Summer Internships in Washington

Senate pages are high school juniors who are 16 or 17 at the time of their service. Pages are mostly responsible for delivering correspondence within the congressional complex. There are four sessions: one in the fall (September–January), one in the spring (January–June), and two in the summer (3-4 weeks each). During the school year, pages attend classes from 6:15am-9:45am at the Daniel Webster Page Residence near the Senate Hart Office Building. There are just 30 positions available per session, 15 for girls and 15 for boys, and they are highly competitive. Applicants must be sponsored by a senator and have a minimum grade point average of 3.0. Contact your senator’s office or visit the website!

Paid, Housing Deducted from Stipend

https://pageprogram.senate.gov/page-program/

White House internships are extremely competitive, but gifted seniors who have been accepted to college are eligible to apply. Applicants must be 18 years old at the start of the internship and be enrolled in a college or university program by the application deadline (early January for summer internships, mid-April for fall). According to the White House website, selection as an intern is based on the following criteria: a commitment to public service, demonstrated leadership in the community, and a commitment to the mission of the presidential administration.

Unpaid

https://www.whitehouse.gov/get-involved/internships/

High school seniors planning on attending a four-year college program are eligible to apply. The program was originally developed to assist minority and disabled students, but it is not limited to these populations. Students must be 18 years old by September 15 of their senior year, have a 3.0 GPA, and have demonstrated financial need. This is a long-term, paid program that gives participants work experience at the CIA during summer breaks. The program includes a housing allowance, health insurance, and up to $18,000 per year for tuition, books, and supplies. After graduation, scholars are asked to work for the CIA for 1.5 times the length of the college sponsorship.

Paid

https://www.cia.gov/careers/student-programs/undergraduate-scholarship-program/

NSA programs include:

• Louis Stokes Education Scholarship (STOKES) Program
• Gifted and Talented Language Program
• High School Work Study Program

Paid

https://www.intelligencecareers.gov/nsa/students-and-internships

The Smithsonian offers numerous internship opportunities for students as young as 14 years old. The National Museum of Natural History hosts the greatest number of interns and has a variety of opportunities available for mature high school students.

https://internships.si.edu/

Fellowships and internships provide professional training and research opportunities for students and scholars at various levels, as well as the chance to engage with National Museum of Asian Art staff and utilize the museum’s rich resources.

Paid

https://asia-archive.si.edu/research/fellowships-internships/