Budget & Average Costs
The table below provides estimated costs for students to consider during the internship semester. Students should be advised that these are approximate and that costs may vary depending on the individual intern's expereiences.
Tuition is calculated based on the number of hours in which a student is enrolled Students are encouraged to contact their academic advisor to discuss enrolled credits during the internship semester.
Students are encouraged to visit with Texas A&M's Money Education Center for assistance with budgeting for their internship semester.
Estimated Costs
| Washington, D.C. | Austin, Texas | Berlin, Germany | London, England | Madrid, Spain | Paris, France | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Housing & Utilities | $350 housing fee; however, housing & basic utilities are covered | $900 monthly | $800 monthly | $1150 monthly | $750 monthly | $950 monthly |
| Tuition & Fees | $75 co-op fee plus tuition, if applicable Tuition Calculator | |||||
| Flight | $400-600 round trip | n/a | $900-1600 | $900-1600 | $900-1600 | $900-1600 |
| Groceries | $60 weekly | $60 weekly | $60 weekly | $60 weekly | $60 weekly | $60 weekly |
| Local Transportation | $120 monthly | $80 monthly | $90 monthly | $230 monthly | $90 monthly | $80 monthly |
| Recreation | $50 weekly | $50 weekly | $50 weekly | $50 weekly | $50 weekly | $50 weekly |
| Required Health Insurance | Varies | Varies | CISI Insurance | CISI Insurance | CISI Insurance | CISI Insurance |
| Passport | n/a | n/a | $110 | $110 | $110 | $110 |
| Visa | n/a | n/a | $100 | $800 | $100 | $100 |
Academics
Stay on track for graduation! Prospective PPIP interns are highly encouraged to meet with their academic advisor to discuss how participation in PPIP could impact the student's 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 tht allows for variable credit (0-3 hours). Students should work with their academic departments to determine how many hours are the most appropriate for their individual degree plans.
Undergraduates participating in either the Washington, D.C. or Austin, Texas 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 affect a student's GPR and transcript accordingly. Enrollment in the UGST 492 course will classify the student as full-time with the Registrar's office so long as the student enrolls in it 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 gain 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.
Financial Aid
Financial aid eligibility varies between students. It is ultimately the responsibility of each 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 are classified as full-time with the Registrar's Office, it does not mean that a student is considered as 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.
Intern Housing Accomodations
Housing and basic utilities are provided to PPIP interns participating in the Washington, D.C. program. These intern apartments are located in Crystal City (Arlington, VA). All D.C. interns are responsible for providing a housing fee of $350 prior to the start of the internship.
The Public Policy Internship Program is not able to provide housing for interns participating in the Austin, Texas program nor the international programs. As an Austin or international intern, the student is responsible for securing their own housing accomodations for the duration of the internship.
Learn More About Intern Housing
Training & Pre-Departure Events
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 occurs at the end of the semester and consists of a full day (8am-5pm) 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. PPIP also hosts an optional intern social which allows interns to network and socialize in an informal setting.
Health Insurance
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 leaging for their internship.
Students may use their current health insurance plan or may purchase insurance through Texas A&M University's Student Health Services (SHS). Please visit the SHS website for details and eligibility.
Students interning in Berlin, London, Madrid, or Paris are required to purchase the Cultural Insurance Services International (CISI) insurance through Texas A&M University's Education Abroad office.
Passport & Visa Information
Students participating in one of PPIP's international programs must possess a valid U.S. passport that does not expire within six (6) months after the conclusion of the internship semester.
Additionally, international program interns are required to obtain a visa if they will be in their internship country longer than 90 days. The Public Policy Internship Program staff can provide verification documents as needed; however, it is ultimately the student's responsibility to research and execute the visa application process. Please visit the German, British, French, or Spanish consulate's website for the most current visa information.
Interning after Graduation
Graduating seniors* are eligible to intern with PPIP during the long semester after graduation in our Washington, D.C. and Austin, Texas locations! 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 or those interested in the Europe programs.
Consider PPIP for the Fall or Spring, rather than Summer!
Interested in the D.C. program? 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:
- Longer internships – Interning during a long semester gives you more time to learn and to grow your professional network. Imagine what you could accomplish during a 15-week program, rather than a 10-week program!
- 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 give you a better opportunity to take on important office tasks.
- Game watching events during Aggie football season 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?
- 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!