Choosing the Right Program

Is the Competitive Government Program right for you?

If you attend a college or university affiliated with TWC, applying to the Competitive Government Program is probably not the best way for you to participate in The Washington Center--even if you are interested in completing an internship with a federal agency and would like to receive some scholarship support. In fact, most Washington Center students interning in the government are participating in our general D.C. Internship Program.

A few things to note before starting your Competitive Government Program application:

1. Students who apply to the D.C. General Internship Program will be considered for any funded federal positions for which they may qualify. They will also be considered for unpaid positions within the government and/or other sectors. Some very popular government offices (U.S. Department of Justice, U.S. Marshals Service, U.S. Department of State, U.S. Department of the Interior, White House, U.S. Congress, and others) do not currently offer internships through the Competitive Government Program, but they have worked with other TWC interns regularly.
   
   
2. If you attend an affiliated institution, you may find that arrangements are in place to make participation in the general D.C. Internship Program comparable to a semester or summer on campus (in terms of the credit you'll earn and the cost of attendance). TWC also has a variety of scholarships available. Should you be offered a Competitive Government Program position, the same credit package may not be available (because the components of the program may vary). Further, some positions are regionally based.
   
   
3. Applying for the Competitive Government Program will by no means guarantee that you'll receive an interview or internship position. By contrast, you will have an advisor working on your behalf to find an internship that will match your interests if you apply through the general D.C. Internship Program. He or she will continue referring your materials to possible organizations until you've accepted an offer.
   
   
4. We receive Competitive Government Program applications from many more students than we are able to place each year. Most openings call for interns who are pursuing majors in STEM, communications, or business-related fields. Agencies often require a 3.0 GPA (or higher), and some request students from certain types of institutions (historically black colleges and universities, minority serving institutions, etc.).
   
   
5. You may not hear from TWC about your application to the Competitive Government Program in a timely manner, as we may be asked to forward candidates' applications to supervisors at federal agencies until the start of a given semester or term (and sometimes even later). You would not be able to decide to do the Washington, D.C. General Program after learning that you are not selected for the Competitive Government Program.

Washington, D.C. Internship Program Resources

• Sample Internship Sites [1]
• Career-Specific Programming [2]
• Scholarships for U.S. Students [3]