State of Alaska Internship 2027–2028: Programs & How to Apply

Last updated: November 2026

The State of Alaska posts its internships one vacancy at a time on Workplace Alaska, the same board that carries every State job, and most of them are for Alaska residents or students at Alaska colleges. On November 12, 2026 that board held two intern postings, both Alaska Residents Only. The Department of Health's College Intern role in Anchorage, paying $19.49 to $21.96 an hour, closed at 5:00 PM Alaska time that day. A Student Intern 1 role, a high-school and pre-college class, stays open until November 24, 2026. Out-of-state students have three real doors: Fish and Game science internships, the Legislative Audit summer program (its summer 2027 window closed October 8, 2026) and law-student programs. In plain words: you apply when a vacancy posts, and you intern part time in the school year or full time in summer 2027.

Quick Facts

No single deadline exists: each State of Alaska vacancy has its own closing date, and the summer 2027 College Intern postings are expected to appear department by department through winter and spring 2027.

Externships are short, remote programs where you finish a real project for a real company, most commonly over 8 weeks at 5 to 10 hours a week. They're open to students anywhere, which matters here because most State of Alaska internships need Alaska residency. The Health Research & Data Analytics Externship with ARCeH builds the public-health data skills in the Department of Health's postings, and the Attronica Financial Planning & Analysis Externship fits the Excel-heavy work in Revenue and Legislative Audit. Explore all Externships.

What Is a State of Alaska Internship?

A State of Alaska internship is a paid, non-permanent job with an Alaska state department, hired through the State of Alaska Internship Program run by the Division of Personnel. Since a 2008 redesign, every vacancy is advertised on Workplace Alaska. The program has three job series: College Intern 1 to 4 for undergraduates, Graduate Intern 1 to 2 after a degree, and Student Intern 1 to 2 for high-school and pre-college students. Departments that posted intern roles in 2024 to 2026 include Health, Transportation and Public Facilities, Revenue, Administration and Labor. Natural Resources and Fish and Game also run their own student programs, and the Department of Law hires law students each summer. Natural Resources says it "has employed hundreds of interns" since 1984. No class size or acceptance rate is published. Alaska Airlines and the University of Alaska are separate employers and aren't covered here.

When Do State of Alaska Internship Applications Open for 2027–2028?

The State hires interns all year, so there's no single opening date. Past College and Student Intern postings opened in February 2025 (Revenue, Labor), in June, August, October and November 2024, and in July, August and September 2026, each open at least 10 calendar days. The State says filling a vacancy takes "days to weeks", and postings let you set start and end dates around your academic calendar. One track runs on a fixed calendar: Legislative Audit posted its summer 2027 intern auditor role on September 8, 2026 and closed it on October 8, 2026, about 8 months before the May 10, 2027 start. Its summer 2028 window is a projection from that one cycle.

How to read this page: our dates come from tracking previous recruiting cycles and daily posting data. Treat them as informed estimates based on historical patterns, not confirmed dates. The company's official careers page is always the most current source. If a role is posted there, go by that, even if this page suggests the window hasn't opened yet.

Why You Must Apply the Week Applications Open

This is a short-window system. Every State of Alaska posting has its own closing date at 5:00 PM Alaska time, and the minimum is just 10 calendar days. The DOT&PF IT College Intern posting opened August 5, 2026 and closed August 19, 2026, two weeks later. You can't apply to the program as a whole: you apply to each vacancy, and a missed posting is gone. Legislative Audit is a hard deadline once a year, open a month in 2026. Check the board weekly and apply in the first days.

Which State of Alaska Internship Programs Should You Target?

The routes differ on who can apply, so check the residency line on each posting before you start.

The Division of Personnel's internship page covers the statewide series. Fish and Game, Natural Resources and the Department of Law describe their own programs, and the University of Alaska Southeast runs the Ted Stevens internship page.

What Are the Eligibility Requirements?

These rules come from the Division of Personnel's FAQ and the minimum qualifications on recent postings.

• Residency: for most State of Alaska internships, you must be an Alaska resident or attend an Alaska university or college. Each posting says "All Applicants" or "Alaska Residents Only", and most we checked were residents only.

• Out-of-state exceptions: Fish and Game science internships are open to any student, with residents preferred. Postings marked "All Applicants", such as Legislative Audit's and a 2024 DOT&PF Bridge Design role, are open to applicants outside Alaska; Legislative Audit's requires US work authorization.

• College Intern levels: level 1 needs undergraduate enrollment of at least 6 credit hours a semester; level 2 adds a 2.0 GPA and 24 semester hours (or level 1 training); level 3 needs 56 semester hours and upper-division classes in a related major.

• Summer: students who finished spring courses and are enrolled for fall count as attending college during the summer.

• Work authorization: the State doesn't sponsor visas.

• High-school roles: Student Intern 1 needs enrollment in a school program (public, charter, vocational, correspondence, home or private) and a 2.0 GPA.

Is the GPA a Hard Cutoff?

Yes where a posting lists it. College Intern 2 and 3 and Student Intern 1 require a 2.0 GPA, and College Intern 1 asks only for enrollment. Bring unofficial transcripts and three professional references to the interview, as the Health posting asks.

What Skills Does the State of Alaska Look For, and How Do You Build Them?

Five recent State of Alaska intern postings name their skills. Written and oral communication and research and analysis appear in four, from the Health role's data review and community assessment to Legislative Audit's "reading, comprehending, and analyzing information". Excel appears in three: Revenue asks for "advanced Excel tools" and Legislative Audit for "basic proficiency in Microsoft Excel". Computer and systems skills also appear in three, led by the DOT&PF IT role.

How Is Demand for Policy Interns Moving Right Now?

Build These Skills Before You Apply

Each row ties a skill from a State of Alaska posting to a remote Externship that gives you a finished project to describe.

None of these Externships is connected to the State of Alaska. They help because a finished project gives you something specific to list on your Workplace Alaska application and talk about in the interview.

What Is the State of Alaska Application and Interview Process Like?

The steps below come from the Division of Personnel's internship FAQ and the 2026 Health posting.

1. Create a Workplace Alaska application. It works like a resume: personal details, education and experience, reused for every posting.

2. Apply to each vacancy. Answer the agency-wide and supplemental questions and submit by 5:00 PM Alaska time on the closing date. If you aren't picked for one role, you have to apply to the others separately.

3. Wait for the hiring department. The State says the time to fill "ranges from days to weeks".

4. Interview. Bring unofficial transcripts and three professional references; your credit count sets your College Intern level.

5. Law students apply by email to the Department of Law with a resume, cover letter, writing sample, transcript and three references, as its program page describes.

Read the residency line first on every posting, because a residents-only role won't move forward for out-of-state applicants.

What Law Students on Reddit Say

We found no first-hand Reddit threads from undergraduate State of Alaska interns. The two usable threads come from law students who interned with the Public Defender Agency and the Attorney General's office, both State employers.

How Do You Stand Out for a State of Alaska Internship?

First, check eligibility before effort: confirm the residency line, then target the open routes if you live outside Alaska. Second, fill in your Workplace Alaska application completely, with your credit hours, since they set your College Intern level and pay. Third, answer the supplemental questions with specific coursework and projects that match the duties, such as a data or Excel project for Revenue or Legislative Audit. The State doesn't publish applicant counts, an acceptance rate or a conversion rate.

What Other Companies Should You Consider?

Students looking at Alaska state government often also look at these public-sector employers.

For more federal, state and city options, see our government internships summer 2027 guide.

FAQ

Can I still apply for a summer 2026 State of Alaska internship?

No, summer 2026 is over, but the State hires interns all year. On November 12, 2026, a Student Intern 1 role (high-school class) was open until November 24, and a Health College Intern role closed that day. Summer 2027 College Intern postings are expected on Workplace Alaska through winter and spring 2027.

Are State of Alaska internships paid?

Yes. 2026 College Intern postings paid $19.49 to $25.99 an hour, by level and location, and the DOT&PF IT posting listed $19.49, $20.68, $21.96 and $24.75 for levels 1 to 4. Legislative Audit paid $36.25 an hour for summer 2027. Department of Law interns receive a stipend instead.

Can out-of-state students get a State of Alaska internship?

Sometimes. Most postings are for Alaska residents or students at Alaska colleges. Out-of-state students can apply to Fish and Game science internships, which prefer residents, to postings marked "All Applicants" such as Legislative Audit's, and to Department of Law programs if they're in law school. The State doesn't sponsor visas.

Where do I apply for a State of Alaska internship?

On Workplace Alaska, the State's job board at governmentjobs.com/careers/alaska. Create one application, then apply to each internship vacancy separately and answer its supplemental questions before 5:00 PM Alaska time on the closing date. Law students apply to the Department of Law by email, as its program page explains.

When are State of Alaska internships posted?

All year. Recent College and Student Intern postings opened in February, June, July, August, September, October and November, and each stays open at least 10 calendar days. Legislative Audit is the exception: it posted its summer 2027 role in September 2026 and closed it on October 8, 2026.

Does the State of Alaska provide housing for interns?

No, not unless the posting says so, according to the Division of Personnel's FAQ. Legislative Audit's summer 2027 posting mentioned a modest housing stipend for interns from out of town. Recent postings were in Anchorage, Juneau and Fairbanks, so plan your housing before you accept an offer.

Is there a State of Alaska legislative internship?

Yes, the Senator Ted Stevens Legislative Internship, for University of Alaska students only. Interns work full time in a legislator's office in Juneau during the session for 12 undergraduate or 9 graduate credits. Applications for the January 2027 session were due November 1, 2026, so that deadline has passed.

Can high school students intern with the State of Alaska?

Yes, through the Student Intern series, a separate job class for high-school and pre-college students. A Student Intern 1 role in the Department of Health's Behavioral Health division was open until November 24, 2026, paying $1,307.25 to $1,372.50 biweekly, for Alaska residents enrolled in a school program with a 2.0 GPA.

State of Alaska internships post one vacancy at a time, so check Workplace Alaska every week. If you live outside Alaska, or want a finished project on your resume before the next posting, a remote Externship fits around classes at 5 to 10 hours a week.