Need a safe, warm place to go during the cold? The City has warming centers open across Columbus.
Columbus City Council offers paid internships year-round for junior or senior undergraduates and first-year graduate students enrolled in higher education programs. For Summer 2026, the internship will begin in Monday, May 11 and end Friday, July 17. Interns are expected to work a minimum of 15 hours and up to 20 hours per week, and will be compensated $17 per hour. Students selected for the program will be placed in the office of a Councilmember, Community Engagement, Communications, the City Clerk, or the Legislative Research Office in downtown Columbus.
Interns will engage in research, constituent services, data collection, policy analysis, and will gain a comprehensive understanding of the legislative process at the municipal level. Students selected for the internship program will be notified beginning on March 2. Selected students will be assigned to their office after a mandatory orientation with City Council during the first week of the internship.
To apply for the Legislative Internship Program, please complete the application below. After submitting the application, please also email the following attachments to councilinternship@columbus.gov:
Your application will not be considered if all three attachments are not submitted. Please reach out to councilinternship@columbus.gov if you have any questions.
The deadline to apply for the 2026 Summer Internship Cohort is Wednesday, February 25, 2026.
Click here to view form.