10 Architectural Engineering Internships for High School Students
If you’re a high school student interested in architectural engineering, gaining practical experience early on can give you a strong head start while applying for college. Architectural engineering is a project-based discipline, and participating in internships or design programs can help you develop practical skills like drawing, model-making, and software proficiency, while also demonstrating your commitment to the field—something that can set you apart when applying to college. Not to mention, you will receive mentorship from professional architects and engineers who can then open up multiple university and career avenues for you through their network.
In this blog, we’ve listed 10 of the best architectural engineering internships and programs open to high school students. While not all are traditional internships, each offers solid exposure to the industry, whether through design studios, firm visits, or collaborative community projects.
1. DPR Construction's Build Up High School Internship
Location: Various project locations across the U.S. that you can choose from
Dates: 8 weeks during the summer; exact dates vary with the project
Application Deadline: April 18
Eligibility: Open to rising high school juniors, seniors, or recent graduates. You must be eligible to work in the U.S. Your family income must be below the HUD Median Family Income (in your country). You are also responsible for your daily commute and must be able to participate for 35-40 weeks on the job site for the 8 weeks
Cost/Stipend: No cost; students receive an hourly wage, although the amount is not specified + transportation stipend
DPR Construction’s Build Up Internship is an 8-week internship where you will explore concepts in architectural engineering through work on commercial construction sites. As an intern, you will work alongside project teams, delving into the concepts behind multi-million dollar builds, and explore design, planning, and scheduling. Apart from this, you will also develop professional skills such as project documentation, public speaking, and team communication.
2. Ladder Internships
Location: Remote! You can work from anywhere in the world
Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year, including Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter.
Application deadline: Deadlines vary depending on the cohort. Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September), and Winter (November)
Eligibility: Students who can work for 10-20 hours/week, for 8-12 weeks. Open to high school students, undergraduates, and gap year students
Cost/Stipend: Varies with the program type
Ladder Internships is a selective start-up internship program for ambitious high school students. In the program, you will work with a high-growth start-up or nonprofit organization in a virtual internship setup. Organizations that offer internships range across a variety of industries, from tech/deep tech and AI/ML to health tech, various fields of engineering, marketing, journalism, consulting, and more. You can explore all the options here on their application form. Ladder’s start-ups are high-growth companies on average raising over a million dollars. In the program, interns work closely with their managers and a Ladder Coach on real-world projects and present their work to the company. This virtual internship, usually 8 weeks long, also includes professional skills training sessions.
3. Chicago’s Architecture Center’s Teen Fellows
Location: Harold Washington College, Chicago, Illinois + a few locations around Chicago
Dates: 15 months, starting in the summer
Application Deadline: March 31
Eligibility: Rising sophomores, juniors, and seniors who study in Chicago (or the surrounding area). Do note that although applications from outside Chicago are welcome, there are benefits limited only to residents of Chicago, such as dual enrollment credits or scholarship tuition
Cost/Stipend: The program is free of cost, while the second summer includes a paid internship component, although the amount depends on your performance in the program.
The Chicago Architecture Center’s Teen Fellows program introduces students to architecture, design, and the built environment over a 15-month period. The program begins with you attending college courses at Harold Washington College, and ends with you interning at local architecture and design firms. Through the program, you will gain experience working with both physical models and digital tools like AutoCAD, Rhinoceros, Revit, and more. It will also include discussions, activities, exercises, field trips, site visits, and projects to help students understand how the built environment impacts their lives. As part of the program, you will be able to earn college credit and work with industry professionals.
4. Summer Exploratory Experience in Design (SEED) - Boston Private Industry Council and Sasaki Foundation
Location: Boston, Massachusetts
Dates: Six weeks starting in July
Application Deadline: Not mentioned
Eligibility: Open to high school students who are residents of Boston or the Metro North region
Cost/Stipend: No cost. It is a paid internship, but the stipend amount is not specified
Run by the Sasaki Foundation, in partnership with the Boston Private Industry Council, SEED is a six-week paid summer internship that introduces high school students to architecture, urban planning, and design thinking. As an intern, you will work with professional designers and architects and will get to employ design techniques and tools. You will also work on collaborative projects based on local challenges and present your work at the end of the program. Interns will gain insight into design fundamentals and office culture, learn computer drawing and hand sketching skills, and attend meetings with Sasaki professionals.
5. Center for Architecture's Discover Architecture
Location: Various locations around New York City + Center for Architecture, New York City, New York
Dates: February 18–21
Application Deadline: Not mentioned
Eligibility: Open to sophomores or juniors who reside and attend school in New York City. Do note that there is a preference for students from NYC Public Schools
Cost/Stipend: None
The Center for Architecture’s Discover Architecture program is a short externship designed for NYC high schoolers curious about careers in architecture and design. Over three days, you will be placed in architecture firms across the city, where you will observe and engage with ongoing projects, workflows, and client interactions. While not a traditional internship, the program offers insight into the daily operations of architecture and design professionals, including those working closely with architectural engineers. An added bonus is the reflection and networking session at the Center for Architecture at the end of the program.
6. Architect of the Capitol’s Summer Internship Program
Location: Washington, D.C.
Dates: 12 weeks over the summer
Application Deadline: January
Eligibility: Open to all current students, including those in high school, college, or trade school
Cost/Stipend: No cost. A stipend is provided, but the amount is not disclosed
The Architect of the Capitol (AOC) manages the preservation and modernization of the Senate office buildings. Their 12-week summer internship places students directly on Capitol Hill, offering practical experience with architecture and public infrastructure. While responsibilities vary, roles like architecture aide (which we recommend for those interested in architectural engineering) have previously included rendering visuals of historic buildings and assisting in design documentation!
7. National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA) Project Pipeline
Location: Offered at 20+ cities across the country
Dates: Different dates between June and August/weekend boot camps during the school year for some cities
Application Deadline: Varies according to city. Note that each city has its own Project Pipeline website
Eligibility: Students of colour in grades 6-12.
Cost/Stipend: Varies for each city (limited financial aid available)
Led by the National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA), Project Pipeline introduces students of color to architecture and design as tools for social change. Through drawing, research, modeling, and guided site visits, students explore how the built environment shapes communities and how they can shape it in return. With mentorship from architects and designers, students conclude the program by working on a capstone project that tackles a real issue in their city! While not a traditional internship, we included this program because of the opportunity it provides to develop a project based on a local issue.
8. High School Internship Program - Wallace Design Collective (WDC)
Location: WDC's Tulsa Office, Oklahoma
Dates: Varies with your preference; both long-term and short-term internships are offered
Application Deadline: Not mentioned
Eligibility: Open to students in high school. Note that although this is not mentioned as an eligibility criterion, WDC partners with numerous schools in Tulsa.
Cost/Stipend: None
Wallace Design Collective’s high school internship program offers a deep dive into architecture, engineering, and land planning from their Tulsa office. Whether you join short term or a full semester, you'll explore the intersection of design and engineering through hands-on training in Autodesk and Revit, shadow days across departments, and personalized mentorship. Long-term interns (especially those who’ve completed Algebra II) also get to draft building layouts, attend site visits, and interpret zoning and landscape codes. For the program, you will be with a mentor for guidance and assistance, and you can even ask them for a letter of recommendation.
9. STEMcx High School Architecture Internship
Location: Various locations in Maryland and other states + a week-long trip to North Carolina
Dates: June 16 – August 10 (8 weeks)
Application Deadline: February 25
Eligibility: Rising high school sophomores, juniors, or seniors from Baltimore or surrounding counties who are at least 16 and come from underrepresented minorities
Cost/Stipend: $15 per hour
STEMcx’s Architecture Internship is a paid, 8-week summer experience that allows high school students to dive into the built environment through hands-on projects, shadowing, and design exploration. As an intern, you receive a week-long crash course in AutoCAD, and also attend 3D printing workshops and weekly trips to local architectural firms and community build organizations. Another component of the internship is volunteering with Habitat for Humanity. The program includes a week-long residential component at North Carolina State University. At the end of the program, interns will partner with Parks and People to come up with a relevant project for Baltimore that they will then present at the end of the internship.
10. Fallingwater Institute’s High School Residencies
Location: Fallingwater Institute, Mill Run, Pennsylvania
Dates: Multiple sessions from June 23 to August 8
Application Deadline: Rolling basis
Eligibility: Open to high school students and gap year students
Cost: Not mentioned. Last year’s cost for each session was $1,200. Limited need-based scholarships are available.
Fallingwater’s High School Residencies honor Edgar Kaufmann Jr.’s legacy by offering studio-based learning experiences at one of America’s iconic architectural sites. In these programs, students explore architectural design, creative thinking, and career pathways in a collaborative environment. One of the courses offered, Drawing + Model Making, includes individual and group projects, hands-on exercises in model construction, and sketching sessions in and around Fallingwater, which is great for understanding the foundations of architecture. For those preparing college applications, the Portfolio Prep course helps students curate and present a compelling design portfolio that reflects their unique perspective and creative identity, which we recommend if you want to perfect your portfolio before applying to university.