16 Free Journalism Internships for High School Students
Internships are a strong way for high school students to explore possible career paths without making a large financial commitment. Many respected universities, media organizations, and nonprofit newsrooms offer free journalism internships for high school students, allowing them to access guidance and mentoring without program fees. Fully-funded and no-cost options also ensure that students from diverse backgrounds can participate, broadening access to the field.
Why should I do a free journalism internship for high school students?
A free internship is super financially accessible, because it means a lot of your travel, housing, and food costs are covered! Additionally, a free internship usually has a super competitive application process. Getting accepted into one of these internships is a super prestigious stat to add to your resume!
If you’re interested in journalism, media research, or digital storytelling, these internships provide useful experience in interviewing, writing, editing, and reporting in real contexts. They also create opportunities to connect with editors, journalists, and peers who share similar interests. In this guide, we’ve selected 15 free journalism internships for high school students that are running this year, all of which either have no cost or offer full financial support. Let’s get into it!
P.S. If journalism is your thing, and if you're open to adjacent fields, 14 Free Political Science Internships for High School Students covers a lot of ground that overlaps with reporting and media.
1. L.A. Times High School Insider Internship
Location: Los Angeles Times, El Segundo, CA (hybrid)
Stipend: $16.90/hour
Acceptance rate: Highly selective
Dates: June 16–August 1
Application Deadline: February 26
Eligibility: High school students graduating in 2025, 2026, or 2027 | Must reside in LA or Orange County and commute 3 days/week | Legally authorized to work in the U.S.
This free journalism internship for high school students places you on the High School Insider team at the Los Angeles Times, where you will contribute articles, interviews, and digital features. You will spend part of each week in the newsroom, observing editorial discussions and pitching story ideas. Remote writing days give you space to draft, revise, and receive feedback from professional editors. You will develop published work that strengthens your writing portfolio under a nationally recognized news brand. Workshops introduce reporting structure, ethical decision-making, and digital platform standards. By the end, you will have meaningful clips and experience working in a real newsroom environment.
2. Ladder Internships
Location: Remote
Cost: Varies depending on program type
Acceptance rate: Selective
Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year
Application Deadline: Varies by cohort; next Winter deadline November 16
Eligibility: High school students (grades 9–12) able to commit ~10–15 hours/week
Ladder Internships matches you with a high-growth startup where you will work on media, journalism, or content-focused projects. You will draft articles, conduct background research, contribute to editorial planning, or support communication initiatives, depending on your placement. You will collaborate directly with startup managers and receive coaching support to help structure your progress. The program is designed to give you real project responsibility with guided professional mentorship. At the end of the internship, you will present your work to company leadership and receive a certificate of completion.
3. NYU Urban Journalism Workshop
Location: New York University, New York, NY
Cost: None (tuition, housing, and meals covered)
Acceptance rate: Selective
Dates: July 13–19
Application Deadline: March 8
Eligibility: High school students in the tri-state area (New York, Connecticut, New Jersey), age 16+
This residential program introduces students to reporting and multimedia storytelling through daily workshops and guided field reporting in New York City. You will work with NYU faculty and professional journalists as you research, interview, write, and revise news features. Students stay in NYU dorms and use campus newsroom facilities throughout the program. Your final written and multimedia work is published on the program website, giving you portfolio material you can reference in future applications. This free journalism internship for high school students also includes visits to professional newsrooms to observe how editorial decisions are made in practice.
4. Princeton University Summer Journalism Program (PSJP)
Location: Princeton University, Princeton, NJ (hybrid)
Cost: None (fully funded, including travel, housing, and meals)
Acceptance rate: Highly selective
Dates: June - August
Application Deadline: Typically December–February
Eligibility: High school juniors from low-income families (GPA ≥ 3.5) | U.S. or Puerto Rico residents
PSJP combines online learning and a 10-day residential program to give students a full picture of what it means to work in journalism. Participants attend workshops on ethics, investigative reporting, and multimedia storytelling taught by Princeton faculty and professional journalists. They visit major news outlets, cover live events, and produce The Princeton Summer Journal, which showcases their reporting. It’s one of the most prestigious fully funded journalism programs for high schoolers, designed to support underrepresented students pursuing media careers. Beyond reporting, you will also receive college counseling and long-term mentorship to guide them through the application process. The experience is academically enriching and professionally formative, making it a standout opportunity for aspiring journalists.
5. Asian American Journalists Association’s JCamp
Location: Seattle, Washington
Cost/Stipend: None (travel, lodging, and meals covered)
Acceptance rate: Highly selective
Dates: July 26–August 1
Application Deadline: Early to mid of January
Eligibility: High school sophomores and juniors
JCamp brings students together for 6 days of reporting workshops and editorial training led by journalists from major news outlets. Students will take part in group reporting projects, interviews, media discussions, and newsroom simulations. The program emphasizes representation, fairness, and ethical decision-making in storytelling. You will learn how identity and perspective shape reporting, helping you develop a more thoughtful and responsible voice as a journalist. Participants also attend the AAJA National Convention, where they can meet editors, reporters, and media leaders.
6. Library of Congress High School Summer Internship
Location: Washington, D.C. (hybrid: virtual + in-person for local students)
Cost/Stipend: None; community service hours available
Acceptance rate: Moderately selective
Dates: June 23–July 17
Application Deadline: February 28
Eligibility: High school students aged 16+
This free journalism internship for high school students places you with the Library of Congress’s Learning and Engagement team to research, plan, and write content for youth and public. You will work with historical materials and collections to develop digital exhibits, written guides, or interpretive summaries. Workshops introduce communication strategies for presenting information to the public. Your work contributes to real public-facing educational resources used by families, teachers, and museum visitors. Virtual meetings are held weekly, and local participants may join in-person sessions at the Library.
7. Washington Journalism and Media Conference (WJMC)
Location: Fairfax, VA (near Washington, D.C.), on-campus at George Mason University
Cost: $2,650, Need-based scholarship available
Acceptance / Cohort Size: 300 “National Youth Correspondents” per session
Dates: July 12-17 | July 19-24
Application Deadline: January 26
Eligibility: High school students with strong interest in journalism/media
WJMC is a week-long immersive journalism conference designed for motivated high school students interested in media, reporting, and communications. As a “National Youth Correspondent,” you’ll join peers from across the country for hands-on workshops, simulations, and interactive sessions led by media professionals and guest speakers. The program includes field visits to media outlets and DC institutions, press-briefing simulations, and group projects that mirror real-world media tasks. WJMC also offers an opportunity to earn a general elective college credit from George Mason University upon completion.
8. Project Write Now Teen Internship
Location: Virtual
Acceptance rate: Selective (10 participants)
Cost/Stipend: None; community service credit available
Dates: Year-round, with summer sessions
Application Deadline: June
Eligibility: High school students ages 15–18
The program is inspired by “Humans of New York,” teaching journalism skills, such as interviewing, selecting important details, and writing a compelling narrative. Your finished pieces will also be published in online young adult literary magazines. This free journalism internship for high school students allows you to support writing workshops, digital publications, or editorial projects with Project Write Now’s youth programs. You will assist instructors, contribute to editorial planning, or help manage the organization’s teen literary magazine. Students will participate in planning discussions and receive feedback on their own writing. Your involvement leads to publishable work and documented leadership experience you can reference in applications. Flexible scheduling makes it possible to participate while managing school or summer activities.
9. Dow Jones News Fund High School Summer Journalism
Location: Varies by host university or nonprofit
Acceptance rate: Selective
Cost/Stipend: None
Dates: 1–2 weeks between May and August
Application Deadline: February–May (varies by site)
Eligibility: High school sophomores, juniors, and seniors
The Dow Jones News Fund partners with universities and local media organizations to run short newsroom training programs across the country. Students work in teams to report stories, revise drafts, and develop multimedia pieces under deadlines. Participants engage in editing labs, critique sessions, and field assignments supported by working journalists. Mentorship focuses on strengthening reporting judgment, source evaluation, and accuracy — core skills that shape reliable journalism. Final stories are often published on partner or local media platforms. Locations shift yearly, giving students in many regions access to structured media training.
10. USC Annenberg Youth Academy for Media and Civic Engagement
Location: University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
Cost: Free (breakfast + lunch included; transportation support available)
Acceptance Rate: Highly selective (26 students)
Dates: June 16 – July 3
Application Deadline: March 3 – April 14
Eligibility: High school students who live and attend school in Los Angeles County
This 3-week academic program introduces you to media studies, journalism, communication theory, and civic engagement at USC Annenberg. You will study writing, public speaking, interviewing techniques, debate structure, and multimedia production. You will examine how journalism can influence public opinion, shape civic dialogue, and frame community narratives. Coursework is structured at a first-year undergraduate level, with sessions taught by USC faculty and media practitioners. The program also includes college advising, exposure to Annenberg's majors, and guided preparation in reflective essay writing for college applications.
11. High School Journalism Institute – Oregon State University
Location: Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR
Cost: None
Acceptance rate: Selective
Dates: July 12–19
Application Deadline: Rolling until filled
Eligibility: High school students interested in newsroom reporting and collaboration
This free residential program simulates a working newsroom environment. Students gather story leads, interview community sources, and write under daily deadlines. Participants work alongside journalists from The Oregonian and OregonLive.com to revise and finalize stories. Editorial feedback is consistent and personalized, helping students refine clarity, accuracy, and pacing in their work. The program concludes with the publication of a full newspaper, giving students a portfolio they can reference for college and future opportunities.
12. Multicultural Journalism Workshop – University of Alabama
Location: University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL
Cost: None (housing, meals, and materials provided)
Acceptance rate: Highly selective (15-20 students)
Dates: Not specified
Application Deadline: April 1
Eligibility: High school students interested in journalism and media representation
This 6-day residential workshop focuses on reporting, editing, and storytelling across print and digital formats. Students work in small editorial teams supported by faculty and journalists from regional and national outlets. Participants produce news and feature stories that contribute to the MJW Journal. The small cohort structure allows for sustained, one-on-one mentorship throughout the reporting and revision process. Many alumni continue into student media leadership roles in college journalism programs.
13. Chuck Stone Program for Diversity in Education and Media
Location: University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC
Cost: None (housing, meals, and materials covered)
Acceptance rate: Highly selective (12 students total)
Dates: June 21–24
Application Deadline: Spring (varies each year)
Eligibility: Rising high school seniors committed to journalism or media
This 4-day program introduces you to newsroom writing, ethical reporting, and editorial discussions. You will work with UNC faculty and professional journalists as you report, revise, and produce stories. The program provides sustained editorial feedback, helping you understand how clarity, accuracy, and tone are shaped during revision. Participants collaborate on The Mix, the publication produced during the program. The small cohort size ensures individual guidance throughout your reporting and editing process.
14. New England High School Journalism Collaborative
Acceptance rate: Selective (preference for underserved communities)
Location: Simmons University, Boston, MA
Cost: None (housing, meals, and travel support available)
Dates: June 21–28
Application Deadline: April 4
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors from New England
This residential program places you in a newsroom environment where you will report on local issues and write under real deadlines. You will conduct interviews, develop story angles, and revise drafts with support from professional editors. The structured editing process helps you see how professional journalists refine stories to improve clarity and factual depth. The week concludes with a full newspaper and digital publication produced by the cohort. You leave with published work that can support future applications.
15. The Daily Free Press Summer Journalism Bootcamp (Boston University Student Newspaper)
Location: Online
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate: Moderately selective
Dates: August 5, 12, and 19
Application Deadline: August 1
Eligibility: High school students interested in foundational reporting skills
This virtual bootcamp teaches you how to move a story from pitch to publishable draft with guidance from editors at The Daily Free Press. You will practice interviewing, shaping quotes, and structuring articles for clarity. The iterative feedback process shows how editorial revisions strengthen voice, accuracy, and pacing. By the final session, you complete a polished story. Some pieces may be reviewed for publication depending on news fit and quality.
16. Pasquines Writing Internship
Location: Online
Acceptance Rate: Not specified
Cost: Free
Dates: Year-round, flexible start
Application Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: Open to high school students
Pasquines is a nonprofit news organization focused on political, economic, and policy developments in U.S. territories such as Puerto Rico, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. You will research current events, review public records or legislative updates, and draft written articles for a national online audience. You will learn how to translate complex policy topics into clear, accessible reporting that prioritizes accuracy and context. The internship is self-paced and remote, making it possible to balance assignments alongside schoolwork. You may also work with editors on revising drafts and building a portfolio suitable for college applications or future newsroom roles.
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