White House Will Pay Interns for the First Time in History — Here's Who Can Apply!

Funding for the internship program was established through bipartisan legislation aiming to create equal opportunity for all interested candidates, regardless of their background

White House. Photo: Getty

The White House will be paying their interns for the first time in history!

In a statement Thursday, President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris announced the White House Internship Program, which is set to begin in Fall 2022.

According to the release, the funds for the program "come from bipartisan legislation that the President was proud to sign 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 statement said.

It also described the change to pay interns as a "significant milestone" in order to "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."

Joe Biden. im LoScalzo/EPA/Bloomberg via Getty

This internship will be a public service leadership and development program and will take place across the Executive Office of the President including supporting the White House Office and the Office of the Vice President.

The Fall 2022 session will be hosted in-person on the White House campus in Washington, D.C.

The statement also acknowledges the ever-changing COVID-19 pandemic stating that they will "continue to monitor the public health landscape and will adapt the Program's approach in order to ensure a safe and healthy work environment."

In addition, interns will be required to attest to their vaccination status and to follow White House COVID-19 protocols.

Interns will be paid equivalent to $750 per week via stipends, according to the "Frequently Asked Questions" page of the internship's website. Interns are expected to work at least 35 hour per week.

The stipends will be disbursed in two installments: "participants will receive the first payment at or around the start of the program and the final payment after the successful completion of the program."

The Fall 2022 session will last for 14 weeks beginning on Monday, Sept. 12, and ending on Friday, Dec. 16. Selected applicants will be notified the week of Aug. 8.

As for who can apply to take part in the program, participants must be U.S. citizens and be at least 18 years or older before the first day of the Program.

In addition, candidates should either be "currently enrolled in an accredited undergraduate or graduate degree program at a college, community college, or university," or have "graduated from an accredited undergraduate or graduate program at a college, community college, or university no more than two years prior to the first day of the Program."

Applicants will also qualify if they are 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."

Interested candidates can find further program details at WH.gov/intern and can email outstanding questions to [e-mail].