Early Careers in IR: Graduate Programs in International Affairs (Updated for 2024)

Graduate programs are one of many ways to recruit talented entry-level candidates into the workforce. They can be a fantastic way to get into the workforce for those just finishing their studies or with limited work experience, as programs often offer a range of training and professional-development opportunities as well as the opportunity to complete rotations around the organisation. Graduate programs are usually very competitive and applications tend to open early in the year (often between January and March) for positions in the next calendar year.

In this article, we’ve pulled together a curated list of graduate programs with an international focus, across federal Government departments and agencies, state and territory governments, and the private sector, that are available to apply for in 2024 (with most commencing in 2025).

In this article, we also feature state and territory, private sector graduate programs, and opportunities in the not-for-profit sector. This list is by no means exhaustive: graduate opportunities can arise from many places and we recommend you look into a broad range of opportunities. We hope this is a useful reference point!

Australian Public Service

As you will see below, the majority of graduate programs are available in the Australian Public Service (APS). The APS supports the federal Government of the day to implement its policies, including through provision of social services, defence and foreign affairs, economic management, domestic affairs, and many others. Many APS departments and agencies have international facing work. Most APS roles for graduates are based in Canberra, and will provide support for successful candidates to move to the ACT. Opportunities are not limited to Canberra, however the nation’s capital is a good starting point for many who are looking to kick-start their career in the public service.

Many Australian Government departments and agencies work internationally or have international components in their mandate. Those with explicit international mandates include:

Attorney-General’s Department - Deals with national and international law and justice.

Data, Digita, Economist, Generalist, Human Resources, Indigenous, and Legal Streams available.

Australian Bureau of Statistics - Australia’s national statistical agency providing trusted data and statistics on a range of domestic matters.

Accounting and Financial Management, Data, Human Resources, and Legal Streams, and Indigenous Graduate Pathway available.

Australian Centre For International Agricultural Research -

Australian Federal Police - Enforces Commonwealth criminal law and contributes to countering complex transnational, serious and organised crime impacting Australia’s national security and interests. Graduates from a broad range of degrees accepted.

Australian National Audit Office - Independent auditor and reporter of Australian Government activity committed to supporting accountability and transparency and improving public sector performance.

Broad streams include Evaluation and Performance, Financial and Assurance Audits, IT Systems or Data Analytics, Accounting.

Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation - Conducts research and development in nuclear science and technology. Note that graduate recruitment occurs every two years. In this case, applications will open mid 2024 for their 2025/26 program.

Graduate Development Program and Emerging Engineers Program available.

Australian Security Intelligence Organisation - Protects Australia from threats to national security, including in intelligence collection and analysis.

Corporate, Technologist, and Legal Streams available.

Australian Secret Intelligence Service - Gathers and produces intelligence to inform the government of threats to Australian security.

Streams include Corporate, Technical and Intelligence Support.

Australian Signals Directorate - Utilises technology to defend Australia from global threats and help advance Australia's national interests. Graduates from a broad range of degrees accepted, including media and communication, security, program management, engineering, and infrastructure.

Austrade and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade - DFAT provides foreign, trade and development policy advice to the Government; coordinates Australia’s global, regional and bilateral interests; and operates Australian consular services. Austrade supports Australian exporters, international investors and buyers, international education providers and students, and the domestic tourism sector

DFAT's graduate program has the Corporate and Policy Streams. Austrade also offers the Trade Promotion and Investment Attraction Stream.

Department of Defence (including the Australian Geospatial-Intelligence Organisation, Australian Signal Directorate, Defence Intelligence Organisation). Protects and advances Australia’s strategic interests through promotion of security and stability, military capabilities and supporting the Australian community and civilians as directed by the Government.

Policy and Corporate, Intelligence, Technical, Research and Innovation streams, and Australian Government Graduate (AGGS), and Indigenous Graduate Pathways available.

Department of Home Affairs - Manages a wide range of domestic policy issues including immigration and border protection, multicultural affairs, emergency management, transport security, serious transnational and organised crime, criminal justice policy, national security and counter-terrorism.

Data, Digital, STEM, Intelligence, Generalist, Human Resource streams and Indigenous Graduate Pathway available.

Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet - A central government agency which provides high quality advice to support the Prime Minister as the First Minister of Government, and Cabinet, to achieve a coordinated and innovative whole of government implementation of Government policy.

Corporate and Generalist Stream available.

The Treasury - The Government’s pre-eminent economic advisor delivering economic development and implementation of sound economic policy and advice.

Indigenous Graduate Development Program, and Australian Government Graduate Program – Economist Stream and other Streams available.

Finally, the Australian Government Graduate Program provides a streamlined recruitment pathway for government graduate programs. If you apply through this, your application will be considered across the Australian Government – rather than applying for individual departments and agencies. The Portal also provides further guidance on applying for graduate programs and can help you find the best stream fit and other entry pathways.

The Indigenous Graduate Pathway operates in a similar way. This Pathway recruits Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander graduates on behalf of a number of government agencies. This pathway is open to graduates from all degree types.

Find the full list of APS Departments on the APS Jobs Graduate Portal here.

State and Territory Government Programs

State and Territory Governments also increasingly play a role in Australia’s international engagement. Most states and territories accept applications for the whole public service, giving you the opportunity to experience many of their departments and agencies. This ranges for each state, however opportunities within certain teams can include diplomatic protocol and international visits, international engagement policy, multicultural affairs policy, and trade and investment attraction:

Australian Capital Territory Government

New South Wales Government

Northern Territory Government

Queensland Government

South Australian Government

Tasmanian Government

Victorian Government

Western Australian Government

Some local governments also offer graduate programs across a range of disciplines. Local governments in major cities, including the Cities of Melbourne or Sydney, have international engagement strategies and international connections, such as sister cities.

Private Sector

The private sector offers a variety of roles across many different sectors. These are some examples of the opportunities in the private sector across consulting, industry and think tanks.

BHP - Resource commodity company. Technology, business, health science, engineering and science streams.

Boston Consulting Group - A global management consulting company. They don't have a graduate program, but internships and entry level roles available across their teams, such as Research and Insights, Data Science and Analytics and Product Management.

Lockheed Martin - A global security and aerospace company engaged in the research, design and manufacture of advanced technologies, including but not limited to aeronautics, missiles, space systems, mission and command-and-control systems.

McKinsey & Company - A global management consulting company. They don't have a graduate program, but a range of entry level opportunities, including for undergraduates, MBA candidates, and advanced professional degree candidates.

Nestlé - The world's largest publicly held food company in the world, headquartered in Vevey, Switzerland. Their NextGen program offers a two-year rotational program across three streams in the sales & marketing team.

Nous Group - An international management consulting company in Australia, the United Kingdom and Canada. They don't have a graduate program but a range of entry level opportunities in sectors such as Health & Ageing, Energy & Decarbonisation, and Justics & Emergency Management.

TetraTech / Coffey - A global development, engineering, geotechnical, environmental and project management firm.

PwC, KPMG, Deloitte and EY - The "Big Four" global professional services companies which have a wide range of teams across many different fields and sectors, including legal, enterprise transformation, logistics, risk assurance, and trade.

Stantec - A global development, infrastructure and consulting company focussed on making a difference.

Thales Australia - A global cybersecurity and defence company. Graduates recruited across various fields including software engineering, cyber security, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, naval architecture, systems engineering, hardware/network engineering, business/finance.

Westpac, Commonwealth Bank, ANZ and NAB  - The "Big Four" Australian banks which operate overseas and domestically. Their diverse teams include technology, transformation, financial markets and treasury, engineering and cybersecurity, and regional and agribusiness banking.

Not-for-profit Sector

Many other opportunities exist across Australia’s capital cities for recent graduates in international relations, particularly in the not for profit sector. These organisations commonly don't have graduate programs, but may have junior levels positions available.

Examples of not-for-profit organisations include:

Think tanks, including Asialink, Asia Society Australia, Grattan Institute, Lowy Institute, and beyond.

Chambers of commerce, including within Australia and abroad (also see Austrade in the APS section)

International NGOs, such as the UN's Young Professionals Programme, the Asian Development Bank's Young Professionals Program, and the UNDP's Graduate Programme.

We also encourage you torefer to DFAT's List of Australian accredited NGOs.

While this article lists just a few select graduate opportunities, there are a multitude of entry pathways and career trajectories for graduates and early career professionals. All sectors mentioned above also commonly recruit at junior levels outside the graduate programs.

You can also check out our Jobs, Internship and Opportunities board which is updated several times a week with a range of early career opportunities, and the Australia's Top 100 Graduate Employers for further inspiration.