005Information for Prospective Interns

The internship at the Transatlantic Dialogue Program of the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom in Washington, DC is a great opportunity for those who would like to work in the field of transatlantic relations, are open towards new cultures and working areas, and would like to get to know possible operational areas in the field.

Every year we offer several internships for German students. Those studying political science, economics, or law in their graduate or undergraduate studies are preferred. Interns assist with the organization of political educational events, research a range of topics, and write reports, in addition to other tasks. The duration of an internship is generally two to three months.  Excellent English skills, both oral and written, are essential. Additionally, you will need a visa for the United States.

This internship is unpaid. We are happy to help you with the organizational preparation of your stay in Washington, DC; however, we cannot help with your search for accommodation.

Application Documents

Due to high demand we recommend that you submit your application documents via e-mail approximately half a year prior to your desired start date of the internship. The application should include the following documents and information:

  1. Cover letter with information about your desired time frame for the internship
  2. CV with a photograph of yourself
  3. Certificates of your school and university records, as well as letters of reference from former internships
  4. Language certificates (i.e. TOEFL)

Please send your documents to tad@fnst.org

Visa and financing

When you receive our acceptance and confirm the date of the internship, you will need to apply for a J1-Visa. A tourist visa is insufficient. Please calculate at least three months for the visa application process. You will receive the visa only through an exchange organization. Since the U.S. authorities only recognize Friedrich-Naumann-Foundation for Freedom in Washington, DC via this liaison agency, you will not be able to file an application directly with the embassy or consulate general of the United States. In the past we have had good experiences with Cultural Vistas. Cultural Vistas is  an agent for obtaining a visa.

Contact details:

New York Headquarters

440 Park Ave. South

Second Floor

New York, NY 10016

Phone: +1 212 497 350

info@culturalvistas.org

You can submit the application for Cultural Vistas online. Once you receive all documents from Cultural Vistas, you have to apply for an appointment at the consulate online (www.usvisa-germany.com).  Please make sure you have all required documents prior to your appointment. Keep in mind that it can take several weeks to schedule an appointment at the US consulate.

The Cultural Vistas program fee will be around $775. In addition to this, there will be a $180 fee (Sevis fee) for the visa application at the US consulate and possible further travel expanses to the consulate location. You can find more information here.

You should also consider the costs of your flight, insurance (foreign health insurance), and food and accommodation. You should budget for roughly $1400 per month for food and accommodation in Washington, DC.