George Washington University Internships: A Comprehensive Guide for Students

The George Washington University (GWU), strategically located in the heart of Washington, D.C., offers a wealth of internship opportunities across diverse fields. These internships are designed to provide students with invaluable real-world experience, complementing their academic studies and preparing them for future careers. GWU leverages its prime location and strong partnerships with various organizations to facilitate these experiences.

The Value of Internships at GWU

GWU recognizes the pivotal role internships play in a student's academic and professional development. By pairing classroom learning with practical experience, students can connect their studies to real-world scenarios. Internships offer students the chance to apply their knowledge, develop new skills, and gain a deeper understanding of their chosen field. Furthermore, the university emphasizes the importance of internships in shaping a student’s academic and professional journey, encouraging students to pursue opportunities that align with their interests, academic pursuits, and long-term career goals.

A Wide Array of Internship Fields

Internships at GWU span a multitude of sectors, including:

Business: Opportunities in finance, marketing, management, and entrepreneurship.
Politics: Access to government agencies, political campaigns, and advocacy groups.
Healthcare: Internships in hospitals, research institutions, and public health organizations.
Communications: Roles in journalism, public relations, advertising, and digital media.
Technology: Positions in software development, data science, cybersecurity, and IT management.
Arts: Internships in museums, galleries, performing arts organizations, and creative agencies.
Nonprofits: Opportunities to contribute to social causes and community development.

GW's location in Washington, DC, offers students the unique opportunity to witness national policymaking up close, as well as provides access to a wide array of nonprofits, arts organizations, laboratories and private sector businesses.

Leveraging GWU's Location in Washington, D.C.

GWU's prime location in Washington, D.C., provides unparalleled access to internship opportunities, particularly in government and policy-related sectors. The nation's capital is home to numerous federal agencies, think tanks, non-profit organizations, and international institutions, offering students a unique chance to engage with national and global issues. This strategic positioning allows students to witness national policymaking firsthand and gain invaluable experience in their respective fields.

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GWU's Partnerships and Alumni Network

GWU has cultivated strong partnerships with various organizations and industries to facilitate internship placements for students. These partnerships provide a direct pathway for students to gain access to competitive internships. Moreover, the university's extensive alumni network plays a crucial role in connecting current students with internship opportunities. Alumni often serve as mentors, providing guidance and support to students as they navigate their internship experiences. The alumni network of GWU plays a crucial role in facilitating internship opportunities for current students.

Micro-Internships: A Flexible Option

For students seeking short-term, focused experiences, micro-internships offer a valuable alternative. These paid, professional projects are typically remote and can be completed by students and recent graduates from all majors. Companies of all sizes, from Fortune 100 corporations to emerging startups, post these unique projects year-round. Parker Dewey is designed to help early career professionals launch their careers. Projects completed through Parker Dewey are available to international students who are either affiliated with one of our partner programs or those attending a US-based college or university. Micro-Internships fill fast!

Stories of Success: GWU Students in Action

GWU students have consistently demonstrated their ability to excel in internships across various fields.

Allegra Farrar, a SEAS undergraduate, honed her research and engineering skills through summer positions at MIT Lincoln Laboratory, working on a NASA program to simulate an orbit from Earth to the Psyche Asteroid. She furthered her experience with an internship at Northrop Grumman, conducting telemetry data analysis for the James Webb Space Telescope program.
Connor Gillespie and Andrew Edzenga both landed summer internships at Tesla, with Conor working as a design engineering intern at the company's headquarters in Palo Alto, CA, and Andrew working as a manufacturing facilities mechanical engineering intern in Freemont, CA.
Caitlin Carfano and Monica Kavathekar created a free, after-school STEM education program for elementary school students in DC public schools, which has grown to include 30 student volunteers leading STEM activities at five public schools in Washington, DC, throughout the academic year.

These examples highlight the diverse and impactful internship experiences available to GWU students.

Earning Academic Credit for Internships: CCAS 2154

Students participating in an internship can register for courses that allow them to earn academic credit for the experience. While some internship providers require registration in such a course, students are not required to earn academic credit for the enrollment. Whether applying for credit or not, all students submit the same application form.

CCAS 2154: Elective Internship

CCAS 2154 is offered for academic credit (1-3 credits) during the fall, spring, and summer semesters. Many students can also get credit for internships through their major departments in the fall and spring.

Zero Credit Option: Students who must be registered for a course, as required by their internship provider, but do not want academic credit can register for CCAS 2154 during the summer for zero credit hours. Students registered in this manner will not be required to complete any coursework for CCAS. The internship supervisor will have to complete an evaluation at the end of the internship.

Eligibility Requirements for CCAS 2154

First-Year Students: First-year students are generally not eligible to register for the internship course, as they are encouraged to focus on adjusting to college coursework, schedules, and responsibilities.
GPA Requirement: Students with a cumulative GPA below 2.5 are generally not eligible to register for CCAS 2154. The university encourages students to focus on improving their grades and apply once they reach a 3.0 GPA.
Incomplete Grades: Students with pending Incomplete grades from previous semesters are encouraged to complete them before pursuing an internship, to ensure they can focus on the internship experience and current coursework.
Application Deadlines: The application for Spring 2026 will be open December 2025 through early February 2026. Applications submitted after the deadline will not be accepted.

Finding a Faculty Sponsor

Finding a full-time faculty member to sponsor the internship experience may be challenging. The faculty sponsor does not necessarily need expertise that directly relates to the internship or the research the student is interested in pursuing. They simply need to have the willingness to support the student throughout the journey (e.g., help find related readings that support the topic, work on a schedule for submitting drafts of the paper, grade the work submitted for the course). The university requires a full-time faculty member to ensure they will be on campus throughout the internship and research experience. However, if the faculty member isn’t full-time status but has been with the University for at least 2 years, then the university would consider allowing them to sponsor the student.

Registration and Payment for CCAS 2154

Credit Hours: Typically, students working 15 hours per week or more in their internship are recommended to register for only 12 credit hours of academic work during the semester. However, students should determine the workload they can handle comfortably.
Repeat Registration: Students are allowed to register for CCAS 2154 for a total of 6 credit hours towards their undergraduate degree.
Tuition Fees: If you register for CCAS 2154 in the fall and spring semester, the fee is included in your tuition (up to 18 credit hours), however when you register for CCAS 2154 in the summer, you have to pay per credit hour set by the university.If you register for CCAS 2154 in the summer for zero credits, there is no tuition charge, but there is a $35 processing fee.

Earning Credit: Important Considerations

Verification Letters: Students needing a letter of verification for their employer that they will receive credit for their internship should allow three to five business days for the university to provide the letter.
Credit Requirement: Some internship sites require students to earn credit for their time, while others do not. If the internship organization does not require credit, students are not required to register for CCAS 2154.
Retroactive Credit: The university cannot award retroactive credit for internships completed in previous semesters. The goal is for students to be learning and researching about their chosen topic concurrently to maximize the amount of learning from both the personal and academic experiences.
Internships Abroad: CCAS 2154 Elective Internship is only for domestic internships.

Summer Housing for Interns at GWU

The George Washington University offers convenient summer housing options for students interning in Washington, D.C. With a downtown location, GWU provides easy access to offices, classrooms, and various D.C. attractions.

Eligibility and Requirements

Space for individual guests is at a premium and rooms are assigned on a first-come, first-serve basis for a minimum of 6 consecutive weeks and a maximum of 11 consecutive weeks. To be eligible for summer housing guests must be participating in a structured internship or employment/volunteer position in the Washington, DC.

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Summer 2026 Dates

Earliest Available Arrival Date: Sunday, May 24, 2026
Latest Available Departure Date: Saturday, August 8, 2026
Long-Term Stay reservations have a 6-week minimum stay requirement and a 11-week maximum.

GWU's various housing options offer amenities and living styles for every need all while being fully immersed in one of the city’s most vibrant neighborhoods.

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