15 Animation Internships for College Students
- Stephen Turban
- Jun 5
- 10 min read
Internships are a great way for college students to move beyond academic learning and step into real-world industry environments. As an intern, you get direct exposure to real industry equipment, tools, and tech, workplace environments, and mentorship from professionals in your field of interest. You will also gain experience that can strengthen your resume and the opportunity to start building valuable industry connections that can support long-term career growth.
If pursuing a degree in animation, an internship can help you see what real animators and production teams do while you build workplace skills. Animation internships offer a glimpse into production pipelines, collaborative studio workflows, and creative and technical processes. This can also be an opportunity to explore various aspects of animation, including 2D and 3D animation, storyboarding, visual effects, character design, and production.
Why should I do an animation internship in college?
Animation internships can help you get a head start in your career by offering you studio experience and a stronger, industry-ready portfolio. Internships are also highly valuable for graduate school applications, as institutions often seek candidates with practical experience and a demonstrated understanding of the field. Beyond academics, internships provide insight into how professional studios operate, how teams collaborate under deadlines, and how creative ideas are developed into final animated content. This combination of learning, mentorship, and networking makes internships a key step for anyone serious about building a career in animation.
To support your exploration, we have carefully curated 15 animation internships for college students.
If you're looking for remote internships, check out this blog here.
Location: Remote; you can participate from anywhere in the world!
Cost: Varies depending on the cohort; financial aid available
Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year (Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter)
Application deadline: Varies by cohort (January, May, September, and November cycles)
Eligibility: Undergraduate and gap year students who are able to commit 10–20 hours per week for 8–12 weeks
Ladder’s University Internship Program is a selective, virtual program where you work with startups and non-profits from around the world. During the internship, you will work directly with a startup team and contribute to a real-world project that addresses a specific need for the organization. Projects span various areas, including animation. Throughout the program, you will work closely with a manager or mentor at the startup who will guide your progress and provide feedback on your work. This structure allows you to gain professional experience in a fast-paced entrepreneurial environment while building skills in communication, collaboration, and problem-solving. At the end of the internship, you will present your project and outcomes, demonstrating the impact of your work and what you gained during the program. Apply now.
Location: Various Walt Disney sites in the U.S.
Stipend: Paid
Dates: 10–12 week internships; dates vary by opportunity
Application deadline: Varies; internships are posted between fall and spring.
Eligibility: Students, ages 18 and up, enrolled in community colleges, colleges, universities, graduate school, trade schools, and accredited online post-secondary programs, and students who have graduated within six months of the internship start date
The Walt Disney Animation Studios Internship Program gives students the chance to dive into the world of animation and work on real studio projects alongside artists, engineers, and production professionals. Over 10 to 12 weeks, you will gain hands-on experience in areas like animation, technology, story, or studio operations, while learning directly from mentors and attending workshops that show how major films come to life. You will collaborate across departments, develop creative and technical skills, build a portfolio, and make connections in animation, film, or creative technology. Opportunities are typically available in studio, production, and tech teams.
Location: DreamWorks Animation Studio, Glendale, CA
Stipend: Paid (competitive hourly rate)
Dates: June 8 – August 14; spring and fall internships also available
Application deadline: March 16
Eligibility: Students pursuing associate, bachelor, or graduate degrees at colleges/universities (or equivalent), and recent graduates (within six months of graduation date)
The DreamWorks Animation Internship Program gives you the chance to work on real TV and feature animation projects while learning directly from artists, storytellers, and engineers. Over 10 weeks, you will gain hands-on experience in areas like animation, story, visual development, technology, or studio operations, attend workshops, and receive mentorship that helps you understand how major films are created. You will collaborate with various departments, build your skills, add to your portfolio, and network with professionals. This can be an opportunity to gain practical animation experience and develop a clear understanding of how a large animation studio works.
Location: Nickelodeon studio, Burbank, CA
Stipend: Paid
Dates: 10 weeks starting in June
Application deadline: Varies; TBA for the next cycle
Eligibility: Students pursuing associate, bachelor's, or graduate degrees and graduates who completed their degree within 6 months of June
The NICKternship is a full-time, on-site summer internship at Nickelodeon Animation Studios in Burbank, CA. You will work 40 hours a week over 10 weeks, contributing to real projects across the studio. The program is mentorship-based, offering you the chance to build working relationships with studio executives, creatives, and artists. Your day-to-day work should be hands-on and tied to animation projects you care about, rather than general administrative tasks. Opportunities may span different areas each cycle; you can indicate your preference for an animation-focused placement when you apply.
Location: WarnerBros offices in New York, NY; Los Angeles, CA; Atlanta, GA; Washington, D.C.; Silver Spring, MD; Knoxville, TN; Miami, FL; Chicago, IL
Stipend: Paid
Dates: Fall: September – December) | Spring: January – April | Summer: June – August
Application deadline: Fall: May – June | Spring: September – October | Summer: January – February
Eligibility: Rising college junior, senior, or graduate students, ages 18 and up, actively enrolled in accredited colleges or universities for the full duration of the internship with a GPA of 3.0 or above; applicants must be currently authorized to work for any U.S. employer without requiring visa sponsorship from WBD now or in the future.
The WBD internship is offered across all businesses under the Warner Bros. Discovery umbrella, including brands like CNN, Max, Bleacher Report, TLC, and Food Network. You can intern in areas ranging from animation, technology, design, marketing, and publicity to development, production, news, games, and corporate functions like finance, legal, and human resources. As an intern, you will work within the assigned team and have access to professional development resources, including mentorship, career coaching, pitch clinics, and an early talent learning portal. The program also offers speaker series events, social programming, and exclusive alumni opportunities after you complete your internship.
Location: Netflix Animation Studios, Burbank, CA
Stipend: Paid
Dates: Varies by opportunity; no fixed cohorts
Application deadline: Varies by opportunity
Eligibility: College students and recent graduates
Netflix Animation Studios offers early career and creative programs to help students and graduates connect with animation industry professionals and build technical skills. You will work with mentors and receive hands-on training to refine your art, storytelling, and filmmaking skills, with a focus on feature animated productions. You will also find opportunities to interact with near-peers, experienced animators, and Netflix professionals. The internship can be an opportunity to gain insights into Netflix’s studio culture and pipeline.
Location: Sony Pictures offices in New York City, Culver City, Miami, Chicago, Toronto, and London
Stipend: Paid
Dates: Spring, Summer, and Fall sessions.
Application deadline: Varies by role; positions are posted 1-4 months prior to start date
Eligibility: Undergraduate and graduate students currently enrolled in accredited programs
The Sony Pictures Entertainment Internship Program offers students the chance to experience the inner workings of a world-class film and television studio. During the internship, you may contribute to projects across production, post-production, marketing, programming, or technology, gaining hands-on experience and learning from industry professionals. You will develop practical skills, add to your portfolio, and connect with mentors and colleagues across departments. Beyond technical exposure, the internship can give you a behind-the-scenes look at how a major entertainment company operates. You can look for an animation-focused role when opportunities are posted.
Location: Epic Games offices in the U.S. and Canada
Stipend: Paid
Dates: Year-round opportunities; work terms range from 3 to 4 months
Application deadline: Summer: September – March | Fall: May – August | Spring: September – December
Eligibility: Current undergraduate, graduate, and Ph.D. students and recent grads with less than one year of formal working experience; experience in tech or gaming is preferred. The eligibility can vary by role and will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
Epic Games offers students and recent grads opportunities to intern in various departments, from gameplay design to social media. As an intern, you will work within a team on real-world projects and deliverables alongside leads and mentors. Internship opportunities span game programming, online development, game design, 3D art and animation, production, finance, and marketing. You will spend three to four months contributing to actual deliverables in a production environment. In addition to competitive pay, the program offers access to events and Epic-branded merchandise.
Location: Multiple Ubisoft offices in the U.S. and abroad
Stipend: Paid; amount can vary by country and role
Dates: Vary by role; internships can last up to 6 months
Application deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: Current college students and recent graduates (typically applying within two years of graduation)
The Ubisoft Internship Program gives you the opportunity to gain exposure to professional workflows within a global game development studio. You will work on projects in areas like game design, programming, art, production, or marketing, collaborate with game development professionals, and explore how a major studio brings games from concept to launch. The precise tasks vary by role, but you will get to connect with professionals and explore career paths at Ubisoft and the broader gaming industry. The internship can help you build the technical and soft skills required in the video game development industry.
Location: Ames Research Center (ARC), Moffett Field, CA
Stipend: Not specified; stipends are typically available
Dates: Fall internship; dates not specified
Application deadline: May 22
Eligibility: U.S. citizens currently enrolled as undergraduate freshmen, sophomores, juniors, seniors, or graduate Master's students
This internship, based at NASA's Ames Research Center, focuses on creating a 3D animation, visual simulation, or Metaverse environment for NASA's Human Mars architecture. You will work on visualizing the surface infrastructure needed for future human Mars exploration, including habitats, power generation, surface mobility, and communications systems. The goal is to help mission architects, engineers, and scientists imagine and plan operational scenarios for future Mars exploration sites. You may work with tools like Solidworks, Blender, Maya, and Nvidia Omniverse, and use Python or C++ during the internship.
Location: The Jim Henson Company, Los Angeles (Studio City), CA
Stipend: Unpaid; academic credit available
Dates: Internships aligned with academic semesters or terms; dates vary
Application deadline: No fixed deadline; rolling recruitment
Eligibility: Current college students
The Jim Henson Company offers internships across its departments to college students. As an intern, you will explore the behind-the-scenes of a top entertainment studio, gaining real-world experience while working on creative projects across film, TV, and marketing, and connecting with professionals. Depending on your assigned department, you will help with tasks such as content production, research, social channel management, and daily team operations, while learning directly from seasoned professionals. If you join the Feature Films department, you will support the creative development of live-action and animated movies.
Location: EA, Orlando, FL
Stipend: Paid
Dates: 12 weeks in the fall
Application deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: Master's students enrolled in an accredited degree program who are legally authorized to work in the U.S. on a full-time basis; experience with C#, C++, or a similar object-oriented language is required, along with experience debugging applications with Visual Studio.
This hybrid internship places you on EA's Frostbite team, a unit that develops the proprietary Frostbite game engine powering titles from EA SPORTS and Battlefield. You will work directly with software development and quality assurance teams to add or improve functionality in areas such as animation or UI for the Frostbite engine, investigate and fix bugs, and attend team meetings to present your progress. You will report to a Development Director and collaborate with engineers on the team to learn the patterns and designs used in production. The broader intern experience includes onboarding sessions, events, and opportunities to connect with interns across the company.
Location: Blizzard offices in Irvine, CA; Austin, TX; Albany, NY; Boston, MA
Stipend: Paid
Dates: Blizzard Internship Program: 12-week program starting in May/June | Applications open now through January.
MBA Internship Program: 10-week program starting in June. Applications open Oct. – Feb.
Application deadline: Blizzard Internship Program: January | MBA Internship Program: February; applications typically open in September.
Eligibility: Students currently enrolled in higher education and in their penultimate or graduating year of their program (program completion eligibility can differ from role to role)
Blizzard Entertainment offers early-career opportunities for students who want to explore the game development industry. As an intern, you may be involved in different aspects of game creation, from design and engineering to art and production, and get to learn from professionals. The internship experience includes a detailed company orientation, coffee chats with employees, past intern AMAs, speaker series, social events, networking events, and mentorship. You will also get exposure to how the company launches entertainment franchises.
Location: Framestore Studies in New York, NY; Los Angeles, CA; Chicago, IL
Stipend: Paid
Dates: Four months in the summer
Application deadline: Varies by studio
Eligibility: Current college students and recent graduates
Framestore’s Launchpad Internship is a four-month paid opportunity to explore VFX and immersive or motion design. You will join the Compositing, CG, Immersive, or Design department to contribute to advertising projects. You will collaborate with artists and technicians in animation, visual effects, design, and production, while learning how high-end creative content is developed for global audiences. The precise responsibilities vary by role. The experience can help you build professional connections and technical skills.
Location: Various sites around the world, including Industrial Light & Magic (ILM), San Francisco, CA
Stipend: Paid
Dates: Varies by opportunity
Application deadline: Varies by opportunity
Eligibility: Current college students and recent graduates; exact requirements vary by role and location
ILM offers students internships in various departments, from technology to art. As an intern, you will gain exposure to the work of an international visual effects and animation studio. You will collaborate with professionals in art, technology, production, and creative departments, and learn how to contribute to real animation projects. This experience can help you start building a network, explore workplace and studio environments, and build technical skills for your own portfolio. The exact tasks vary by role, and opportunities and role descriptions are posted on the official website periodically.
One other option—the Lumiere Research Scholar Program
If you’re interested in pursuing independent research, consider applying to one of the Lumiere Research Scholar Programs, selective online high school programs for students founded with researchers at Harvard and Oxford. Last year, we had over 4,000 students apply for 500 spots in the program! You can find the application form here, check out students’ reviews of the program here and here.
Also check out the Lumiere Research Inclusion Foundation, a non-profit research program for talented, low-income students. Last year, we had 150 students on full need-based financial aid!
Stephen is one of the founders of Lumiere and a graduate of Harvard College, where he earned an A.B. in Statistics. He founded Lumiere as a PhD student at Harvard Business School. Lumiere is a selective research program where students work 1-1 with a research mentor to develop an independent research paper.