Program Fees

The cost for fellows to attend DCSI is:

A $150 spring course fee
A program fee based on your residency:
- In State: $3,500
- Out of State: $5,000
A $100 lunch fee during two-week course

So, for an In State student, the total cost of the above (without the optional housing) is $3,750. For an Out of State student, it is $5,250.

Optional fees

Provided Housing: $4,500
Metro UPASS: $80-$90 ($1/day)
- Unlimited transit (bus, metro, etc.) rides for the summer term
Various opt-in social experiences and excursions

Day to Day Costs in D.C.

The average cost per student will vary; however, most students report spending roughly $125-175 per week on “groceries and other necessities”.

What your Tuition and Fees Will Cover

In addition to the academic credit you’ll receive from the University for completing the D.C. Summer Institutes, your tuition and fees cover:

Faculty and staff salaries
Staff support during your internship search and throughout the summer
Various tickets, entry costs, and other expenses in planning your site-visits, guest speakers, and other 2-week class experiences.
Subsidized activities and social experiences throughout the summer

Funding For the D.C. Summer Institutes

Study in D.C. Scholarship Fund

The W&M Study in D.C. Scholarship Fund provides grants to students with financial constraints who would otherwise not be able to afford to participate in Study in D.C. programs.

To be eligible for the W&M Study in D.C. Scholarship Fund, W&M students must:

Be accepted into and complete a W&M Study in D.C. program
Be a current W&M student in good standing (seniors working/taking classes in D.C. for the summer who will then graduate in August are also eligible)
Have all application materials submitted by the appropriate deadline
Have filed a FAFSA with the Office of Financial Aid

Applicants will be selected based on the following criteria:

Financial need as demonstrated by the W&M Financial Aid Office
The overall quality, effort, and clarity of their application
The quality of their essay describing the value of their experience as it relates to their career goals
The completeness of a budget demonstrating need for costs during the course of the respective D.C. academic experience.

F.U.S.E. Funding

Funding for Unpaid and Underfunded Student Experiences

With the help of generous donors, including Julie Dobson, Chet Thaker, Martha and Daniel Lehman, and a $1-million leadership gift from Darpan Kapadia, the Office of Career Development & Professional Engagement can offer funding for unpaid or underfunded internship opportunities. Student veterans will also be considered for The Cameron S. Williams Veteran Internship Fund, which was created by Curtis and Ardine Williams to bridge the gap between military service and civilian careers by facilitating invaluable internship opportunities for student veterans.

The Career Center Student Internship Fund will award up to $5,000, throughout their time at William & Mary, to qualified undergraduate students who will be completing unpaid or underfunded internships.

All awards are based on a budget model for living expenses, to cover food, housing and transportation, so a student may participate in an unpaid or underfunded internship experience. F.U.S.E. funds are not intended to act as compensation for the experience.

To be eligible for summer funding, applicants must be enrolled as an undergraduate student through William & Mary's main campus, St. Andrews, or study abroad programs for the following fall semester. Students must have secured an unpaid or underfunded internship that is at one organization over at least 4 weeks, with a minimum of 160 hours worked during the summer, or a minimum of 100 hours during the fall, winter, or spring terms. Multiple internship experiences cannot be used to meet the 4-week duration and/or total hours requirements and all hours must fall within a single funding term. Funding cannot be applied retroactively toward any internship hours that were completed prior to the funding term.

Financial Aid

Currently enrolled and matriculated W&M students can take out student loans, private loans, or their parents can take out a PLUS Loan to cover the cost of the D.C. Summer Institutes. Students must complete a FAFSA form to apply for loans. Students must also complete a Summer Aid Application. For questions regarding this process, please contact the W&M Financial Aid office.

Most scholarships, merit awards, grants, and other direct forms of direct aid will count towards DCSI. Please consult with the Financial Aid office to see what your general Summer options are.

Virginia 529

The Virginia529 Prepaid plan only pays the full-time (or part-time for PT students) tuition charge on the student account. It does not pay any individual course or program fees.
If a family has one of the other Va529 programs (inVEST, CollegeAmerica, or CollegeWealth) those funds may cover D.C. program fees depending on the individual program guidelines. Questions regarding your plan may be obtained from the website www.virginia529.com or by calling toll-free 888-567-0540.
For questions, please contact the Bursar's Office at 757-221-1300.

Veterans Education Benefits

Students are able to use veteran education benefits (GI Bill®) for their participation in Study in D.C. academic programs.

If you have additional questions about the DVS review and veterans education benefits in general, email [[caward01,Carolyn Ward]], Veterans Benefits Officer.