Subpart I—Hiring Authority for Post-Secondary Students

In accordance with the provisions of this section, an agency may make a time-limited appointment of an eligible and qualified post-secondary student, to any position in the competitive service, at the General Schedule (GS) 11 level or below (or equivalent), without regard to the provisions of 5 U.S.C. 3309 through 3319 and 3330. An agency may appoint an individual for an initial period not to exceed 1 year in accordance with § 316.401(c)(1), for an initial period expected to last more than 1 year but less than 4 years in accordance with § 316.301(a) and (b), or for a period of more than 1 year but not more than 10 years in accordance with § 316.301(c) to coincide with the individual's academic curriculum. An agency may extend or seek extension from OPM, as appropriate in accordance with this part, of an initial appointment for a period that will allow the post-secondary student to complete his or her academic requirements leading to the awarding of a degree, as appropriate.

[91 FR 7809, Feb. 19, 2026]

A post-secondary student means an individual who:

(a) Is enrolled or accepted for enrollment in an institution of higher education as defined by the Higher Education Act of 1965, in a section codified at 20 U.S.C.1001(a); and

(b) Is pursuing a baccalaureate or graduate degree on at least a part-time basis, as determined by the institution of higher education; and

(c) Meets the minimum qualification standards prescribed or approved by OPM for the position to which the individual is being appointed.

Agencies must evaluate eligible post-secondary students using the government-wide OPM prescribed qualification standard or an OPM-approved agency-specific qualification standard for the position being filled.

[91 FR 7809, Feb. 19, 2026]

Post-secondary student positions under the General Schedule or appropriate pay plan must be classified to the -99 series of the appropriate occupational group. Federal Wage System positions filled under the authority in this subpart must be classified to the -01 series of the appropriate occupational group. Agencies may refer to OPM's, “Introduction to the Position Classification Standards” at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/classifying-general-schedule-positions/positionclassificationintro.pdf for a definition of these positions. In addition, agencies can refer to the “Handbook of Occupational Groups and Families” available at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/classifying-general-schedule-positions/occupational handbook.pdf. Agencies may also attach career ladders or promotion potential beyond the General Schedule (GS) 11 grade level (or equivalent) with positions filled under this authority.

[86 FR 46107, Aug. 18, 2021, as amended at 91 FR 7809, Feb. 19, 2026]

An agency must adhere to merit system principles and thus must provide public notification in a manner that recruits qualified individuals from appropriate sources in an endeavor to draw from all segments of society, before filling a position under the authority in this subpart. An agency may, but is not required to, use USAJOBS for this purpose. If the agency does not use USAJOBS to meet the requirements in this section, it must, at a minimum, publicly display information about the position to be filled on its public facing home page. An agency may, alternatively, provide an actual job announcement on its public facing home page or provide a link to the job announcement on its public facing home page. The agency should consider whether additional recruitment and advertising activities are necessary or appropriate to further merit system principles. A non-USAJOBS job announcement or information displayed on an agency's public facing homepage, must include, at a minimum, the following information:

(a) The position title, series, grade level;

(b) The geographic location where the position will be filled;

(c) The starting salary of the position;

(d) The minimum qualifications of the position;

(e) Whether individual in the position will be eligible for promotion both while a student and upon conversion;

(f) The time-limit applicable to the position and, in the case of a term appointment, the vacancy announcement must state that the agency has the option of extending the term appointment up to the applicable limit;

(g) The potential for conversion to the agency's permanent workforce;

(h) Any other relevant information about the position such as telework opportunities, recruitment incentives, etc.;

(i) Specific information instructing applicants on how to apply for the position; and

(j) Equal employment opportunity and reasonable accommodation statements. (Agencies may use the recommended statements located on OPM's USAJOBS website.)

[91 FR 7809, Feb. 19, 2026]

A student appointed under § 316.901 acquires competitive status only upon completion of probationary period after any conversion, in accordance with the provisions of part 11 of this chapter. Time spent on a time-limited appointment under this part may count toward fulfillment of such probationary period.

[90 FR 26729, June 24, 2025]

An individual appointed under § 316.901 becomes a career-conditional employee upon completion of academic requirements and noncompetitive conversion to a permanent appointment in accordance with § 316.910, unless the individual has already satisfied the requirements for career tenure or is exempt from the service requirement pursuant to § 315.201 of this chapter.

A break in program is defined as a period of time when a student is working for the agency but is unable to go to school or is neither attending classes nor working for the agency. An agency may use its discretion to approve or deny a request for a break in program. The agency may also establish policies that address the duration, number of breaks in service, and criteria used to approve a break in program.

[91 FR 7810, Feb. 19, 2026]

(a) Students on term appointments. An agency may promote a student who was appointed for an initial period expected to last more than 1 year but less than 4 years provided the student meets the qualification requirements for the higher graded position, time in grade requirements in 5 CFR part 300, subpart F, and the public notification for the position filled by the student stated the potential for promotion and specified a career ladder.

(b) Students on temporary appointments. An agency may not promote a student who was appointed for an initial period expected to last up to one year.

(c) Promotions at the time of conversion. Students (on temporary or term appointments) may be eligible for non-competitive promotions upon conversion if:

(1) the agency has established a career ladder or promotion potential for the position;

(2) the public notification for the position filled by the student stated the potential for promotion and specified a career ladder; and

(3) the student has met the time-in-grade requirements in accordance with 5 CFR part 300, subpart F.

[91 FR 7810, Feb. 19, 2026]

An agency may convert a student serving in an appointment under the authority in this subpart, prior to the expiration date of the appointment, to a permanent position in the competitive service within the agency without further competition if the student:

(a) Has completed the course of study leading to the baccalaureate or graduate degree;

(b) Has completed not less than 640 hours of current continuous employment in an appointment under § 316.902;

(c) Meets the OPM qualification standards for the position to which the student will be converted; and

(d) Meets the time-in-grade requirements in accordance with 5 CFR part 300, subpart F.

[86 FR 46107, Aug. 18, 2021, as amended at 91 FR 7810, Feb. 19, 2026]

(a) Reduction in force. Post-secondary students are covered by part 351 of this chapter for purposes of reduction in force (RIF).

(1) Students whose initial appointment was for a period of 1 year or less are not assigned a tenure group and do not compete with other employees in a RIF.

(2) Students whose initial appointment was for a period expected to last more than 1 year are placed in Tenure Group III for purposes of part 351 of this chapter.

(b) [Reserved]

(a) Any appointment made under the authority in this subpart expires on the not-to-exceed date of that appointment unless the agency extends the appointment prior to expiration.

(b) An agency must terminate any student without regard to any provision of 5 U.S.C. chapter 35 or 75, who:

(1) Does not maintain eligibility in accordance with §§ 316.902 and 316.910; or

(2) Is not converted in accordance with § 316.910.

(a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section, the total number of students that an agency may appoint under this section during a fiscal year may not exceed the number equal to 15 percent of the number of students the agency head appointed during the previous fiscal year to a position at the GS-11 level or below (or equivalent). An appointing agency may count Pathways Internship Program appointments under § 213.3402(a) of this chapter; appointments made under this authority; and other appointments of students made using an appointing authority that was specifically created for the appointment of students. An agency may not count appointments made using direct hire authorities, other non-competitive authorities, other excepted service authorities, or selections under merit promotion authorities when establishing the limit for a given fiscal year. In calculating this limitation, agencies must round up or down to the nearest whole number, if necessary, to eliminate a decimal place. Values ending in “.5” or more may be rounded up to the nearest whole number in determining an agency's cap limitation. Values ending in less than “.5” should be rounded down to the nearest whole number in determining an agency's cap limitation.

(b) OPM may establish a lower limitation on the number of students that may be appointed by an agency under paragraph (a) of this section during a fiscal year based on any factors OPM considers appropriate. OPM shall notify agencies via the OPM website and other venues (such as the Chief Human Capital Officers Council) of any changes to the numerical limitation applicable governmentwide. Changes to the numerical limit for an individual agency will be communicated directly to the agency.

[91 FR 7810, Feb. 19, 2026]

This subpart does not apply to the Department of Defense during the period that section 1106 of Public Law 114-328, as amended by section 1116 of Public Law 118-31, (see 10 U.S.C. note prec. 1580) or that any applicable successor statute, is effective.

[91 FR 7810, Feb. 19, 2026]