Internship Visa - Help!

Hi,

I know that this stop has been discussed at length, but there are some unique features of my dilemma that I was hoping someone could address.

I have been offered an unpaid, 2 and a half month long internship in DC contingent on my being able to start immediately (in about a week).

I do not seem to have time to obtain a J-1 Visa, but am reluctant to lose out on this opportunity. Is the B-2 personal visit completely out of the question for this position? I am a Canadian citizen, and although I am in the midst of my studies at uni, I have had to withdraw from my university this semester for health reasons, although I have applied for a transfer to a closer school to home in the fall - therefore, I don't think I count as a fulltime student just yet if that's relevant. I am particularly interested in travelling to DC because I have quite a few friends there, as well as my sister and her boyfriend. So the trip is not completely for the internship.

So far, all I've found on the topic is this info on the US Gov website:

When Can a Visitor Visa Be Used Instead of an Exchange Visitor Visa?

Some activities that are done on exchange visitor visas are also permitted on business (B-1) or tourist (B-2) visas in certain circumstances. Short periods of study, or study which is recreational, and not vocational, and incidental to the trip is permitted on a visitor visa. The determining factor is the traveler's primary purpose in coming to the United States. Furthermore, any kind of study that would earn credit or certification is not permitted on a visitor visa. As an example, if you are taking a vacation to the U.S., and during this vacation you would like to take a two-day cooking class for your enjoyment, and there is no credit earned, then this would be permitted on a visitor visa. A consular officer will determine the visa category you will need based on the purpose of your travel, and your supporting documentation.

Is there anything anyone can suggest? I'm really stressed!

Thanks!
CS

Even if it were permitted on B-2 (which from the sounds of it, almost certainly not), you would need work authorization by filing I-765 which takes a couple of months.

B-2 allows part-time study is what they're on about there, and some brief bit of unpaid recreational work incidental to that is permitted, but two and a half months isn't incidental. CBP have even refused entry to people volunteering to help with the clean-up after a natural disaster.