13 Massachusetts Government Internships for High School Students
If you’re in high school and curious about government or public service, internships can help you understand how these sectors work while giving you practical experience. They allow you to see how policies are shaped, how agencies function, and how public programs are delivered—all while helping you decide if this field matches your long-term goals. Getting involved this early can also make your classroom learning feel more relevant by connecting it to issues that affect your community.
Massachusetts, with its mix of state government offices, city agencies, nonprofits, and policy organizations, offers a wide range of opportunities for students like you. Because the state is also home to so many universities and civic institutions, local internships often include structured mentorship and exposure to professional networks that can support you beyond high school. Choosing a nearby program also means you can contribute directly to your own community while gaining skills in leadership, communication, and research.
To help you explore, we’ve rounded up 15 government internships for high school students in Massachusetts.
1. Judicial Youth Corps Program
Location: Boston, Worcester, and Springfield
Stipend: Paid internship
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Exact numbers not listed
Dates: 6 weeks, July to August
Application Deadline: Specific dates not listed
Eligibility: Boston residents | High school students who attend a high school located in the city of Worcester or Springfield
The Judicial Youth Corps (JYC) Program gives you insights into how the Massachusetts court system and law operate. Over six weeks, you'll work at a local courthouse in Boston, Springfield, or Worcester and be mentored by professional lawyers, judges, clerks, and probation officers. Additionally, you’ll take part in mock trials, group discussions, field visits, and other activities. The program is organized by the Supreme Judicial Court’s Public Information Office and typically runs from July through August.
2. Library of Congress Summer Teen Internship
Location: Virtual
Cost: Free
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Exact numbers not listed
Dates: June 23 – July 17
Application Deadline: Specific dates not listed on website
Eligibility: Current high school students, aged 16 or older at the time of the internship
The Library of Congress Summer Teen Internship is for high school students interested in libraries, museums, research, writing, public speaking, or exhibition development. Offered by the Office of the Librarian’s Informal Learning Office, this four-week program gives you the chance to become a teen voice in shaping youth and family engagement at the Library of Congress. You can choose to participate virtually or in person. Throughout the program, you’ll learn more about the Library’s work and help create content for its new experiential learning space. You’ll also get to serve as an advisor offering input on materials, programs, and future teen-focused initiatives in this space.
3. High School Apprenticeship Challenge
Location: Massachusetts, MA
Stipend: Provided
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Exact numbers not listed
Dates: June 23 – July 17
Application Deadline: Rolling basis
Eligibility: High school students who are at least 16 years old
The High School Apprenticeship Challenge, organized by the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center, offers paid internships with a focus on students from underrepresented and low-income backgrounds. Each year, the program funds over 150 internships at life sciences companies and research institutions across the state. As a participant, you’ll be placed with a host organization where you’ll assist with projects in fields like biotechnology or biomedical research. The program is designed to give you structured experience in a professional setting and help you develop skills relevant to the life sciences industry.
4. Senate Page Program
Location: Washington, D.C
Stipend: Chosen students will receive a $10,000 undergraduate scholarship
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: 2 candidates from Massachusetts
Dates: March 7-14
Application Deadline: October 14
Eligibility: high school juniors or seniors residing in Massachusetts serving in an elected or appointed position
The U.S. Senate Youth Program is available to high school students interested in government careers. As one of two delegates selected from Massachusetts, you’ll spend a week in Washington, D.C., attending meetings with Senators, Cabinet members, senior government officials, and even Supreme Court Justices. You'll also get to observe the inner workings of Congress and gain a deeper understanding of the U.S. political system through interactive briefings and events during Washington Week. To be eligible, you must be a high school junior or senior in Massachusetts and currently hold an elected or appointed leadership role in student government or a civic-focused organization.
5. Massachusetts YMCA Youth & Government
Location: Boston, MA
Cost: Free
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Specific cohort size not mentioned
Dates: April 6 to 8
Application Deadline: March 1
Eligibility: High school students (grades 9 to 12) attending school in Massachusetts
The Massachusetts YMCA Youth & Government program gives you the chance to experience how the state government works. You’ll take on roles such as legislator, judge, or executive official and participate in a mock Youth Assembly. As part of the program, you’ll draft bills, debate policies, and better understand how laws are made. You’ll also be working with students from across Massachusetts to represent your school or community and build skills in public speaking, critical thinking, and collaborative decision-making. If you're interested, you can also apply to represent Massachusetts at events like the YMCA Changemakers Project, Youth Governors Conference, National Judicial Competition, or the Conference on National Affairs.
6. MassDOT Internship Program
Location: Various MassDOT offices across Massachusetts, including Boston headquarters and regional offices
Cost/Stipend: Free. Some positions may be paid, while others might offer school credit depending on the department's policy.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not published
Dates: Exact dates vary each year
Application Deadline: Applications open in spring each year; no specific date listed
Eligibility: Must be enrolled in a secondary or higher education program
The MassDOT Internship Program allows you to contribute to live projects with the Massachusetts Department of Transportation. You’ll be part of a professional team that supports statewide transportation systems across multiple divisions and gain exposure to how a large state agency operates. MassDOT offers internships in several divisions, including Highway Engineering, Highway Operations, Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV), Planning & Enterprise Services, Rail & Transit, and Aeronautics.
7. Student Trooper Program
Location: Massachusetts State Police Academy
Cost/Stipend: $400 (may be sponsored by the Massachusetts American Legion in eligible cases)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not published
Dates: July
Application Deadline: May change every year
Eligibility: High school students with good academic standing; must complete a physical examination and submit a Health Statement form
The Student Trooper Program is a week-long training experience offered by the Massachusetts State Police in partnership with the American Legion. It’s designed for high school students who want to explore what a career in law enforcement looks like. During the program, you'll follow a structured schedule with physical training, drill instruction, and classroom activities. The goal is to help you understand the daily responsibilities and expectations of law enforcement professionals while also building discipline and teamwork skills.
8. YouthWorks
Location: Various sites across Massachusetts
Cost/Stipend: Paid
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Varies by location
Dates: Summer program: typically July–August; Year-round program: September–May
Application Deadline: Varies by city or region
Eligibility: High school students and young adults up to age 25; additional eligibility may vary by location
YouthWorks is a state-funded program that offers paid job placements for teens and young adults at public, private, and nonprofit organizations across Massachusetts. You can choose between the 6–8 week summer session or the year-round program (September to May). This program helps you gain work experience while developing essential soft skills through the Signal Success curriculum. You’ll practice workplace communication, teamwork, and professionalism while also receiving guidance on how to plan your next steps in your education or career.
9. Medfield Town Municipality Internship
Location: Medfield Town House
Cost: Free
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Specific acceptance rate not published on website
Dates: Ongoing
Application Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: High school students in Medfield
The Medfield Town Internship program lets you assist town departments with ongoing projects and administrative work. You can contribute across several areas, such as digitizing records, supporting financial reporting, writing press releases, and helping with community initiatives like the town’s Hotline Against Hate. You may also work on media-related tasks, including developing video profiles for town departments to support public communication. Past interns have collaborated directly with department heads and the town administrator on research and information-based assignments to understand the operations of municipal offices.
10. Massachusetts Boys State – An American Legion Program
Location: Stonehill College in North Easton
Cost/Stipend: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 400 students
Dates: June 14 to June 20
Application Deadline: May 5
Eligibility: Male high school students who have successfully completed their junior year of high school and have at least one more semester of high school remaining.
If you're a high school junior interested in government, leadership, or public policy, Massachusetts Boys State is a week-long, residential experience that lets you understand how state and local governments function by building one from the ground up. Hosted at Stonehill College in Easton, you'll be assigned to a fictional city, join a political party, and take on roles like mayor, legislator, or even governor. Throughout the week, you'll campaign, run for office, pass legislation, and participate in mock trials designed to mirror how Massachusetts’ government works. You’ll also attend leadership workshops and hear directly from elected officials, veterans, and legal professionals who work in public service every day.
11. Bay State Girls State, sponsored by the American Legion Auxiliary
Location: Held at a different university campus within the state each year
Cost/Stipend: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: June 16-22
Application Deadline: May 15
Eligibility: Female high school students who have completed their junior year
Massachusetts Girls State is a week-long summer program that introduces high school juniors to the structure and function of local and state government. From forming city councils to passing legislation and running campaigns, you’ll experience what it means to lead. Held at Stonehill College, the program blends civic training with problem-solving, group debates, and leadership development. You’ll collaborate with juniors from across the state and hear from guest speakers in law, politics, and public service. The program is run by the American Legion Auxiliary, and delegates may go on to represent Massachusetts at Girls Nation in D.C.
12. Foreign Policy Research Institute (FPRI) Virtual Internship
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: Unpaid; limited stipends available (financial need-based)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Spring: February–May; Summer: June–August; Fall: September–December
Application Deadline: Varies by term
Eligibility: High school seniors, college students, or recent graduates; international applicants welcome
The FPRI Virtual Internship gives you the chance to work alongside scholars at a think tank focused on international affairs. As a research intern, you’ll be matched with a scholar in your chosen region, such as the Middle East, Eurasia, Africa, or Asia, and collaborate on various projects. You’ll work on your communication, research, and time management skills while attending weekly foreign policy seminars and career talks with guest speakers. As an intern, you may also submit research papers for publication on FPRI’s Intern Corner. Positions are available in multiple departments, including Operations, Development, Communications, and Editorial.
13. CISA Student Volunteer Internship Program (HS level)
Location: Various federal offices (location may vary; inquire directly)
Cost/Stipend: Unpaid; must be for academic credit or paid by a third party
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified; highly selective
Dates: Varies; typically offered year-round
Application Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: U.S. citizens aged 16+, enrolled high school students maintaining at least a 2.5 GPA
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) Volunteer Student Internship (VSI) Program helps you learn about federal government operations while you're still in school. You can apply for unpaid internships in areas like cybersecurity, IT, administrative support, and even legal research. Cyber interns may work with databases, scripts, automation tools, or forensics, while others may assist attorneys on legal analysis and research. These internships are unpaid but can be done for academic credit or through third-party funding (such as Arlington Tech or On-Ramps to Careers).
Looking for an immersive internship experience?
Check out Ladder Internships!
Ladder Internships is a selective, virtual internship program where students work with startups and nonprofits from around the world! The startups range across a variety of industries. As part of their internship, each student will work on a real-world project that is of genuine need to the startup they are working with, and present their work at the end of their internship. In addition to working closely with their manager from the startup, each intern will also work with a Ladder Coach throughout their internship. Apply now!
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