The program is open to continuing college juniors, seniors, and graduate students. Students must be enrolled on a full-time basis in an accredited undergraduate or graduate degree program and have plans to register for the fall semester. Students may be from any field of study.

Students must be in good academic standing, with a minimum grade point average of 3.3. (Academic transcripts as well as two academic references must accompany the application.)

Note: Graduating baccalaureate, master's, or doctoral students who are not enrolled and continuing their education in the academic semester following the summer internship are not "continuing students" and are not eligible for this program. In addition, students who have participated in the Department's Martin Luther King, Jr., Scholars Program in previous years are not eligible.