How to Apply
How to apply
1. Resumé
2. Transcript
3. Writing sample
4. Name of one or two faculty members who know your work best
5. An informal statement indicating by you indicating that you are financially able to participate in the program. (Market rate for rent in the DC area is approximately $600-$1200 per month.)
6. A Statement of Intention indicating that you plan on participating in the program if selected by an agency/public interest group of choice; and
7. Your top three choices for placement, in order of preference.
Choosing an agency/office and getting placed
Following is a list of agencies you may wish to consider. Note that most agencies are quite large, so please let us know if there is a particular office/bureau/division within the agency that interests you. Descriptions of the various agencies/offices may be found by Googling them.
An “**” in the list below indicates agencies/offices with whom we have an established relationship that allows us to place one or more students in that agency. Placement of qualified students in such agencies is easier than elsewhere, but is not guaranteed. You will still need to interview with that agency/ public interest group (typically by phone), make a good impression, and get selected.
A single asterisk (“*”) in the list below means that the agency has accepted Semester in DC program participants who applied individually and separately. In general, UCONN law students are free to apply to agencies on their own. In fact, we have two students enrolled in the program who did just that. One agency, the SEC, allows only free-standing, individual applications.
You are not limited to the asterisked agencies or even to the prospective hosts on this list. We are still growing the program and we are willing to work to build a relationship with a suitable agency/office if it is of particular interest to you, though we may ask that you do some legwork to facilitate this process.
You do not have to select three agencies if only one or two agencies interest you. Do not list any agency that you would not be happy working in, if selected.
Illustrative List of Agencies/Offices that have enrolled in our program and/or chosen Semester in DC interns :
• Department of Energy (DOE), Office of General Counsel**
• Department of Justice, Environmental Enforcement*
• Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Appeals Board**
• Department of Interior**
• Department of Transportation (DOT)**
• Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Office of General Counsel**
• Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)**
• Labor Department, Office of ALJs**
• National Archives and Records Administration**
• National Labor Relations Board (NLRB)**
• Securities and Exchange Commission (requires individual application)*
• Treasury Department, Office of the National Taxpayer Advocate**
Again, the double-asterisked offices are the easiest to work with but you are not limited to these offices. You may express an interest in other offices within these agencies, as well as other agencies, including:
• State Department
• Treasury Department
• Federal Trade Commission
• Federal Communications Commission
• Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
• Food and Drug Administration
• Department of Housing and Urban Development
• Other
You may also express an interest in interning with a Congressman or Senator or on the staff of a House or Senate Committee or Subcommittee. If so, please indicate with Member or Committee/Subcommittee would particularly interest you, and indicate any contacts, direct or indirect, you may have.
Finally, we will help facilitate placements with public interest organizations of national scope provided that they have offices in significant staff in DC, have a law and policy focus (not just grass roots organizing), and have the resources needed to give you work space and capable supervision. We do not endeavor to list all such organizations. You should feel free to suggest names of organizations that interest you.
Please direct questions or comments to the Registrar.
