On this page
Our application process:
Recruitment for our Aorere and Vaka intern programmes is a 3-step process:
1. Applications
- We recommend that you keep your candidate profile up-to-date via our careers website. Your profile also provides the option to subscribe/ unsubscribe to our Job Alerts which sends you messages to let you know about new vacancies that match your outlined criteria and includes current Graduate or Intern recruitment.
2. Online Assessments
- The online assessments helps us to identify whether you have the key skills and behaviours we look for in our Interns. If your initial application is successful, you will receive an email invite to complete the assessment. These online assessments (which may include cognitive tests and a written exercise) will be completed over two weekends.
- If you aren't selected to progress to the next assessment, we will let you know via email. If you choose to opt-in for job alerts you can see when new roles are advertised – who knows, you might be the perfect candidate for a different role!
3. Online Interviews
- Those selected will be invited to complete a competency based interview via Zoom. This is where it gets exciting, we want to know more about you, what you like to do outside of university and why you want to join MFAT!
If you’re offered an internship, we will complete a reference and Ministry of Justice check and then send your formal offer via email.
Accessibility
If you need a hand with some of the assessment components above, please let us know - we're here to help – mā mātou koe e āwhina! Email us at: internships@mfat.govt.nz
Got any questions?
If you have any further questions, please feel free to email us at internships@mfat.govt.nz
Other internships
We have other opportunities for people to join areas of our Ministry as interns:
- Government Legal Network Summer Clerk programme(external link)
- Tupu Tai Pasifika Public Sector Summer Internship Programme(external link)
- Health and Safety Summer Internship Programme(external link)
Internships at posts
At times, MFAT will offer internships for New Zealand students at an overseas post such as Geneva or New York. The opportunities are advertised by the post in the respective country offering the opportunity. These internships will be advertised on our vacancies page.
Good luck!
My internship was incredibly valuable and set me up to come back through MFAT’s Foundations Programme.
Former MFAT intern — Claudia Prasad.
Intern Sarafina Tipene talks about her internship at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.