UMD vs. George Washington: Which is better for accessing DC internships?

The biggest practical difference is that George Washington places you in downtown D.C., while Maryland requires a real commute from College Park. GW’s Foggy Bottom campus is near major federal agencies, international organizations, advocacy groups, think tanks, and downtown offices, so students can more realistically fit an in-person internship around classes. UMD students can reach D.C. via Metro and other transit, but commuting adds time, cost, and scheduling constraints, especially for internships that expect several weekday hours on site.

For school-year internships specifically, GW has the location advantage. Its campus culture is built around students working in government, policy, politics, media, public health, international affairs, and nonprofit roles during the semester. Being able to walk or take a short Metro ride to an office also makes networking events, informational interviews, and evening programs much easier to attend.

UMD still provides meaningful access to D.C. opportunities, and its larger size can be an asset for students interested in fields such as engineering, computer science, business, research, or public policy. College Park also has its own opportunities through university research, nearby federal agencies and laboratories, and the broader Maryland–D.C. corridor. But a UMD student often needs to be more deliberate about building a schedule that accommodates travel, and remote or hybrid internships may be especially practical during the academic year.

For the narrow goal of maximizing convenient access to D.C. internships while enrolled, George Washington is the stronger option. UMD can deliver many of the same regional opportunities, but GW’s immediate downtown setting makes regular, in-person participation substantially easier.