work authorization within three working days of employment.

All documents must be attached to each internship posting for which you apply:

  • Cover letters outlining the reasons you are interested in each project for which you apply. Address cover letters to the North Carolina Internship Council or to Jean McBride, Youth Programs Coordinator, 1320 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, North Carolina 27699-1320.
  • Professional résumé.
  • One copy of transcripts for all post-secondary grades. An unofficial student copy, obtained from your school’s website or registrar, is acceptable. Transcripts must verify current overall GPA.
  • Graduate and law students should submit an official schedule/course list if current grades are not available. Law students should include their current class rank when possible. If you have attended more than one college/university, include a transcript for each; graduate/law students should include undergraduate transcripts.
  • Brief legal writing samples (law students only). Limit sample to three pages. Include a copy for each law project to which you apply. Writing samples exceeding three pages will not be accepted.
  • Optional: Three professional references (must include name, contact information and relationship).

Yes! Each applicant to the Internship Program can select up to 3 projects for which to apply.

At most schools you can arrange academic credit for an internship, but details vary by institution. You will need to talk with your academic advisor or career center for information. When he or she needs a contact person for the internship, the contact may be either the Internship Coordinator or your supervisor.

The Division for Women & Youth cannot provide housing for you; however, we can provide referrals to others who can assist you.

The State of NC Internship Program is a 10-week program. Monday, May 18, 2026 will be the first day of work. 

An unofficial or student copy of your transcript is acceptable. Law students can submit transcripts when they become available. Transcript must include overall GPA.

A different cover letter for each position is not required; however, a cover letter is encouraged to be submitted for each position to which you are applying. If you wish to address each position in a separate letter, you are free to do so. 

You must attach all required documents to each posting for which you apply. 

No! There are internships available from the west of Raleigh (including the mountains) to the east (all the way to the beach).

To be eligible, applicants must be permanent residents of North Carolina. Providing a North Carolina driver’s license does not necessarily meet this requirement. Copies of utility bills or lease agreements demonstrate proof of address but not permanency of residency and therefore do not meet the requirement. 

Factors considered when determining North Carolina residency include but are not limited to:

  • Tuition/grant status;
  • Length of residency;
  • Permanent address/phone; and/or
  • State issuing driver’s license/ID. 

Students must be able to provide a permanent address in N.C. on the application form and must have lived in North Carolina for the 12 months preceding the application date, not the internship start date. 

Most importantly, applicants must either (1) pay in-state tuition at a UNC System institution or (2) receive the Legislative Tuition Grant, which was established for all in- state students attending eligible private colleges/universities in North Carolina. 

If a student attends a private college/university out-of-state or is a graduate/law student at a private institution, and therefore cannot distinguish residency by tuition status, DW&Y will use other information to determine their residency. This may include permanent address, voter’s registration, income taxes, length of time in North Carolina, driver’s license, and/or home ownership. 

U.S. citizenship is not a requirement of permanent residency in N.C.; however, an applicant should be able to demonstrate residency as required by all other applicants and demonstrate employment eligibility by proof of the required identification forms outlined in the I-9 Employment Eligibility Verification form. In most cases, a Permanent Resident Card will be required. 

DW&Y and the Internship Council recognize that in some cases, student residency can be difficult to determine in special situations such as parents living in two different states, graduate/law students who are financially independent, etc. If residency status is vague, DW&Y may request a residency statement from the applicant and allow the Internship Council to make the final review. Priority will be given to applications who are clearly residents of North Carolina.

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