Top 10 Summer Architecture Internships for High School Students
If you are interested in getting professional experience in architecture, design, civil engineering, or other related fields while in high school, an architecture internship can be a great way to spend your summer!
Architecture internships designed for high school students typically offer practical exposure to key stages like planning, designing, and building/constructing structures, offering you insights into what a career in the field would look like. As an intern, you will also get to access mentorship and opportunities to engage in fieldwork. Working on ongoing construction projects may also be a part of the experience. These internships may also offer stipends to acknowledge your effort.
Through project work, architecture internships can help you build key professional skills, such as designing with software, creating detailed models and presentations, researching, teamwork, and multitasking.
To help you get started, we have compiled the top 10 summer architecture internships for high school students. We have focused on options that allow you to get practical architecture experience and opportunities to learn from and network with professionals.
1. Sasaki Foundation’s Summer Exploratory Experience in Design (SEED) Internship
Location: Construction sites in MA; exact site varies each year
Eligibility: Students in grades 9 – 12 in Boston or the Metro North region | Priority is given to students residing in Cambridge, Chelsea, Everett, Malden, Medford, Revere, and Somerville, MA
Dates: July 7 – August 15
Application deadline: April 25
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified; cohort size varies each year
Stipend: $16.25/hour
Sasaki Foundation, the non-profit arm of the design firm Sasaki, offers high school students opportunities to work on design projects under the guidance of architecture, planning, urban design, and landscape architecture professionals. Over six weeks, you will work on a site and come up with design concepts and ideas to improve the utility and layout of the space. As an intern, you will have access to mentorship offered by designers and architects throughout the program. Your project work may involve conducting environmental, social, and cultural analysis of a given site, where you will work with design software and tools and create visual renderings of your site plans. The program also offers opportunities to practice hand sketching and computer drawing skills.
Location: Virtual
Eligibility: High school students
Dates: Multiple cohorts run each year, including Summer cohorts; the upcoming cohort will start on July 14
Application deadline: Multiple deadlines each year. The upcoming summer cohort’s applications close on June 4.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: ~10%
Cost: $2,490 – $7,400, depending on the program you choose; full need-based financial assistance is available
Ladder Internships offers high schoolers opportunities to work with high-growth start-ups in design, architecture, or similar fields. As an intern, you will get to work on projects that align with your interests and the organization’s goals. The experience can help you contribute to real-world projects in a professional setting and find opportunities to build professional skills. While applying, you can choose between the basic Startup Internship and the CEO Internship, where you will work directly with a start-up CEO from a FAANG (Facebook, Google, etc.) background. You can also choose the Combination program, which combines the CEO Internship format with a mentored research program.
3. Architect of the Capitol Summer Internships
Location: Architect of the Capitol, Washington, D.C.
Eligibility: Students who are at least 16; requirements can vary for each internship
Dates: 12-week summer internship; exact dates vary based on the opportunity
Application deadline: Rolling basis
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Stipend: A stipend is awarded
The Architect of the Capitol is a federal agency that maintains, preserves, and develops the landmark buildings and grounds of Capitol Hill. It offers several internship opportunities to high school students interested in getting architecture-focused work experience and exploring federal careers. The exact duties will vary based on the role you choose. To get experience in architecture or design, you can apply to become an Architecture Aide. This position offers opportunities to engage in tasks such as rendering images of the Senate office buildings, helping renovate/repurpose old spaces, and creating fact sheets for House office buildings. The internship can also be a chance to get insights into classical architecture.
4. Chicago Architecture Center’s Teen Fellows Program
Location: Harold Washington College, Chicago, IL
Eligibility: Rising high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors in Chicago and surrounding areas
Dates: June 23 in the current year – May 9 the following year (15-month program with two summer sessions)
Application deadline: March 31
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Stipend: Paid
Chicago Architecture Center provides high school students opportunities to develop design skills, explore careers in architecture, and intern through its Teen Fellows program. During the program, you will take credit-bearing college courses and develop design projects. You will also learn how to work with design software and tools like InDesign, Revit, Photoshop, SketchUp, AutoCAD, Rhinoceros, and Illustrator. Visits to architecturally significant sites and local architecture firms in Chicago are also key parts of the experience. During the second summer, you will intern at an architecture or design firm in the city and get valuable work experience. The program can offer you insights into Chicago’s architecture as well as opportunities to start building design skills and your own design portfolio.
5. New York City School Construction Authority Summer High School Internship Program
Location: Various SCA department offices and partner company locations in New York City, NY
Eligibility: New York City public high school students
Dates: Not specified, but internships run for six weeks in the summer
Application deadline: March 7
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Stipend: $16.50/hour
NYC’s School Construction Authority offers high school students paid six-week internships in the city. During the internship, you will spend four days each week at an assigned SCA department or partner company and explore careers in architecture, engineering, construction management, and public administration, among other fields. Throughout the internship, you will have access to career-focused mentorship and career and college-related panel discussions and workshops, including one day a week of educational programming. You will also engage in a 10-hour Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) construction safety course.
6. Miller Hull Partnership Open Studio Seattle Summer Internship
Location: Open Studio, Seattle, WA
Eligibility: High school students who have completed their junior or senior year
Dates: July 28 – August 22
Application deadline: May 1
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; open to just one student
Stipend: $20.76/hour
The Summer Internship opportunity offered by the Miller Hull Partnership is meant for high school students interested in working at a design firm. Here, you will spend four weeks shadowing professionals and engaging in tasks that involve research and conceptual design. You will also compile your contributions as an intern in a portfolio, which you will present at the end of the internship. The experience can offer you a glimpse into the life of an architect and opportunities to network with professionals in the field.
Location: Various San Francisco City and County department offices, CA
Eligibility: High school students entering their junior or senior year, as well as college-bound freshmen, with a minimum GPA of 2.75, who live in San Francisco
Dates: June 9 – August 1
Application deadline: February 17
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Stipend: $19.25/hour
The San Francisco government offers high school students paid summer opportunities to explore the public sector and various career paths. You will engage with professionals in the fields of architecture, business, and engineering, and gain work experience. You will also have access to professional mentorship and explore STEAM career paths during the internship. The program offers opportunities to build leadership and teamwork skills, along with insights into community service and the inner workings of city and county departments.
8. DPR Construction's Build Up High School Internship
Location: Various DPR construction sites in the U.S.
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors, as well as recent high school graduates whose family income is below the HUD Median Family Income (MFI) in their counties; applicants must be legally entitled to work in the U.S.
Dates: Eight weeks in the summer
Application deadline: April 18
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified; cohort size varies each year
Stipend: $20–$26/hour
DPR Construction’s Build Up Internships are eight-week opportunities for high school students interested in getting experience in construction, design, infrastructure, engineering, and architecture. As an intern, you will spend 35 to 40 hours a week on a construction site assisting with tasks like quality inspections, safety training, document control, subcontractor coordination, and updating schedules and site plans. Technical and professional training is also a key part of the experience. You will work on a final project, which you will present at the end of the internship, alongside mentors who will be architecture, engineering, or construction professionals.
Location: Architecture firms in Boston, MA
Eligibility: Boston public school students in grades 9–12
Dates: July 7 – August 15
Application deadline: Not specified, but internship applications open in February
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Stipend: Paid
Architecture/Design High School Internships are six-week opportunities to work at local Boston architecture firms. During the internship, you will get to explore the field of architecture through site tours and practical projects. You will learn about architectural design and urban planning through tours conducted on “Summer Fridays” each week. You will also find opportunities to develop design and 3D modeling skills. The program offers opportunities to network with architects, engineers, designers, and contractors. At the end of your internship, you will deliver a presentation, sharing your experience and highlights with peers.
10. Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning’s Future Leaders in Planning (FLIP) Program
Location: Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP) office, Chicago, IL
Eligibility: High school students and recent graduates who live and study in McHenry, Cook, Kane, Kendall, DuPage, Lake, and Will counties of northeastern Illinois
Dates: Five-day program held over two weeks—Week 1: July 15, 16, and 17, and Week 2: July 22 and 23
Application deadline: June 2
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Stipend: Offered
Future Leaders in Planning (FLIP) is a five-day opportunity to learn about urban planning and regional planning. Here, you will explore topics like urban design, transportation, sustainability, environmental planning, community development, water supply, and urban planning through sessions, activities, and site visits. While not a conventional architecture-focused program, FLIP offers insights into topics like urban planning and design that are crucial for pursuing a career in architecture. You will also get to interact with CMAP’s planning experts during the program.