Launch Your Career: Interning with the City of Boston

The City of Boston offers a dynamic and enriching environment for students and young professionals seeking to gain hands-on experience in municipal government. Through various internship programs, individuals have the opportunity to contribute to the city's initiatives, develop valuable skills, and explore potential career paths in public service. The City of Boston Summer Internship Program is a competitive program that invites service-driven individuals to dive into the fascinating world of municipal government.

The City of Boston Summer Internship Program

The City of Boston Summer Internship Program provides motivated, service-driven individuals the opportunity to gain hands-on work responsibilities in a variety of City departments. The City of Boston Summer Internship Program 2026 provides structured exposure to local government operations. The application process is competitive, with limited internship positions available.

Eligibility and Requirements

The program is open to individuals who are at least 18 years old and currently enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate program, or have 2-4 years post-secondary school work experience. If selected for the Summer Internship Program, you must provide proof of residency within the City limits by the first day of your internship. If selected, interns must provide proof of residency within the City of Boston by May 29, 2026, and no later than the first day of the internship.

Application Process

Applications are available online at boston.gov/internships and must be submitted by March 6, 2026. A current resume and cover letter responding to the prompt written in the job description should be uploaded. The Office of Human Resources will review all submissions to ensure each candidate meets the internship qualifications. Candidates who meet the criteria will be contacted by HR for an initial screening call. HR will select the final cohort based on the interviews, curating a diverse and talented group ready to embark on this enriching experience.

Internship Details

The internship program runs from June 1, 2026, to August 14, 2026. Interns are expected to report to their assigned office for the duration of the program. This is a full-time internship opportunity, and interns will be scheduled to work 35 hours per week. Interns will engage in a variety of tasks depending on their assigned department. Interns will have opportunities to gain hands-on experience in various aspects of city government, interact with city officials and staff, and participate in projects that contribute to community development. Yes, interns are paid an hourly wage.

A Look Back: The Summer Internship Program

Last summer, a dynamic cohort of interns joined the City of Boston, representing over 15 colleges and universities, from local institutions like Boston University and UMass Amherst to programs across the country. Interns were placed across more than 20 departments and offices, working on projects related to economic opportunity, education, housing, language access, sustainability, communications, equity, and more. The expanded Professional Development Program offered interns a four-part workshop series designed to explore public service careers, build workplace skills, and strengthen networks. Interns also participated in a collaborative Summer Group Project, researching City initiatives and proposing creative ways to share these programs with broader audiences.

Other Opportunities with the City of Boston

If you are not eligible for the Summer Internship Program but are still interested in working for the City of Boston, there are other avenues to explore.

SuccessLink Youth Employment

The City’s SuccessLink Employment program offers a variety of youth and young adult summer jobs at nonprofits, community-based organizations, and City agencies. Every Successlink employer has slightly different requirements for onboarding at a job. However all employers require you to provide documents that establish your identity and your employment authorization. For City of Boston jobs, onboarding can be accomplished in a single visit to YEO’s offices. Need help onboarding into your youth job? Watch the onboarding workshop to learn everything you need to complete the process with ease.

Online Career Center

Visit the online Career Center (Boston.gov/jobs) for job openings and applications.

Job Fairs and Hiring Days

Various City departments will often host recruiting and hiring events across the city. Public events are posted on Boston.gov/events.

Read also: SU and the City

Career Connection Newsletter

Subscribe to the Career Connection Newsletter for a monthly round-up of career opportunities at the City of Boston.

Tips for Securing a Job or Internship

Ready to work? It's going to take a couple steps to get there but we know you can do it! Requesting a school/camp form from your doctor’s office with your physician's digital signature. Applying to three or more jobs and applying early makes you much more likely to get an offer. The earlier you make connections with employers, the better. Each job and internship may have a different process for interviewing and making offers. For jobs with City of Boston departments, once you have an offer, you can complete the entire hiring process in a single visit to our office! If you are 16-17 print out the Massachusetts Work Permit Application. A document that proves your age. This can be a birth certificate, passport or immigration document. Every employer has slightly different requirements for onboarding to your job. Documents that establish your identity and your employment authorization, this will enable your employer to complete the federal I-9 employee verification. For most employers this myst be done in person. If you don't have a bank account, now is a great time to open one! Depositing your earnings into an account will help you avoid wasting your money on check cashing fees. If all this feels intimidating, DON'T PANIC! There are paid professionals whose JOB it is to help. The earlier you make connections with employer partners, the better. Each leader job may have a different process for interviewing and making offers.

Initiative on Cities (IOC) Internships

Calling all Boston University students: IOC's 2026 summer internship applications are now open! This year, the Initiative on Cities is offering four full-time, paid summer internships in the public sector. You can now apply: all information related to the internships is on their respective pages.

We are excited to announce Isabella Alvarado (CAS’27) as the 2025-2026 Boston University Initiative on Cities Menino Fellow in partnership with the National League of Cities (NLC). Isabella is a junior at Boston University studying Political Science with minors in Public Policy Analysis and Urban Studies.

The Boston University Initiative on Cities (IOC) is proud to announce that Campbell Taylor (CAS/Pardee/KHC '28) is the 2025 City of Boston’s Planning Advisory Council (PAC) Intern. Campbell will work under the Executive Director of PAC Katharine Lusk, who is also the former Co-Director of the IOC.

Read also: Your Path to a Healthcare Career

The Boston University Initiative on Cities is happy to announce that Levi Chen (CAS '27) is this year’s City of Boston Office of Climate Resilience Intern. The Office of Climate Resilience is a newly designated office of the Environment, Energy, and Open Space (EEOS) Cabinet. State law requires the City to complete an annual census to update the voter roll.

Testimonials

Working with the City of Boston Planning Advisory Council (PAC) team this past summer was an incredible and transformative experience. I thoroughly enjoyed collaborating with the Planners and experts across other departments at City Hall, learning from their expertise on Boston’s neighborhoods and needs.

To me, communication is one of those things that’s so prevalent in our day-to-day lives that we forget just how important it is. We want to know what’s going on in the world around us, but there can often be a disconnect between those who have that information and those who want it.

This past summer, I had the privilege of serving as a Racial Justice fellow with the City of Boston’s Equity and Inclusion Cabinet.

When looking for summer internships to complete my practicum, I was drawn to opportunities that focused on improving community health. The recent changes to public health funding greatly impacted the ability of many organizations to offer internships, especially those that provide public services.

tags: #city #of #boston #internships