Politics feels very different when you experience it instead of just reading about it. Politics programs give you the chance to step behind the scenes and see how real decisions are made, how policies are shaped, and how public voices can influence change. Instead of just learning terms from a textbook, you get to practice the work through debates, simulations, research, and hands-on civic projects.
Why choose a fall politics program?
Fall programs are designed to fit alongside your school schedule, so you can build meaningful experience without overwhelming your academics. They’re shorter, focused, and practical. You might work on a mock bill, analyse current legislation, practice public speaking, or explore how government institutions actually function. Since they run during the school year, they help you build momentum and consistency in your interests instead of waiting until summer.
Joining a fall program is also a smart step if you’re thinking about law, public policy, or leadership roles in the future. You’ll gain real experience for your resume, develop strong communication skills, and understand how to participate more effectively in your community and beyond.
If you want to explore fall law internships for high school students, you can check out our blog here.
15 Politics Fall Programs for High School Students
1. U.S. Senate Page Program
Location: Capitol and Senate Offices, Washington, D.C.
Stipend: Paid on an annual salary basis of $37,238
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 30 positions available
Dates: Fall session: September 1 – January 23
Application deadline: Varies by office
Eligibility: High school juniors who will be 16 or 17 years old on or before the date of appointment; check detailed requirements here
The U.S. Senate Page Program is a highly selective opportunity for high school juniors that lets you experience the legislative process up close while living and studying in Washington, D.C. Throughout the program, you’ll help keep the Senate running by delivering correspondence, preparing the Chamber, assisting during debates, and carrying bills and amendments to the desk. You’ll also attend Page School each day, balancing academic coursework with early mornings, late nights, and a fast-paced work schedule. Outside the Senate floor, you’ll meet national leaders, explore historic sites, and observe major political debates as they unfold.
2. Internship with Senator Bernie Sanders
Location: Capitol Hill (Washington, D.C.) or Burlington, Vermont
Cost: Paid at $17.95/hour (unless sponsored by outside organization)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive
Dates: Late August – December (Fall)
Application Deadline: Rolling (check office for current deadline)
Eligibility: High school students are considered in the Vermont office
An internship with Senator Bernie Sanders immerses you in the legislative process while working alongside staff dedicated to economic justice, healthcare, and progressive policies. You’ll research legislation, draft correspondence, respond to constituent requests, attend committee hearings and briefings, and support the Senator’s work on key issues. Whether you’re in the D.C. office working on federal legislation or in the Vermont state office connecting with constituents, you’ll see firsthand how a senator advocates for his state while shaping national policy.
3. Internship with Senator Patty Murray
Location: Capitol Hill (Washington, D.C.) or Seattle, Washington
Cost: Paid (hourly wage for D.C. office; unpaid for state offices with academic credit available)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive
Dates: Fall, Winter, Spring, or Summer sessions available; Fall runs September – December
Application Deadline: Rolling (varies by session)
Eligibility: High school students are considered in the Washington state office. DC internships are geared toward college students.
An internship with Senator Patty Murray connects you to the work of the federal government in a state-focused way. You’ll handle constituent requests, research policy issues, draft correspondence, attend congressional hearings, and support staff on real legislative initiatives. Whether in the D.C. office working on legislative strategy or the Seattle office serving Washington state residents, you’ll learn how a senator’s office balances local community needs with national policy priorities. D.C. interns typically work full-time (40 hours per week) while state interns work part-time, allowing flexibility around your high school schedule.
4. Internships with Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
Location: Congresswoman Washington, D.C, The Bronx District Office in New York City, NY
Cost: No cost. A stipend of $18/hour is offered
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: September – December
Application Deadline: July 30
Eligibility: High school students
Interning with Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez gives you a steady look at how a congressional office works from the inside. You can join part-time or full-time, which keeps the internship manageable during the school year. Most days involve practical tasks like answering phones, sorting mail, helping with casework, and supporting staff during events or meetings. You also sit in on briefings and hearings, giving you a clearer sense of how policy discussions move through Congress before decisions are made. You can choose to focus on legislative work or communications, depending on what feels more aligned with your interests. Legislative tasks might include researching bills, gathering background material, and preparing notes for staff. Communications work often involves drafting simple outreach messages, tracking media coverage, and helping with the office’s public-facing updates.
5. Internship with Congressman Jim Himes
Location: Bridgeport & Stamford
Cost: Need-based stipend available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: September – December
Application Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: High school students
An internship with Congressman Jim Himes gives you a steady look at how a congressional office supports its community, with placements in either the Bridgeport or Stamford offices. You help with research, draft simple correspondence, assist with constituent casework, and take on daily tasks like answering phones and gathering feedback from residents. Staff members guide you through the work, so you see how legislative and administrative duties fit together. You build writing, communication, and basic policy skills as you move through different projects, and you get a better sense of whether public service feels like a path you want to follow. You also watch how federal priorities, local concerns, and legislative strategy interact behind the scenes, which gives you a clearer picture of how political decisions take shape.
6. ED Student Volunteer Trainee Program
Location: Primarily Washington, D.C.
Cost: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: (September – December)
Application Deadline: July 31
Eligibility: Students who are at least 16 years of age. Check more details here.
The ED Student Volunteer Trainee Program is an eight to ten-week volunteer internship at the U.S. Department of Education for high school and college students who want a closer look at government, education policy, and public service. You support projects that tie into the agency’s mission, which gives you a clear view of how federal education policies are shaped, debated, and put into practice. Your placement can be in areas like policy, project management, communications, or another department that matches your interests. Alongside your day-to-day responsibilities, you join professional development workshops, take part in a brown-bag lunch series with Department officials, and visit key institutions around Washington, D.C.
7. Internships at the Foreign Policy Research Institute
Location: Remote or in-person at Foreign Policy Research Institute, Philadelphia, PA
Cost: Free. Few paid opportunities are available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: October – December
Application deadline: August 18 (based on previous deadline)
Eligibility: High school students
The Foreign Policy Research Institute (FPRI) Internship Program gives high school students a clear way to explore international affairs through research, communications, events, or operations work. Your tasks depend on the team you join. Research interns may help scholars working on regional projects in areas like the Middle East, Eurasia, Africa, or Asia, and the work often involves reading sources, organizing data, or using language skills when needed. Events interns help plan and run public programs, including panels and conferences, and they often work on-site during major sessions. Communications and operations interns support social media, content development, and basic administrative work that keeps the institute running.
8. Cair Chicago Internship Program
Location: CAIR‑Chicago office in downtown Chicago
Cost: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Admissions are highly competitive
Dates: September 1 – December 31
Application Deadline: August 1
Eligibility: High school, undergraduate, or graduate students
The CAIR-Chicago Internship Program gives you a direct look at civil rights work through a mix of advocacy, public service, and community outreach. Your experience depends on the track you choose, whether it’s civil rights law, communications, outreach, government affairs, or operations. You might help with legal intake, research policy or media issues, draft public materials, or support campaigns that involve community partners. You take part in orientations, training, and weekly team meetings that help you understand how Islamic civil rights work fits into the wider policy world. As you move through the program, you build steady skills in writing, research, communication, and project management while receiving guidance from staff and attorneys.
9. The Borgen Project Political Affairs Internship
Location: Virtual
Cost: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Admissions are competitive
Dates: New programs begin every month (12-week program)
Application Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: High school students
The Borgen Project Political Affairs Internship is a remote, advocacy-focused role where you work on grassroots political engagement to support global poverty-reduction efforts. As an intern, you lead outreach in your state or district, meet with local congressional offices, speak to community groups, write letters to political leaders and media outlets, and help mobilize supporters to advocate for key legislation. You also represent The Borgen Project at community, political, or campus events and run a personal fundraising campaign as part of the program’s civic-engagement model. The internship is structured around weekly goals, advocacy assignments, and virtual training that help you build skills in communication, organizing, public speaking, and policy outreach.
10. Maine Youth Council Internship
Location: Maine (Remote as well as various locations in ME)
Cost: No cost. A stipend of $15/hour is paid
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 3-4 students
Dates: Not specified
Application Deadline: September 19
Eligibility: High school students
The Maine Youth Council Internship is a part-time program where you spend around five hours each week working on civics, youth organizing, and social equity projects. You learn how state laws are made, help plan community events, and create educational materials on topics like voter rights. You also contribute to the Youth Council newsletter and take part in projects that connect directly with local communities. The program gives you room to choose your focus, whether you want to work on community organizing, youth engagement, communications, or social media content.
11. Close Up Youth Leadership Program (Washington High School Program)
Location: Washington, D.C.
Cost: Tuition costs vary by school and program length
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Six-day program (exact dates vary by organizing school)
Application Deadline: Varies depending on the program dates (registration is ongoing year-round)
Eligibility: High school students (Parent or guardian approval is required for participants under 18 years old)
The Close Up Youth Leadership Program gives you six days in Washington, D.C., to see how U.S. democracy works up close. You spend the week visiting Capitol Hill, major monuments and memorials, and key museums that tie history to current policy. You also sit in on a live congressional committee hearing and meet experts, policymakers, diplomats, and sometimes members of Congress or their staff, which helps you understand how decisions move through the system. Each day includes discussions on current issues and activities that ask you to think through different perspectives. You take part in a Mock Congress with students from across the country, where you debate, negotiate, and work through bills the same way lawmakers do.
12. Workshops Foundation Congressional Seminar
Location: Washington, D.C
Cost: Tuition costs vary by school and program length
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Six-day program (exact dates vary by organizing school)
Application Deadline: Exact dates vary by organizing school
Eligibility: High school students
The Workshops Foundation Congressional Seminar is a six-day program that places you in Washington, D.C., and gives you a direct look at how Congress operates. Over the week, you meet Senators, Representatives, policy experts, and other professionals who explain different parts of the political process and answer questions about how decisions move through government. These conversations help you see how policy, negotiation, and public service fit together. A major part of the program is the Model Congress. You join a committee, consult with experts, research issues, and work with other students to develop policy ideas. The week ends with a Final Model Congress Session that follows procedures similar to those used in the U.S. House of Representatives, giving you a real sense of how debate and decision-making unfold.
13. Georgetown University’s Becoming a Leader: Motivate, Inspire, and Persuade
Location: Virtual
Cost: $1,895
Acceptance rate/cohort size: NA
Dates: Available year-round in 3 formats: 1-week intensives, 2-week sessions, and 4-week sessions
Application Deadline: One week before the program start date
Eligibility: Students ages 13 and above
Georgetown University’s Becoming a Leader: Motivate, Inspire, and Persuade is a fully online, self-paced program that helps you understand how leadership works in real situations. You study different leadership styles, look at how conflict and bias shape decisions, and explore how motivation, power, and persuasion influence the way people respond to you. The lessons are interactive and built around real scenarios, and you also learn the seven principles of persuasion while examining how ethics, diversity, and inclusion shape leadership choices.
14. Pasquines Internships
Location: Virtual
Cost: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: No fixed dates (interns are hired for an indefinite period)
Application Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: High school students
The Pasquines Internship Program is a virtual, unpaid opportunity for students interested in political journalism, writing, and analysis, with the option to earn college credit if your school approves it. As an intern, you report on political developments that affect the United States, its territories, and its relationship with Puerto Rico, covering issues like policy, elections, governance, and civic life. You build skills in reporting, fact-checking, interviewing, and longer political writing while working with editors who guide you through revisions and help you develop your voice.
15. HarvardX U.S. Government Course
Location: Online
Cost: $536
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Open enrollment
Dates: Self-paced
Application Deadline: Available year-round
Eligibility: Open to all
The Harvard University U.S. Government course on edX gives you a structured look at how American democracy works. You move through the constitutional foundations, the three branches of government, political behavior, and major policy areas, which helps you understand the system from the ground up. Through video lectures and case studies, you study how Congress, the presidency, the courts, elections, interest groups, and the media shape political outcomes.
One more option – Horizon Academic Research Program
If you’re looking for a competitive mentored research program in subjects like data science, machine learning, political theory, biology, and chemistry, consider applying to Horizon’s Research Seminars and Labs! This is a selective virtual research program that lets you engage in advanced research and develop a research paper on a subject of your choosing. Horizon has worked with 1000+ high school students so far and offers 600+ research specializations for you to choose from.
You can find the application link here!
Image source – Georgetown University