Preparation for the Internship Application

There are three important areas that Internship Directors review in the internship application. They are as follows:

• GPA: A GPA of 3.0 or above by graduation is recommended to have a better chance of getting an internship.
• Work Experiences: More and more internship sites demand work and/or volunteer experiences related to Dietetics as part of the application credentials. Work/ volunteer experience is recommended throughout the academic program, as well as during the summer. 
• Volunteer hours:  Throughout your undergraduate career, it is highly encouraged to participate regularly in volunteer opportunities.  Through the Student Nutrition Association, as well as campus activities, students are offered many experiences in order to achieve optimal volunteer hours to include on internship applications.
• Recommendation Letters: Usually three recommendation letters are required. It helps to build up favorable work relationships with supervisors and professors on a longer term basis. It is helpful to have a recommendation letter from a work-related registered dietitian.
  

In order to practice as a registered dietitian, a student will need to have a bachelor's degree, complete required didactic program in dietetics coursework, complete a dietetic internship, and pass the registered dietitian exam. Effective January 1, 2024, the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) will require a minimum of a master’s degree to be eligible to take the credentialing exam to become a registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN).