Note: This program requires all interns to have a car as they will be commuting to sites by car throughout the metropolitan Baltimore-DC area. Public transportation is not available for many of the sites.
|
Fees for the Program |
|
|---|---|
| Application fee - due with the application to the program | $40 |
| Tuition* *Tuition includes technology non-credit courses and the Internship handbook. Tuition is subject to change. |
$8,550 |
| Total Fees: | $8,590 |
| Other Expenses and Approximate Costs: | |
| DICAS Fee | $50 for the first program; $25 for each additional program |
| Housing expenses (rent for a 1 bedroom in DC/Baltimore area)-- assumes shared housing |
$1400-1800 + utilities/month |
| Food | ~$100-$150/week |
| Estimated cost of QuantiFERON Gold Blood Test (TB) | $80.25 (self-pay)/co-pays vary by insurance plan |
| Lab Coat/Scrubs | $25/$20-60 per pair |
| Proof of MMR, chicken pox vaccinations | See "Vaccinations" below |
| Health screening by physician | $100-$175 (self-pay cost at student health center)/co-pay (varies by insurance) |
| Required Textbooks (clinical text, food service text) | $300 |
| Transportation and parking (Note: A car and a valid driver's license are necessary for traveling to classes and facilities.) |
See "Transportation and Parking" below |
| Insurance (auto, medical, professional) -- less if parents/family/partner cover some of this |
$1500+ |
| The Academy student membership (optional, but strongly recommended). Upon graduation -- registration mandatory |
$58 |
| Professional Liability Insurance (student) | ~$50 |
| Computer hardware recommendations: Please follow the University requirements for windows based and Macintosh based computers. Interns are urged to have a computer less than 3 years old.; |
Laptop: $500-$1,500 (depending on features and specifications) Printer: $100-$300 (for basic models suitable for home use) Internet Access: $60–$100 per month (based on average home internet plans in Maryland) |
Tuition
Tuition must be paid in full by August 1, 2025. A letter stating that tuition has been paid in full will be provided to each intern. Since the IRS does not require the University of Maryland to furnish 1098-T for courses that do not offer academic credit (including the UMD dietetic internship program), the UMD dietetic internship does not provide a form 1098-T to its interns.
Financial Aid
The University of Maryland is not able to offer alternative non-federal loans due to Sallie Mae policies. Applicants are encouraged to apply for scholarships through The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and their state and local dietetic associations. Students in the UMCP dietetic internship are NOT eligible for federal loans as the internship is non-credit.
Housing Expenses
Housing expenses vary. Shared apartment or individual rented rooms in homes are less expensive.
Vaccinations
Vaccinations are required of dietetic interns in this program. Any facility that has a training agreement with the University of Maryland, College Park Department of Nutrition and Food Science’s Dietetic Internship may choose to not provide non-vaccinated interns with supervised practice training. Requirements vary by sites but typically require:
- Immunization records for MMR or titers documenting prior vaccination,
- Record of negative QuantiFeron or Tspot for Tuberculosis (UMD no longer accepts PPD) prior to program start,
- Record of tetanus shot – Tdap in past 10 years,
- Record of Chicken Pox/ varicella vaccination plus blood test to document vaccination is still effective,
- Record of hepatitis B vaccination,
- Record of Covid vaccination,
- Health screening by primary care provider, and
- Flu shots, which are obtained after the start of the program.
You can find the current estimated costs for a variety of immunizations on the UMCP Student Health Center website.
Transportation and Parking
Many supervised practice sites and class meeting locations are not easily accessible by public transportation, so interns are typically required to have a vehicle or other private means of transportation.
The program pays for parking on UMCP campus. Most sites provide free parking for interns. There may be 1-2 sites that require payment for parking (~$40/month).
Based on current gas prices in Maryland (averaging $3.12 per gallon as of January 2025), the estimated monthly gas cost for commuting to internship sites ranges from $80 to $165. This estimate is based on a commute of 30–60 minutes round trip, assuming an average vehicle fuel efficiency of 25 miles per gallon and approximately 22 commuting days per month.
Please note that gas prices fluctuate, and actual costs may vary depending on your vehicle's fuel efficiency, your specific commute distances, and the number of commuting days. Prospective interns are encouraged to budget accordingly and reach out to the program director for additional guidance when planning housing and transportation.
