<p>Does anyone know of any grants/fellowships/scholarships that help students cover their costs (food/transportation/housing) while they are unpaid interns far away from home?</p>
<p>I am starting an internship in Washington DC in one month and I need to find a way to cover my costs. Does anyone have any experience with this?</p>
<p>I’d imagine that the majority of people working in congressional internships without pay are on their parents’ dime.</p>
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<li><p>You minimize costs as much as you can. Rent a room in a house off of Craigslist on the outer edge of the city, preferably in Northern VA where housing is cheapest. You shop the sales at cheap grocery stores and avoid places like Whole Foods and Trader Joes. You make SURE you go pack your lunch every day, and rarely accept invitations to go out to eat. (I lost 12 lbs. my first summer internship, because I just ate a whole lot less because I couldn’t afford to eat more.)</p></li>
<li><p>Hopefully, you worked a lot this summer before you’re leaving for DC, and saved up a decent amount of money. That should help you live a bit. </p></li>
<li><p>Sligh Anarchist is right, the vast majority of people interning here are here on their parent’s dime. They have a credit card that just shells out money. The people in the White House and Congress know they don’t have to subsidize at all with fellowships or grants because there will ALWAYS be someone waiting to take the spot for those who can’t pay.</p></li>
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<p>A minority here (me) work two (or more) jobs to cover the cost: an internship in their field and a job that pays the bills. This summer I worked 60-70 hours a week, 40 at my internship that I love and 20 getting money. It’s not fun, but you can do it if you want to bad enough. You can work in a restaurant, or find a job as a receptionist – Craigslist is your friend in DC for housing, jobs, and free furniture.</p>
<p>(P.S. Congrats on the WH Internship, if you want any tips, advice, or have any questions about DC, let me know 
)</p>
<p>You have to be scrappy on the unpaid internships but the experience and the contacts that you make can be invaluable.</p>
<p>Thanks everyone. This helps a lot.</p>
<p>I agree with AUTransfer. I was extremely frugal during my first summer in DC. My parents only took care of the housing, I had to do everything else myself. And I lived in the dorms at AU… and all I had was a pot to cook in. And a plate, a bowl, and some silverware. So I couldn’t really cool good food other than frozen entrees and mac n cheese.</p>
<p>I invested in the SmartCard. Put in $20 each time so that if it gets lost, you’re not losing too much money, and that way you don’t have to worry about dealing with the machines and cash everyday. I still remember thinking “Oh my god, I can’t believe this guy has $120 in his card…” when I was right behind a guy who swiped his before me.</p>
<p>Pack lunches. WF and TJ aren’t actually too bad if you shop their sales and be particular. People actually love Trader Joe’s because it’s actually cheap for good food. Just watch your portions.</p>
<p>Look for Happy Hours where appetizers and sushi can be 1/2 off- that’s your dinner. It’ll be kind of early but… at least you get to sample a bit of DC’s food. Search for tacos and empanandas (I’m not talking about Chipotle- but Adams Morgan neighborhood where a lot of Latinos live). Really avoid Georgetown for food (but Ben and Jerry’s is there).</p>
<p>Try not to talk the buses unless you HAVE to. The walk between metro stations is not usually more than 20 minutes. Study the metro map before you think about taking a bus. Also the buses are a pain and they never run on time.</p>
<p>Attend free intern events- sometimes there is food! You meet new people anyway.</p>
<p>I lost 10 pounds (well, I gained Freshman 15, and was starting to run, after doing elliptical for a while) that summer. The following summer when I had paid internship and lived quite well, I didn’t lose too much weight… mainly because I did SO much walking around the city (it’s THAT walkable).</p>
<p>And the Smithsonians museums are FREE- take advantage of them and their free events.</p>
<p>I say rent Netflix- the movie ticket prices in DC are outrageous- $10 a pop for an evening movie I think.</p>
<p>I am working on finding housing with friends of friends of family friends. LoL</p>
<p>But those are all really good tips, thanks!</p>
<p>I’d like to know how to fund my internship too. I’ve been doing a program over the summer, so I couldn’t work, and I’m a full financial aid student during the school year aka I’m broke. I don’t know where to begin to find on housing. I’ve tried craigslist and roommates.com, but there’s always some uneasiness that goes along with those sites. Are any dorms available in DC during the Fall?</p>
<p>WHorBust, have you found a place?</p>
<p>Its true that most of the people I met on the Hill had their parents pay for their expenses. I however had to buy my own airline tickets, transportation, housing, food, and anything else. By the end of the two monts I’d say I spent nearly 2,500 dollars. </p>
<p>It’s hard living cheap in DC and the skyrocketing cost almost made the expereince not worth it. But fortunately I got academic credit so less tuition money is always good for my student loan.</p>
<p>Just be forwarned.</p>
<p>WH2010</p>
<p>I am a UC student, so I have the UC Washington Center as an option for dorms. However, they are really expensive so I am trying to find a room on craigslist. DC rooms seem to range from 450-1250, so there’s quite a range of quality. But you just have to keep chipping away at it until one of them wants you and you want them. Definitely tedious though. Study the metro maps, and make sure where ever you get a place is on one of the major lines if not directly in the city.</p>
<p>If you get the SmartCard to ride the Metro, register it and then if you lose it you can get a new card for a small amount (maybe $2.50?) and you will retain whatever amount was on the card when you reported it. Please. Register. D once lost hers and had just put money onto it and learned the hard way.</p>