10 Political Internships for High School Students in New York
- Estelle Reardon
- Feb 4
- 8 min read
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Whether you aspire to hold public office, work behind the scenes as a campaign manager or staff member, or work to influence legislation with an advocacy group or lobbyist, a political internship for high school students in New York can put you on the path to your dream job. As the saying goes, if you can make it in New York, you can make it anywhere.
Why Do Internships in High School?
What’s the value of political internships for high school students in New York? One benefit of high school internships is that they provide a significant boost to your odds of admission at your first-choice college. Consider that PRISM, the student-run consultancy at the University of Chicago, found that 70% of students at U.S. News Top 50 universities engaged in at least one internship while in high school.
Applicants to top schools generally have strong academic records, but real-world experiences—such as completing a political internship—can set them apart, demonstrating that they’ve explored their interests beyond the classroom and begun developing the skills needed for success in the field.
Furthermore, completing a high school internship can also pave the way for future opportunities, for example, making it easier to secure college internships and gain admission to pre-professional groups and organizations like:
Student government
Debate societies
Model UN
Advocacy groups
College Democrats/College Republicans
Civic engagement clubs
Nonprofits
How to Find Political Internships for High School Students in New York
The internet provides a host of resources to students searching for political internships for high schoolers. Using online search tools and lists like StandOutSearch—the web’s largest free database of high school internships—is a proven strategy for identifying internships. Another useful tool is a list of summer programs and internships collected by MIT Admissions.
Official internship programs are easy to discover, but can be difficult to land, as there are more applicants than open positions. Consequently, students committed to participating in an internship will want to also launch a cold outreach strategy—that is, a method of contacting potential internship providers with a plan that highlights their strengths and opens the door to an opportunity.
Uncertainty and fear of rejection make many students uncomfortable with cold outreach; however, the guide and templates below make the process straightforward and less stressful.
10 Political Internships for High School Students in New York
Many of the political internships for high school students in New York listed below are extremely competitive, with acceptance rates under 20%. Because of this, we recommend applying to at least five official programs.
If you see an internship that’s a good fit for you, take a minute and mark its deadline on your calendar, so you don’t miss out on an opportunity.
Ages: 15-19
Location: Virtual
Timeline: Summer, Spring, Fall, or Winter
Deadline: Various Deadlines
StandOut Connect gives high‑achieving high school students a direct path to real online internships in fields like politics, law, business, healthcare, and the arts. The program is powered by StandOutSearch and launched with support from the University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. StandOut Connect has been featured in Forbes.
Participants learn how to recruit for competitive roles through training led by alumni from top universities, then complete a two‑month internship with a founder‑led company. Each student leads a real project, builds meaningful experience, and often earns the chance to continue beyond the program.
Ages: 16-18
Location: New York, NY
Timeline: Varies
Deadline: Rolling
This artistic internship gives students hands-on experience in non-profit work while contributing to the creation of public art. Students research and reach out to potential partners, assist with administrative duties, coordinate shipping artwork, and help with workshops.
During the paid internship, interns develop their communication (written and verbal), organizational, and research skills, while building their resume and network.
Ages: 16-18
Location: New York, NY
Timeline: Summer
Deadline: March 29
The Mayor’s Office Internship Program places students in the mayoral units that interest them most, with positions in a wide number of fields, including:
Administration
Communications
Operations
Policy and planning
Risk and compliance
Special projects and community events
Interns engage with staff and work on a range of projects. Additionally, interns attend a bi-weekly speaker series, tour city facilities, and design and execute a service project that makes a lasting impact on New Yorkers.
Ages: 16-18
Location: New York, NY
Timeline: Summer
Deadline: Varies
Columbia Pre-College Programs offer a taste of college life—students take college-level courses, live in dorms, and dine in campus halls, experiencing the full college experience. The program offers over 70 courses in a dozen subject areas, including politics and international affairs and law and conflict resolution.
Ages: Freshmen-Seniors
Location: New York, NY
Timeline: Fall and Spring
Deadline: TBD
This free law-focused program takes place on Saturdays during the school year and is student-run—it’s staffed by NYU Law undergraduates and supported by NYU Law faculty. The program covers a variety of fields, including:
Constitutional law
Criminal law
Speech and debate
In addition to learning about the law, students build valuable skills such as communication, collaboration, and critical thinking.
Ages: 14-18
Location: New York, NY
Timeline: Summer
Deadline: May 1
Youth, including those from underrepresented groups such as female-identifying, LGBTQI, and gender-expansive individuals, are given the tools required to achieve greatness during this summer program.
Students are inspired to become leaders and active participants in political, civic, corporate, and community life. They also build skills, knowledge, and confidence needed to lead in every aspect of life.
Ages: Juniors and Seniors
Location: New York, NY
Timeline: Summer
Deadline: Rolling
Students build college readiness and experience in this exciting summer program. Participants take a three-credit college-level course (offerings change annually) taught by Barnard faculty and supported by undergraduates—sampling a slice of college life. They also engage in workshops and explore career paths.
Ages: 18
Location: New York, NY
Timeline: Summer
Deadline: March 1
The summer internship program offers students firsthand experience working at the UN—even attending open meetings of the UN Security Council, General Assembly, and some committee meetings.
Students explore careers in foreign affairs and related fields, gain experience with NGOs, and develop into global citizens who care about humanitarian goals. Students also learn about different religions, participate in volunteer work, and deliver a presentation and paper on what they learned during their internship.
Ages: 16-18
Location: New York, NY
Timeline: Summer
Deadline: January 16
Outstanding high school students can obtain paid summer internships with leading corporations, nonprofits, and governmental agencies through this nationally recognized program. Students receive pre-employment training—developing workplace readiness and business etiquette—before being placed in a position aligned with their career interests.
Ages: 16-18
Location: New York, NY
Timeline: Spring, Summer, Fall, or Winter
Deadline:
Spring: November 30
Summer: April 30
Fall: July 30
Winter: October 30
Politically minded students will welcome the opportunity to intern for one of the most recognizable members of Congress, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Interns assist with a number of tasks, including:
Answering phones
Sorting mail
Researching legislation
Attending briefings and hearings
Assisting with public events
Helping with constituent casework
Administrative work
Interns are placed and given either legislative- or communications-related assignments, depending on their interests.
Cold Outreach Strategy for Political High School Internships
If the official internship programs above aren’t a good fit for you, developing a cold outreach strategy is the next logical step in finding a political internship for high school students in New York. Putting yourself out there via cold outreach can make many people feel anxious, but the guide below simplifies the process and should help ease your anxiety.
How to Find Companies to Reach Out to for a High School Internship
LinkedIn is a great tool for uncovering organizations that would host a high school political internship. Smaller teams often need an extra set of hands to assist with tasks like:
Phone banking
Canvassing
Communicating with constituents
Data entry
Assisting with events
Monitoring press coverage
Tracking community issues
Try to find a common trait or interest when reaching out to professionals to connect over—for example, having attended the same high school, volunteering for the same community group, or a passion for solving a particular social issue.
Keep safety in mind when reaching out to professionals you don’t know; online interviews and virtual meetings offer a safe alternative to meeting in person.
How to Find Professors to Reach Out to for a High School Research Position
Scan university faculty directories online to identify professors who might be open to working with high school students on research. Just know that remote roles are uncommon. Most professors rely on high school interns to provide hands-on lab support, which can’t be done from home.
One exception is computational research. Projects that involve coding or data analysis are often done remotely; however, they usually require a basic knowledge of Python or R. It’s possible to learn on your own, over the course of a few months, using free courses like Coursera’s Python for Everybody or R Programming.
How to Structure and Send Outreach Emails
Securing a high school political internship is a numbers game, and the more inquiries you make, the better your chances of landing a position. We recommend sending at least 50 emails to potential internship providers as part of your cold outreach plan.
Include a Google link to your resume when contacting professionals about internship opportunities. Links are less likely to trigger spam filters than Docs or PDFs—just make sure that the link’s settings allow anyone with it to view its contents. Be sure to include any relevant work experience you may have, such as:
Phone banking
Canvassing
Community outreach
Also, include a portfolio if you helped create any fliers, social media posts, or newsletters.
Whether you have an existing resume or need to create one, our resume guide and template are packed with tips for building an internship-ready resume. Give them a look and edit accordingly before beginning your outreach or sending your resume. The University of Chicago’s resume toolkit is another handy resource.
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
Whether you’re applying to an established political internship program or pursuing a cold outreach strategy, persistence is essential when trying to land a high school internship. These positions are typically competitive, but students who stick with the process gain an early edge in their future careers.
If this article helped you, save it for later or share it with someone else who might benefit from it. Good luck with your internship search!
