Internship Policies & Expectations
Students are expected to work 10 weeks during their internship with a minimum of 40 hours per work week and their work must address some aspect of public policy in their area of specialization. When negotiating the terms of their internship, students should be aware that required law electives begin one week before the start of the regular school year.
Once an internship has been accepted, students need to provide the program office with the offer letter which they received from their employer. Click here to upload this letter and complete information about your internship.
By the beginning of the student’s internship, the Associate Director (Professor McBeth) will email letters (click here to see a sample of this letter) to the student's supervisor detailing the internship expectations as well as requesting an evaluation of the intern's work at the end of the 10-week period. Note: often the student’s supervisor contact is not known until close to the start of the internship. Please email Sophie with the information as soon as you receive it.
Financial Aid for unpaid/low paid internships
The Program has a pool of funds available to assist students who accept unpaid or low paid internships. Assistance is contingent upon the number of students requesting it and the availability of funds.
In order to receive funding, students need to have an I9 on file (if you have been on the W&M payroll as a student, then you will have already processed an I9 and will not need to do so again). If you believe you need an I9, please contact Sophie for processing instructions.
Finally, students are expected to complete a short survey that includes a note of thanks and a short bio to share with the donor of your funds.
Note: this award may be subject to both federal and Virginia state taxes and/or may affect your tax liability. Support for an external internship is considered employment and therefore reported on a W-2. May 10 is the deadline that you are considered an active student enrolled in classes and therefore exempt from FICA. If you have requested funding by that date and have made sure you have processed an I9 (or have one on file already), then your funds should not be subject to FICA. Federal and state withholding still pertain.
Please see this letter for general treatment of scholarships and fellowships for tax purposes. Contact your tax adviser for possible implications; Public Policy staff members do not give tax advice.
