Last updated: November 2026
The City of Durham pays its student interns on a published class-year scale: "Freshman: $21.00 | Sophomore: $21.63 | Junior: $22.28 | Senior/Graduate Student: $22.95" an hour, from its Environmental & Street Services intern bulletin. There's no single citywide program. Each department posts its own internship on the City's NEOGOV job board, usually for about two weeks, for fall, spring and summer terms. On 12 November 2026 one was open: the Strategy & Performance Intern in Budget and Management Services, which closes 16 November 2026 at 11:59 PM ET. In plain words: the nearest open door is the 2026-27 school year, and summer 2027 department roles are expected to post between December 2026 and February 2027.
Quick Facts
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Where to apply | Department internships: the City's NEOGOV job board; search "Intern" and set a job alert there. Law students: the City Attorney's Intern/Extern Programs page (apply by email). Ages 14 to 21: Durham YouthWorks. |
| Application window (2027–28) | 2026-27 school year: Strategy & Performance Intern open until 16 November 2026, 11:59 PM ET. Department internships for summer 2027: expected December 2026 to February 2027, about two weeks each. City Attorney summer 2027 program: open now, priority review for applications received by December 6, 2026. |
| Rolling? | No. Each department posting has its own closing date, often about two weeks after it opens. The City Attorney's program reviews after December 6 on a rolling basis. |
| Eligibility | Currently enrolled undergraduate or graduate students for most department postings. Some programs are graduate-only (MPA or MPP). Police internships require age 18+. YouthWorks is for Durham City and County residents aged 14 to 21. |
| Duration | Part-time during the school year, often 10 to 20 hours a week. Summer roles have run May to August (City Manager's Office, 2024). City Attorney summer: 6 to 10 weeks, late May to early August. |
| Compensation | Most department internships: $21.00 to $22.95/hr by class year. Police: $18.00 to $19.67/hr. Parks and Recreation (spring 2026): $17.00 to $18.58/hr. City Attorney summer law interns: "$25/hour for up to 30 hours per week". No benefits ("Internship w/o benefits"). |
| Return offers | Not published. The City publishes no conversion rate. |
| Locations | Durham, North Carolina: City Hall at 101 City Hall Plaza and department sites such as 1833 Camden Ave. Many roles are Flexible/Hybrid with set in-person days. |
| # Programs | Three routes: department internships on NEOGOV, the City Attorney's law-student programs, and YouthWorks for ages 14 to 21. |
One department internship is open now (Strategy & Performance Intern, closes 16 November 2026). Summer 2027 department postings are expected December 2026 to February 2027, each open about two weeks.
Externships are short, remote programs where you finish a real project for a real company, most commonly over 8 weeks at 5 to 10 hours a week. They aren't related to the City Attorney's law-school extern program. The Juvenile Justice Policy Analyst Externship with CIYJ builds the policy research City postings ask for, and the Health Research & Data Analytics Externship with ARCeH practices the data analysis behind a resident survey or a performance dashboard. Explore all Externships.
What Is a City of Durham Internship?
A City of Durham internship is a paid, part-time student role inside the municipal government of Durham, North Carolina. This page covers the City as an employer. Departments post their own internships on the City's NEOGOV board under the job type "Internship w/o benefits (Less than 1000 hours)". Postings since 2022 have come from Budget and Management Services, the City Manager's Office, the City Clerk (for the Office of the Mayor and City Council), Environmental & Street Services, Police, Parks and Recreation and General Services. The City Attorney's Office runs a separate paid summer program and credit-bearing externships for law students, and Durham YouthWorks is the City's summer youth employment program for residents aged 14 to 21. Durham County and Durham Public Schools are separate employers.
When Do City of Durham Internship Applications Open for 2027–2028?
The City doesn't run one application wave. Each department opens its own posting, and the dated examples show lead times of about 1.5 to 5 months. The Parks and Recreation spring intern posted November 14, 2025 for a start after January 1, 2026 (about 1.5 months ahead). The City Manager's Office posted its summer 2024 management internship on December 18, 2023 and closed it January 31, 2024, about 5 months before a May start. The Budget and Management Services graduate internship ran from January 23 to February 6, 2025. The City hasn't announced summer 2027 dates; based on those two summer precedents, department postings for summer 2027 are expected between December 2026 and February 2027. That projection rests on only two dated postings from different years and departments, so treat it as low-confidence and check the board weekly.
One department internship is open: the Strategy & Performance Intern (Budget and Management Services) for the rest of the 2026-27 school year, closing 16 November 2026 at 11:59 PM ET. The Environmental & Street Services Intern closed on 10 November 2026. The City Attorney's summer 2027 law program is also accepting applications.
Law students only: City Attorney's Office applications for its summer 2027 program "received by December 6, 2026, will receive priority review". After that, applications are reviewed on a rolling basis.
Expected: department internships for summer 2027 post on NEOGOV, each open about two weeks. Precedents: City Manager's Office, December 18, 2023 to January 31, 2024; Budget and Management Services, January 23 to February 6, 2025.
Expected: Durham YouthWorks applications for summer 2027 open for residents aged 14 to 21. The City says "Applications open at the start of the year, and participation may be determined by lottery."
Expected: summer 2027 internships run. The City Attorney's program runs 6 to 10 weeks from late May to early August, and the City Manager's Office summer 2024 internship ran May to August.
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
City of Durham postings close fast and on a fixed date. Recent windows: Environmental & Street Services, October 27 to November 10, 2026; Strategy & Performance, November 2 to November 16, 2026; Parks and Recreation, November 14 to November 28, 2025. The 2023 City Council Management Intern posting was open only February 2 to February 5. Departments post one at a time, with no announcement in advance, so a job alert on the NEOGOV board is the only way to see a posting while it's open. Have a resume and a short writing sample ready before December.
Which City of Durham Internship Programs Should You Target?
Durham's internships are separate department postings, not one program. These are the routes the City has used most recently. Check the class-year line on each, because several are graduate-only.
| Program | Focus | Duration | Key skills |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strategy & Performance Intern, Budget and Management Services (open until Nov 16, 2026) | Citywide Strategic Plan, a "public-facing strategic plan dashboard" and analysis of the annual Resident Satisfaction Survey; $21.00 to $22.95/hr | Part-time through the end of the 2026-27 school year, "10-20 hours per week", in person at least one day a week | Data analysis, research, writing, Excel |
| Environmental & Street Services Intern (closed Nov 10, 2026) | Content for two department Instagram and Facebook channels using Canva, with crew ride-alongs and site visits; $21.00 to $22.95/hr by class year | 10 to 15 hours a week, Flexible/Hybrid | Social media, writing, research |
| City Manager's Office and Budget graduate internships (graduate-only) | Management and budget projects for MPA or MPP students; past interns worked on the final budget document and the Participatory Budgeting process | Summer (May to August in 2024) or spring term | Policy research, data analysis |
| Office of the Mayor and City Council internships (City Clerk) | Communications, policy research and support for council meetings and community events; $22.95/hr in fall 2026 | Semester terms, about 10 to 20 hours a week | Writing, research, social media |
| City Attorney's Office (law students only) | Paid summer program for rising 2Ls and 3Ls at "$25/hour for up to 30 hours per week", plus spring and fall externships for academic credit | 6 to 10 weeks, late May to early August | Legal research and writing |
| Durham YouthWorks (ages 14 to 21, residents) | The City's "flagship summer youth employment program", with placements in City departments, nonprofits and community organizations; "Earn up to $880 and beyond" | Summer | Workplace basics |
Police and Parks and Recreation also post intern roles ($18.00 to $19.67/hr and $17.00 to $18.58/hr in their last postings). All department postings sit on the City's NEOGOV board. A closed bulletin can still load from an old link, so only trust a posting that appears in the board's current list.
What Are the Eligibility Requirements?
Each posting sets its own rules, and they vary more than at most employers.
• Student status: the current Strategy & Performance posting asks for a current undergraduate or graduate student in public policy, public administration, political science, planning, social work or a related field.
• Class year: several programs are graduate-only. The City Manager's Office 2024 posting targeted "local MPP and MPA graduate students", and the Budget and Management Services graduate internship wanted current MPA or similar students. The City Council Policy Internship took juniors, seniors and graduate students.
• Residency: not required on the department postings we read. YouthWorks is limited to Durham City and County residents aged 14 to 21.
• Age: Police internships require applicants to be 18 or older.
• Work authorization: not stated in the bulletins we read.
• Transportation: the Environmental & Street Services posting asked for "access to reliable transportation to work onsite".
• Law students: the City Attorney's summer program is for rising 2Ls and 3Ls at an ABA-accredited law school.
Is There a GPA Cutoff?
None of the City's bulletins we read lists a GPA. They screen on enrollment, class year, field of study and the application materials, which can include a writing sample. The City Attorney's program asks for a transcript and a 5 to 10 page writing sample. The City doesn't publish applicant counts or class sizes for its department internships.
What Skills Does the City of Durham Look For, and How Do You Build Them?
We read 11 City intern bulletins posted between 2022 and 2026. Research and data analysis each appear in 6: Environmental & Street Services asks interns to "Conduct research and benchmarking", and Strategy & Performance wants someone who can "analyze quantitative and qualitative data". Written and oral communication comes up in 5, from "Strong writing, editing, and storytelling abilities" to "Strong oral and written communication skills". Social media and content work shows up in 4, including Canva posts for department channels and "Content development for the City website and social media platforms".
What City of Durham looks for in interns
Skills across 11 City of Durham intern & analyst job descriptions · 11 City of Durham intern bulletins on the City's NEOGOV board, 2022 to 2026
Method: we read 11 intern bulletins from the City's own NEOGOV board (2022 to 2026) and counted each skill once per bulletin. Several roles are part-time policy or communications roles, so the counts show emphasis, not requirements.
How Is Demand for Policy Interns Moving Right Now?
Policy intern postings · Jul–Oct 2026
all internships 2.5×
For City of Durham applicants: The City posts on its own NEOGOV board, which this card doesn't cover. On 12 November 2026 that board listed one internship, the Strategy & Performance Intern, closing 16 November 2026.
Daily US job-posting counts, Jul–Oct 2026; each bar is that month's daily average. Growth = October vs July; “all internships” = the 48 intern searches tracked across the whole period. Covers under half of US postings; shows direction, not market size.
Build These Skills Before You Apply
Each row ties a phrase from a City bulletin to a remote Externship that leaves you with a finished project to describe.
| Skill (from real JDs) | JD evidence | Externship that builds it |
|---|---|---|
| Policy research | City Council Policy Internship: "Collect data, research proposed and pending policy issues" | Juvenile Justice Policy Analyst with CIYJ |
| Data analysis | Strategy & Performance Intern: "analyze quantitative and qualitative data" | Health Research & Data Analytics with ARCeH |
| Dashboards and data | Strategy & Performance Intern: "Development and update of public-facing strategic plan dashboard" | SQL & Database Architecture with Breaking Games |
| Research and recommendations | Environmental & Street Services Intern: "Conduct research and benchmarking" | Reggie Stephens Foundation AI Strategy Consulting |
| Content and campaigns | Environmental & Street Services Intern: "Strong writing, editing, and storytelling abilities" | Beats by Dre Creative Advertising Strategy |
None of these Externships is connected to the City of Durham, and they're separate from the City Attorney's law-school extern program. They help because a finished project gives you a writing sample and a concrete example for the questionnaire.
What Is the City of Durham Application and Interview Process Like?
These steps come from the City's own NEOGOV bulletins and the City Attorney's program page.
1. Set a job alert on NEOGOV. Search the City's board for "Intern" and save the search, because each department posts on its own schedule.
2. Check the class year and field. Several postings are for graduate students only, and most name the majors they want.
3. Apply on NEOGOV with your resume and any extras. Environmental & Street Services asked for a "one to two (1-2) page writing sample"; the City Manager's Office 2024 posting asked for a 1 to 2 page cover letter and resume.
4. Answer the supplemental questions yourself. They cover class year, major and availability, and one recent bulletin said: "Please do not use AI to compose your answer."
5. Interview. The bulletins don't describe the interview format.
6. Law students apply by email. Send a cover letter, resume, transcript and a 5 to 10 page writing sample to the City Attorney's Office, as listed on its program page.
Apply before the posted closing time. The two most recent bulletins closed at 11:59 PM Eastern on their last day.
What Students on Reddit Say
We read the Reddit threads that mention City of Durham internships, and none has a first-hand account of interning with the City: one asks about high-school internships and the other is about a full-time application. So this page carries no community quotes. The City's own bulletins are the best guide to the work.
How Do You Stand Out for a City of Durham Internship?
First, be ready before the posting appears. Windows are about two weeks, so keep a current resume and a 1 to 2 page writing sample on hand. Second, match the department's field list. Strategy & Performance names public policy, public administration, political science, planning and social work, so say how your coursework fits. Third, show a project with data or public-facing writing, since research and data analysis each appear in 6 of 11 bulletins we read. Write your questionnaire answers in your own words. The City publishes no applicant counts, class sizes or conversion rate.
What Other Companies Should You Consider?
Students applying to the City of Durham often also look at these public-sector employers.
- City of Philadelphiacity government with a paid Mayor's Internship Program and department intern postingsGuide →
- City of Austincity government that posts department internships year-round on a rolling basisGuide →
- City of Memphissouthern city government with a paid Urban Fellows Program for college studentsGuide →
- GAOfederal audit and policy-analysis internships, close to Durham's budget and performance workGuide →
- Duke EnergyNorth Carolina utility with paid student internshipsGuide →
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 Durham internship?
No. Summer 2026 has passed, and no summer intern role is posted. Right now the Strategy & Performance Intern is open until 16 November 2026 for the rest of the 2026-27 school year. Department postings for summer 2027 are expected December 2026 to February 2027, and law students can apply to the City Attorney's summer 2027 program.
Does the City of Durham pay interns?
Yes. Most department internships pay $21.00 to $22.95 an hour by class year, from $21.00 for freshmen to $22.95 for seniors and graduate students. Police internships have paid $18.00 to $19.67 and Parks and Recreation $17.00 to $18.58. City Attorney summer law interns earn $25 an hour. Internships carry no benefits.
When do City of Durham summer 2027 internships open?
The City hasn't announced dates. Based on two earlier summer postings, the City Manager's Office from December 18, 2023 and Budget and Management Services from January 23, 2025, department roles for summer 2027 are expected between December 2026 and February 2027. Each posting usually stays open about two weeks.
Do I need to live in Durham to intern with the City?
No, not for the department postings we read. The current Strategy & Performance posting asks for a current undergraduate or graduate student in a related field and states no residency rule. Durham YouthWorks is different: it's for Durham City and County residents aged 14 to 21, and selection may be by lottery.
Are there City of Durham internships for law students?
Yes. The City Attorney's Office runs a paid summer program for rising 2Ls and 3Ls at $25 an hour for up to 30 hours a week, 6 to 10 weeks from late May to early August. Applications received by December 6, 2026 get priority review. It also offers spring and fall externships for academic credit.
Can high school students intern with the City of Durham?
Yes, through Durham YouthWorks, the City's summer youth employment program for residents aged 14 to 21. The City says applications open at the start of the year and participation may be decided by lottery. In 2026, 120 youth were placed with City departments, local nonprofits and community organizations.
How many hours a week do City of Durham interns work?
Usually part-time. The Strategy & Performance Intern works 10 to 20 hours a week and must be at City Hall at least one day a week. The Environmental & Street Services role was 10 to 15 hours. Summer roles can be full days: the City Manager's Office 2024 internship ran Monday to Friday, 8:30 to 5.
Does a City of Durham internship lead to a full-time job?
It can, but the City doesn't publish a conversion rate. Internships are temporary roles capped below 1,000 hours, with no benefits. Past Budget and Management Services interns helped build the final budget document and the Participatory Budgeting process, which is the kind of work you can point to in later City applications.
Summer 2027 department internships at the City of Durham are expected to post between December 2026 and February 2027, each for about two weeks. If you want a finished project to bring to that application, a remote Externship fits around classes at 5 to 10 hours a week.
About the Author
Bifei Wang has spent 17 years focused on human flow and the growth of young professionals, spanning international education, career training and coaching, and recruitment process outsourcing. Over 7 years at Extern, he has had one-on-one sessions with thousands of students exploring careers in consulting, finance, tech, marketing, and data, giving him a firsthand view of how the job market has shifted for early-career professionals and what it actually takes to break in.
