15 Competitive Architecture Internships for High School Students
If you’ve ever wondered how architects turn ideas into structures that shape the world around us, architecture internships give you the chance to experience design environments. You’ll work with drafting tools, analyze data, review site plans, and practice the same problem-solving methods used by professional architects. These programs help you build practical design skills, understand how architectural teams collaborate, and decide which areas of architecture interest you most. Many also provide stipends or structured mentorship.
Participating in a competitive architecture internship can also help you stand out in the college application process. By getting into a selective program, you show admissions officers that you have the academic ability and drive to succeed in rigorous environments. Below is a list of 15 competitive architecture internships for high school students.
1. Ladder Internships
Location: Remote
Cost/Stipend: Varies according to program (financial aid available)
Acceptance Rate: 10%
Program Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year (Summer, Fall, Winter, Spring)
Application Deadline: Multiple deadlines throughout the year
Eligibility: High school students available for 5–15 hours per week for 8–16 weeks
The Ladder Internships program connects high school students with startups around the world for a virtual learning experience. You can choose an industry that matches your interests, such as technology, AI, finance, environmental science, business, marketing, healthcare, media, or architecture. Throughout the program, you’ll work on real-world projects under the guidance of startup managers and receive personalized mentorship from Ladder coaches. The program also includes professional skill development and one-on-one training sessions to strengthen your communication, organization, and problem-solving abilities. At the end of your internship, you’ll present your completed work to the company leaders. Apply now!
2. The Met High School Internship Program – The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Location: New York, NY
Cost/Stipend: $1,100 stipend
Acceptance Rate: 36 students selected each year
Program Dates: School-year: October–March or November–April | Summer: Early July–Mid-August
Application Deadline: October (school-year) | March (summer)
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors in NYC’s five boroughsThe MET looks for high school students with a strong interest in public-facing museum work, education, teaching, and learning.
Some summer interns are based at the museum itself and work on education projects, getting a close look at how architecture and design shape the museum experience. Others rotate through departments such as design, education, and conservation, completing 40 hours of work-based learning. Along the way, you’ll attend Career Labs led by museum professionals and wrap up the program with a reflective presentation to staff and peers. You’ll also get to observe how architectural planning supports exhibitions and visitor experience. Each cohort works closely with museum educators who provide ongoing guidance and context, helping you understand how your projects fit into the museum’s larger mission.
3. Chicago Architecture Center Teen Fellows – Chicago Architecture Center
Location: Chicago, IL
Cost/Stipend: Paid; amount not specified
Acceptance Rate: N/A
Program Dates: June – May (15 months)
Application Deadline: March 31
Eligibility: Incoming sophomores, juniors, and seniors in the Chicago area
The CAC’s 15-month Teen Fellows program provides Chicago youth with a unique opportunity to build strong, foundational skills in architecture. This multi-semester fellowship combines studio learning, coursework, and field experience. You’ll earn college credit through Harold Washington College while creating your own design projects using tools such as AutoCAD, Rhino, and Revit. Under the mentorship of practicing architects and designers, you’ll build a professional portfolio that showcases your technical and creative growth. Throughout the program, you’ll visit architecture firms, study Chicago’s architectural landmarks, and meet guest speakers from the city’s design community who share insights into career paths, creative processes, and life in the industry. Because the program runs over multiple semesters, you’ll have time to build technical skills, grow your confidence, and collaborate with peers who share your passion for architecture and design. You’ll wrap up the program with a paid internship at a local firm, giving you real-world experience in the field.
4. Summer Exploratory Experience in Design (SEED) – Sasaki Foundation
Location: Boston, MA
Cost/Stipend: Paid
Acceptance Rate: N/A
Program Dates: Six weeks in summer
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: High school students in Boston or the Metro North region
Launched in 2018, Summer Exploratory Experience in Design (SEED) is a six-week paid summer internship that introduces high school students to the world of design. As an SEED intern, you’ll dive into collaborative project work, while learning design fundamentals, and exploring careers in architecture, landscape, planning, and related fields. Through partnerships with community organizations, you’ll help create solutions for real local projects. Each week, design professionals introduce you to a new design concept and guide you through hands-on activities. You’ll collaborate with peers on projects that address real community needs while building skills in sketching, digital tools, and presentation skills. You’ll take part in team charrettes, site visits, and guided discussions about how design affects everyday life. You will also meet with architects, planners, and community leaders to understand how design decisions are made. Each year, SEED projects focus on themes such as sustainability and neighborhood improvement, giving you a clear sense of design’s impact on the places where people live and work.
5. Designing Environmental and Social Impact (DESI) – Sasaki Foundation
Location: Boston and Metro North region
Cost/Stipend: Paid
Acceptance Rate: N/A
Program Dates: Semester-long during the school year
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors in the Boston area
DESI focuses on design that responds directly to real challenges in your community. As an intern, you will learn foundational skills such as drawing, digital modeling, and visual communication. You will explore social and environmental issues in your neighborhood, study how local organizations are working to address them, and develop design solutions inspired by your observations and experience. You’ll choose a community-based issue to focus on, then work with mentors to develop an architectural or planning solution using digital tools and hand-drawing techniques. Field trips, critiques, and workshops guide you through the semester, helping you strengthen your ideas and build technical skills. At the end of the program, you will present your project in a final showcase attended by mentors and local stakeholders.
6. Open Studio and Internship – Miller Hull Partnership
Location: Seattle, WA
Cost/Stipend: Internship paid at $20.76/hour; Open Studio free
Acceptance Rate: N/A
Program Dates: July 31- August 7
Application Deadline: June 1
Eligibility: Students who have completed 11th or 12th grade
The Miller Hull Partnership Open Studio Summer Program introduces high school students to the world of architecture and design. The program offers two summer design options for a select group of 24 students. The four-week internship places you in a professional architecture firm, where you’ll contribute to research, design discussions, and project meetings, gaining experience inside an architecture office. The one-week Open Studio focuses on collaboration and fast-paced design challenges, with sketching exercises, field visits, and guided critiques. In both options, you’ll receive mentorship and feedback from practicing architects, helping you grow your skills and confidence. You’ll also gain experience preparing presentation materials, which can strengthen your college design portfolio.
7. Boston Private Industry Council Architecture Internship – Boston Private Industry Council
Location: Various Boston architecture firms
Cost/Stipend: Paid
Acceptance Rate: N/A
Program Dates: July 6–August 14
Application Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: Boston Public Schools students (rising 10th graders through recent graduates)
This paid summer placement connects students with architecture and design firms across Boston. You’ll observe daily operations, take part in ongoing projects, and join “Summer Fridays,” which includes architecture tours, guest presentations, and behind-the-scenes insights into the city’s design scene. Each firm offers a unique perspective, giving you a window into how architects and planners approach their work. Over six weeks, you’ll gain exposure to the professional environment and wrap up the program by presenting your project experience to peers and staff. Returning students can be placed with new firms to see contrasting approaches to design and planning. The program combines on-the-job learning with consistent mentorship and weekly programming, helping you build the required skills and a broad understanding of the architecture field.
8. Summer Internship Program – NYC School Construction Authority (SCA)
Location: New York City, NY
Cost/Stipend: Paid
Acceptance Rate: Selective
Program Dates: January 3 - March 7
Application Deadline: March 7
Eligibility: NYC public high school students
The SCA Program places high school students in paid summer roles within architecture, engineering, or construction management teams. During the internship, you’ll assist professionals, visit active job sites, and attend design workshops and career panels. The program gives you a total picture of how public buildings, especially New York City schools, are planned, designed, and constructed. Each week includes sessions on industry safety, leadership, and technical skills, with supervisors providing regular feedback and guidance to help you grow. Participants can also earn the OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) certification during the internship. Overall, the experience highlights the teamwork and coordination required to construct New York City’s schools and public spaces.
9. Design Hive – Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum
Location: New York, NY
Cost/Stipend: $2,000 stipend
Acceptance Rate: Selective
Program Dates: November–May
Application Deadline: September
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors in the NYC area
Design Hive brings high school students together for weekly design sessions across the school year. You’ll work in small teams on creative projects while exploring museum collections and visiting studios. Collaboration is a key part of the program, and you’ll get and you’ll get to throw yourself into professional design practice. Mentors lead workshops on drawing, ideation, and portfolio development, helping you build core skills and learn about different areas of design, from architecture to product design. At the end of the year, students present their final projects during a showcase at the museum.
10. Teen Arts Programs – Museum of Fine Arts Boston
Location: Boston, MA
Cost/Stipend: Paid, $15/hour
Acceptance Rate: Selective
Program Dates: 12 months
Application Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: Boston-area high school students
The MFA’s teen programs—STEAM Team, Curatorial Study Hall, and Teen Arts Council—offer paid, yearlong learning opportunities to high school students to learn, create, and collaborate. You’ll help shape exhibits, events, and digital projects that blend art and design, giving you a behind-the-scenes look at how museums bring ideas to life. Students interested in architecture can design for exhibition design or interpretation, working closely with museum staff and visiting artists to understand how design influences museum and public spaces. Regular meetings encourage collaboration across teams, allowing you to learn from peers with different creative strengths. You’ll also take part in skill-building workshops on communication, leadership, and creative production, which are valuable tools for future college and career pathways.
11. Project Pipeline – National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA)
Location: 20+ U.S. cities
Cost/Stipend: Varies; limited financial aid available
Acceptance Rate: Selective
Program Dates: June–August (summer camps) or school-year workshops
Application Deadline: Varies by city
Eligibility: Students of color in grades 6–12
Project Pipeline introduces students to architecture through drawing, model building, and research. You’ll explore how the built environment connects to culture and community while developing your own project. The curriculum encourages design thinking with a strong focus on neighborhoods and spaces around you. Throughout the program, you’ll work closely with architects and mentors who guide your design process and offer feedback all the way. Each city adapts the program to highlight its own neighborhoods and architectural history. Camps emphasize teamwork, discussion, and self-expression through design. You’ll conclude the session by presenting a final project, showcasing your work, skills, and ideas.
12. STEMcx High School Architecture Internship – STEMcx
Location: Maryland; includes a trip to North Carolina
Cost/Stipend: Paid $15/hour
Acceptance Rate: Selective
Program Dates: June 17–August 10
Application Deadline: February 25
Eligibility: Rising sophomores, juniors, or seniors from Baltimore-area schools, age 16+
The STEMcx Internship introduces students to the world of architecture and design, combining technical learning with real-world field experience. You’ll work with industry tools such as AutoCAD, 3D printing, and model-building materials, while also visiting architecture firms and volunteering with local build organizations to see how design connects with community needs. Weekly workshops lead up to a final project presentation, and the program wraps up with a study trip to North Carolina State University for additional hands-on experience. You’ll also shadow professionals during site visits to understand how construction and design come together in practice. Overall, the program helps you build both design and workplace readiness skills, preparing you for future pathways in architecture and design.
13. Fallingwater High School Residencies – Fallingwater Institute
Location: Mill Run, PA
Cost/Stipend: $1,200; need-based scholarships available
Acceptance Rate: Selective
Program Dates: Multiple one-week sessions (June–August)
Application Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: Students entering grades 9–12 or gap year students
Set at the iconic Fallingwater site, this residency combines art, design, and architecture in a studio environment. You’ll live and work at High Meadow while studying Frank Lloyd Wright’s design principles and see how they come to life in the surrounding landscape. Each day includes studio time focused on drawing, model making, and architecture theory, guided by instructors with backgrounds in architecture and design education. You’ll explore the surrounding natural landscape for design inspiration and use those observations to shape your creative work. Lectures and critiques provide structure and feedback throughout the session, and each residency concludes with a student exhibition showcasing your models, sketches, and design ideas.
14. Introduction to Architecture Summer Program – Cornell University
Location: Remote
Cost/Stipend: $1,750 per credit
Acceptance Rate: Selective
Program Dates: June 24–August 2
Application Deadline: May 6
Eligibility: Global high school students who have completed their sophomore year
Cornell’s online architecture program introduces high school students to core design fundamentals through a mix of lectures and studio sessions. You’ll practice drawing, 3D modeling, and conceptual design under the guidance of Cornell faculty. The structure of the program mirrors a real college architecture studio experience, giving you an authentic preview of architectural education. Through the program, you’ll complete a portfolio-ready project and receive individualized feedback during weekly critiques. The program emphasizes design iteration, critical review, and technical clarity, giving you a focused introduction to architectural education before college.
15. embARC Summer Design Academy – University of California, Berkeley
Location: Berkeley, CA
Cost/Stipend: $4,938 (domestic); financial aid available
Acceptance Rate: Selective
Program Dates: July 1–26
Application Deadline: March 11 (priority) | April 15 (final)
Eligibility: Rising juniors and seniors (age 16+; 3.0 GPA)
embARC combines studio sessions, lectures, and workshops centered on urban design and sustainability. You’ll develop projects through the Architecture + Urban Design studio and participate in a community build, giving you a sense of how design thinking connects people, places, and purpose. Each day balances studio time with lectures and peer collaboration. The program also includes guided site tours of San Francisco and Berkeley. By the end of the program, you’ll complete a full portfolio and earn a certificate of completion, with the option to receive optional academic credit.
Image source - The Metropolitan Museum of Art logo