President Biden and Vice President Harris announced the launch of the White House Internship Program today and for the first time in history, White House interns will be paid.

The White House Internship Program is a highly-esteemed public service leadership and development program that provides emerging leaders with an opportunity to gain valuable skills while supporting the work of the White House.. 

Up until this point, White House interns have not been paid and now that the position is paid, more people have access to it. The funds for paying interns come from bipartisan legislation that the President signed earlier this year.

“Too often, unpaid federal internships have been a barrier to hardworking and talented students and professionals, preventing them from contributing their talents and skills to the country and holding them back from federal career advancement opportunities,” the White House stated in a press release they sent to Watch The Yard.

“This significant milestone of paying White House interns will help remove barriers to equal opportunity for low-income students and first-generation professionals at the beginnings of their careers and help to ensure that those who receive internships at the White House—and who will be a significant part of the leadership pipeline across the entire federal government—reflect the diversity of America.”

If you or someone you know is interested in applying for the paid internship which will start in the Fall of 2022, complete the online application at WH.gov/intern.

The application for the Fall 2022 session will open on Monday, June 6 and close on Friday, June 24.

To qualify, program participants must be U.S. citizens, at least 18 years or older before the first day of the Program, and meet at least one of the three following criteria:

• Currently enrolled in an accredited undergraduate or graduate degree program at a college, community college, or university (two- to four-year institution)
• Graduated from an accredited undergraduate or graduate program at a college, community college, or university (two- to four-year institution) no more than two years prior to the first day of the Program
• A veteran of the United States Armed Forces who possesses a high school diploma or its equivalent and has served on active duty, for any length of time, no more than two years prior to the first day of the Program

Prospective candidates with questions about the Program, as well as college/university administrators, faculty, campus leadership, and others interested in more information to share with their communities can reach out to the White House Internship Program team at internship@who.eop.gov