MEA Internship 2026: Applications Open for October Intake

The Ministry of External Affairs opens applications for its October 2026 internship intake, offering eligible graduates a ₹10,000 monthly honorarium, travel support and exposure to foreign policy work.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) opens applications for its Internship Programme 2026 for the October 2026 intake. The programme provides young graduates with an opportunity to gain practical exposure to the functioning of the ministry, foreign policy formulation and its implementation. Applications for the October-March term can be submitted until September 27, 2026.

The internship is conducted in two terms each year, with the October-March term being the second intake. Each term can accommodate up to 30 interns, while individual internships last for a minimum of one month and a maximum of three months. The programme is designed to promote diversity in terms of geographical domicile, educational background, gender and socio-economic representation.

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Selected interns receive an honorarium of ₹10,000 per month to meet basic expenses. The ministry also provides one-time to-and-fro air travel, subject to a ceiling based on the prevailing economy-class airfare between Delhi and the state capital of the candidate's domicile state or the location of their college or university. Interns are responsible for their accommodation and other living expenses in Delhi.

The internship is generally open to Indian citizens who have completed a graduate degree from a recognised university. Students pursuing the final year of an undergraduate programme can also apply when an internship is a mandatory component of their final-year curriculum. Candidates must not be more than 25 years of age as on December 31 of the year in which the internship is undertaken.

For the October-March term, the MEA's notified state and Union Territory coverage includes Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Odisha, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and West Bengal, along with Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Lakshadweep and Puducherry.

The selection process is conducted online through the MEA internship portal and consists of preliminary screening followed by a personal interview. Academic performance in Class 12 and graduation forms part of the screening criteria. The ministry also provides consideration to candidates from identified aspirational districts and underprivileged sections at specified stages of the process.

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For the current October 2026 intake, shortlisted candidates and interview calls are scheduled to be announced on October 7. Personal interviews are scheduled to be conducted through videoconferencing on October 17, with the final list of selected candidates scheduled for October 23.

During the internship, participants may be assigned research, report-writing, analysis of developments and other tasks by the concerned division of the ministry. Interns are also required to submit a report on their work at the end of the programme and maintain confidentiality regarding information accessed during the internship.

Candidates interested in the October 2026 intake must complete their applications by September 27 and follow the requirements specified on the official MEA internship portal.