Before coming to Washington, each intern from overseas receives a training plan, filled out by the internship supervisor (with the assistance of the Washington Internship Program staff in South Korea for students from that country) along with a signed letter on company letterhead offering the internship to the candidate in question, and both signed documents are faxed to our offices (such as Korea) as part of the visa-procuring process.

A visa generally takes about two months to be issued (depending on the country) after the training plan and letter are submitted. Once interns come to Washington, D.C. and have worked a few weeks, a more accurate and simple contract is completed by the supervisor at work (in consultation with the intern) describing the days and hours of work, the intern's duties and responsibilities, and the name and title of the person to whom the intern reports.  Because this document is drawn up (using a form provided by the Washington Internship Program) after the intern and supervisor have worked together for a short while, the student can negotiate for what he or she would like to do, and the supervisor will be able to assess more accurately the level of work this intern can offer. The contract is signed by the intern, the supervisor on the job, and the director of the Washington Internship Program. Copies are given to all three parties in order to insure that professional apprenticeships are arranged for everyone. No students in the Washington Internship Program are allowed to spend their days doing menial tasks like cleaning or faxing, which would be inappropriate for academic credit. If a company violates the signed agreement, staff from the Washington Internship Program will intercede to fix the situation or find a new placement.