8 of the Best Marketing Internships for High School Students
Doing internships while in high school can be rewarding, in more ways than one. They offer hands-on experience, a chance to build knowledge and skill, and they look great on college applications! If you’re a student keen to explore the world of marketing, communications and/or business, learning while getting practical experience is the perfect way to do that.
With a marketing internship, you’ll sharpen your knowledge and skill in market research, brand strategy, and consumer behavior analysis. You’ll work on real-world projects and learn how to create and implement effective marketing strategies and campaigns, while collaborating with professionals and established industry experts.
This list features 8 compelling marketing internships across the U.S. for high school students, providing aspiring marketing leaders with a platform to explore diverse subjects within the field.
Cost: Starting from $1,990. Financial assistance is available.
Eligibility:
Students who can work for 10–15 hours/week, for 8–12 weeks are welcome to apply.
The program invites applications from high school students, undergraduates, and gap year students.
Application Deadline:
Spring cohort: February 18, 2024
Summer cohort (Early): February 18, 2024
Summer cohort (Regular): April 14, 2024
Program Dates: Multiple cohorts run throughout the year.
Location: Remote! You can work from anywhere in the world.
Ladder Internships, a program tailored for high school students, offers virtual internship opportunities at startups and nonprofits across the world, and across various industries – including marketing. Students will get practical experience in their field of choice, as they get to choose the industry they want to focus on. Students will work on an actual project that’s relevant to the company they’re interning with and engage in real-world research.
During the internship, students will be mentored by their manager at the organization, and by a Ladder coach. The Ladder coach serves as a second mentor, guiding them through their internship and helping them navigate the professional environment. Students also get to participate in 1-on-1 and group training sessions in communication and time management skills, along with other essential skills. In the past, marketing student interns have worked on projects that involved building pitchdecks for apps, identifying target markets, strategic brand positioning and fundraising.
We’ve covered Ladder Internships in depth here!
Cost/Stipend: No cost. Interns receive a stipend of $15.50 - 18 per hour
Eligibility: Students who will be aged 16-19 by June 1, 2024, and are current high school students and/or graduating seniors of the Class of 2024, can apply. Priority is given to juniors and senior-level students. Those applying must have the right to work in the US.
Application Deadline: January 2, 2024.
Program Dates: June 17, 2024 — August 2, 2024
Location: You can intern at a Kaiser Permanente Medical Center or business office closest to where you are. Find a location near you.
This internship program offers practical experience and insight into the healthcare industry, with a specific focus on professional development. The program offers tracks in a number of industries adjacent to or relevant to healthcare, such as account management, sales and marketing, product development and more. Students keen on marketing can choose accordingly! Kaiser Permanente’s positioning as an insurance provider and care delivery organization serves as the backdrop for strategic innovation. Interns will benefit from a comprehensive experience extending beyond practical exposure, with the inclusion of weekly workshops dedicated to professional growth. The program emphasizes mentorship, providing participants with insight into healthcare marketing and shaping a meaningful foundation for their career trajectory.
We’ve covered more about this internship in our guide here!
Cost/Stipend: No cost. Interns are provided a stipend of $1,100
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors based in and around New York City can apply.
Application Deadline: October (year-round internships) | March (summer internships)
Program Dates: January 14, 2024 — June 9, 2024 (year-round) | June 25, 2024 — August 12, 2024 (summer)
Location: The Met Fifth Avenue, New York, NY
The Met annually offers fully-funded internships for high school students passionate about art, design, architecture, and creative expression. As a MET intern, you regularly interact with museum professionals, as well as experts in marketing, scientific research, social media, law, and educational programming.
The Met offers two kinds of internships - one that goes on alongside your school year, and the other that runs exclusively in the summer. These internships immerse students in the realm of art, museums, and creative professions such as marketing. Students will engage with museum experts, and get involved in social media initiatives. You also participate in Career Labs - sessions where you interact and learn from professionals about their work, and experiences, and receive advice. This is a valuable opportunity for students passionate about art and related fields.
Cost/Stipend: No cost. A $500 stipend is offered. For in-person internships, students are expected to manage their own boarding, lodging, and local transportation.
Eligibility: All high school students (grades 9–12) who are US citizens or permanent residents, can apply.
Application Deadline: Applications typically close in May (tentatively based on previous years’ dates).
Program Dates: 6–12 weeks in the summer.
Location: Various locations across the country vary with the internship. Some may be remote.
With an acceptance rate of about less than 5%, Spark SIP is a highly prestigious internship opportunity for high school students. This program offers internships in a range of fields, such as computer science, data science, software engineering and related fields – which include engineering sales and marketing, competitive analysis and market research, social media content generation. Spark SIP allows students to immerse themselves in research opportunities in the field, interact and learn from scholars and leaders, and gain real-world experience through a full-time summer internship program. Students must select 5-6 projects that they’d like to work on, and each project comes with assigned sponsors.
Internship options in 2023 featured focused on Engineering Sales and Marketing. This particular role underscores the program’s commitment to bridging the gap between computer science and practical applications in market research and marketing, offering students a chance to make meaningful contributions in this dynamic intersection. Here’s more on how to successfully intern with Spark SIP!
Stipend/Cost: No cost. Interns may receive a stipend based on academic level and session length.
Eligibility: Internships are available for full-time high school students who meet a minimum 3.0 GPA requirement and are US citizens.
Application Deadline: February 2, 2024 (Summer Internships). The office also offers internships in the fall and spring, deadlines for which are different. Check those out here!
Program Dates: These internships are offered in 3 sessions Summer (10-week program, from late May or early June to August)Fall (16-week program, from late August or early September to mid-December)Spring (16-week program, from mid-January to early May)
Location: These internships are offered across NASA facilities. Students may select roles based in cities they are in.
NASA’s Office of STEM Engagements offers internships for students at all its locations across the country, presenting a prestigious opportunity for high school students to contribute to ongoing projects under the guidance of a NASA mentor. Internships cover a spectrum of subjects, including marketing, business, communication/journalism, graphic design, public relations/advertising, and more.
Currently, NASA is looking for a Social Media Intern who will be responsible for creating, vetting, and monitoring NASA Internships’ social media posts across Facebook, Instagram, and X (formerly Twitter). You can check out a complete list of positions here - you may have to use the “Filter” option to see opportunities only open to high school students. Interning with NASA in marketing and related fields is an experience can significantly enhance a student’s profile!
Cost: No cost to attend, students are paid a $5,000 stipend towards their college tuition. The scholarship will be paid directly to the college/university in equal ($1,250) annual installments.
Eligibility: Students who
- are high school seniors in Burbank or Los Angeles County;- have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 upon graduation;- plan to attend an accredited college or university;- are passionate about a career in the business of media and entertainment;- have effective verbal and written communication skills; can apply.
Application Deadline: February
Program Dates: Variable dates, but will run through college.
Location: Warner Bros. Discovery Studios in Burbank, California
The Warner Bros Reach Honorship Program (Business Track) is for graduating seniors from Burbank or Los Angeles County interested in corporate and administrative roles in the entertainment industry, such as finance, marketing, and communications. This immersive program offers hands-on experience in film and television production, providing a comprehensive view of the creative and business aspects of the industry.
You will work closely with industry professionals, gaining practical insights into the day-to-day operations of a major film and television studio. Depending on the specific interests and the focus of the program, you will assist in creative development, participate in marketing campaigns, or contribute to the production of multimedia content. The program often includes mentorship components, giving students the opportunity to learn from experienced professionals in the field. By the end of the program, you will not only gain valuable industry experience but also cultivate a network of connections and insights that can guide you toward potential future careers.
Cost/Stipend: No cost, and this is an unpaid opportunity.
Eligibility: All high school students can apply. International students can apply too!
Application Deadline: Rolling deadlines, it is recommended that you apply as soon as possible.
Program Dates: Usually 3 months from June to August. If the intern is keen, the internship can be extended!
Location: Virtual
Building-U is an entirely remote non-profit centered around assisting high school students in their journey. The organization is looking for interns to assist in the administrative/business aspect of the organization. This internship position is for three months, and as an intern, you will be required to cover a vast range of duties. Once selected, you join one of their teams – these include marketing, R&D, business development, and others, more details of which you can read about here. Each role offers a range of experiences and responsibilities, and will give you the chance to contribute towards the organization’s larger goals.
Cost/Stipend: No cost, internships are unpaid.
Eligibility: High school students from grades 9–12 are eligible to apply.
Application Deadline: Open throughout the year.
Program Dates: Variable based on the internship selected.
Location: Virtual
Interns4Good offers a broad array of high school internship opportunities at nonprofit organizations, catering to students in grades 9–12. The available positions encompass diverse roles in marketing and outreach, with opportunities both in-house and through partner organizations. The program maintains regular updates to its offerings, spanning various fields like graphic design, social media management, and video editing. Interns actively contribute to the program by submitting weekly reports detailing the hours dedicated to their assignments, ensuring a comprehensive record for future reference. Additionally, they can request verified hour reports, which can be reported to organizations of their choice.
If you’re looking for an incubator program that helps you establish a developed startup in high school, consider the Young Founders Lab!
The Young Founder’s Lab is a real-world start-up bootcamp founded and run by Harvard entrepreneurs. In this program, you will work towards building a revenue-generating start-up that addresses a real-world problem. You will also have the opportunity to be mentored by established entrepreneurs and professionals from Google, Microsoft, and X.
You can access the application link here!
One more option – Lumiere Research Scholar Program
If you are interested in doing university-level research in business and marketing, then you could also consider applying to the Lumiere Research Scholar Program, a selective online high school program for students founded with researchers at Harvard and Oxford. Last year, over 4000 students applied for 500 spots in the program! You can find the application form here. Also check out the Lumiere Research Inclusion Foundation, a non-profit research program for talented, low-income students.
Trisha Malhotra, an Ashoka University alumna, has 5 years of experience being a freelance writer and currently writes for Lumiere Education. She is passionate about music, reading, and Brazilian jiu-jitsu, as well as a devoted cat parent.
Image Source: Ladder Internships logo