Which is better for internships, University of Washington or George Washington University?

The biggest practical tradeoff is built-in access versus scale of opportunity: George Washington University makes it unusually easy to intern during the academic year because it sits in the middle of Washington, DC, while the University of Washington gives you access to a larger tech-driven regional economy with especially strong ties to Seattle employers. For internships during the school year, GW has a real edge because students can often fit part-time roles into the semester with government agencies, nonprofits, think tanks, media, and policy organizations nearby. UW is also strong, but its advantages are more concentrated in tech, health, research, and Seattle-based industry rather than the broad DC internship ecosystem.

If your interests are political science, international affairs, public policy, journalism, public health policy, nonprofit work, or anything tied to federal institutions, GW is hard to beat. Its location is not just a bonus, it shapes the undergraduate experience, and many students use the city as an extension of campus.

UW stands out most for computer science, engineering, business, biotech, global health, and research-heavy paths. Seattle offers major companies, startups, hospitals, and labs, and UW’s reputation in those areas is a serious asset. The school is large, so there are many opportunities, but you may need to be more proactive and competitive in pursuing them than at GW, where internship access is woven more directly into campus life.

For summer internships, both can be excellent, but in different ways. GW students often stay in DC or use DC connections to branch into national opportunities, while UW students benefit from Seattle’s strong employer base and the university’s research footprint. If internships are your top priority in the sense of wanting the easiest year-round access as an undergrad, GW has the clearer advantage. If you want internships tied to tech, engineering, or scientific research, UW may be the more valuable choice.