Offered in both fall and spring semesters, the Washington Semester Program is open to qualified junior and senior undergraduates in any major whose GPA is at least 3.0.

The 15- to 18-credit program consists of four courses and an internship, all offered in Washington, D.C.

SU financial aid packages travel with you, and there is no need to transfer credits back to SU upon your return.

The cost for attending the Maxwell in Washington Semester Program includes a $500 administrative fee, and your tuition. Additionally, housing costs approximately $6,750. You should also plan on some personal expenses. The program will use your administrative fee to cover unlimited Metro via U-Pass.

Please see below for more information about Costs and Opportunities for Financial Support.

Application Information

Application for Fall 2025 is now open.  The deadline for submission is Saturday, February 15, 2025. 

**Please be aware that early application deadlines for fall 2025 are already rolling. See our Internship page for more information and tips on applying. You can also reach out to Andrew London (anlondon@syr.edu) for review of your materials and help targeting organizations of interest.**

The Washington Semester Program is selective, and admission is determined by a thorough review of candidates. The application includes three components:

• Application Form
• Resume
• Academic recommendation 

The three central criteria for admission to the Washington Semester Program are academic performance, potential for successful participation, and motivation.  Please respond to the program information questions carefully with these criteria in mind.

Application Instructions: 

1. APPLICATION FORM: Washington Semester Program Application Form
   Complete the application form accessible through the above link.  The application is a web-based form which allows you to type your responses directly into the form and submit it electronically.  The form can be saved and finished at a later date, but only from the same computer and with the same browser which you started the application form.
2. ACADEMIC REFERENCE (include reference contact information on application form):
   All applicants are required to have a faculty member with whom they have taken a course serve as a reference.  Please select someone who is familiar with your academic work and plan of study. Do not ask your academic advisor or other individual unless they were an instructor for a course you took.  You will need to identify this person in the application form and provide their email address. We will contact them to complete a short form electronically. You do not need to request any forms or letters from them, but you must ask them if they are willing to serve as a reference for you BEFORE including their contact information in your application.
3. RESUME: Upload an up-to-date version of your resume to the application form. If you do not have a resume, this is an ideal time to create one! You can find samples and suggestions, as well as personalized help at SU's Career Services.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding the application procedure or the program, contact Melissa Morton (memorton@syr.edu).

Cost

The cost for attending the Maxwell in Washington Semester Program includes a $500 administrative fee plus your tuition. Housing costs approximately $6,750 (double occupancy) and your own personal expenses.

Any Federal, State, Private or Institutional Financial Aid you receive can be applied towards the cost (this includes federal work study, if you are selected for the one work study position available on this program).

When planning your budget for personal expenses, please remember that Washington is an exciting yet expensive city; the average movie ticket, burger or cab ride will be slightly higher than in Syracuse.

The table below will give you an idea of what the costs of the semester are likely to be; these costs do not include any financial aid you might receive. We offer a limited number of small scholarships and one work study position. We make these decisions based on the applications we receive for the semester in question.

Following are costs for the DC Program. Please note that costs are subject to change. These costs are in addition to your tuition.

Fees

Please note that as students will not be located on Syracuse University's campus and, therefore, will not benefit from services provided to students on campus, there are a variety of fees that will be waived for student's participating in the program in Washington.  These fee waivers are described below:

Fee Waivers

*Note that the co-curricular fee is charged in the fall for the whole academic year.  The full fee is $210, but students that are off-campus for one semester will be credited half of this fee, or $105.

Once students have registered for DC courses, the Program Coordinator will request that these fees be waived for each participant.  The waivers do not process until after the close of the add/drop period.  Please note that it is not possible to waive the student activity fee of $96/semester.  Current University policy does not allow the waiver of this fee under any circumstances.   

Opportunities for Financial Support

We recognize that the costs of living in Washington are higher than some other metropolitan areas, and so we offer one work-study position and two scholarships that provide a few lucky students with additional funding.   Those who are eligible for and would like to be considered for these funding opportunities, need to indicate so in the Financial Assistance section of the Maxwell in Washington application.

Maxwell-in-Washington Program Associate

This is a federal work-study position, and thus open to US citizens who qualify for this type of federal student aid. The Program Associate is usually based at CSIS, one day a week, usually Fridays, and helps our Assistant Dean and Assistant Director keep our program running. There are a variety of administrative things to ensure an effective program, and you would play a central part. The associate will assist in maintaining the website, keeping track of our internship contacts, our database, and communications with current and prospective semester participants.

You must have available work-study hours in order to accept this position.

Michael D. Schneider Scholarships

Two or three students in the cohort will receive Michael D. Schneider Scholarships.  These $1,000 scholarships are awarded based on academic merit and financial need.  They carry the name of former DC Director Michael Schneider for his long service to Maxwell-in-Washington, his dedication, and commitment to experiential education. 

For more information contact: maxwellindc@maxwell.syr.edu