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Dietetic Internship Program

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Bay Pines VA Healthcare System

Income

The availability and amount of a stipend varies on an annual basis. The 2025-2026 stipend rate for Bay Pines VA Healthcare System dietetic interns is $24,360 pre-taxes (~$15.00/hour) paid bi-weekly over the supervised practice portion of the program.

Expenses

  • USF Tuition: $18,057.06 residents/$36,778.14 non-residents. Please visit USF's tuition and fee information site here for additional information. 
  • Housing: Apartments in the Tampa Bay Area typically average from $1500 - $2000 per month. Listings for the area may be found in the Apartment Guide here or the Tampa Bay Times available online here.
  • Personal expenses (varies).
  • Health insurance (varies).
  • Student professional liability insurance (~$30.00).
  • Textbooks/reference manuals (~$300.00 per semester). 
  • Registration fees and expenses for professional meetings (~$150.00).
  • Student membership dues for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics ($58.00).
  • Student membership dues for Suncoast Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics ($15.00).
  • Transportation, gas for field trips and parking fees (~$100.00-200.00).
  • Registration Examination for Dietitians following graduation ($225.00).

Financial Resources

Dietetic interns are eligible for federal loans. Step-by-step guidance is available for USF graduate students here.

Applicants and interns are encouraged to apply for scholarships through The Academy in addition to their state and local dietetic associations.

If considering loan forbearance, contact the Dietetic Internship Director. Forbearance is often the best choice but depends on each individual loan agreement.

Transportation

Public transportation is limited in the Tampa Bay area and so it is necessary for interns to have a reliable form of transportation. Transportation to and from scheduled duty time at the medical center and affiliate sites is the responsibility of each intern. BPVAHCS and affiliate sites do not charge a fee for parking.

Note: Links above will take you outside of the Department of Veterans Affairs Website. VA does not endorse and is not responsible for the content of the linked websites.

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