Before applying to the Public Policy Internship Program's Washington, D.C. location, please review and take the information below into consideration. If you have any further questions or concerns, contact the program staff at ppip@ag.tamu.edu.
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The table below provides estimated costs for students to consider during their internship semester in Washington, D.C. Students should be advised that these are approximate and that costs may vary depending on each intern’s individual experiences.
Tuition is calculated based on the number of credit hours a student is enrolled in. Students are strongly encouraged to contact their academic advisor to discuss enrolled credits during the internship semester. Students may utilize the Tuition Calculator to estimate tuition costs.
Students are encouraged to visit Texas A&M's Money Management page for tips on budgeting for their internship semester.
Estimated Costs
Housing & Utilities $350 one-time housing fee Tuition & Fees $75 co-op fee + tuition, if applicable Flight $400-800 round trip Groceries $60 weekly Local Transportation* $30+ weekly Recreation $50 weekly Required Health Insurance Varies *This cost depends on the distance traveled and the travel time of each Metro ride. For more information on DC Metro fares and options, please visit their website here.
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Stay on track for graduation! Prospective PPIP interns are strongly encouraged to meet with their academic advisor to discuss how participating in PPIP could impact their degree plan prior to submitting a PPIP application. Please talk to your academic advisor about receiving course credit while interning with the Public Policy Internship Program.
PPIP interns are required to enroll in UGST 492: Co-op in Public Policy during the internship semester and complete the course assignments via Canvas. UGST 492 is a university-approved co-op that allows for variable credit (0-3 hours). Students should consult their academic departments to determine the appropriate number of credit hours for their individual degree plans.
Undergraduates participating in the Washington, D.C. program after graduation are required to enroll in UGST 492 but may do so for zero (0) hours during the internship semester.
UGST 492 is a graded course that will impact a student's GPR and transcript, even if enrolled for zero (0) credit hours. Enrollment in UGST 492 will classify the student as full-time with the Registrar's office as long as they enroll for at least one (1) credit hour. Please note that this is not the same as being considered full-time for financial aid purposes.
In addition to the UGST 492 course, some PPIP interns may earn additional hours that count towards graduation by enrolling in online coursework during the internship semester. However, because PPIP interns work full-time (40+ hours per week), the PPIP staff does not recommend enrolling in more than six (6) credit hours.
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Financial aid eligibility varies among students. It is ultimately the responsibility of each prospective intern to meet with an advisor from the Scholarships & Financial Aid office to discuss how participation in the Public Policy Internship Program will affect the student's financial aid eligibility.
Please note that while PPIP interns enrolled in the program’s UGST course for at least one (1) credit hour are classified as full-time with the Registrar's Office, this does not mean that they are considered full-time for scholarship and financial aid purposes.
Looking for additional financial support? Check out Texas A&M's LAUNCH website for potential fellowship/scholarship opportunities.
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Housing and basic utilities are provided for PPIP interns participating in the Washington, D.C. program. However, all D.C. interns are responsible for providing a housing fee of $350 prior to the start of the internship. All students interning in Washington, D.C. through the Policy Internship Programs Office live in fully furnished apartments just a short 20-25 minute subway ride to Capitol Hill! Interns are housed in 3-bedroom apartments, typically 2 students per bedroom. Each apartment is a massive 1,700 square feet with a balcony. We've briefly included information about our intern housing operation below.
Intern Housing Components
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Fully Furnished 3-Bedroom Apartments
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Kitchen Utensils plus Pots and Pans
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Kitchen Appliances
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Apartment Operated Front Desk/Concierge Service
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Laundry Facilities (in-unit)
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Apartment Patio or Balcony
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24-Hour Fitness Center
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Accessible Walking/Running Trails
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Walkable to Grocery Stores/The Metro (Subway System)
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Garage Parking (limited)
Preparing to Live in D.C.
Do not stress about housing during your internship. This is what makes the program unique compared to other internship programs at other institutions. Once accepted into our Washington, D.C. program, students will attend a meeting to discuss housing expectations, policies, and roommate assignments. Program staff will also discuss more details about what to bring, what not to bring, our modest housing fee, and other aspects to prepare you for city living for the semester!
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Starting a new job, moving to a new city, and learning the ropes can be daunting, but the Public Policy Internship Program helps its interns navigate the road to success!
Students accepted into PPIP must attend all training sessions and pre-departure events in College Station. There are typically 2-3 required weeknight events in addition to an Intern Training Day. Intern Training Day, held at the end of the semester, consists of a full day (8 am-5 pm) of sessions and activities with several Texas A&M administrators and special guests. Each PPIP intern will also have an individual meeting with program staff to discuss internship placement options. Additionally, PPIP hosts an optional intern social which allows interns to network and socialize in an informal setting.
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All PPIP interns are required to possess valid health insurance for the duration of the internship semester. Students will be responsible for providing a current copy of their health insurance card to program staff prior to leaving for their internship.
Students may use their current health insurance plan or may purchase insurance through Texas A&M University's University Health Services (UHS). Please visit the UHS website for details and eligibility.
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Graduating seniors* are eligible to intern with PPIP during the long semester after graduation in our Washington, D.C. location! For example, August graduates may intern the following fall semester, December graduates may intern the following spring semester, and May graduates may intern either the following summer or fall semester.
Affected students will be flagged as "U5-continuing" (post-baccalaureate undergraduate) through the registrar's office by program staff in conjunction with the registrar's office, which allows the student to participate in PPIP. The U5 classification does not impact the student's graduation, therefore students may still walk and receive their diplomas!
Students participating in PPIP after graduation must still adhere to all Texas A&M University student rules, as well as PPIP rules and expectations. This includes enrollment and full participation in the grade-bearing, university-approved co-op course: UGST 492.
*Interning with PPIP after graduation is not an option for graduate students.
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Interning with PPIP is valuable regardless of the time of year; however, students are strongly encouraged to think about applying for the fall or spring semester if they are considering D.C. Here are some reasons why:
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Longer internships – Interning during a long semester gives you more time to learn and grow your professional network. Imagine what you could accomplish during a 15-week program, rather than a 10-week program!
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Sidestep the summer intern rush – D.C. becomes intern central during the summer. Often offices are hosting multiple interns, which means that work and experiences may be spread thin. Interning during the fall or spring gives you a better opportunity to take on important office tasks.
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Aggie game-watching events with the D.C. Aggie Club – The D.C. Aggies are the largest Aggie Club outside of Aggieland. What better way is there to grow your Aggie network than meeting former students while watching Aggie football, basketball, or baseball?
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Congress is in session more often – Congress is out of session for a good chunk of the summer but convenes much more often during the fall and spring. This means that the workload for offices both on and off the Hill increases, resulting in a higher demand for interns.
It is possible to take time away from campus for an internship during the fall or spring; it just takes a bit of advanced planning. Be sure to meet with your academic advisor to discuss options!
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It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience to get to live in Washington, D.C., and intern at the International Trade Admin! I think the highlight of my internship experience was definitely living with people I became really good friends with and exploring D.C. with them!