Graduate Public Service Interns (GPSI)
Graduate Public Service Internship Program (GPSI)
Located at the University of Illinois Springfield (UIS), the Graduate Public Service Internship Program is ranked as one of Illinois' premier governmental internship programs and is open to students from all academic backgrounds. For over 39 years, GPSI has provided student interns with the opportunity to simultaneously begin a professional career in government while earning a master's degree from the University of Illinois Springfield.
Internship placements are with state and local agencies for 21 months. The weekly work schedule for the first year is 20 hours a week from August 16 through May 15 with a monthly stipend of $1,200. From May 16 through August 15, interns work a full time schedule and the monthly stipend is $2,400. The second year of the internship begins on August 16 and interns work 20 hours a week through May 15 when the internship ends. Interns are eligible to receive up to a 40 credit hour graduate tuition waiver during their 21 month internship. Annually, interns receive $650 each fall and spring semester toward their mandatory student fees. Finally, interns annually receive $300 for their professional development.
Required application materials include:
- A completed UIS graduate admission application;
- Official transcripts from each college attended (sent to the UIS Office of Admissions);
- A GPSI application;
- A current resume;
- Three (3) letters of recommendation from faculty members (one letter from an employer can be substituted for one faculty member letter);
Applicants can complete the UIS graduate admission application online at www.uis.edu/admissions/applyToday.html and obtain detailed application information and procedures. Please note that the GPSI application deadline for first round file completion is May 1.
GPSI eligibility determination does not guarantee either an interview or a placement as a GPSI intern. GPSI eligible applicants are selected for interviews by the placement agencies. Selection decisions are made by those agencies. The interviews for selected applicants are held in Springfield, Illinois, USA, during the month of May and selection decisions are announced in June.
SPECIAL NOTE FOR INTERNATIONAL APPLICANTS: To be eligible for the GPSI applicant pool, all international students must have an F-1 visa.
For additional information, please visit our website at http://gpsi.uis.edu or contact the Office of Graduate Intern Programs by e-mail at gpsimail@uis.edu or by telephone at 217/206-6158.