"The Premier Internship Program in Washington, DC"
The "Embassy and Diplomatic Scholars" internship program in Washington, DC, is a unique approach to practical learning for high-achieving undergraduate and graduate students (as well as recent graduates) interested in international affairs. The only program of its kind, Embassy Scholars provides students the opportunity to engage in substantive internships in Washington, the nation's most international city. Students work in foreign embassies, UN offices, think tanks, development nonprofit organizations, or U.S. foreign policy agencies, and if they are still in school, gain full academic credit. The program is conducted by the Institute for Experiential Learning (IEL), a nonprofit educational organization which arranges academic-based internship programs in cooperation with colleges and universities in the United States and abroad.
Qualified applicants must have a 3.0 GPA and some international experience and are chosen by a special selection committee of Ambassadors, diplomatic practitioners, and international business people. Students have interned in the Department of State and many embassies, including Canada, Ecuador, Estonia, Korea, Papua New Guinea, and Mexico. IEL requires a commitment from the embassies and other agencies that the students act as entry-level professionals and be given substantive responsibilities. IEL staff keep in touch with the agencies throughout the semester to ensure that this commitment is fulfilled.
