15 Prestigious Architecture Internships for High School Students
Exploring internships in high school is an effective way to strengthen your resume, build confidence, and gain experience in fields you might want to pursue later. If you’re drawn to architecture, an internship can give you exposure to design principles, drafting software, studio workflows, and architectural problem-solving skills. These experiences also help you show initiative, develop portfolio pieces, and demonstrate to college admissions committees that you’ve explored architecture beyond the classroom.
Architecture is both competitive and highly technical, and choosing the right program can help you build a strong foundation early. That’s why we’ve selected internships with rigorous training opportunities and strong mentorship from professionals. With that, here are 15 prestigious architecture internships for high school students.
15 Prestigious Architecture Internships for High School Students
1. Sasaki Foundation Summer Exploratory Experience in Design Internship (SEED)
Location: Sasaki Foundation, Boston, MA
Stipend: $16.25 per hour
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Selective; ~45 high school interns
Dates: 6 weeks, from early July to mid-August
Application Deadline: April 25
Eligibility: Current high school students from Boston or Metro North (MA)
The Sasaki Foundation Summer Exploratory Experience in Design (SEED) involves participation in group projects focused on community needs, such as urban farms or temporary cooling installations, within the fields of architecture and urban design. From day one, you’ll dive into hand sketching and computer drawing in guided charrettes, while Sasaki designers mentor you step-by-step. You’ll learn how professionals frame questions, iterate ideas, and apply tools across architecture, planning, interior design, and landscape architecture. Aside from this, you’ll explore Boston neighborhoods, gather site insights, refine concepts with constant feedback, and collaborate closely with fellow interns and practicing experts.
2. Ladder Internships
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies; Full financial aid is available
Acceptance Rate: Around 10%
Program Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year
Application Deadline: Deadlines vary by cohort
Eligibility: High school students
Ladder Internships is a selective eight-week internship designed for ambitious high school students interested in start-up environments. As a participant, you’ll have the opportunity to work with high-growth startups across a range of industries, including technology, deep tech, AI/ML, architecture, marketing, and more. The startups involved are typically high-growth companies, with an average funding of over one million dollars. During the internship, you’ll get to collaborate closely with your managers on real-world projects and present your work to the company.
3. Chicago Architecture Center Teen Fellows
Location: Harold Washington College, Chicago, IL
Stipend: Paid
Acceptance Rate: Selective
Program Dates: 15 months from June 22 – May 8
Application Deadline: March 31
Eligibility: Rising high school sophomores, juniors, or seniors from Chicago and the surrounding areas
Chicago Architecture Center Teen Fellows is a 15-month program that transforms your perspective on Chicago's built environment. Starting with a six-week summer block at Harold Washington College, you'll earn City Colleges of Chicago credits while mastering physical models with diverse materials and digital design tools like SketchUp, AutoCAD, Rhinoceros, Revit, Illustrator, InDesign, and Photoshop. Fall and spring Saturday sessions will build on this foundation through themed projects such as site analysis and public space redesigns. It’ll also incorporate visits to firms and landmarks and allow you to participate in hands-on workshops that explore design’s impact on daily life. Professional mentors will provide iterative feedback and career guidance, fostering critical thinking and time management within a supportive cohort that emphasizes underrepresented voices, including BIPOC and female students. You’ll also get to participate in a paid internship at a local firm during the final summer, where you’ll work on real client briefs.
4. Architect of the Capitol Summer Internship Program
Location: Capitol campus, Washington, D.C.
Stipend: ~$17 per hour, depending on roles
Acceptance Rate: Highly selective
Dates: 12 weeks in summer
Application Deadline: November – January 31
Eligibility: Current high school students enrolled in a qualifying educational institution; U.S. citizens preferred
The Architect of the Capitol Summer Internship Program will engage you in 12 weeks of hands-on work, maintaining and restoring the U.S. Capitol's historic buildings. You’ll assist architects with tasks like drafting plans, site surveys, and material analysis for preservation projects. You’ll gain practical skills in architectural documentation and construction techniques, collaborating daily with experienced professionals. The program also offers guided tours of landmarks like the Capitol Rotunda, shadowing sessions on sustainable retrofits, and the opportunity to network with fellow interns from diverse fields. Weekly reflections and project contributions will build your understanding of federal architecture's role in democracy, fostering teamwork in a secure government setting.
5. Boston Society for Architecture: Architecture/Design High School Internships
Location: Various local architecture firms in Boston, MA
Stipend: Paid positions available
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified
Dates: July 6 – August 14
Application Deadline: Applications open on February 20
Eligibility: Boston-area public high school students in grades 10-12
AIA Arch/Design High School Internships will place you in a Boston architecture firm for six weeks, where you’ll shadow professionals and assist on projects to build awareness of design careers and workflows. You’ll spend time immersed in firm tasks, gaining hands-on exposure to the profession's daily realities, and will also get to go on neighborhood tours of Boston's architectural, cultural, and historical landmarks. Mentors from diverse firms will guide you through collaborative discussions and feedback, helping you connect classroom ideas to practical applications. As a returning intern, you’ll gain fresh perspectives each summer, building on prior experiences with new firms and challenges. The program culminates in a firm crawl and share-out where you’ll present your experiences to the group.
6. Harvard GSD Design Discovery Youth
Location: Harvard Graduate School of Design (GSD), Cambridge, MA
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance Rate: Highly selective
Dates: July 13 – July 31
Application Deadline: April 20
Eligibility: Rising high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors (ages 15-18) living within 20 miles of GSD in the Boston/Cambridge area
The Harvard GSD Design Discovery Youth engages you in a three-week studio where you’ll translate your observations into designs across architecture, landscape architecture, and urbanism. You’ll practice line drawing, physical modeling with wood sticks, and digital tools via Adobe Creative Cloud. As you develop these techniques, advanced GSD master's students will give you one-on-one critiques and lead group challenges. You’ll also go on site visits and hear guest talks from local professionals that bring real-world context to your work. You’ll collaborate on iterative projects with peers, refining your communication through weekly discussions that tie every assignment back to design impact. The program ends with a draft portfolio of your drawings, models, and digital work, plus a certificate and faculty evaluation.
7. Boston Architectural College (BAC) Summer Academy
Location: Boston Architectural College, Boston, MA; Virtual options available
Cost: Not for Credit: $1,800; Credit Bearing: $2,000 for 3 credits; Financial aid is available
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Selective; 8-10 students per studio
Dates: July 7 – August 1
Application Deadline: June 9 (online); June 23 (on-campus)
Eligibility: High school students in grades 9-12 (14+) with a passion for fields like architecture or interior design; No prior design experience required
Boston Architectural College Summer Academy offers two tracks: the Exploration Track, where you’ll learn foundational skills across design disciplines, or the Investigation Track, where you’ll participate in focused challenges in areas like architecture or interior design. You’ll work in small studios of 8-10 students, tackling curated design challenges that build ideation, iteration, sketching, drawing, digital design, fabrication, model making, and presentation abilities. You will also attend lectures, exercises, and workshops, receiving professional feedback throughout the program. On campus, you will participate in site visits and digital fabrication activities, while online sessions will include virtual equivalents and a mailed kit containing all necessary materials and tools for active participation. The program concludes with a final presentation or digital pin-up, along with the development of a digital portfolio to showcase your work.
8. Cornell University Architecture Summer Program
Location: Cornell University College of Architecture, Art, and Planning, Ithaca, NY
Cost: $11,040; Financial aid is available
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Competitive; ~25 students
Dates: June 23 – August 1 (course dates); June 22 – August 2 (residential)
Application Deadline: May 1 (residential); May 19 (commuter)
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors; No prior experience required beyond an interest in architectural design
During the Cornell University Architecture Summer Program, you’ll explore architectural concepts of space, form, function, environment, and technology through design problems. You’ll enroll in two three-credit courses, Introduction to Architecture: Design Studio (ARCH 1110) and Introduction to Architecture: Lectures (ARCH 1300), working in small groups inside Milstein Hall to develop drawings, models, and practical drafting skills under AAP faculty guidance. Daily studio sessions include regular critiques from teaching associates and formal reviews by invited professors and guest critics, improving your ability to articulate design decisions. You’ll also participate in workshops on representational techniques and portfolio design, building a body of work that culminates in a public exhibition of student projects. By program end, you will earn six transferable Cornell credits and an official transcript.
9. Columbia University Pre-College Program: Art and Architecture
Location: Columbia University, New York, NY
Cost: $12,764 (Residential); $6,310 (Commuter) per 3-week session; Financial aid available
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Selective; 15 students per course
Program Dates: June 30 – August 8
Application Deadline: March 2 (Residential); April 2 (Commuter)
Eligibility: High school students interested in architecture with a strong academic record
Columbia University Pre-College Program offers a variety of architecture courses that engage in an intensive exploration of the field, from urban design to spatial theory. Any projects you complete during these courses can serve as the foundation for your portfolio. In the Introduction to Architectural and Spatial Design course, you will spend a week learning the concepts and methods needed to work on a spatial design project. In the Introduction to Architectural Design and Theory course, you will learn about the architectural design processes as well as architectural history and theory. The Urban Planning and Design course will give you the chance to explore a career in urban planning and learn about the fundamentals. In the Contemporary Architecture in New York City course, you will be introduced to contemporary architecture through the lens of New York City and will get to go on field trips to places like Lincoln Center, the High Line, and Grand Central Terminal, and so on.
10. RISD Pre-College Program
Location: Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), Providence, RI; Virtual options available
Cost: On-campus: Application fee of $60 + $12,495 (residential) & $9,595 (commuter); Online: $4,635; Need-based scholarships available
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Selective; 500 students per year
Dates: June 22 – July 30 (online); June 27 – August 1 (on-campus)
Application Deadline: Rolling; Opens on November 5
Eligibility: High school students worldwide in grades 10-12 (ages 16-18); No prior experience required
During the RISD Pre-College Program, you will have the opportunity to experiment with various materials and techniques through projects like site-responsive structures and speculative models. You’ll develop skills in sketching, modeling, and physical prototyping, applying them to assignments that test your ideas against architecture’s core principles of form, function, and context. Teaching artists from RISD’s faculty lead day-long classes and critiques, guiding your iterative process while you work alongside a cohort of motivated global peers who share your passion for design. By the end of the program, you’ll receive a final critique and showcase opportunity. You’ll get to build a strong portfolio and earn a certificate (with optional college credit).
11. UC Berkeley embARC Summer Design Academy
Location: UC Berkeley's College of Environmental Design, Berkeley, CA
Cost: $82 application fee; $5,136 (domestic); $8,096 (international); $5,300 (residential); Limited scholarships available
Acceptance Rate: Selective
Dates: July 6 – 31
Application Deadline: Priority application deadline: February 17; Final commuter deadline: April 1
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors with a minimum GPA of 3.0; California residents prioritized, with preference for underrepresented/first-gen/low-income students; No prior experience required
The UC Berkeley embARC Summer Design Academy allows you to address urban challenges through realistic design projects and solutions to planning issues. You’ll gain experience with tools like SketchUp during the Architecture + Urban Design Studio and attend workshops on materials exploration, sustainable city planning, and digital design. CED faculty and local architects lead critiques, seminars, and guided discussions, mentoring your group work on site-responsive proposals with community input. Field trips around the Bay Area provide context for your designs, and collaborations with peers foster inclusive problem-solving during extended studio time. You’ll contribute to a community-building project for a local nonprofit, presenting a capstone work and assembling a portfolio of plans, models, and narratives. The program issues a certificate, earns you college credit on a UC Berkeley transcript.
12. Cooper Union Introduction to Architecture
Location: Virtual
Cost: $2,980 + $40 application fee
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Selective; 69 accepted high school students last year
Dates: July 6 – August 7
Application Deadline: June 1
Eligibility: Current high school students (grades 9-12); No prior experience or specific skills required beyond basic math/computer literacy
During this program, you'll explore architectural thinking through lectures, workshops, and tutorials focused on geometry, structure, and transforming ideas into 3D form. Weekly design challenges progressively develop your skills in Rhino and Adobe Creative Cloud for modeling and representation. Cooper faculty will guide you through seminars on architectural history, film screenings, readings, and rigorous group critiques that foster experimentation in abstraction, materiality, and scale. As you shift between 2D and 3D methods, individual critiques sharpen your ability to articulate concepts, while guest lectures from practicing architects provide real-world insights. By the end of the program, you'll produce a polished portfolio of drawings and models and earn an official Certificate of Completion from The Cooper Union.
13. Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation High School Residencies
Location: Fallingwater, Mill Run, PA
Cost: $1,200
Acceptance Rate: Selective
Dates: Week-long sessions in summer
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: High school students or gap year students
Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation High School Residencies offer an immersive week at Fallingwater, centered on Wright’s organic architecture and nature. As a participant, you will engage in hands-on drawing, modeling, and design projects inspired by the landscape, translating observations into spatial concepts. You will learn from licensed architects and artists, who will guide individual exercises and critiques, exploring form, function, and environmental harmony while refining ideas on-site. You’ll participate in activities that range from precise model building to sketching nature-integrated structures, each deepening understanding of architecture’s contextual harmony. By week’s end, you will leave with a solid portfolio, increased confidence, and clarity about pursuing architecture or related fields.
14. SCI-Arc Design Immersion Days
Location: Southern California Institute of Architecture (SCI-Arc), Los Angeles, CA
Cost: $25 application fee + $3,350; Full scholarships available
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified
Dates: June 15 – July 10
Application Deadline: Rolling until full
Eligibility: High school students
During the SCI-Arc Design Immersion Days program, you’ll be introduced to architecture experimentation through projects that respond to Los Angeles' cultural, material, and economic contexts, from analog sketching to digital 3D printing and augmented reality. You’ll build skills in freehand drawing, Rhino modeling, Photoshop rendering, and physical fabrication, applying them to visual studies and design labs that span scales and media. SCI-Arc faculty lead desk critiques, peer collaborations, and pin-up reviews, while lunchtime chats with prominent architects connect your work to LA's creative economy in film, fashion, and design. Weekly field trips to sites like Frank Gehry's Walt Disney Concert Hall and Bestor Architecture inspire, fueling your iterative proposals on urban issues. Portfolio workshops run alongside, helping you organize layouts and refine every piece of work you produce. The program culminates in a public exhibition where you present to a jury of top LA architects and critics.
15. Carnegie Mellon University Pre-College Architecture
Location: Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA
Cost: $10,030 (residential); $7,704 (commuters); Financial aid is available
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Selective; ~25 students
Dates: June 20 – July 25
Deadline: Early: February 1; Final: March 1
Eligibility: Current high school sophomores or juniors (16+)
During the Carnegie Mellon University Pre-College Architecture program, you will address complex design challenges utilizing a variety of tools to explore spatial concepts, context, scale, perception, light, materiality, and component systems. You’ll build foundational skills through analog drawing, digital media with Photoshop, Illustrator, and Rhinoceros for 2D and 3D representation, and fabrication techniques, applying them to independent and collaborative projects. The Carnegie Mellon Architecture faculty will guide you through seminars on history, theory, and contemporary practice, while teaching assistants will provide evening help sessions and open studio time. The program also offers field trips to local architectural projects, construction sites, museums, and labs like the Computational Design and Digital Fabrication facilities. It culminates in the development of a professional portfolio.
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