15 Summer Design Internships for High School Students
If you’re a high school student interested in design, internships can be a practical way to explore creative fields before college. Summer design internships offer experience in graphic design, architecture, urban planning, digital media, museum studies, and community-based art projects. These programs introduce you to how design projects are developed, revised, and presented using professional tools and collaborative workflows.
Why should I do a summer design internship in high school?
Participating in design internships can strengthen your college applications by giving you concrete projects to discuss in essays, skills to list on your resume, opportunities to build your portfolio. You may work with art and design-related organizations, create visual assets, develop models or layouts, manage social media or web content, or contribute to public-facing projects alongside designers, artists, architects, and non-profit teams. Many internships also help you build transferable skills such as project planning, public speaking, implementing feedback, and using tools like AutoCAD, SketchUp, or Photoshop.
To help you explore your options, here’s a list of 15 summer design internships for high school students that offer learning, mentorship, and experience across a range of design-focused disciplines.
15 Summer Design Internships for High School Students
1. The Met High School Internship Program
Location: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Stipend: $1,100
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Varies by department
Program Dates: 10 weeks in the summer
Application Deadline: March 7 (tentative; based on previous years)
Eligibility: Current high school sophomores or juniors from New York, New Jersey, or Connecticut who can provide working papers and either a Social Security Number (SSN) or an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN)
The Met High School Internship Program offers you hands-on exposure to museum and design-related careers. Depending on your placement, you may contribute to projects involving graphic design, exhibition design, photography, concept development, branding, or visual research. As an intern, you’ll collaborate in small cohorts and work directly with Met staff mentors, gaining insight into how creative and design decisions support exhibitions, public programs, and marketing efforts. Along the way, you can expect to build professional skills such as visual communication, project organization, research, and creative problem-solving. The program also includes Career Labs and interactive workshops led by museum and creative professionals, offering structured opportunities to learn about design-related roles in a large cultural institution.
2. Ladder Internships
Location: Remote
Cost: Varies; Full financial aid available
Acceptance Rate: Approximately 10%
Program Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year
Application Deadline: Varies depending on the cohort
Eligibility: High school students who can work for 10-20 hours/week
Ladder Internships offers selective, fully virtual internships where you’ll work with startups or nonprofits on real-world projects aligned with your interests. Depending on the internship, you may contribute to areas such as design, media, marketing, journalism, consulting, or tech-focused work that support your host organization’s goals. Your project work can include creative or design-related tasks, research, content development, or strategic problem-solving projects that have a tangible impact on the host company. Throughout the internship, you will collaborate closely with a startup manager and receive structured guidance from a dedicated Ladder Coach. The experience concludes with a final presentation where you will showcase your project and the skills you’ve developed during the program.
3. Milwaukee Art Museum’s ArtXpress Internship
Location: Milwaukee Art Museum, Milwaukee, WI
Stipend: Paid (exact amount is not specified)
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified
Program Dates: July 8 – August 1 (tentative; based on previous years)
Application Deadline: June 6 (tentative; based on previous years)
Eligibility: Milwaukee-area 11th-12th graders (ages 16-18), as well as rising college freshmen; Must be legally authorized to work in the U.S.
The Milwaukee Art Museum’s ArtXpress Internship is a paid, four-week summer program that focuses on collaborative design and public art. As a participant, you will work with local artists and fellow interns to design and produce a large-scale mural inspired by the Museum’s collection and special exhibitions. The project centers on addressing a real issue affecting the city of Milwaukee, giving you experience with concept development, visual research, and teamwork in a professional art setting. In addition to studio work, you will mentor elementary school students by leading gallery tours and helping them make art. The internship concludes with a public unveiling of the completed mural, which will be displayed on a Milwaukee County Transit System bus, allowing your artwork to reach a broader community audience.
4. Immerse Education’s Design Tracks
Location: London, New York, San Francisco, and Tokyo
Cost: Varies according to program; Financial aid available
Cohort Size: 4-10 students per class
Program Dates: 2 weeks during the summer
Application Deadline: Multiple summer cohorts with rolling admissions
Eligibility: High school students aged 15-18
The Career Insights Program provides you with the opportunity to explore careers in key global industry centers. The design tracks are designed to help you master core design concepts across industries such as architecture, fashion, marketing, and digital arts. As a participant, you will engage in project-based learning with established companies, attend interactive workshops, and visit offices, manufacturing facilities, and corporate headquarters. The program also includes in-person weekly 1:1 career coaching sessions and sessions where you will receive personalized feedback on your resume and overall profile. You’ll also present your findings to industry experts at the end of the program. You can find more details about the application here!
5. Museum of Arts and Design (MAD) Artslife Internship Program
Location: Museum of Arts and Design, New York, NY
Stipend: $16.50/hour
Cohort Size: 10 students
Program Dates: July 9 – August 16 (tentative; based on previous years)
Application Deadline: April 7 (tentative; based on previous years)
Eligibility: New York City public and charter high school students entering grades 10 or 11
MAD’s Artslife Internship Program allows you to gain paid, hands-on experience at a contemporary art museum while exploring design and art-related careers. You will work on projects with MAD staff, local designers, and artists across areas such as communications and marketing, education, curatorial work, and visitor engagement. The program also involves creating original artwork in the Artist Studios, contributing to a student-produced podcast, and developing peer-to-peer museum tours that engage teen audiences. Mentorship is built into the experience, with museum professionals guiding project work and introducing you to how creative teams operate in a museum setting. You will also visit other cultural institutions in New York City, expanding your understanding of how different museums operate.
6. Boston Society for Architecture (BSA)’s Architecture/Design High School Internship
Location: Local architecture firms in Boston, MA
Stipend: Paid (exact amount is not specified)
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified
Program Dates: July 6 – August 14
Application Deadline: Not specified; Applications open on February 20
Eligibility: Boston Public School students in grades 9-12
This program offers you paid, six-week summer internships at local architecture firms through a partnership with the Boston Private Industry Council. As an intern, you will work at a local firm four days a week, observing professional design workflows and supporting projects related to architecture and design. Depending on your placement, you may build foundational skills such as creating physical models, using tools like SketchUp, and understanding how design teams collaborate. The program also includes BSA-led Summer Fridays, where you’ll participate in neighborhood tours, firm visits, and construction or site visits across Greater Boston. You will engage with architects and designers from firms of different sizes and focus areas, gaining varied perspectives on the field. The internship concludes with a firm crawl and an opportunity to share your internship experience.
7. Chicago Architecture Center (CAC)’s Teen Fellows
Location: Harold Washington College, City Colleges of Chicago, Chicago, IL
Stipend: Paid (exact amount is not specified)
Acceptance Rate: Selective
Program Dates: June 22 – May 8, followed by a possible paid internship
Application Deadline: March 31
Eligibility: Rising high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors from Chicago and surrounding areas
The CAC’s Teen Fellows program is a free, 15-month architecture and design experience for Chicago-area high school students that combines studio work, college-level coursework, and professional exposure. You will work on projects that involve physical model making using various materials, and digital design using industry tools such as SketchUp, AutoCAD, Rhinoceros, Revit, Illustrator, InDesign, and Photoshop. The program includes college-level classes at Harold Washington College, allowing you to earn college credit while studying the built environment. Throughout the experience, you will collaborate with peers and work alongside architecture and design professionals through site visits to firms and architecturally significant locations. Fellows receive ongoing guidance as they develop and present design projects and build their portfolios across multiple sessions. In the final summer after the end of the program, you may also have the opportunity to participate in a paid internship at a local architecture or design firm, depending on your program performance.
8. Sasaki Foundation’s Summer Exploratory Experience in Design (SEED) Internship
Location: Sasaki Foundation, Boston, MA
Stipend: Paid (exact amount is not specified)
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Selective; Around 45 interns
Program Dates: 6 weeks in the summer
Application Deadline: April 25 (tentative)
Eligibility: Current high school students from Boston or the Metro North region
The Sasaki Foundation’s SEED program offers paid, six-week summer internships during which you will work on a collaborative group project while exploring fields such as architecture, interior design, planning, urban design, and landscape architecture. As an intern, you will learn design fundamentals, including hand sketching, computer drawing, and design thinking, with weekly guidance from Sasaki designers through structured design charrettes. The program emphasizes mentorship and collaboration, giving you regular opportunities to interact with design professionals and learn how they approach real-world challenges. Through partnerships with community organizations, you will contribute to local projects, gaining firsthand insight into how architecture and design decisions impact communities. By the end of the internship, you will gain practical insight into design workflows, office culture, and how multidisciplinary teams develop and communicate ideas.
9. Marwen’s Art@Work Summer Internship
Location: Marwen, Chicago, IL, and various art-related organizations across the city
Stipend: $1,174.50 (before taxes)
Cohort Size: Around 20 interns
Program Dates: 5 weeks from July to August
Application Deadline: May 5 (tentative; based on previous years)
Eligibility: High school students (ages 16-18) from Chicago who have taken at least one Marwen course
Marwen’s Art@Work Summer Internship offers you paid, five-week creative internships with arts and design-related organizations across the city. As an intern, you will work at a host organization aligned with your interests, contributing to projects in areas such as graphic design, architecture, interior design, exhibition design, fashion, web design, or public art. Alongside your internship, you will also participate in weekly professional development workshops at Marwen that focus on communication, time management, and career skills relevant to creative fields. The program emphasizes hands-on learning, allowing you to observe and collaborate with professionals in real creative work environments. You will gain exposure to how design and arts organizations operate while developing practical skills that support future design careers.
10. Spotlight on the Arts Internships by California Lawyers for the Arts
Location: Various arts-based organizations in San Francisco, CA
Stipend: $18.67/hour
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified
Program Dates: 7 weeks in the summer
Application Deadline: May 1 (tentative; subject to change)
Eligibility: San Francisco youth aged 14-17 who are considered to be low-income according to San Francisco Public Housing Eligibility Standards
Spotlight on the Arts, run by California Lawyers for the Arts, places you in a seven-week paid summer internship at a San Francisco-based arts organization, where you’ll gain hands-on experience in creative and design-related fields. You will work at an assigned internship site that aligns with your interests, contributing to projects across disciplines such as visual art, theater, music, and cultural arts. You will also participate in structured workshops that include behind-the-scenes tours of arts facilities, presentations from industry professionals, and skill-building sessions focused on workplace readiness and communication. The program includes one-on-one college counseling sessions, helping you connect your internship experience to future education and career pathways.
11. Seattle Art Museum (SAM)’s Design Your Neighborhood Program
Location: Seattle Art Museum, Seattle, WA, and various organizations across Seattle
Stipend: Paid (exact amount is not specified)
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified
Program Dates: 4 weeks in August
Application Deadline: TBD
Eligibility: Students aged 13-19
SAM’s Design Your Neighborhood program is a paid, four-week summer experience that focuses on design, visual art, and community-based problem-solving. You will work alongside design professionals to reimagine a real community space, exploring disciplines such as architecture, urban planning, landscape architecture, and interior design. The program focuses on a single community project each summer, with past projects centered around redesigning school spaces, community centers, and proposals for public waterfront areas. You will participate in site visits to organizations that specialize in the built environment, gaining insight into how design decisions are made in professional and civic contexts. Studio sessions help you build skills in visual research, articulating design concepts, and creating three-dimensional models to communicate ideas. After the end of the program, your designs will be showcased to the general public at SAM.
12. Arts for Learning (A4L)’s ArtWorks Program
Location: Miami-Dade College Koubek Memorial Center, Miami, FL
Stipend: Around $13/hour
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified
Program Dates: June 16 – July 25 (tentative; based on previous years)
Application Deadline: April 16 (tentative; based on previous years)
Eligibility: Florida high school students (14+) who meet all the work eligibility requirements
A4L’s ArtWorks program places you in a six-week paid summer internship focused on hands-on work in the arts, design, and creative fields. You will work alongside a professional Master Teaching Artist (MTA) in a co-op of your choice, such as architecture, animation, visual art, music production, or theater, contributing to the creation of original artistic work. You will also participate in structured workforce development activities that focus on collaboration, time management, and goal setting. Mentorship is provided by both MTAs and A4L staff, offering regular guidance and feedback throughout the program. The experience introduces you to how creative projects are planned, produced, and refined in a professional setting while building foundational skills relevant to future study or work in the creative fields.
13. CITYarts Internships – Design and Social Media Track
Location: CITYarts, Inc., New York, NY
Stipend: Unpaid for high school students (interns aged 18+ earn $15 per 8 hours of work)
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified
Program Dates: Available throughout the year, including summer; Flexible schedule
Application Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: High school students familiar with Google Suite programs
As part of the CITYarts Design and Social Media Internship, you will work with a nonprofit public arts organization that creates murals and mosaics in collaboration with youth and professional artists. You will contribute to the design and production of promotional materials, including brochures, flyers, books, and digital handouts that support CITYarts’ programs and community initiatives. You will also help manage social media platforms and website updates, gaining experience in content creation, photo editing, and basic video support using tools like Photoshop and Canva. You will work under the guidance of CITYarts staff, including the Project Coordinator and Assistant to the Director, gaining insight into how design supports nonprofit communication and outreach. The role may also include community outreach tasks and research into identifying potential collaboration opportunities with other arts organizations.
14. Stanford’s Science, Humanities, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (SHTEM) Program
Location: Stanford University, Stanford, CA
Cost/Stipend: Free (except for an application fee of $95); Unpaid (need-based financial assistance may be available)
Acceptance Rate: Selective
Program Dates: June 22 – August 14
Application Deadline: January 25
Eligibility: Current high school juniors or seniors (14+); Must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents
The SHTEM program is an eight-week, in-person summer research internship hosted at Stanford University. As a participant, you will work in small groups on interdisciplinary research projects that may integrate engineering, technology, design, and the humanities. Projects are mentored by Stanford faculty, students, and staff, giving you structured guidance while exposing you to academic research practices and collaborative problem-solving. Throughout the internship, you will gain firsthand experience in a university research environment while contributing to multifaceted projects that reflect your interests and strengths.
15. Interns4Good
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified
Program Dates: Available throughout the year, including summer
Application Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: High school students
Interns4Good offers fully virtual, service-oriented internships where you support nonprofit organizations through skill-based project work. You can apply to roles in areas such as graphic design, social media management, website management, outreach, or research blogging, depending on available placements. Design-focused projects may include creating digital graphics, animated characters, flyers, or magazines, or assisting with website development and content management. All internships are remote and offer flexible hours, allowing you to balance school and other commitments while gaining practical design experience. You log your hours weekly, and all service hours are officially tracked and can be verified for schools or other organizations.
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