Last updated: October 2026
City Year isn't an internship program. Its main role for students and recent grads is a 10-month AmeriCorps service year as a Student Success Coach in one of 29 US cities, paid through a biweekly living stipend of $907 to $1,386 before tax (2025–26 school-year table) plus a $7,395 Segal Education Award when you finish.
City Year's application page is open now for Mid-Year positions starting in December 2026 and January 2027 and for early Full-Year applications for the 2027–28 school year, starting summer 2027. The next deadline is 30 October 2026. In plain words: apply this fall to start serving in winter, or apply early to start in summer 2027.
Quick Facts
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Where to apply | cityyear.org/apply-now (application portal, not a job board). Staff and ASU roles: City Year Workday board |
| Application window (2027–28) | Open now. Next deadline 30 Oct 2026 for Mid-Year (Dec 2026 / Jan 2027 starts) and early Full-Year 2027–28. Later 2027–28 deadlines expected Feb–May 2027 (2026 pattern: 6 Feb, 27 Mar, 8 May) |
| Rolling? | Both: fixed deadlines, with decisions sent on a rolling basis every Thursday. Popular sites can fill and waitlist |
| Eligibility | Ages 18–25 as of 1 July (2026–27 wording), high school diploma or GED, US citizen or permanent resident; DACA recipients currently not eligible; no more than 3 prior AmeriCorps terms |
| Duration | One school year: 1,700 hours full time (40–50 hrs/week), or 1,200-hour and 900-hour part-time terms in some cities |
| Compensation | Biweekly stipend $907–$1,386 pre-tax for 1,700-hour coaches (2025–26 table), $7,395 Segal Education Award, health insurance, $500 relocation if moving 50+ miles |
| Return offers | Not a job pipeline; some alumni later join City Year as staff. 100+ universities match or add to the Segal award |
| Locations | 29 US cities in 21 states, in partner schools; you pick a primary site and can list backups |
| # Programs | 3 service terms (Student Success Coach, School Day Learning Coach, Afterschool Enrichment Coach), plus a CUNY work-study internship pilot and a paid ASU student role in Phoenix |
The 30 October deadline covers both the mid-year start and early 2027–28 applications, and decisions go out every Thursday, so applying now gives you the widest choice of cities.
Extern's Externships are short, remote project programs, a lighter option if you can't commit to a 1,700-hour service year yet. Most run 8 weeks at 5–10 hours a week. The Khan Academy Strategic Partnerships & Earned Revenue Externship puts you on a real education-nonprofit project, and the ARCEH Children's Environmental Health Analytics Externship builds data skills on a child-health question. Explore all Externships.
What Is a City Year Internship?
A City Year "internship" usually means serving as a City Year AmeriCorps member: a full school year working in teams inside high-need public schools, tutoring and mentoring students and running afterschool programs. City Year, founded in Boston in 1988, says it has more than 2,000 members serving in 29 US cities and 250 schools. You're an AmeriCorps member, not a City Year employee, and you're paid a living stipend rather than a wage. Two smaller routes do work like internships. City Year New York runs a federal work-study internship pilot for CUNY students, and City Year posts a paid part-time Student Success Coach role for students in Arizona State University's teacher-education college in Phoenix.
When Do City Year Internship Applications Open for 2027–2028?
City Year runs two intakes: a mid-year start in December or January, and the main full-year start in summer, before the school year. Applications are open year-round in rounds, each with a deadline, and City Year sends decisions every Thursday. For the 2026–27 year the deadlines were 6 February, 27 March and 8 May 2026. The only 2027–28 date published so far is 30 October 2026, so the later dates below are projections from last year.
Applications are open right now for Mid-Year positions starting December 2026 or January 2027 and for early Full-Year 2027–28 roles. Meet a recruiter, pick a primary city and line up one professional reference.
Next application deadline, covering Mid-Year starts and early Full-Year 2027–28 applications. The application takes about 45 minutes.
Mid-Year members start service. Full-Year applicants who applied early hear back on a rolling Thursday schedule.
Further deadlines for 2027–28 expected, following the 2026 pattern of early February, late March and early May. Popular sites such as Chicago, Philadelphia and Milwaukee have filled to waitlists before year end.
Full-Year 2027–28 service starts before the school year, running about 10 months. The Segal Education Award is paid after you complete your term.
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
The deadline is fixed, but your odds depend on how early you apply. Decisions go out every Thursday, and a City Year alum on Reddit said the competitive part depends mostly on timing: apply early and you'll likely get in, while popular sites had waitlists by the end of the year. Each application names a primary site, so a late applicant may be offered a backup city.
The 30 October 2026 deadline is close. The application itself takes about 45 minutes, but the professional reference has to submit its own form, so contact your reference this week.
Which City Year Internship Programs Should You Target?
City Year has three service terms and two student roles; check which exist in your chosen city.
| Role | Hours | Who it's for | Pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Student Success Coach (AmeriCorps) | 1,700 hours, 40–50 hrs/week | Ages 18–25, HS diploma or GED | $907–$1,386 biweekly stipend (2025–26) + $7,395 Segal award |
| School Day Learning Coach (AmeriCorps) | 1,200 hours, 35–40 hrs/week, school day only | Same; offered in some cities | $628–$857 biweekly + $5,176.50 Segal award |
| Afterschool Enrichment Coach (AmeriCorps) | 900 hours, about 25 hrs/week | Same; offered in some cities | $471–$734 biweekly + $3,697.50 Segal award |
| Student Success Coach Internship pilot | At least ~10 hrs/week during the school year | CUNY students eligible for federal work-study (New York only) | Paid through federal work-study; rate not published |
| ASU City Year Student Success Coach | Part time, school day | Students at ASU's Mary Lou Fulton College (Phoenix) | $20/hr |
Full details: City Year application page and compensation page.
What Are the Eligibility Requirements?
For the AmeriCorps roles, City Year's application page lists:
• Age: 18 to 25 as of 1 July (the page states this for the 2026–27 school year; the about page says 17 to 25).
• Education: a high school diploma or GED. A college degree isn't required.
• Status: US citizen or legal permanent resident. DACA recipients aren't currently eligible to serve as AmeriCorps members.
• Prior service: no more than three earlier AmeriCorps terms.
• What selectors look for: leadership experience, experience with children or youth, a desire to build inclusive communities and willingness to grow.
Can You Do City Year While in College?
Not the full-time term, which is built for a gap year or the year after graduation. Current students have two options: the Student Success Coach Internship pilot for CUNY students eligible for federal work-study (about 10 hours a week, explicitly not part of AmeriCorps), and the paid part-time ASU role in Phoenix. Some cities also offer the 900-hour afterschool term at about 25 hours a week.
What Skills Does City Year Look For, and How Do You Build Them?
City Year's sources describe the person more than a skill stack. We read four: the application page (role description, two short-answer prompts and the reference requirement), the application FAQ's selection criteria, the ASU Student Success Coach req and City Year New York's article on its work-study internship pilot.
All four center on working directly with young people: tutoring, mentoring and supporting attendance and behavior. Three ask how you work with people whose identity, background or work style differs from yours. The rest is about motivation, a professional reference and willingness to grow with coaching.
What City Year looks for in interns
Skills across 4 City Year intern & analyst job descriptions · City Year application sources, Oct 2026
Method: full-text read of 4 City Year sources: cityyear.org/apply-now (read 3 Oct 2026), the application FAQ's selection criteria and the City Year New York work-study pilot article (both read 28 Sep 2026), and Workday req R8403 (ASU City Year Student Success Coach, read 3 Oct 2026). City Year publishes few role descriptions, so the base is small.
How Is the Student Job Market Moving Right Now?
Policy intern postings · Sep vs Aug 2026
vs 537 in August
Corporate summer-2027 internships posted in September, while City Year runs on its own calendar with a 30 October deadline. You can apply to both and decide in the spring.
Daily US job-posting counts, Sep 1–30 vs Aug 1–31, 2026. Covers under half of US postings; shows direction, not market size. Pay = median of employer-published ranges only (47 postings in September, 55 in August).
Build These Skills Before You Apply
Each skill maps to a remote Externship you can finish before or alongside a service year.
| Skill (from real JDs) | JD evidence | Externship that builds it |
|---|---|---|
| Education-nonprofit work | Apply page: members support "student learning and development before, during and after school" | Khan Academy Strategic Partnerships & Earned Revenue |
| Tracking student progress with data | ASU req: "plan and monitor individual student progress" | ARCEH Children's Environmental Health Analytics |
| Problem solving for a post-service career | FAQ: selectors look for leadership and "willingness to grow" | Corporate Strategy Externship Mentored by Eric Ries |
None of these replaces time with students, which is the core of the application, but each gives you a finished project to discuss with a recruiter or a future employer after service.
What Is the City Year Application and Interview Process Like?
City Year's application page lays out five steps:
1. Meet a recruiter. Starting an application triggers outreach from a recruiter, who can help you pick a city and talk through the stipend.
2. Choose your sites. Apply to one primary city and list secondary locations.
3. Complete the application (about 45 minutes). Two short answers: why you want to serve, your experience working with someone whose identity differs from yours and how you've worked on a team toward a shared goal. Add one professional reference, not a friend or family member.
4. Interview. Qualified candidates book a roughly 35-minute phone or Teams interview with City Year staff through Calendly.
5. Accept your offer. Decisions go out on Thursdays, and you accept in the application portal.
What Students on Reddit Say
Reddit's AmeriCorps community talks about City Year often, and opinions are split.
An alum says getting in depends mostly on how early you apply: apply early and you'll likely be accepted, while popular sites like Chicago, Philadelphia and Milwaukee had waitlists by year end. A two-year Philadelphia alum in the same thread didn't recommend City Year, citing budget cuts and staff turnover.
A two-year member describes teacher hours: about seven hours of school plus one to two hours of afterschool, five days a week. A first-year member found it emotionally draining, while a Milwaukee alum called it one of the most important years of their life.
Former members say the team bonds are strong but the long days leave little time for a social life, and a few felt pressure to hit data targets (2018 thread, so check how a current site runs).
How Do You Stand Out in a City Year Application?
Three moves. First, apply early for your first-choice city. City Year says decisions roll weekly, and alumni say popular sites fill, so the 30 October round gives you the most choice.
Second, answer the short-answer prompts with specifics. City Year asks about working with someone whose identity differs from yours and about a team goal, and the ASU req asks applicants to write in their own words rather than with AI tools. One concrete story with what you learned beats general enthusiasm.
Third, plan the money before you accept. Stipends ranged from $907 to $1,386 every two weeks before tax in the 2025–26 table, and City Year itself says living on the stipend is hard. Compare your city's rate with local rent. City Year doesn't publish acceptance rates.
What Other Companies Should You Consider?
These service and nonprofit programs draw the same applicants; several don't have a guide yet.
- Teach For Americatwo-year paid teaching corps for new graduatesGuide →
- Peace Corpsfederal service program abroad, usually 27 monthsCareers site
- Year UpCity Year career partner training young adults for corporate jobsCareers site
- Special Olympicsnonprofit with its own student internshipsGuide →
- American Heart Associationhealth nonprofit with structured student internshipsGuide →
Our nonprofit and social impact internships summer 2027 guide covers more mission-driven options.
FAQ
Can I still apply for a summer 2026 City Year internship?
City Year doesn't run summer internships, and its 2026–27 full-year corps already started. You can still apply now for Mid-Year positions starting in December 2026 or January 2027, or apply early for Full-Year 2027–28 roles that start in summer 2027. The next deadline for both is 30 October 2026.
Does City Year offer internships?
Not as its main program. City Year's core role is a paid AmeriCorps service year as a Student Success Coach. It also runs a federal work-study internship pilot for CUNY students in New York and posts a paid part-time Student Success Coach role for Arizona State University education students in Phoenix.
When is the next City Year application deadline?
30 October 2026, according to City Year's application page. That round covers Mid-Year positions starting in December 2026 or January 2027 and early Full-Year applications for 2027–28. Later 2027–28 deadlines aren't published yet; in 2026 they fell on 6 February, 27 March and 8 May.
How much does City Year pay?
Full-time Student Success Coaches received a biweekly living stipend of $907 to $1,386 before tax in the 2025–26 table, depending on city, plus a $7,395 Segal Education Award after completing 1,700 hours. Members also get health insurance and a $500 relocation payment if they move 50 miles or more.
Do I need a college degree for City Year?
No. You need a high school diploma or GED, and for the 2026–27 year applicants had to be 18 to 25 as of 1 July. You must be a US citizen or legal permanent resident; DACA recipients aren't currently eligible. Many members join after college, but a degree isn't required.
What is a typical day as a City Year member?
Expect teacher hours. Members describe about seven hours in school plus one to two hours of afterschool programs, five days a week, for 40 to 50 hours. You work in a team at one school, tutoring and mentoring students and helping teachers, with about two weeks off around the winter holidays.
Is City Year competitive to get into?
It depends on timing more than credentials. An alum on Reddit said early applicants will likely get in unless the application or interview goes badly, but popular sites such as Chicago, Philadelphia and Milwaukee had waitlists by the end of the year. City Year doesn't publish an acceptance rate.
Can I use the Segal Education Award for graduate school?
Yes. The Segal Education Award can pay for further education or qualifying student loans, and more than 100 colleges and universities match or add to it in some way. City Year also says over $3 million in partner scholarships is available to its alumni each year, so check your target schools.
City Year's next deadline is 30 October 2026. If a full service year isn't the right fit yet, a remote Externship gives you a real project with a mission-driven organization in about 8 weeks.
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.
