The DC Summer Institutes are an opportunity for undergraduate students to combine intensive classroom study of a topic with hands-on work at one of Washington's many nonprofits, think tanks, government agencies, or companies that helps shape that topic. Each Institute has a W&M professor in Washington who teaches the coursework while the W&M Washington Center staff helps fellows secure summer internships .

Contact Us

• For general inquiries, email [[dcsi]].
• To speak with someone in the William & Mary Washington Center call (202) 836-8610.

Program History

The DC Summer Institutes are housed in the W&M Washington Center. They were started in Summer 2010, and are staffed by the Program Director, Program Coordinator, and Washington Center. Our DC Summer Institutes were designed to: 1) Emphasize the practical aspects of learning and knowledge by increasing opportunities for internships in business, social services, government, and other ‘real life' laboratories, and 2) Provide an off-campus experience for each undergraduate to contribute the insight and understanding needed for leadership in the new global environment.

Academics

Take a course specifically designed for the DC Summer Institute theme. Classes are held for 2 weeks at the start of the summer on an accelerated schedule. Included in the class schedule are numerous speakers and site visits related to the specific theme. Following the academic class, fellows then work at their internship site for the remaining 10 weeks of the summer. Fellows receive 3-4 credits for their coursework and additional 3 credits for the academic work they complete in association with their internship.

Tuition & Fees

The cost for fellows to attend DCSI is:

• A non-refundable $250 program fee
• A $250 spring course fee (for NM and LCE only)
• Standard Summer Session tuition and fees for six credits (since the cost per credit hour changes year-to-year, please check here for current rates -- http://www.wm.edu/offices/financialoperations/sa/tuition/undergraduate/index.php)
  • 2018 rates:
    •  In-State $420/credit hour
    • Out-of-State $1,195/credit hour
    • Non-refundable one-time registration fee of $25.00
    • Non-refundable one-time comprehensive fee of $55.00

So for an In-State NM student in 2018, the total cost of the above (without the optional housing) is $3,100.  For an Out-of-State student, it is $7,750.  

If you choose to live in DC housing provided by the W&M Washington Center during the DC Summer Institutes, there is the additional non-refundable cost of $4,000 for a double room or $7,000 for a single room (pending availability).
Please visit the Prospective Students section of our website for more details on HOW fellows are billed.

*PLEASE NOTE THE FOLLOWING: 
1. The spring 1-credit course is a required part of the DC Summer Institutes.  Students who wish to drop the 1-credit spring class have until the drop deadline on 3/20 at 11:59pm to do so. If students drop by this deadline, the class fee charge will be removed, but students will forfeit their previously paid $1,500 in deposits for DCSI. Students who drop after the 3/20 at 11:59pm deadline will still be responsible for all tuition, fees and housing charges. No refunds will be provided, no charges removed after 3/20 at 11:59pm. 4/3 is the last day to withdraw from the course.
Students who drop the spring course will be removed from the DC Summer Institutes.
2. Students who wish to drop the two summer courses have until the drop deadlines on 5/17 (for the two week course) and 6/8 (for the 10 week internship course) at 11:59pm to do so. If students drop by these deadlines, the tuition charges will be removed, but students will forfeit their previously paid in $1,500 deposits. Students who drop after the 5/17 and 6/8 at 11:59pm deadlines will still be responsible for all tuition and housing charges. No refunds will be provided, no charges removed after 5/17 and 6/8 at 11:59pm. 5/23 (for the two week course) and 7/12 (for the 10 week internship course) is the last day to withdraw from the course.

Internships

The supportive DCSI staff advises students, and works with them to research, apply for, and secure internships which relate to the particular DC Summer Institute theme. Students will spend approximately 40 hours per week at their internships after their accelerated class has ended. The DCSI staff coordinates directly with each intern supervisor before and throughout the duration of the summer to provide a quality internship experience.  

Living in DC

The DC Summer Institute staff provides the same quality of support to students in DC as campus does in Williamsburg. Fellows may choose to live at home or another housing arrangement, or they can live in luxury apartments at 450K provided by the W&M Washington Center in the heart of Washington, DC.

Additional Study in DC opportunities offered by the Washington Center

The DC Summer Institutes are just one of the four academic and internship opportunities offered by the W&M Washington Center.  Other opportunities offered by the W&M Washington Center are:

• DC Summer Session: 5-week classes during the summer, with no accompanying internship. 
• DC Semester Program: offered each spring and fall semester only and involves an academically rigorous curriculum built around a semester-by-semester topic with internships matched to that topic, as well as residential, programming, and alumni mentorship/networking components.
• DC Winter Seminar: high-intensity 2-credit program offered during the last week of winter break, incorporating guest speakers and site visits to some of the capital's most important and recognizable institutions.