The Bank Internship offers highly motivated and successful individuals an opportunity to improve their skills while working in a diverse environment. Interns generally find the experience to be rewarding and interesting.
To be eligible for the Internship, candidates must possess an undergraduate degree and already be enrolled in a full-time graduate study program (pursuing a Master's degree or PhD with plans to return to school in a full-time capacity. Generally, successful candidates have completed their first year of graduate studies or are already into their PhD programs.
This Internship typically seeks candidates in the following fields: economics, finance, human development (public health, education, nutrition, population), social science (anthropology, sociology), agriculture, environment, private sector development, as well as other related fields. Fluency in English is required. Prior relevant work experience, computing skills, as well as knowledge of languages such as French, Spanish, Russian, Arabic, Portuguese, and Chinese are advantageous.
The Bank pays an hourly salary to all Interns and, where applicable, provides an allowance towards travel expenses. Interns are responsible for their own living accommodations. Most positions are located in Washington, DC (some positions are offered in country offices) and are a minimum of four weeks in duration.
What is the advantage for the World Bank in hiring interns?
The advantage for the Bank in offering these opportunities to students is that we get temporary assistance from students who are typically very knowledgeable in particular fields. They bring a diversity of ideas from universities around the world.
How many internships do you have?
We typically receive about 5,000 applications each year for the Summer and 2,000-3,000 applications for the Winter. The number of interns hired for a given year are approximately 150-200, depending on the needs of Bank managers and their budget circumstances. Managers are usually asked to submit their summer vacancy information to our office by end-March and their Winter by mid-late November.
What fields of studies are most in demand by the Bank?
The most common fields of study are: economics, finance, human development (public health, education, nutrition, population), social sciences (anthropology, sociology), agriculture, environment, and private sector development.
How are interns paid?
Interns are paid on an hourly basis for the actual hours worked -- they are not paid for weekends or public holidays unless they actually work on those days. The salary is determined by a market comparison based on education and work experience and may change from year to year based on current market rates. The only variation in salary among interns is that U.S. nationals are paid a gross salary for tax reasons and foreign nationals are paid a net salary. Interns are responsible for their housing and subsistence from their salaries.
Will I be notified if I am not selected?
We do not send out any notice if you have not been selected. Unfortunately, given that we typically receive about 5,000 applications each year for the Summer Program and 2,000-3,000 for the Winter Program, we are only able to acknowledge that your application has been received. If you have applied on-line, this acknowledgment is forwarded to you as soon as your application is successfully transmitted.
How can I find out about the status of my application?
Unless you hear from the Internship office, we do not have any information to share with you. We will contact candidates immediately once a manager informs this office of their selection for a particular vacancy they wish to fill with an Intern.
The World Bank Group Internship is offered during two seasons:
Summer (June-September)
- The application period for the Summer is December 1 - January 31 each year.
Winter (December-March)
- The application period for the Winter is September 1 - October 31 each year.
All applications MUST be submitted on-line (using the "Apply Now" button on the top of this page - available during the application period only).
Applications submitted after the deadline are not considered.
