Selection Process, Admissions, and Graduation

Interviews

Selected applicants are invited to interview in February. The interview goes both ways. You'll show the Dietetic Internship Selection Committee your strengths and potential, and you'll learn about our program, our faculty, and what your year with us would look like. Come ready to ask questions.

After You're Accepted

Once you've accepted a position, you'll receive everything you need to prepare for the year ahead:

• A welcome letter with information on housing and getting started
• Your letter of agreement and a copy of the internship policies
• Pre-program assignments to complete before orientation
• A checklist of requirements, including:
  • Medical tests
  • Health insurance
  • A valid driver's license and automobile insurance
  • Professional liability insurance

Admission Requirements and Application Procedure

Before applying, make sure you meet the following requirements.

• DPD Verification Statement: You must receive a Verification Statement from an ACEND-accredited Didactic Program in Nutrition and Dietetics (DPD) before the internship begins.
• GPA: You need a minimum 3.0/4.0 GPA in your DPD coursework.
• Graduate degree: You must have completed a graduate degree, or show a plan to complete one within 66 weeks of starting the internship. That's 150% of the program length.
• Work experience: You need paid or unpaid experience in a food or nutrition setting.

• English proficiency: If English is not your native language, you'll need TOEFL or IELTS scores that meet UMD's English proficiency requirements, regardless of your citizenship. In some cases, we may waive this requirement based on your prior education. See UMD's English proficiency requirements for the required scores and the full list of waiver criteria.

   

Prior Learning

The UMD Dietetic Internship does not grant credit for prior learning. All interns complete the full supervised practice program, regardless of previous work or volunteer experience.

Your experience still matters. It strengthens your application, and it's a foundation you'll build on throughout the internship.

Steps for Applying

Key Dates for the 2027–28 Internship

Positions are limited and second-round seats are filled as they're offered, so we strongly encourage you to apply early.

Step 1: Complete Your DICAS Application

We use DICAS, the centralized online dietetic internship application. Your application should include:

• Reference contacts. Provide the name and email address for each reference. DICAS will email them a reference form. If you apply to more than one program, you must use the same references for each application.

• Transcripts. Send official transcripts from every college and university you've attended to:
  DICAS Transcript Department
  P.O. Box 9118
  Watertown, MA 02472 Y

  • Your transcripts must show that you have earned a graduate degree or are currently enrolled in a graduate program. If you're still completing your degree, you should have finished most of it before the internship begins. You'll also need to submit a plan showing how many courses remain and your timeline for completing the degree by the end of the internship.

   

• Personal statement (1,000 words or fewer). Address these questions:

  • Why do you want to enter the dietetics profession?
  • What experiences have helped prepare you for your career?
  • What are your short-term and long-term goals?
  • What are your strengths, and what are your areas for improvement?

   

• UMD supplemental questions (in the DICAS supplemental section):

DICAS fees are $50 for the first program and $25 for each additional program.

Step 2: Submit the UMD Supplemental Application and Fee

Mail the following to the address below:

• The completed Supplemental Application Form
• A $40 check payable to "University of Maryland"

We recommend registered mail. Before mailing, take a photo of your check and email it to alovette@umd.edu with the subject line "UMD applicant – [Last Name, First Name]."

Anyea Lovette, Internship Director
Department of Nutrition and Food Science
University of Maryland
Suite 0112 Skinner Building
College Park, MD 20742

Step 3: Interview

If you're selected, we'll invite you to an online interview. First-round interviews take place in February. Second-round applicants may be contacted shortly after their materials arrive.

Step 4: Receive Your Decision

First-round applicants will be notified on or before March 1, 2027. Second-round applicants typically hear back soon after their interview.

Step 5: Accept Your Seat

First-round applicants must accept or decline by March 10, 2027. Second-round applicants usually have 5 business days to respond. If we don't hear from you within that window, your seat may be offered to another applicant.

Graduation Requirements

To complete the internship and receive a Verification Statement, interns must meet all requirements in the Memorandum of Agreement, including:

• Program fees: Payment of all program fees, including tuition
• Rotations: Satisfactory completion of all planned experiences in each rotation, as described in the curriculum, within the time assigned to that rotation
• Competencies: Satisfactory completion of 100% of the required ACEND competencies (CRDNs)
• Evaluations: Satisfactory evaluations in all rotations
• Major projects, including:
  • Major clinical case study
  • Clinical homework and quizzes
  • Weekly foodservice assignments
  • Community rotation report
  • Personal Branding Project milestones
  • Rotation, class day, and CRDN assignments and projects
• Graduate degree: If your graduate degree isn't complete when the internship begins, you must provide proof of completion before your Verification Statement can be issued.

Feedback and Evaluation

Throughout the year, you'll receive regular feedback on your development and performance:

• Self-evaluations at the end of each rotation
• Preceptor evaluations in writing for each rotation
• Mid-year and final evaluations with the Program Director
• Written feedback on homework, projects, and assignments
• Competency evaluations documenting your achievement of all ACEND-required competencies