Do you want to perform volunteer business operations work in a challenging yet professional environment? The SEC is actively recruiting for the Spring 2026 SEC Scholars Business Program. The program targets enrolled undergraduate/graduate students or students participating in a qualifying career/technical education program to participate in at least a ten-week program.
Summary
Do you want to perform volunteer business operations work in a challenging yet professional environment? The SEC is actively recruiting for the Spring 2026 SEC Scholars Business Program. The program targets enrolled undergraduate/graduate students or students participating in a qualifying career/technical education program to participate in at least a ten-week program.
The program will tentatively begin on the following dates:
01/26/26 - 04/03/26
02/09/26 - 04/17/26
Business students will be assigned to work with SEC staff members on projects and assignments that cover a broad range of the Commissions' work. That work depends upon the division or office where the student works. Business student's assignments range from supporting securities regulations to assisting in professional administrative duties such as human resources, contracting, auditing, etc. For information about the opportunities and the work that interns do in specific division/offices within the Regional offices, please read the SEC's website.
The SEC Scholars Business Program will be full-time or part-time during the Spring. Work schedule will be determined and agreed upon based on the selectee's academic course load schedule and division/office needs. You will have the opportunity to discuss schedule, hours, etc. upon selection and acceptance into the program. Students must work a minimum of 16 hours per week.
The following divisions and offices within our Regional offices are seeking undergraduate and graduate students to volunteer with us during the Spring 2026 program. You will be asked to rank your top three choices of locations.
Atlanta Regional Office (ARO)
Boston Regional Office (BRO)
Chicago Regional Office (CHRO)
Denver Regional Office (DRO)
Fort Worth Regional Office (FWRO)
Los Angeles Regional Office (LARO)
Miami Regional Office (MIRO)
New York Regional Office (NYRO)
Philadelphia Regional Office (PLRO)
San Francisco Regional Office (SFRO)
Please see linked announcement for students interested in applying to our Headquarters Offices announcement:
Application procedures are specific to this vacancy announcement. Please read all the instructions carefully. Failure to follow the instructions may result in you not being considered for this position.
Supplementary vacancies may be filled in addition to the number stated in this announcement and may be filled from any division or office within the agency.
SECURITY CLEARANCE: Entrance on duty is contingent upon completion of a pre-employment security investigation. Favorable results on a Background Investigation may be a condition of employment or selection to another position.
DRUG TESTING: This position may be subjected to drug testing requirements.
PERMANENT CHANGE OF STATION (PCS): Moving/Relocation expenses are not authorized.
This position is not in the collective bargaining unit.
UNITED STATES CITIZENSHIP: Must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this position.
SELECTIVE SERVICE: Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered for the Selective Service.
WORK SCHEDULES: The SEC Scholars Program will be full-time or part-time. This will be discussed, determined, and agreed upon based on the selectees academic course load schedule and division/office needs.
The anticipated start dates for this program is January 26, 2026, and February 9, 2026.
Relatives of an SEC Employee may not work directly in their chain-of command.
AGE REQUIREMENT: You must be at least 16 years of age to apply to this position.
Qualifications
The SEC is looking for students in the following fields of study:
Accounting
Bio-Technology
Business Administration
Chemistry
Communications
Computer Science
Contracts/Purchasing
Criminal Justice
Cybersecurity
Data Science
Engineering
English
Finance
Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
Government
Graphic/Web Design
History
Human Resources
Information Technology/Systems
International Affairs
Journalism
Library Sciences
Literature
Marketing
Mathematics
Political Science
Project Management
Psychology
Public Administration
Social Media
Sociology
Eligibility Requirements: In order to be eligible for this internship under the SEC Scholars Business Program:
You must be accepted for enrollment or enrolled and seeking a degree or qualifying certificate at an accredited college or university on at least a half-time basis* (as determined by the educational institution); OR
You must be accepted for enrollment or enrolled in a qualifying career or technical education program that awards a recognized postsecondary credential on at least a half-time basis (as determined by the educational institution); AND
You must possess a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of a 2.5 or higher on a 4.0 scale, or the equivalent.
You must continue to meet these eligibility requirements throughout the duration of your volunteer service under the SEC Scholars Business Program.
*An applicant who is less than half time enrolled immediately prior to graduating may be considered a student for purposes of this Program.
NOTE:
STUDENT STATUS: You must maintain status as a student during your volunteer service.
PROOF OF ENROLLMENT: You may provide proof of enrollment at the time of application; however, you must provide proof of enrollment at an accredited school by the selection date.
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS: All eligibility requirements must be met by the selection date.
DEFINITION OF STUDENT: You must meet the definition of a "student" by the selection date in order to be eligible for this program.
Education
You will be required to provide transcripts or other documentation to support your educational claims. Documentation may be submitted at the time of application. All materials will be required upon selection.
See Required Documents section below. Qualifying education must have been obtained from an accredited college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
FOREIGN EDUCATION: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. For further information, visit: Evaluation of Foreign Degrees - United States Department of State.
Additional information
If you would like to learn more about the SEC Scholars Program, please register for one of our upcoming information sessions.
Information Session Links:
Thursday, August 7, 2025; 1:30 pm - 2:30 pm (ET) - Register Here
Tuesday, August 12, 2025; 1:30 pm - 2:30 pm (ET) - Register Here
Monday, August 18, 2025; 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm (ET)- Register Here
Friday, August 22, 2025; 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm (ET) - Register Here
This is a volunteer position. As a result:
-Under 5.U.S.C. 3111, a student volunteer is not a Federal employee for any purposes other than injury compensation and law related to the Tort Claims Act. Service is not creditable for leave or any other employee benefits however, transportation subsidy to and from your assigned duty station may be available.
-Volunteer Service may be extended at the discretion of the agency.
-Selectees for this position are ineligible for health benefits, life insurance, retirement (including the Thrift Savings Plan), and long-term care insurance.
-Converting to the Competitive Service: This appointment does not confer eligibility to be noncompetitively converted to a term, career or career-conditional appointment in the competitive service.
Reasonable Accommodation: If you are an applicant who needs a reasonable accommodation to participate in the SEC application process due to a medical disability, please contact reasonableaccommodation@sec.gov. For religious-based accommodations, please contact religiousaccommodation@sec.gov. Please be sure to submit your request at least 5 business days in advance of the date you need the requested accommodation.
Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Information for SEC Job Applicants: Federal EEO laws protect all applicants from discrimination on the following bases: race, color, sex (not limited to conduct which is sexual in nature, includes pregnancy, gender identity, sexual orientation, transgender status), age (40 and over), religion, national origin, disability, genetic information, retaliation for participating in the EEO process or opposing discrimination. Applicants who believe they have been discriminated against on any EEO basis can seek recourse through the SEC's administrative complaints process. To be timely, an individual must enter the EEO process within 45 days from when they know (or should have known) of the alleged discrimination. Click here for additional information.
The Fair Chance Act prohibits specific inquiries concerning an applicant's criminal or credit background unless the hiring agency has made a conditional offer of employment to the applicant. An applicant may submit a complaint, or any other information, to the agency within 30 calendar days of the date of alleged non-compliance by contacting the Legal and Policy Office in the Office of Human Resources at ElliottT@sec.gov.
Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
How you will be evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
All applicants will be notified of their application status once the vacancy announcement has closed. Applicants that have a tentative eligible rating will be referred to the hiring office for review. You may be required to submit additional documentation upon selection to verify eligibility and qualifications. If additional documentation is required, OHR will contact you directly.
Note: You may select up to three location(s) you want to be considered for. You may only be considered for the location(s) indicated in your application.
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
You must provide a complete Application Package; please read the following requirements carefully. Your name should be included on all documents, these include:
Required: Your responses to the Occupational Questionnaire (this is built into the online application).
Required, Resume: Please provide your complete and comprehensive resume that includes a complete history of your work experience, education, and the applicable dates with months and years. Resume must be no longer than 2 pages
Cover Letter.
Writing Sample: Your writing sample should be no longer than 10 pages in length. Ensure your writing sample does not contain any non-public information (you may redact as necessary).
Transcript: Transcripts can be official or unofficial copy at time of application.
Proof of education enrollment:
Proof of enrollment can be one of the following:
A screen shot of the semester class schedule,
An official letter/acceptance of enrollment , or
Listed on the official transcript
The enrollment documents should show student's name, academic institution, the degree or certificate program, and enrollment in at least half-time status (as defined by the academic institution).
Important Notes:
Utilize the preview feature of USAJobs to view your documents and ensure the formatting remains and all documents are legible.
Screenshots of documents should be legible.
Your application materials should not contain photographs .
Your full name should be clearly visible on all documents.
Do not submit encrypted documents.
Tips: Encrypted documents do not transmit properly through USAJobs. We recommend, you save the document as a new PDF or Print to PDF to ensure the document comes through properly and is displayed properly using the USAJobs preview feature.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
To apply for this position, you must complete the online application and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below.
A complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration.
To begin, click Apply to access the online application. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account to apply. If you do not have a USAJOBS account, you will need to create one before beginning the application.
Follow the prompts to select your resume and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application package. You will have the opportunity to upload additional documents to include in your application before it is submitted. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
After acknowledging you have reviewed your application package, complete the Include Personal Information section as you deem appropriate and click to continue with the application process.
You will be taken to the online application which you must complete in order to apply for the position. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation is included with your application package, and submit the application.
To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account (https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login), all of your applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/.
If you are unable to apply online or need to fax a document you do not have in electronic form, view the following link for information regarding an Alternate Application.
You will be notified of your application status through USAJOBS at four points during the hiring process, as applicable. You can check the status of your application by accessing the USAJOBS website at http://usajobs.gov/ and clicking on "Track Your Online Application."
By submitting your application, you are certifying the accuracy of the information contained in your application. If you make a false statement in any part of your application, you may not be hired, you may be terminated after you begin work, or you may be fined or jailed. After making a tentative job offer, we will conduct a suitability/security background investigation. You will be required to submit official documentation before appointment. The agency will then verify the information provided on your application (i.e., degree, Veterans' Preference, certification of disability, etc.).
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
You must provide a complete Application Package; please read the following requirements carefully. Your name should be included on all documents, these include:
Required: Your responses to the Occupational Questionnaire (this is built into the online application).
Required, Resume: Please provide your complete and comprehensive resume that includes a complete history of your work experience, education, and the applicable dates with months and years. Resume must be no longer than 2 pages
Cover Letter.
Writing Sample: Your writing sample should be no longer than 10 pages in length. Ensure your writing sample does not contain any non-public information (you may redact as necessary).
Transcript: Transcripts can be official or unofficial copy at time of application.
Proof of education enrollment:
Proof of enrollment can be one of the following:
A screen shot of the semester class schedule,
An official letter/acceptance of enrollment , or
Listed on the official transcript
The enrollment documents should show student's name, academic institution, the degree or certificate program, and enrollment in at least half-time status (as defined by the academic institution).
Important Notes:
Utilize the preview feature of USAJobs to view your documents and ensure the formatting remains and all documents are legible.
Screenshots of documents should be legible.
Your application materials should not contain photographs .
Your full name should be clearly visible on all documents.
Do not submit encrypted documents.
Tips: Encrypted documents do not transmit properly through USAJobs. We recommend, you save the document as a new PDF or Print to PDF to ensure the document comes through properly and is displayed properly using the USAJobs preview feature.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
To apply for this position, you must complete the online application and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below.
A complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration.
To begin, click Apply to access the online application. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account to apply. If you do not have a USAJOBS account, you will need to create one before beginning the application.
Follow the prompts to select your resume and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application package. You will have the opportunity to upload additional documents to include in your application before it is submitted. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
After acknowledging you have reviewed your application package, complete the Include Personal Information section as you deem appropriate and click to continue with the application process.
You will be taken to the online application which you must complete in order to apply for the position. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation is included with your application package, and submit the application.
To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account (https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login), all of your applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/.
If you are unable to apply online or need to fax a document you do not have in electronic form, view the following link for information regarding an Alternate Application.
You will be notified of your application status through USAJOBS at four points during the hiring process, as applicable. You can check the status of your application by accessing the USAJOBS website at http://usajobs.gov/ and clicking on "Track Your Online Application."
By submitting your application, you are certifying the accuracy of the information contained in your application. If you make a false statement in any part of your application, you may not be hired, you may be terminated after you begin work, or you may be fined or jailed. After making a tentative job offer, we will conduct a suitability/security background investigation. You will be required to submit official documentation before appointment. The agency will then verify the information provided on your application (i.e., degree, Veterans' Preference, certification of disability, etc.).
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
