International Students
Along with the standard application requirements for The Washington Center, students attending institutions outside of the U.S. that do not have U.S. citizenship will need to be aware of these additional requirements for their application:
- Copy of the first page of a valid passport (for J-1 Visa process)
- TOEFL results, or equivalent (waived in certain cases)
The information below outlines TWC’s general requirements. Since your school may have additional requirements, we encourage you to contact your liaison before beginning the application process. You may also reach us at internationalinfo@twc.edu [2] with any questions.
Application Requirements
To be eligible, students must:
- Be at least 18 years of age.
- Attend an accredited college or university with at least four semesters completed before participating.
- Maintain a grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. Students with lower GPA may be considered.
- Have a TOEFL score of minimum 550 (80 on the internet-based test) or other official equivalent exams, waived in certain cases.
- Receive academic credit from their college or university for their participation in the internship program. Exceptions apply.
- Have the approval of their campus liaison or a faculty sponsor.
Additional Requirements for the Postgraduate Professional Development Program
To be eligible for the PPDP, students must:
- Have received their undergraduate degree within 18 months of the start of the program or be currently enrolled in a graduate school.
Additional Resources
- J-1 Visa Requirements [3]
- Health Insurance [4]
- How to Apply [5]
J-1 Visa Requirements
The Washington Center is a designated J-1 Visa sponsor by the U.S. State Department. It is mandatory that you enter the United States with your J-1 Visa. Once you’re accepted into The Washington Center’s program, you’ll be given all the details on how to secure your J-1 Visa. Special provisions may be available for Canadian citizens.
In order to obtain a J-1 Visa, you must apply and be accepted into one of our programs and should:
- Have at least 2 years of education or work experience in the field related to the program
- Know English well enough to perform successfully in the program
- Plan to leave the United States within 30 days after completion of the program
- Have not held the J-1 Visa in the Trainee or Intern category before
- Engage in training and not perform work that a staff member of the company would
Once you submit your complete application and are accepted into our program, The Washington Center will send you the DS-2019 and DS-7002 forms along with other important materials.
State Department’s Home Country Presence Requirement
This requirement ensures that participants spend at least 2 years in their home country before coming back to the United States for a long-term stay (especially if your funding was provided by a government or a government agency).
If you are subject to this requirement and would like to return to the United States within 2 years, you can request that the 2-year home country physical presence requirement be waived
Funds Availability
The State Department requires international applicants to demonstrate that they have enough funds to cover the cost of the program plus the expenses associated with it. To comply with this requirement, you must:
- Pay the tuition fee as soon as you are accepted into the program
- Shows proof of funds: some U.S. Consulates might ask you for a bank statement indicating that you have funds to cover the cost of the program (or a letter from your sponsor indicating that the sponsoring agency will cover the costs).
- Present a valid credit card number as a deposit: this will be used only in case of default of the housing payment.
English Proficiency
International participants are required to take the TOEFL exam and score 550 on the paper-based test or 80 on the computer-based test. Official equivalent exams (for example, the IELTS) are also accepted.
The TOEFL exam requirement can be waived for students who can demonstrate more than 1 year of full –time studies in English or for students coming from English-speaking countries. These students will be interviewed on the telephone to confirm their proficiency level.
Additional Resources
Health Insurance
You must certify that you have a valid health insurance policy to comply with the State Department requirements for all participants. You will need to bring proof of insurance with you when you come to the United States.
Health Insurance Policy
Your policy must include:
- Medical benefits of at least $50,000 per accident or illness
- Repatriation of remains in the amount of $7,500
- Expenses associated with the medical evacuation to my home country in the amount of $10,000
- A deductible not to exceed $500 per accident or illness
Insurance Provider Requirements
The insurance provider must meet at least one of the following requirements:
- Underwritten by an insurance corporation having an AM Best rating of “A-“ or above, an Insurance Solvency International, Ltd (ISI) rating of “A-1” or above, a Standard & Poor’s Claims-Paying Ability rating of “A-” or above, a Weiss Research Inc. rating of “B+” or above, or a corresponding rating from the U.S. Information Agency.
- Backed by the full faith and credit of the government of the student’s home country; or part of a health benefits program offered on a group basis to employees or enrolled students by a designated sponsor.
You are required to obtain a health insurance policy that meets these requirements prior to your arrival in Washington, D.C.
Our Recommendations
We recommend that you take an extra month of coverage to ensure that you are covered on the dates of your travel as well as a few days after the completion of your program until your return home.
The Washington Center can recommend local health insurance providers; policies can be bought online for approximately $50 per month. For more information, please contact internationalinfo@twc.edu [2].
Additional Resources
- How to Apply [5]
