Students should be college juniors or seniors, although sophomores will be considered in special circumstances. Students must be in good standing at their college/university. Preference is given to students with a minimum 3.5 GPA.
A Program Applicable to All Majors
You do not need to be a political science major to apply. Current and future leaders are active in a variety of fields. Experience gained in the Washington Semester Program is valuable for any major or career choice. Students in the program have included majors in engineering, biology, journalism, business, French, English, international relations, women's studies, the fine arts, history and accounting.
Enrollment in the Program
Accepted students enroll at the University of South Carolina in Columbia for the semester they are participating in the Washington Semester Program.
If you are interested in applying to the Washington Semester Program, you should talk to your academic advisor(s) to determine how the Washington Semester Program's academic credit will apply to your individual undergraduate program.
Tuition and Anticipated Expenses in Washington, D.C.
It is hard to know what exact expenses to anticipate, since it differs from student to student. In general, typical expenses associated with the semester are:
Tuition - All students will enroll at USC Columbia and pay the USC semester tuition rate. The USC Board of Trustees establishes the tuition for the upcoming year in July of each year.
Housing Expenses - Washington Intern Semester Housing (WISH) management company owns the house where the students live. The cost of housing varies each year. Students should budget between fifty-five hundred to six thousand dollars. This includes all utilities, internet access, furnishings, and basic kitchen supplies. WISH understands that many students use scholarship money to help pay for housing, which often is not available to the student until after the semester begins. A payment schedule for housing can be worked out directly through the WISH office.