12 Free Education Internships for High School Students
If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to teach, mentor, or help others learn, exploring the education space early can give you a strong head start. Free education internships for high school students let you experience working in learning spaces like classrooms, museums, community programs, or education-focused nonprofits. These experiences let you see how lessons are designed, how learners are supported, and how education connects to policy and public service.
Along the way, you’ll gain practical skills in communication, organization, and leadership while working alongside educators and program staff. Some internships let you experience teaching and curriculum planning, while others focus on outreach, research, or educational technology. Together, they show you the directions an education career can take beyond traditional classrooms. We have put together 12 free education internships for high school students, where you can explore your interests, build useful skills, and understand what it means to make learning accessible to others.
1. Brooklyn Museum Apprentice Program
Location: The Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn, NY
Stipend: $16.50/hour
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: November – August
Application Deadline: Opens in July
Eligibility: NYC high school students
The Brooklyn Museum Apprentice Program puts you into the shoes of an educator and shows you how art can be used to teach and inspire. Working with museum professionals, you’ll help design lesson plans, lead activities, and engage with visitors of all ages. You’ll also examine the relationship between museums and social issues, discussing how art can shape public dialogue. Along the way, you’ll develop essential skills in teaching, research, collaboration, and communication. Overall, this internship blends art education with hands-on public engagement and professional training.
2. Ladder Internships
Location: Virtual
Cost: 100% financial aid
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: Several cohorts year-round
Application Deadline: Varies by cohort
Eligibility: High school students
Ladder’s education track lets high school students work virtually with fast-growing startups and nonprofits that focus on learning, teaching, and educational innovation. Each project challenges you to solve real problems while collaborating directly with your company mentor. You’ll figure out what a team needs, come up with creative solutions, and present your outcomes at the end of the program. Because the experience is project-based, you’ll walk away with concrete skills in communication, organization, and professional reporting.
3. YouthWorks
Location: Nationwide
Stipend: Provided
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Varies by session
Application Deadline: Varies by internship
Eligibility: Young people between the ages of 14 and 25 facing socio-economic or educational barriers
YouthWorks gives youth an opportunity to try out different industries, from education, marketing, and manufacturing to community service and environmental work. You’ll also complete Signal Success, a structured curriculum that builds essential workplace skills such as leadership, communication, and confidence. These experiences will help you figure out which careers align with your interests and strengths. You’ll get to explore roles that match your goals while building the professional habits you’ll need in the future.
4. New-York Historical Society Student Historian Internship Program
Location: New York Historical Society, New York City, NY
Stipend: $700
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 25 interns
Dates: Summer and academic year programs
Application Deadline: Varies
Eligibility: Rising 10th, 11th, or 12th graders who live in and attend school in the New York City metro area, as well as areas of New York State, Connecticut, and New Jersey
This Student Historian Internship Program lets you explore historical research at the New York Historical Society and use digital tools such as blogs, podcasts, and online exhibits to create educational content for the public. Guided by museum staff, you’ll learn how to research like a historian, interpret the past, and work with digital humanities tools. This year’s focus on Frederick Douglass’ America gives you a powerful lens for understanding Reconstruction-era ideas and why they still matter.
5. NMNH High School Internship Program
Location: National Museum of Natural History, Washington, D.C.
Stipend: $600/week
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: June 24 – August 8
Application Deadline: February 28
Eligibility: High school students aged 14–18 who are fluent in English
The NMNH High School Internship Program at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History lets high school students explore the inner workings of the museum. As an intern, you’ll work with researchers and staff in departments such as Entomology and Exhibits, learning methods for classifying specimens, organizing collections, and supporting exhibit design. The experience combines scientific precision with communication and presentation skills, as you learn to share knowledge with the public in a clear, engaging manner. You’ll also get access to behind-the-scenes tours and field trips that reveal how science, education, and storytelling come together in museum spaces. By the end of the program, you’ll walk away understanding how collections and exhibitions help bring scientific topics to life for millions of visitors.
6. Met High School Internship Program
Location: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City, NY
Stipend: $1,100
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: July – August
Application Deadline: Typically in March
Eligibility: 10th or 11th graders who live or attend school in New York, New Jersey, or Connecticut
This Met High School Internship program gives high school students an inside look into how one of the world’s famous museums brings art, design, and education together. You’ll work alongside museum staff to learn how exhibitions and programs are created for diverse audiences. Depending on your interests, you might explore areas such as public programs, interpretive planning, or social media outreach. Because the Met's Education Department emphasizes accessibility and inclusivity, you’ll help with projects that make art easier for everyone to understand and enjoy.
7. U.S. Department of Education Student Volunteer Trainee Program
Location: Washington, DC, and regional offices
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Year-round
Application Deadline: Summer: March 31; Fall: July 31; Winter/Spring: November 30
Eligibility: Students who are 16+ and enrolled in an accredited institution
This Student Volunteer Training Program gives high school students firsthand experience in how federal education systems really work. You will be placed in departments such as policy, data analytics, communications, and project management, giving you a chance to see how decisions and initiatives take shape. You’ll learn to handle administrative tasks, participate in ongoing projects, and strengthen both technical and interpersonal skills. Beyond daily work, you will attend professional workshops, go on DC tours, and sit in on discussions with senior officials to see what real-world policy work looks like. Altogether, it’s a hands-on look at how large-scale educational programs function and the collaboration it takes to make them successful.
8. Library of Congress High School Summer Internship
Location: Virtual and in-person at the Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: 4 weeks in the summer
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: High school students who are 16+
This is a free education internship for high school students to gain an inside look at the Library of Congress, both as a cultural institution and a workplace focused on learning, creativity, and public engagement. You’ll contribute to projects that help shape a new exhibition space, research collection materials, and share ideas on how the Library can be made more accessible to young audiences. Through workshops and peer collaboration, you’ll strengthen your writing, research, and presentation abilities. The hybrid format offers both virtual and in-person opportunities to connect with mentors and fellow interns. Overall, it’s a structured, project-based, free education internship for high school students interested in libraries, museums, and research.
9. Learning Life Internships
Location: Virtual/hybrid in the Washington DC area
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Year-round
Application Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: High school, college, and graduate students
Learning Life offers a globally focused, online internship that dives into how education, democracy, and diplomacy intersect in today’s world. You’ll join a team of students and professionals contributing to projects such as international dialogue programs, research initiatives, and public engagement efforts. Depending on your interests, you might assist with writing, communications, design, or community-building with people from different parts of the world. You’ll also have regular one-on-one meetings with program leaders to refine your skills and receive feedback on your work. Overall, this free education internship for high school students provides both an academic and a practical foundation in civic participation and digital collaboration.
10. Sewa USA Lead Houston Internships
Location: Greater Houston Area, TX
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: 8–15 hours/week during the summer months
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: High school students
Lead Houston Internships builds leadership through community service, offering you a direct way to engage with Houston’s local organizations and support real needs in the city. During this free education internship for high school students, you’ll take on volunteer projects, assist with youth education programs, and work on tasks related to public health, grant writing, and event planning. Mentorship is a big part of the experience; each intern is paired with a peer leader and coordinator who will guide their work and help them grow. You’ll hear from guest speakers in fields such as business, media, and social work, giving you a clearer picture of different career paths. By the end of the program, you’ll have practical nonprofit experience and a stronger sense of how to contribute meaningfully to community growth.
11. The Young Writers Initiative (TYWI)
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Year-round
Application Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: Open to students aged 13–25
The Young Writers Initiative (TYWI) is a global community of students passionate about writing, editing, and creating together. You will participate in mentorship programs, workshops, bootcamps, or take on team roles that focus on editing, beta reading, and content development. You’ll also gain insights into how volunteer-run literary communities work and support one another. TYWI offers the space to grow as both a communicator and a contributor to larger creative projects.
12. Afro‑American Historical Association Volunteer Extraordinaire!
Location: Virtual/Afro-American Historical Association, The Plains, VA
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Flexible
Application Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: Open to all interested individuals
You’ll play a hands-on role at the Afro-American Historical Association of Fauquier County, preserving, interpreting, and sharing local Black history. Depending on your interest, your tasks might range from assisting with genealogy projects and public events to organizing data and museum resources. You’ll also learn how historical collections are cared for, presented, and used to educate visitors about the past. The environment encourages collaboration and curiosity, allowing you to explore topics or skills that align with your interests.
Image source - Brooklyn Museum logo