The chances of being selected depend on the applicant's journalism background, including previous internship experience, as well as academic record. All applicants must complete the two courses described above. Knowledge of a foreign language is a definite plus, and is required for students who travel to Germany, Italy, France and Latin America. Because students will be working for different companies in different countries, there is no standard list of duties interns will be assigned. In the past, interns have done everything from checking wires to editing copy to covering breaking international news.
Every assignment is different.
Students are responsible for finding their own lodging. Previous interns can provide leads. Applicants list the top three countries to which they would like to be assigned and whether they want print or broadcast assignments. The selection committee attempts to accommodate these requests. Former interns include Laura Landro, now an assignment editor for the Wall Street Journal , and Bill Branigan, a globe-trotting correspondent for The Washington Post .