The infamous State Department intern application process begins with a *very* lengthly initial application process and wait. You could have a six-month or more wait before hearing anything. Once I did hear about my status, it was directly from the office I specified in my cover letter and was a 24-hour turn around from phone interview to offer. There is a lot that happens in the background between HR reviewing applications and sending them to offices to review so patience is key. The timeline varies drastically by office, but I've since applied to other positions and this long wait and before a sudden interview and offer has held true for me. If you want better chances of receiving an internship, apply during the semester. The international placements are less competitive in the school year than they are during the summer. Also expect a lengthy process after accepting your position while you work on securing your security clearance. This timeline will be very different from your counterparts depending on the amount of travel you've had in the past, but consulting any of the Facebook groups with questions is fine and many questions are already answered there from former interns. In my opinion, every minute of this internship was worth the application and long background process. I will always remember the experiences from my internships!