The Washington Center receives student applications at least six to eight weeks prior to the students' arrival in Washington. Once accepted into the program, the applications are referred to the program supervisor with a matching interest and expertise in a student's area of interest. Step 2 Weeks 2-4 Prospective agency supervisors contact students by telephone to conduct interviews with intern candidates. Step 3 Week 5 Prospective agency supervisors notify The Washington Center program supervisors about their decision on the applicants and they notify the students directly. When considering more than one candidate, it is helpful to rank them in order of preference.
Program supervisors inform intern candidates of all potential placement offers.
Prospective interns may confirm a placement at this point or request their application be sent to additional placement sites. Step 5 Week 8 Students select their preferred internship placement. Six to eight months prior to the start of the internship, some placement sights will require advance application in order to complete security clearances. These usually include the Departments of State and Justice, as well as the U.S. Attorney's Office, The White House and CNN Typically, this process takes about eight weeks. Placement sites that offer substantive, responsible positions may still stand a chance to compete for interns at the last minute, especially if financial assistance is available.