Topics We Cover:
- Why Do Internships in High School?
- How to Find Political Internships for High School Students
- 10 Political Internships for High School Students
- Cold Outreach Strategy for High School Internships
- Email Template for Finding a High School Internship
A political internship for high school students can lay the foundation for a career in public service. Whether you aspire to hold office one day, work as a staffer, or lobby for a cause you’re passionate about—such as the environment, social justice, or public health—the insight, access, and influence provided by a political internship can start you on your path.
Looking for programs in New York? See our list of political internships in New York.
Why Do Internships in High School?
One of the major benefits provided by political internships for high school students, and internships in general, is that they increase the chances of gaining admission to a top school. The consultancy PRISM found that almost three-quarters of students attending a U.S. News Top 50 university engaged in a high school internship.
Participating in a high school internship shows colleges you’ve:
- Dedicated yourself to your interests inside and outside of the classroom
- Developed real-world academic and professional skills
- Gained firsthand insight into potential career paths
Ultimately, completing a high school internship helps you stand out in competitive fields of applicants during college admissions.
Undertaking a high school internship also increases your odds of landing an internship in college and your chances of being accepted into pre-professional organizations and clubs like College Democrats/Republicans, leadership councils, debate teams, and civic engagement groups.
How to Find Political Internships for High School Students
Online is the best place to find up-to-date information about political institutions for high schoolers. Online search tools like StandOutSearch are a great place to look for opportunities. StandOutSearch is the largest free online database of high school internships and offers searchable filters ranging from location to format (in-person, virtual, hybrid).
Another helpful resource is a list of high school internships and summer programs provided by MIT Admissions. One downside to official internship programs is that they’re extremely competitive. For that reason, students intent on earning an internship will want to form a cold outreach strategy—reaching out directly to professionals to secure an internship opportunity.
At the end of the article, we share some tips for creating a cold outreach strategy along with email templates to streamline the process.
10 Political Internships for High School Students
Most of the internships listed below have acceptance rates under 20%, so we recommend applying to at least five. If one catches your eye, be sure to mark its deadline on your calendar to avoid missing out on a great opportunity!
1. StandOut Connect
Ages: 15-19
Location: Virtual
Timeline: Summer, Spring, Fall, or Winter
Deadline: November 23, 2026 (Winter cohort)
StandOut Connect is a program that helps match gifted high school students with online internships in their industry of interest. Students match with companies across 25 interest areas such as finance, STEM, medicine, law, arts, and more. Examples of past matches relating to politics and government include a nonprofit boosting youth voter turnout, an AI startup helping people claim unclaimed government benefits, and a company helping veterans access mental health benefits. StandOut Connect is funded by StandOutSearch, the largest free database for high school internships. The program has been featured in Forbes and was created with the help of investment from The University of Chicago's Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation.
2. Mercer County Administration Building | Student Internship Program
Ages: 15-18
Location: Trenton, New Jersey
Timeline: Summer
Deadline: Not yet announced (March 27 in 2026)
The Mercer County Internship Program provides students with real-world experience and professional development. Students get hands-on experience in a number of departments and engage in workshops focused on topics like:
- Career readiness
- Financial literacy
- Leadership
- Communication
Participants also connect with leaders and public sector professionals while gaining insight into possible career paths.
3. City of New Haven Internship Program
Ages: 16-18
Location: New Haven, Connecticut
Timeline: Summer
Deadline: Not yet announced
Local government is the setting for the City of New Haven Student Intern Program, which places paid interns inside city departments in Connecticut. Assignments are project-based and tied to each intern's field of study or career goals. Every internship has set learning objectives, start and end dates, and regular check-ins with a supervisor. Internships are approved one semester at a time, for up to four months. Applicants must be at least 16 and enrolled at an accredited high school, college or university, and interns 18 or older must pass a background check and drug screening. Openings appear on the city's online job portal only during posting periods.
4. Kentucky Governor’s Scholars Program
Ages: Rising Seniors
Location: Kentucky
Timeline: Summer
Deadline: January 15, 2027
While not an internship, strictly speaking, this free summer residential program is something rising seniors in Kentucky will want to explore. Its stated mission is to build the state's next generation of civic and economic leaders, and the Office of the Governor, the state legislature and private enterprise pay for it. Scholars follow a program covering both the liberal arts and sciences, growing academically and personally. It has grown from 230 students on one campus in 1983 to more than 1,000 students on three campuses. Applicants must be Kentucky residents in 11th grade who plan to return to a Kentucky school district for senior year and have taken the ACT, PSAT or SAT.
5. North Carolina Senate Page Program
Ages: Sophomores, Juniors, and Seniors
Location: Raleigh, North Carolina
Timeline: Summer
Deadline: Not yet announced
The North Carolina Senate Page Program offers high schoolers the chance to get an up-close look at the legislative process of state government. Pages work on the Senate Chamber floor, attend committee meetings, and perform duties such as:
- Delivering messages
- Clerical work
- Distributing documents and materials
- Running errands
This is a fantastic opportunity for North Carolina teens to gain firsthand government experience.
6. Charleston County Student Leadership & Intern Program
Ages: Juniors
Location: Charleston, South Carolina
Timeline: Summer
Deadline: Not yet announced
Charleston County’s Consolidated 9-1-1 Center and Emergency Medical Services run this paid county government program, which trains high school juniors for public safety careers. Over two years, interns learn on the job and earn credits toward graduation, choosing among 911 dispatch, emergency medical services and the fire department as areas of interest. Summer brings four to six weeks of weekday shifts, and the school year adds select weekends, all at $16.30 an hour. Eligible students live in Charleston County, attend one of its public high schools and have a parent or guardian's signed approval.
7. Princeton University Preparatory Program (PUPP)
Ages: Freshmen
Location: Princeton, New Jersey
Timeline: Year-round
Deadline: Not yet announced
This year-round, multi-year program supports high-potential students from low-income families through high school and prepares them for college. During the school year, scholars attend weekly enrichment sessions and then engage in a six-week institute over the summer.
Over the course of the program, students develop skills like critical thinking and leadership, fine-tune their inherent strengths, and forge bonds with peers and professionals. Ultimately, students leave the program ready to succeed at the nation’s most prestigious colleges and universities.
8. CAIR-Chicago Internship Program
Ages: 14-18
Location: Chicago, Illinois
Timeline: Winter-Spring, Summer, or Fall
Deadline: December 1, 2026
CAIR-Chicago interns learn, interact, and grow in a friendly and diverse environment while gaining hands-on experience in civil rights advocacy at the Council on American-Islamic Relations' Chicago office. High school students in grades 9 through 12 can intern in fields including:
- Operations
- Outreach
- Government affairs
Outreach and Operations interns work on civic engagement, community events, research and grant writing. Unpaid sessions run Winter-Spring (January 1 to May 15), Summer (May 15 to August 31) and Fall (September 1 to December 31). High school interns serve at least 8 weeks at 10 or more hours per week and can earn academic credit or community service hours.
9. The City and County of San Francisco | High School Internships
Ages: Sophomores-Seniors
Location: San Francisco, California
Timeline: Summer
Deadline: Not yet announced (February 13 in 2026)
For teens drawn to local government, San Francisco's combined city and county government pays high school interns to work inside its offices. Placements reach across civic life: students may land at the Department of Elections, with the District Attorney or the City Attorney, in the General Services Administration, at Public Works, the Public Utilities Commission or the Airport, or within the Office of Economic Workforce Development and the Department of Children, Youth and Their Families. Project Pull interns also join weekly enrichment focused on skills like leadership. To qualify for Project Pull, a student must be a current sophomore, junior or senior, live in San Francisco or attend high school there, and hold a GPA of at least 2.75 from the last semester they finished.
10. Oregon Chapter of the Federal Bar Association | Haggerty Scholars Program
Ages: Seniors
Location: Oregon
Timeline: Year-round
Deadline: Not yet announced (May 1 in 2026)
Participants in this program work one-on-one with attorneys—engaging with the legal and civic community, observing courtroom proceedings, and networking with professionals. They also attend events covering a wide range of topics, including:
- Criminal law
- Juvenile justice
- Mental health
- Immigration
Scholars also participate in interactive sessions with the Oregon Court of Appeals and the Oregon Legislature, gaining valuable insight into the inner workings of different branches of government.
For programs in other fields, see our list of the 25 best internships for high school students.
Cold Outreach Strategy for High School Internships
If, for whatever reason, the political internships for high school students above aren’t the right fit for you, you’ll want to form a cold outreach strategy. While many high schoolers find the idea of cold outreach nerve-wracking, the guide below should help alleviate any anxiety.
How to Find Companies to Reach Out to for a High School Internship
Small companies and nonprofits are great places to inquire about internal opportunities—they’re often short-staffed and more willing to bring on high school students. Use LinkedIn to find internship opportunities where you can assist with tasks like administrative work, logging constituent concerns, phone banking, canvassing, and preparing for events.
Try to make personal connections when reaching out to professionals, like a cause you’re passionate about or a local connection—like residing in a representative’s district. Remember to use caution when reaching out to professionals you don’t know; the safest option is to schedule online meetings and interviews.
How to Find Professors to Reach Out to for a High School Research Position
You can use online university staff directories to identify professors to contact about research opportunities. Keep in mind that remote positions are harder to secure—most professors rely on high school interns for in-person tasks like washing lab equipment or helping run machines, which can’t be done remotely.
One exception is computational research, which high school students can assist with if they have basic skills in Python or R. The good news is that you can learn either language on your own for free in just a few months through resources like Coursera’s Python for Everybody or R Programming course.
How to Structure and Send Outreach Emails
The more emails you send to possible internship providers, the better your chances of securing a position—aim to send at least 50 inquiries. When emailing, make sure to include a Google link to your resume. Links work better than PDFs or Docs, which can disrupt delivery. Of course, Google links are only effective if their share settings allow anyone with the link to view their contents, so double-check before hitting send.
If you have any relevant work experience—like a social media campaign you created, a newsletter you wrote, outreach you’ve done, or an event you helped plan—make sure to include it with your resume.
If you don’t have a resume, there’s no better time to write one. If you have a resume, now’s a great time to polish it. Our resume guide and template offers straightforward and effective advice for crafting a winning resume. The University of Chicago also provides a useful resume guide.
Email Template for Finding a High School Internship
If you are unsure how to structure your outreach emails to potential internship providers, here are some basic templates you can customize to your needs.
Template for Finding an Internship
Subject: Student Reaching Out
Dear Mr./Ms.____,
I hope you are having a great day! My name is [your name], and I am a rising [grade] at [your school]. I read about your company on LinkedIn and found the concept quite interesting. For context, [briefly state how the company relates to your interests or experience].
I was wondering if you might be looking for interns. I know I would have a great deal to learn from working with you, and I would love to contribute in any way I can. I have included my resume here. Thanks so much!
Sincerely,
[Your name]
Template for Finding a Research Position
Subject: Student Reaching Out
Dear Professor/Dr. ____,
I hope you are having a great day! My name is [your name], and I am a rising [grade] at [your school]. I recently read your paper on [restate the abstract] in [name of publication] and was quite intrigued by [part you found interesting]. I was wondering if I might be able to intern for you over this summer. [Elaborate on your relevant skills and experience and why you are passionate about the field].
I have included my resume here. Thanks so much!
Sincerely,
[Your name]
Conclusion
No matter if you’re targeting well-known programs or sending out emails as part of a cold outreach campaign, the key to landing a political internship or research role as a high schooler is persistence. Political internships for high schoolers are tough to get, but almost every student who succeeds says the effort pays off big time by giving them an early edge in their future career.
If this guide was useful, bookmark it for reference or pass it along to a classmate. Best of luck with your search!
