Moscow’s City Hall Is Flooded With Applicants for Its IT Internship Program
More than 10,000 young specialists applied for the latest intake of Moscow’s “IT City” internship, highlighting growing interest in tech careers inside government.
Interest in Moscow’s government-run IT internship program has hit a record high. More than 10,000 applications were submitted for the latest intake of the IT City program at the Government of Moscow, according to the city’s Department of Information Technology.
The figure marks an all-time high since the program launched in 2022. The update was shared by Natalya Sergunina, who noted that demand continues to accelerate.
Despite the surge in interest, the program remains highly selective. Candidates are screened through online testing, a competitive practical assignment, and interviews. Just over 100 participants are expected to be admitted.
Learning While Building Real Systems
The IT City internship is a paid, six-month program aimed at senior undergraduate students, master’s students, and early-career professionals under the age of 35 who want to work in public-sector IT. The program is run by the Moscow Department of Information Technology, with support from the city’s human resources services.
Interns work on real digital products used daily by millions of residents. These include large-scale city platforms such as mos.ru and digital education services. Participants are formally employed, paired with experienced mentors, and gain hands-on experience inside government technology teams.
Many interns receive job offers after completing the program, either within the Department of Information Technology or in other city agencies—making the internship a direct pipeline into public-sector tech roles.
A Bridge From Campus to GovTech
The growing popularity of the program suggests that young professionals increasingly see government as a viable—and even attractive—place to build a technology career. As Moscow’s digital services continue to expand, the internship functions as a bridge between academic training and the professional IT market.
For the city, the program provides a steady influx of new talent and ideas. For students and young specialists, it offers a rare opportunity to work on large-scale digital infrastructure with real-world impact—turning public-sector IT into a launchpad rather than a fallback option.
