City of Chicago Internship 2027–2028: Programs, Deadlines & How to Apply

Last updated: November 2026

The City of Chicago doesn't run one big summer intern class. It hires paid student interns one department at a time under a single job title, STUDENT INTERN, posted on its own Taleo careers board whenever a department has an opening. On 10 November 2026 the Chicago Department of Aviation (O'Hare and Midway) had a STUDENT INTERN posting open at $19.00 per hour for Spring 2027 starts, closing at 11:59pm CDT on 21 December 2026. The Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE) had just run a two-week window for 4 year-long interns (posted 27 October, closed 10 November 2026). In plain words: you can apply now for a spring 2027 start, and summer 2027 roles will post department by department, with no dates published yet.

Quick Facts

One posting is open now (Aviation, Spring 2027 starts, closes 21 December 2026); everything else posts department by department, often with windows of about two weeks.

One note on wording first: the City's Department of Law uses "externship" for its law-student placements, which are a different thing from Extern's programs. Externships on Extern are short, remote projects for a real organization, most commonly over 8 weeks at 5 to 10 hours a week. The Juvenile Justice Policy Analyst Externship with CIYJ practices data-driven work for public systems, and Health Research & Data Analytics with ARCeH builds the data compilation and reporting skills the City's intern postings list. Explore all Externships.

What Is a City of Chicago Internship?

A City of Chicago internship is a paid, temporary STUDENT INTERN position inside a City department, hired through the Department of Human Resources (DHR) and lasting up to one academic year. This page is about working for the City government itself; sister agencies such as the CTA, Chicago Park District and Chicago Public Schools hire separately. Departments post their own requisitions on the City's Taleo board, which lists about 50 departments, from Aviation and Public Health to Transportation, Planning, Finance and the City Clerk. Interns compile data for reports, keep records, answer questions from the public and help run events. Aviation interns support airports that, in the City's words, handle "more than 1.1 million operations". DHR also keeps a Student Intern Pool of pre-qualified candidates.

When Do City of Chicago Internship Applications Open for 2027–2028?

There isn't one City-wide window. Each department posts its own STUDENT INTERN requisition when it has an opening, and each posting gives its own close date. The two most recent show the range: Aviation's posting went up on 20 October 2026 and stays open to 21 December 2026, roughly 2 to 4 months before a Spring 2027 start, while DCASE's was open for two weeks, from 27 October to 10 November 2026. The City hasn't published summer 2027 dates; departments post STUDENT INTERN reqs year-round, so check the Taleo board every few weeks and join the Student Intern Pool.

How to read this page: our dates come from tracking previous recruiting cycles and daily posting data. Treat them as informed estimates based on historical patterns, not confirmed dates. The company's official careers page is always the most current source. If a role is posted there, go by that, even if this page suggests the window hasn't opened yet.

Why You Must Apply the Week Applications Open

Every City posting has a hard close: 11:59pm CDT on the date in the requisition, and DHR reviews applications after that final posting date. The windows can also be short. DCASE's STUDENT INTERN posting was open for exactly two weeks (27 October to 10 November 2026), and nothing tells you in advance when the next department will post. So keep a Taleo account ready, check the board every few weeks, and apply as soon as a posting that fits appears. For Aviation's spring roles, the date to beat is 21 December 2026.

Which City of Chicago Internship Programs Should You Target?

Most paid student work at the City sits under one job title, STUDENT INTERN, with each department writing its own posting. The other routes below serve different audiences, so check which one fits you.

Current postings are on the Taleo board; the pool and unpaid postings are on the DHR internships page. The Mayor's Office Fellowship page still describes its 2024 cycle, and One Summer Chicago is for high school students and young adults.

What Are the Eligibility Requirements?

These rules come from the two STUDENT INTERN postings live this fall (Aviation and DCASE) and the City Clerk's STUDENT INTERN class specification.

• Enrollment: "Must be a student currently enrolled in an accredited college, university, or law school" or an accredited business or data processing/IT school.

• Class year: Aviation lists freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and senior, graduate and doctoral students.

• GPA: Aviation asks you to maintain a cumulative 2.5 on a 4.0 scale (3.5 on 5.0). The City Clerk class also sets a 2.5 minimum and 6 credit hours a term.

• Documents at hire: current transcripts and a current enrollment letter or National Student Clearinghouse certificate.

• Residency: the two current STUDENT INTERN postings don't state a Chicago residency requirement; check each posting.

• Hiring preferences: City ordinances give preference to qualified veterans, residents of Socio-Economically Disadvantaged Areas and Chicago Public Schools graduates.

• Screening: Aviation adds an airport background check and a Security Threat Assessment.

Is the GPA a Hard Cutoff?

For Aviation, treat it as one. The posting says you must maintain a 2.5 cumulative GPA, and you show it with your transcripts at hire. Other departments write their own postings, so the bar can differ. DCASE's posting set its terms by enrollment and skills, and the City Clerk class also uses 2.5. The postings also say to leave out any political sponsorship or recommendation from your materials.

What Skills Does the City of Chicago Look For, and How Do You Build Them?

Three City student-intern descriptions are the sample here: Aviation's and DCASE's live postings and the City Clerk's class specification. Data and reporting: all three ask interns to "compile, tabulate and analyze statistical data" or to keep records and prepare reports. Office tools: all three involve spreadsheets and databases, and two name Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint. Public-facing work: every description includes answering questions from the public and helping run events.

How Is Demand for Policy Interns Moving Right Now?

Build These Skills Before You Apply

Each row ties a duty from the City's postings to an Externship that gives you a finished example to point to.

None of these Externships is connected to the City of Chicago. They help because a City posting asks what you can already do, and a finished project gives you a concrete answer on your resume.

What Is the City of Chicago Application and Interview Process Like?

The steps below come from the City's STUDENT INTERN postings and the DHR internships page.

1. Find a posting. Search the Taleo board (careersection 100) for "STUDENT INTERN" or filter by department. Department short links such as Chi.gov/DCASEJobs and Chi.gov/OCCJobs lead into the same board.

2. Apply before the close. Create a Taleo account and submit your resume before 11:59pm CDT on the posting's closing date.

3. Join the Student Intern Pool. Submit a profile to DHR so departments can consider you for later openings.

4. Review and interview. DHR reviews applications after the final posting date and selects on the qualifications best suited to the role; DCASE's posting required an interview.

5. Paperwork at hire. Bring transcripts and an enrollment letter. Aviation adds an airport background check and a Security Threat Assessment.

Read each posting in full. Hours, schedules and requirements differ by department.

What Chicagoans on Reddit Say About City Hiring

We found no first-hand Reddit threads about City of Chicago internships themselves. The closest are a repost of a City Clerk intern ad and an r/AskChicago thread on City hiring times, which is about staff jobs, not interns.

How Do You Stand Out for a City of Chicago Internship?

First, be early to the posting, not to the season. Windows can last two weeks, so a saved habit of checking the board beats a calendar reminder. Second, match the department. Aviation lists sections from Finance to Safety and Security, and DCASE named preferred majors and Microsoft Office skills, so tailor your resume to the posting you're answering. Third, have your documents ready: transcripts with your GPA and an enrollment letter. The City publishes the number of openings per posting (4 at DCASE, "Varies" at Aviation) but no applicant counts or conversion rate.

What Other Companies Should You Consider?

Students looking at City of Chicago internships often also consider these public and Chicago employers.

For more public-sector options and their timing, see our government internships summer 2027 guide.

FAQ

Can I still apply for a summer 2026 City of Chicago internship?

No. Summer 2026 is over, and the City doesn't hold summer roles open. What's open now is the Aviation STUDENT INTERN posting for Spring 2027 starts, closing at 11:59pm CDT on 21 December 2026. Summer 2027 roles will post department by department on the Taleo board, and the City hasn't published dates.

When should I apply for a summer 2027 City of Chicago internship?

There's no single window, and the City hasn't published summer 2027 dates. Departments post their own STUDENT INTERN requisitions year-round, and some close after two weeks. Search the Taleo board for "STUDENT INTERN" every few weeks and submit a Student Intern Pool profile so departments can find you.

Does the City of Chicago pay interns?

Yes, for STUDENT INTERN roles. The Aviation posting pays "$19.00 per hour" for 2027, and DCASE's recent posting started at $17.05 an hour. Public Service Intern and volunteer postings on the DHR page are unpaid. The graduate Mayor's Office Fellowship paid $21 an hour in its last published cycle, 2024.

Do I need to live in Chicago to apply?

The two current STUDENT INTERN postings don't state a Chicago residency requirement, but each department writes its own posting, so check each one. The work itself is in person in Chicago, at the airports or the Chicago Cultural Center for the two recent postings. Remote work isn't mentioned.

Who can apply for a City of Chicago STUDENT INTERN role?

Students currently enrolled at an accredited college, university or law school, or an accredited business or data processing/IT school. Aviation's posting is open to freshmen through doctoral students and asks for a 2.5 cumulative GPA. You'll need current transcripts and an enrollment letter or National Student Clearinghouse certificate when you're hired.

How long does a City of Chicago internship last?

Up to one academic year. The postings say students are limited to one internship of no more than one academic year per City department. DCASE's year-long role ran 15 to 20 hours a week during the school year and up to 35 hours a week in summer and breaks.

What is the City of Chicago Student Intern Pool?

It's a DHR program where you submit a profile that's kept in a pool of pre-qualified candidates. Departments can draw on the pool when they have openings. It doesn't replace applying to live postings, so do both: keep a pool profile and apply on Taleo whenever a STUDENT INTERN posting fits.

Does the City of Chicago have programs for high school or graduate students?

Yes, both, run separately. One Summer Chicago offers summer jobs for ages 14 to 24 through DFSS and partners; it's youth employment, not a college internship. The Mayor's Office Fellowship is for graduate students only, and its page still describes the 2024 cycle, so 2027 timing isn't published.

Aviation's spring posting closes on 21 December 2026, and the next department could post any week. Check the Taleo board often, and if you want a finished project to show, a remote Externship fits around classes at 5 to 10 hours a week.