University of Washington vs Boston University for internships: which has better access to internship opportunities?

Boston University has the edge for internship access overall, mainly because internships are deeply built into the school’s location and academic calendar. Being in Boston puts students close to hospitals, biotech firms, startups, finance, media, nonprofits, and major research institutions during the school year, and BU’s semester system makes part-time internships relatively easy to fit in. The city itself functions like an extension of campus, so students often do not need to choose between being a full-time student and being near employers.

At BU, one of the biggest advantages is density. Boston has a very high concentration of employers that regularly hire undergraduates, especially in business, communications, healthcare, public policy, and life sciences. For many students, that means shorter commutes, more in-semester options, and easier networking through alumni and professors who already have ties in the city.

University of Washington is also excellent, especially for tech, engineering, public health, and research. Seattle offers strong access to major companies and UW has a very respected reputation with employers in the region, particularly in computer science, engineering, and medicine. If your interests are concentrated in those areas, UW can absolutely compete and in some cases may be stronger.

The difference is that BU offers a broader spread of internship options across industries in a highly walkable student-employer environment. UW students often have terrific opportunities, but they can be a bit more concentrated by field and more tied to the Seattle ecosystem. So if you mean access overall, across many majors and during both the academic year and summer, BU tends to make internships more readily available and easier to pursue consistently.