Summer Program Intern in D.C. for 8 weeks!

Washington Semester Program Summer
American University’s Washington Semester Program (WSP) Summer is an opportunity for students to spend a summer in DC, work in a DC internship, and earn academic credit. Now in its 76th year, WSP has enabled 50,000+ students from hundreds of domestic and international universities to live, work, and study in Washington, DC. 

The WSP motto “DC Is Our Classroom” highlights the unique value of the program—combining experiential learning from a nationally ranked university with structured and supervised internships at some of DC’s most prestigious and dynamic institutions. 

Summer Program:

  • 8-week program
  • Internship: 4 days a week
  • Course: 1 day a week
  • Housing: TurnKey luxury apartments
  • American University Services + Resources

Summer 2025 Requirements

Summer 2024

Top 3 Reasons to Apply by or before Priority Deadline? 

  • competitive internships require early applications!
    Ex. Fed agencies like State Department and prestigious organizations like Woodrow Wilson Center
  • internships that require secruity clearnces require applications as early as Nov 15
  • scholarship consideration
  • housing preference
Application Deadlines
App Deadlines Summer 2024
Priority Feb 16
Regular Mar 31 (we cannot guarantee housing after this date)
INTL Schools Not Eligible
Scholarship Mar 15
Program Dates
Program Timeline Summer 2024
Move-In Window May 10 - 29
Internship + Class Start Jun 4
Internship + Class End Jul 26
Move-Out Window Jul 26 - Aug 9

Eligibilty

enrolled in a 2 or 4 year college or university
OR
graduated with a bachelor's in the past year
completed at least two semesters (or 24 credits)
possess a minimum 2.5 cumulative GPA
International students studying at U.S. universities are welcome to apply. We do not provide visa support for our summer program.

To Apply:

  1. Create an account.
  2. Check with your home school advisor or study off-campus office on credit transfer.
  3. After you have created an account, complete the application.
  4. After you have submitted the first portion of your application, you must return to your account and complete supplemental items (once you refresh the page, supplemental items should be an option).

    Note: Your application will not be considered until you have submitted the required supplemental items.
  • Official transcript from your home institution
  • Resume

Please submit all supplemental items electronically. Your certified electronic transcript should be sent to ogisdocuments@american.edu through your home institution. If your institution cannot issue an electronic copy, please let us know at washsem@american.edu.

WSP Summer 2025

You’ll have access to hundreds of internship openings and thousands of internship leads in our program online database. There are a wide variety of sectors where WSP Summer students find internships, including:

The Arts      
Business                    
Digital Media  
Education                  
Environment  
Foreign Policy             
Government/Politics
Healthcare
IT
Journalism
Law
Social Justice

  • Step 1: “DC Ready” resume & cover letter development
  • Step 2: Interview Training
  • Step 3: WSP Internship Database support
  • Step 4: Getting you to yes

Experienced WSP faculty and administrators work with you and your internship supervisors to help you have a great internship experience. 

We’ll help you develop the skills you need to be successful in your internship and future job—skills like communication, professionalism, teamwork, and conflict resolution—through a mix of career exploration workshops, professional skills building sessions, alumni and employer networking events, and advising with our dedicated internship coaches and professional faculty.

Our summer internship course is a dynamic combination of career readiness content that will support you in your internship. It also features 4+ site visits to DC area ogranizations to help you expand your professional network.

You can choose to receive 3 credits for your internship through this course or simply take it as a non-credit course.

  • Internship Course

    • Credits: 3 credits or Non-Credit
    • Modality: Hybrid
    • Career Readiness Content: 3 classes
      Includes goal-setting, workplace communication, diversity awareness, reflection on projects, and coaching through challenges + opportunities.
    • Site Visits + Speakers: 4+ to different organizations
      Tour DC organizations + expand your professional network.

Summer 2025
Description Amount

3-credit Internship + Internship Course

$4,576
Program fee $30

Note: Washington Semester Program does not sponsor visas for students in the summer program.
 

Housing with TurnKey
Apartment Options Rate
Double Occupancy
2 Bedroom + 2 Full Bathroom Apartment
2 students per bedroom | 4 students per apartment
TBD
Single Occupancy
2 Bedroom + 2 Full Bathroom Apartment
1 student per bedroom | 2 students per apartment
TBD