Is the University of Maryland or Georgetown better for government internships?

The biggest practical tradeoff is daily proximity versus scale and cost: Georgetown places you in Washington, D.C., where Hill offices, agencies, think tanks, and advocacy groups are part of the immediate campus environment, while Maryland offers access to the same market from College Park with a longer commute and a larger public-university setting. Georgetown students can often schedule internships during the academic year more easily because many offices are reachable without planning around a Metro ride. Maryland is still well positioned for federal internships, and it also has a meaningful connection to Maryland state government and policy work in Annapolis.

Georgetown’s location helps most for relationship-driven opportunities, such as congressional offices, political organizations, federal relations work, and policy events where students can meet alumni or practitioners in person. Its government and political-economy-oriented communities are relatively concentrated, and the university regularly brings public officials and policy professionals to campus. For a student who wants an internship to be woven into their weekly routine during the semester, that convenience matters.

Maryland has substantial strengths of its own, particularly through the School of Public Policy, its Washington-focused programs, and the breadth of opportunities available to a large student body. A motivated Maryland student can build an excellent federal-policy résumé, but will need to be more intentional about commuting, applying early, and using campus programs to create connections.

For government internships specifically, Georgetown has the clearer edge because being in D.C. makes sustained, semester-long involvement and informal networking easier. Maryland can be an equally credible path for a proactive student, especially one interested in public policy or Maryland government, but Georgetown provides the more seamless day-to-day access to federal policy work.