10 Most Prestigious Political Internships in Washington D.C.

The most prestigious political internships in Washington D.C. can help narrow your options if you are looking for an internship or a part-time job. Not only is it a wise move for your career, but you can also learn new skills and gain knowledge.

The U.S. government structure consists of three branches, the executive, legislative, and judicial. Each has its distinct functions and duties, but none of these are greater than the other. Working hand-in-hand to create a balanced government is the primary goal; some may say that the Executive branch is higher than the other, but it is really up to your perspective on how you interpret the duties of each office. Rest assured, no one person or group will assume too much control for their interest. The President is the head of the Executive Branch, and he is also the leader of the state and the Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces. The Vice President and the Cabinet are also part of the Executive Branch. The responsibility of the Executive Branch is to implement and enforce laws that the Congress has written. On the other hand, the House of Representatives and the Senate are what make the Legislative Branch of the U.S. government. The head of the Senate is the Vice President, and it is the branch where the Presidential appointments get rejected or confirmed. Interpretation of laws is the main task assigned to the Judicial Branch.

10 Most Prestigious Political Internships in Washington D.C.

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The internship is your baby steps to learning a professional career, and high school students, college students, or a postgraduate individual can qualify for an internship. An internship can help you gain education credits, get recommendation letters in addition to your curriculum vitae, or create new contacts that may be helpful to your career in the future. Most importantly, it can help you decide the career path you want to take, while also providing invaluable experience. The U.S. government is a great starting ground for an internship since it is broad and consists of different agencies. Your educational background is not an issue as political internships for college students have some standard qualifications among other student levels. The only difference would be the school credentials that you have to submit. We may have an idea in our mind that it is all about politics and courses related to it like political science and those in those programs have a greater chance of getting a spot, but that’s not always the case. There are a lot of political science internships in Washington DC, and as long as you meet the qualifications for the application, then you will be ready to give it a shot. If politically-related things aren’t for you, other options are found on our list of 11 most prestigious companies to work for.

The items that made it to our list of most prestigious political internships in Washington D.C. came from various branches of the U.S. government, other agencies, and school or university internship programs. We sourced these political internships from the United States Government, U.S. Department of State Careers Representing America, the White House, LinkedIn and Georgetown University. Each item has their respective qualifications and cut off date of application submission, due to different internship periods like the summer internship period and fall internship period. Even though the government internship in DC for summer in 2017 period is over; there are still options for the rest of the year, and next year too. We attempted to find accurate data on applicants and the data of those who are accepted each year, but unfortunately, we can’t get access to any study or research about it. It’s not even indicated under the set qualifications, and there is no stated quota as to how many applicants are accepted for each program. We then decided to rank each internship according to the government branch, office, and institution offering the internship program. On the top of our list are internships from executive, legislative, and judicial branches of the government. The rest are internships for senators, congressmen, and other institutions.

Let us see what are some of the most prestigious political internships in Washington D.C.

10. The Borgen Project

The Borgen Project focus on addressing the global poverty. The Political Affairs Intern they need must meet with the members of Congress or Congressional staffers and represent the project at various business, political and community events. The successful applicant must possess leadership skills and strong oral communication skills.

10 Most Prestigious Political Internships in Washington D.C.

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9. DC Internship

DC internship is a program of Congresswoman Virginia Foxx which is truly an opportunity for young leaders. The participants of this program are housed in the George Washington University. The participants or successful applicants will experience their chosen field of interest.

10 Most Prestigious Political Internships in Washington D.C.

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8. Robert Morris University

Like Harvard, Robert Morris University also has a semester-long internship program in Washington DC. The internship can be of various aspects of national politics, government affairs, political journalism, criminal justice, law, and international affairs. In exchange, they get internship credit for their Practicum.

10 Most Prestigious Political Internships in Washington D.C.

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7. Summer in Washington

The Harvard University has a Summer In Washington Program is among the most prestigious political internships in Washington D.C. because it gives students the opportunity to experience politics and public service. They can gain exposure to a broad range of career. Aside from this knowledge, they can also explore Washington D.C.

10 Most Prestigious Political Internships in Washington D.C.

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6. U.S. House of Representatives & Senate Internship

Individual offices of senators of the U.S. House of Representatives & Senate recruit their interns on their timelines. This means you can directly contact them and you can start looking for the Internship Resource Center of the Georgetown University. The task may depend on who or what Congressional Office accepted you as an intern.

10 Most Prestigious Political Internships in Washington D.C.

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5. Congressional Budget Office

The Congressional Budget Office or CBO is looking for an intern who is pursuing a graduate degree in economics, public policy, health policy, and finance or a degree related to the mentioned field of study. Communication and writing skills are a must as well. CBO accepts non-US citizen as long as the applicant is a resident of the United States who is already seeking U.S. citizenship.

4. Student Internship Program

Halfway on our list of 10 most prestigious political internships in Washington D.C. is an unpaid internship where the intern has the opportunity to work in U.S. embassies, and consulates are the Student Internship Program under the U.S. Department of State. This responsibility applies worldwide, around the states of the U.S. or within the local bureaus in Washington DC. The task varies where the intern is assigned.

10 Most Prestigious Political Internships in Washington D.C.

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3. Pathways Internship Program

Third, on our list of most prestigious political internships in Washington D.C. is The U.S. Department of State’s Pathways Internship Program that includes two other programs which are the Internship Temporary Program (ITEP) and Internship Experience Program (IEP). Interns under ITEP are appointed temporarily, and they are allowed work seasonal and on holiday breaks in academic programs. They should not exceed one year or the date of their graduation. Interns under IEP have permanent appointments and lasts the length of the academic program.

10 Most Prestigious Political Internships in Washington D.C.

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2. U.S. Sentencing Commission Volunteer Student Intern

The student intern needed by the U.S. Sentencing Commission must be enrolled in a law or graduate program. He will report to the Director of  Office and Legislative Affairs or OLPA. Among the responsibilities of the student, an intern assists in the preparation of materials needed for Commission’s public meetings and hearings and perform administrative tasks as per the Director of OLPA.

10 Most Prestigious Political Internships in Washington D.C.

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1. White House Internship Program

The successful interns admitted in the White House Internship Program surely got an experience of a lifetime. The White House staff along with the President and the First Lady commits to provide the youth leaders all the necessary actions and materials to develop their leadership skills. The tasks include conducting research, managing incoming inquiries, attending meetings, writing memos, and staffing events. The interns will also be able to participate in the community service projects at schools in Washington DC and other non-profit organization.

10 Most Prestigious Political Internships in Washington D.C.

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That makes up our list of most prestigious political internships in Washington D.C.