Economic Research Division Internships

Dissertation Internships

The Divisions of International Finance, Monetary Affairs, and Research and Statistics, offer paid internships for graduate students to conduct research at the Federal Reserve Board.

Internships are offered in the spring, summer, and fall.

Interns work on a topic of their own choosing, usually furthering dissertation research begun before the internship. Preference is given to Ph.D. candidates whose topics are in macroeconomics (broadly defined), international economics, finance, banking, and econometrics. Applications are also welcome from students working in other fields of economics.

Program	Application Deadline	Typical Tenure
Summer	April 1	June-September
Fall	April 1	September-December
Spring	November 15	March-May

Program Coordinators

• John Rogers (International Finance)
• Michael Palumbo (Research and Statistics)
• Egon Zakrajsek (Monetary Affairs)

To Apply

Send the following application material by e-mail to dissertationinterns@frb.gov:

• vita
• work from the thesis
• transcript of graduate work
• two letters of reference

Most dissertation internship positions do not require U.S. citizenship.

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Dissertation Internships Frequently Asked Questions

1. What types of dissertation topics are of interest to the Board?

   Because of its many responsibilities, the Board has broad research interests. Accordingly, we are interested in dissertation topics such as macroeconomics, labor, monetary policy, international trade and finance, banking (including regulatory issues), finance, and econometrics.

2. In what stage should my dissertation be to maximize my chances of acceptance?

   We find that fourth and fifth year students gain the most from this type of internship. Occasionally, a third year student is far enough along on his or her dissertation to gain the benefit of the program.

3. Do I have to be a U.S. citizen to apply to the dissertation internship program?

   No. However, candidates must be legally authorized to work in the United States.

4. Should I indicate my interest in the fall and spring sessions even though my primary interest is in the summer session?

   Yes. The number of applications for summer internships far exceeds the number of available positions. Because fewer students are available for fall and spring internships, the chances of being contacted for an internship are greater for those sessions.

5. Will someone notify me about the status of my application?

   Only selected candidates are contacted. Questions regarding application status may be directed to the committee at disserationinterns@frb.gov.

6. Should I send my application material to the Board by mail, fax, or e-mail?

   We prefer that all application material is sent by e-mail to dissertationinterns@frb.gov. Students should send a vita, work from the thesis, and an unofficial copy of the most recent transcript. Professors should send recommendation letters by e-mail.

7. Do I need to reside in Washington, D.C., during my internship?

   Yes. Interns “work” regular hours at the Board from Monday through Friday. Flexibility is given for visits back to the university as needed, although the Board does not pay for travel expenses.

8. How many interns are hired per session?

   Generally, six to eight internships are granted for the summer and three or four for the fall. Only one or two interns are usually hired for the spring session.

9. In addition to furthering dissertation research, are there other requirements during the internship?

   Interns are required to make one or two presentations during their stay, with the first one occurring early in the internship.

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