Internships in High School and Technical Programs: Rules and How to Get One

Students in regular high school and in technical vocational education at the high school level can do an internship, as long as the school takes part, there is an internship agreement (termo de compromisso), and the student is at least 16 years old. Working hours can reach 6 hours a day and 30 per week (Lei 11.788/2008, art. 10), and the internship cannot last more than 2 years at the same company.

What the law allows

Art. 1 of Lei 11.788/2008 (the Internship Law) provides for internships for students attending regular education at higher education institutions, vocational education, high school, special education, and the final years of elementary school in the vocational track of youth and adult education (EJA, Educação de Jovens e Adultos).

• The internship is part of the school's pedagogical project and does not replace instruction.
• With an internship agreement and regular school attendance, there is no employment relationship (art. 3).
• The Constitution (art. 7, XXXIII) prohibits any work by minors under 16, except as an apprentice from age 14, and prohibits night work or hazardous or unhealthy work for those under 18.

Intern working hours

The daily workload depends on the level of education (art. 10):

• Regular high school, high-school-level vocational education, and higher education: up to 6 hours a day and 30 per week.
• Special education and the final years of elementary school (vocational EJA): up to 4 hours a day and 20 per week.
• In courses that alternate theory and practice, hours can reach 40 per week, if provided for in the pedagogical project.
• During exam periods, the workload is cut in half to protect school performance.

Stipend, transportation, and recess

In a non-mandatory internship, the stipend (bolsa-auxílio, or other compensation) and the transportation allowance are compulsory (art. 12). If the internship lasts 1 year or more, the student is entitled to 30 days of recess, preferably during school vacations, and a proportional amount if it is shorter (art. 13). The law does not set the stipend amount: it is agreed between the parties.

How to get an internship in high school or a technical program

1. Talk to the school's coordination: it must sign the internship agreement and appoint a supervising teacher.
2. Prepare a résumé with no experience with courses, projects, and skills.
3. Look for openings at integration agencies, on the school's own website, and at companies in your area.
4. Before starting, check the agreement: activities, schedule, stipend, transportation, and personal accident insurance, which the company must provide (art. 9).
5. Make sure the schedule does not get in the way of classes and exams.

Internship or young apprentice?

Both are paths to a first contact with work, but they are different. An internship is an educational activity, with no employment relationship and no mandatory quota; an apprentice (jovem aprendiz) has an employment contract with a signed work card, between ages 14 and 24, and medium and large companies have a quota to fill.

Frequently asked questions

Can a 16-year-old do an internship?

Yes, as a rule, if enrolled in and attending high school, with an internship agreement signed by the school, the company, and the student (with a guardian, if under 18).

Does a high school internship come with a signed work card?

No. The intern has no employment relationship, as long as the requirements of the law are met.

What should I do if the company demands more hours than the law allows?

Contact the school's coordination, which must oversee the internship, and, if necessary, the labor inspection authority or the Ministério Público do Trabalho (Labor Public Prosecutor's Office).

Read also

• Internship: intern rights under Lei 11.788
• How to get an internship in 2026
• Young apprentice: how to sign up and find openings