Frequently Asked Questions

The Spring 2025 program will be a 16-week program, beginning on Monday, January 27th, 2025, and ending on Friday, May 16th, 2025.

We are thrilled to announce that for the first time in history, participants in the White House Internship Program are paid. This is consistent with President Biden’s commitment to removing barriers that prevent hardworking and talented students and professionals from participating in federal career advancement opportunities, particularly for low-income and first-generation students and professionals. 

Program participants are paid at a rate of $750 a week. Stipends are disbursed in two installments: participants will receive the first payment at or around the start of the program and the final payment after the successful completion of the program. 

If an intern fails to complete any or part of the program (either because they are terminated or choose to withdraw), they will be required to repay in the amount equal to the uncompleted time.

The application portal will be open Wednesday, June 26th, 2024 and will close Friday, July 26^th, 2024. 

Yes, The White House Internship Program is one of the several internship opportunities offered by a component of the Executive Office of the President. You are welcome to apply for the White House Internship Program in addition to applying for an internship in another component. Other components within EOP with internship opportunities include:

• Council of Economic Advisors (CEA)
• Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ)
• National Space Council (NSpC)
• Office of Administration (OA)
• Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP)
• Office of the National Cyber Director (ONCD)
• Office of Management and Budget (OMB)
• Office of Science & Technology Policy (OSTP)
• United States Trades Representative (USTR)
• The Office of Pandemic Preparedness and Response Policy (OPPR)

Please be aware that the application dates and required material may vary by component. For more information on these EOP internships, please visit this website.

Applications will be reviewed by the White House Internship Program (WHIP) team on a rolling basis during the application window; completed applications will be reviewed as soon as they are received. Therefore, candidates are encouraged to submit their applications sooner rather than later in the application period.

No, participants are not allowed to receive an outside source of funding from a third-party organization in connection with their participation in the program.

No, interns must arrange for their own housing and relocation. 

Program participants must be U.S. citizens, at least 18 years or older before the first day of the program, and meet at least one of the three following criteria:

• Currently enrolled in an accredited undergraduate or graduate degree program at a college, community college, or university (two- to four-year institution)
• Graduated from an accredited undergraduate or graduate program at a college, community college, or university (two- to four-year institution) no more than two years prior to the first day of the internship program
• A veteran of the United States Armed Forces who possesses a high school diploma or its equivalent and has served on active duty, for any length of time, no more than two years prior to the first day of the EOP Internship Program

Note: If you are a male born after December 31, 1959, and are at least 18 years of age, civil service employment law (5 U.S.C. 3328) requires that you must be registered with the Selective Service System, unless you meet certain exemptions.

Applicants who advance to further stages of the application process will be required to complete the Standard Form (SF) 86 to determine whether they meet security eligibility requirements. Information requested on the SF86 that could affect eligibility includes, but is not limited to, an applicant’s connections to foreign governments, criminal history, financial debts and tax compliance, and prior drug use (including marijuana, regardless of whether the marijuana use was permitted under state law).

A demonstrated interest in public service and a commitment to the values of the Biden-Harris Administration through schoolwork, extracurricular activities, and previous work/intern experience are beneficial to applicants. President Biden and Vice President Harris have committed to building an Administration that looks like America, believing that qualified people from every background and walk of life should have an equal opportunity to serve our Nation. That commitment is reflected in each White House Internship Program class. 

The Fall 2023 session will be hosted in-person on the White House campus. Interns will not be able to participate in the program remotely. Program leadership will continue to monitor the public health landscape related to COVID-19, and will adapt the program’s approach in order to create a safe and healthy work environment. All interns will be required to attest to their vaccination status and must adhere to any White House-determined COVID-19 testing, masking, and/or social distancing guidance.

The White House Internship Program is a full-time program and does not accept part-time interns. Participants should expect to participate full time (at least 35 hours per week) for the duration of their internship session. Stipend payments are contingent upon program participants attending the program in full for the duration of the program term.

Any potential scheduling conflicts must be brought to the attention of the WHIP team and department hiring managers during the interview process to be considered on a case-by-case basis.

White House interns are allowed to receive academic credit for their participation in the program, in addition to being paid. Interns should consult with their educational institutions to determine credit requirements and must submit any request for credit to the WHIP team for review by the Office of the White House Counsel. 

Some educational institutions allow interns to receive either academic credit or pay, and in these instances, interns are allowed to opt out of receiving a stipend in order to be awarded academic credit.

Applicants have the opportunity to rank their preferred departments before submitting their application for review. Determinations on placement are made by the WHIP team in consultation with White House departments. Applicant experience and expressed interest, as well as the unique duties of each White House department, will be taken into account, but the final decision will be made by WHIP.

More information on each department and the work they do can be found here.

Interns are fully engaged in the day-to-day work of their department, and they work to advance the agenda of the Biden-Harris Administration. While intern responsibilities and tasks vary given the unique needs of each department, assignments can range on any given day from conducting research, managing incoming inquiries, attending meetings, writing memos, and staffing events.

A few hours each week, interns across the White House are brought together as a class to engage in structured educational programming, including a speaker series with senior White House staff.

Yes, applicants are allowed to reapply to subsequent sessions. However, prior participants in the White House Internship Program will not be accepted.

No. It is essential, however, that applicants are dedicated to the ideals and mission of the White House Internship Program and the Biden-Harris Administration.

Recommendation letters can be written by anyone who can speak to the applicant’s qualifications, character, and commitment to public service. Letters must be submitted through the application portal as part of the application package.

“To Whom It May Concern” or “White House Internship Program Review Team.”

Resumes may be no longer than one page and should include any relevant education, work experience, extracurricular activities, and service experience.

All application materials, including letters of recommendation, must be submitted through the application portal before the portal closes at the corresponding application deadline. The WHIP team is unable to consider any applications that are incomplete once the application portal has closed on the stated deadline for each program session, and we are unable to accept any application materials via mail or email.

We encourage applicants to submit their application package in full as soon as it is complete.

Prospective candidates with questions about the Program, as well as college/university administrators, faculty, campus leadership, and others interested in more information to share with their communities can reach out to the White House Internship Program team at internship@who.eop.gov.