14 Public Relations Internships for High School Students
If you are a high school student interested in media, communication, or storytelling, public relations is a field worth exploring. Public relations (PR) focuses on shaping how people see and understand a brand, person, or cause. By learning how to write clear messages, work with the media, manage social platforms, and build strong connections, you can gain real-world skills that will improve your future career.
For high school students just starting out, PR internships are an excellent way to explore this path. Some are short bootcamps, others run through the summer, and many let you work on real projects with clients. Whether you are interested in entertainment, nonprofits, politics, or business, PR gives you skills that can lead to many opportunities. To help you get started, here is the list of 14 public relations internships for high school students. These programs will help you grow your communication skills, meet professionals, and learn how PR works in practice.
1. The Met Museum High School Internship
Location: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
Cost/Stipend: No cost. Paid
Acceptance rate/Cohort size: No information available
Program dates: June 21 – August 8
Application Deadline: March 7
Eligibility: Students in 10th or 11th grade or who have attended school in New York, New Jersey, or Connecticut
The Met High School Internship Program helps you gain paid work experience if you are in 10th or 11th grade or working toward a High School equivalent degree. In this program, you learn how to work in a museum and perform tasks such as writing, planning, speaking, and working with others. You interact with people who work in diverse fields such as marketing, social media, editing, teaching, research, and art. You work with museum staff in small groups and ask questions, take part in talks, and learn how things happen behind the scenes. If you want to learn, share your ideas, and try something new, this internship helps you to build your skills.. Students from different communities and life experiences can become part of this internship experience.
2. Ladder Internship Program
Location: Remote
Cost/Stipend: $2,490 (financial aid available)
Program dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year, including Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter.
Application deadline: Deadlines vary depending on the cohort. Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September), and Winter (November).
Eligibility: High school students, undergraduates, and gap year students who can work 8 to 12 weeks for 10-20 hours/week
Ladder Internships is a selective start-up internship program for ambitious high school students. In this program, you will work with high-growth start-ups ranging across a variety of industries, from tech/deep tech, AI/ML, health tech, marketing, journalism, consulting, and more. Ladder’s start-ups are high-growth companies raising over a million dollars in funding on average. In this program, interns work closely with their Managers and a Ladder Coach on real-world projects and present their work to the company. stakeholders.
3. L.A. Times High School Insider Internship
Location: Hybrid (in-person at the El Segundo office from Monday to Wednesday, remotely on Thursday)
Cost/Stipend: $16.90 per hour for interns
Program dates: June 16 to August 1
Application deadline: February 26
Eligibility: Sophomores, juniors, and seniors who are available for the duration of the internship and can work in a hybrid model. Students residing in Los Angeles County and Orange County, California, committed to work in the El Segundo office are eligible to apply.
As an intern, you can choose to work in Communications and Marketing or External Affairs, where your prime focus is on public relations. In these roles, you help plan public events, write press releases, support press conferences, and assist with media outreach. You will also help manage social media posts, work on advertising plans, and share news about the museum with the public and the press. This internship builds your skills in writing, communication, organization, and public speaking. You will be part of a team that shapes how the museum connects with people. You will also get hands-on experience in journalism. You will write news stories, cover live events, use photos or videos to tell stories, and work on long features.
4. Emma Bowen Foundation Internship
Location: Depends on the internship
Cost/Stipend: None
Program dates: Typically in May or June.
Application deadline: Typically until May 1. Applications are accepted until all placements are completed
Eligibility: High school senior student of color with a GPA of 3.0+ . Plan to attend a four-year college or university in the United States. U.S. citizen or permanent resident and at least 18 years of age before the internship starts. Interested in making a career in media, entertainment, or tech. Work full time for 35 to 40 hours for 8 weeks.
In the EBF internship program, you can choose the Public Relations, Communications, or Marketing track, where you will learn how to write press releases, plan media events, support press conferences, manage public messaging, create social media posts, and assist with ad campaigns. You will build skills in writing, speaking, planning, organizing, and teamwork while helping companies share their stories with the public and the press. This paid internship places students of color at top media, tech, and entertainment companies such as Paramount, NFL, Warner Bros. Discovery, NBCUniversal, and Hearst Television. The program offers three tracks: Content, Business, and Innovation, which include fields such as journalism, digital media, marketing, public relations, communications, and computer science. You will work full-time for at least eight weeks, do real tasks based on your chosen track, and get guidance from mentors. You will also join workshops, receive career coaching, and meet other students at the EBF conference in New York City. This program helps you build professional skills, grow your network, and explore careers in media, tech, and communication.
5. The Hearst High School Media Internship @Paley
Location: The Paley Center for Media, New York
Cost: $16.50 per hour for interns and receiving a Metrocard for commuting.
Acceptance rate/Cohort size:
Program dates: July 14 to August 14
Application deadline: April 18
Eligibility: Rising 11th and 12th grade students with a valid employment certificate, who are allowed to work in the US.
This internship helps you learn about the media and entertainment industry using hands-on work, mentorship, and digital learning. You will develop skills in public speaking, writing scripts and columns, doing research, editing, storytelling, and audio production. The program helps you get ready for college by giving you real-world experience. You will interact with professionals who work in the industry, allowing you to build strong connections that can help you in the future. You will visit newsrooms, podcast studios, and production sets to see how things work behind the scenes. You will write your column for the Paley Education newsletter, which can add great value to your portfolio to showcase your work.
6. Interns4-Good
Location: Remote
Cost: None ; internships are unpaid.
Program dates: Vary depending on the internship
Application deadline: Year-round
Eligibility: High school students from grades 9–12 are eligible to apply.
This program, run by the Office of the Librarian and the Informal Learning Office, is for high school students who want to help shape future projects at the Library of Congress. Interns4Good is a remote program that gives high school students the chance to intern with different nonprofits. You can work in many fields, including marketing, outreach, graphic design, social media management, and video editing. Some internships are remote while some are in person. The reports help to keep a record of your work, and you can also ask for verified hourly reports to be shared with schools or other programs. If you choose a Public Relations or Outreach role, you will help nonprofits share their message with the public. You may write social media posts, help plan events, create flyers, or send emails. You will build skills in writing, planning, communication, and teamwork. The program updates its list of internships periodically , so you can find a role that matches your interests that helps to grow your real-world skills while supporting a good cause. You will work with other teens to give advice and share ideas about new programs and materials.
7. Library of Congress High School Summer Internship
Location: Washington, D.C (Hybrid)
Cost: None
Program Dates: June 23 – July 17
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: Current high school students, age 16 years or above at the time of the internship
This is a 4-week unpaid summer internship where you will learn about the Library and help the Center for Learning, Literacy, and Engagement create content for a new space. You will give feedback on how the space should look, help choose materials from the library’s collection to use with children and families, and give suggestions for teen programs. You will build skills in research, writing, and speaking. You will work as part of a team, learn about careers at the Library of Congress, and help create materials that will be used in real programs. You will also learn how to review and recommend items from the Library’s collection and help plan ways to get young people more involved in learning.
8. Smithsonian Internships at the Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage - Public Affairs & Social Media
Location: Washington, DC (Both remote and hybrid modes available)
Cost: Free. Stipend of $10,000 ($7,000 stipend + $3,000 as housing allowance)
Program Dates: June 2 – August 8
Application Deadline: March 7
Eligibility: High school students, undergraduate,postgraduate students, and non-students, including working professionals and career changers. Open to both U.S. and non-U.S. citizens.
The Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage offers internships for an entire year in many fields , such as folklore, anthropology, music, linguistics, museum studies, arts management, graphic and web design, video work, marketing, social media, and library science. If you choose to work in Public Affairs and Social Media, you will help write posts, share updates, create content, and plan ways to reach people online. You will build skills in writing, communication, planning, and digital media. You will work on real world projects with the help from staff and take part in events like the Smithsonian Folklife Festival or projects from Smithsonian Folkways. You may also help with outreach, research, and programs that support cultural learning and community stories.
9. CITYarts PR Internship
Location: New York
Cost: None
Program Dates: Exact dates not specified, 15-20 hours per week
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: High school students
CITYarts brings young people and professional artists together on a single platform to create public art such as murals and mosaics. As a PR and Marketing intern, you will work with the Project Coordinator and the Assistant to the Director to design and create brochures, flyers, handouts, and books. You will also help manage the website and update social media pages such as Instagram and Facebook. In this role, you will build skills in writing, editing, design, and communication. You will use programs like Illustrator and Photoshop to create both printed and digital material. You will help plan and post on social media, write messages to promote events, and work on outreach to new communities. You will also make short videos and create research groups that can be worked with.
10. Warner Bros Reach
Location: California
Cost: No cost. Paid
Program Dates: Not specified
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: Graduating high school seniors
Warner Bros. Discovery gives Honorship to high school seniors who want to work in the media and entertainment world. If you are interested in how a studio or company runs, this could be the right program for you. You can explore careers in areas such as marketing, communications, finance, human resources, operations, content development, post-production, sound editing, and gaming. Through this program, you will get a scholarship and a hands-on internship where you build real skills and learn how the industry works in a true sense.
11. Maine Youth Council Internship
Location: Not Specified
Cost: No cost. Interns are paid $15 per hour and work 5 hours a week.
Program Dates: Exact dates not specified, vary depending on the semester
Application Deadline: Fall Semester(September 19), Spring Semester(January 16), Summer Semester (May 15)
Eligibility: High school students are eligible to apply
This internship helps high school students use their communication skills to create a real impact in their communities. If you enjoy writing, making videos, or sharing ideas on social media, this is a great chance to grow these skills while working for change. You’ll learn how to create content that informs and inspires others, build campaigns, and use media to support causes you care about. You’ll also explore how laws are made and how to speak up for what truly matters. The internship lets you shape your own path while building real experience in public communication, storytelling, and community outreach.
12. Advertising and Public Relations Workshop at Mizzou School of Journalism
Location: University of Missouri, Columbia, MO
Cost: Not specified
Program Dates: June 22-27
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: High school students
Through this one-week workshop, you will work on projects like the real professionals do and learn how to solve problems for modern brands. If you are curious about copywriting, public relations, design, creative work, or project management, this is a great way to explore these paths. You’ll learn by doing, just like people in the field. Industry experts will teach you how to come up with strong ideas, create clear messages, and work with a team. You will also hear from professionals who work on top brands and get their inputs on what makes a good campaign. During the week, you’ll take part in hands-on activities, group work, field exercises, and fun presentations. At the end of the program, you’ll present your project, which you can add value to your portfolio. You’ll finish the workshop with a better understanding of agency life and how different roles work together to bring creative ideas to life.
13. UGA Summer Academy - Advertising and Public Relations Camp
Location: University of Georgia, Athens, GA
Cost: $ 530.00 – 1,255.00
Program Dates: June 9 - June 13
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: Students aged 13 - 17 years
At the UGA Summer Academy Advertising and Public Relations Camp, you will spend one week learning how to write clear messages, create ad and social media content, plan campaigns, and speak to different kinds of audiences. You will work with a team to set goals, pick the best media channels, and build a campaign for a real nonprofit. You will also learn how to present your ideas with confidence. By the end of the week, you will have hands-on experience in writing, teamwork, planning, and public speaking that you can add to your resume or portfolio while also getting a real-world experience of college life.
14. Internships at the Foreign Policy Research Institute (FPRI)
Location: Philadelphia, PA (Remote and in-person options available)
Cost: Fully funded
Program Dates: Fall (September – December )
Application Deadline: August 18
Eligibility: High school students
As a Communications Intern, you will assist the Assistant Director of Communications in creating content for social media, keeping up with content trends, and using tools such as Adobe Express, Hootsuite, and content management systems. You should know a bit about international relations, global affairs, or US foreign policy, especially in Eurasia. You need to pay close attention to details. You will meet people in the foreign policy world and work with a scholar or professional who will help you build skills related to jobs such as writing, teamwork, time management, and problem-solving. You will also join weekly discussions on foreign policy and careers with guest speakers.
Image Source - The Met Logo