15 Fashion & Design Internships for High School Students
- Stephen Turban
- 11 hours ago
- 12 min read
High school internships can be one of the most effective ways to explore potential career paths while developing practical skills. Through internships, you gain exposure to professional environments, build industry knowledge, and start developing connections that can support your future academic and career goals. These experiences can also strengthen your college applications by demonstrating initiative, curiosity, and real-world engagement beyond the classroom.
What are fashion and design internships for high school students? What will I do as an intern?
For students interested in fashion, architecture, design, and creative industries, internships can offer an early look into how design concepts are developed and executed in professional settings. Whether you’re interested in fashion design, architecture, urban design, or construction management, internships allow you to observe how creative ideas translate into real projects. Online internships in particular have become increasingly accessible, allowing you to collaborate with professionals and organizations around the world without needing to relocate.
Why should I participate in a fashion and design internship in high school?
Participating in a fashion or design internship during high school can provide valuable early exposure to creative industries. Unlike classroom learning, internships allow you to observe how professionals approach real design challenges, manage projects, and collaborate with clients and teams.
These experiences also help you develop practical skills, such as proficiency with design software, research methods, presentation techniques, and project management. Many design internships involve creating portfolio pieces, which can be particularly valuable when applying to college programs in architecture, fashion, design, or visual arts.
Finally, internships allow you to network with professionals and mentors who can offer career advice, recommendation letters, and insights into different career paths within the design industry.
How have we shortlisted the best fashion and design internship opportunities for high school students?
In this list, we’ve narrowed down some of the top fashion and design internships for high school students based on the prestige of the host institution, the rigor of the professional experience, and opportunities to network with professionals and mentors in the field. These programs range from architecture internships and design studios to creative industry placements that help you develop portfolio work and real-world skills.
If you're looking for more prestigious internships, check out our other blogs.
Location: Remote
Cost/Stipend: Varies depending on placement; financial aid available
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Selective; cohort size varies by term
Dates: Multiple cohorts offered in spring, summer, fall, and winter
Application Deadline: Varies by cohort — spring (January), summer (May), fall (September), winter (November)
Eligibility: High school students, undergraduates, and gap year students able to commit 8–12 weeks and dedicate 10–20 hours per week
The Ladder Internship Program is a selective virtual internship that connects students with high-growth startups across a range of industries. During the program, you work remotely with a startup team on real projects in fields such as technology, AI and machine learning, health tech, marketing, journalism, consulting, and related areas. Because these companies are often in rapid growth stages, you gain insight into fast-paced startup environments and how early-stage companies develop products, build teams, and scale operations. Throughout the internship, you receive structured mentorship from both a startup manager and a dedicated Ladder coach, who guide your work and help you build professional skills. The program emphasizes independent work, collaboration, and accountability while giving you the opportunity to contribute meaningfully to real projects.
Location: Philadelphia, PA (Urban Outfitters, Inc. Headquarters at the Philadelphia Navy Yard)
Cost/Stipend: Paid internship with competitive hourly compensation
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Selective program
Dates: June 1–August 7
Application Deadline: November 3
Eligibility: Typically open to students interested in retail, fashion, design, merchandising, marketing, and related business functions; check eligibility requirements for your preferred role before applying
The URBN Home Office Internship Program offers a 10-week immersive internship at the headquarters of Urban Outfitters, Inc., the parent company behind brands such as Urban Outfitters, Anthropologie, Free People, and Nuuly. During the program, you work alongside teams within the company’s portfolio of fashion and lifestyle brands while gaining hands-on experience in areas such as merchandising, design, marketing, analytics, and retail operations. You will be embedded within professional teams and contribute to real projects that support ongoing company initiatives. In addition to project work, the program includes a range of professional development opportunities such as leadership sessions, company events, field trips, and networking opportunities with executives and team members across the organization.
Location: London, New York, San Francisco, and Tokyo
Cost: Varies by program; financial aid available
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Selective; limited seats per cohort
Dates: 2-week summer sessions
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions across multiple summer cohorts
Eligibility: High school students aged 15–18
The Immerse Education Fashion and Design Track is part of the Career Insights Program, which allows high school students to explore creative industries in major global fashion and design hubs. Each location offers a slightly different focus depending on the surrounding industry ecosystem. For example, the London track explores fashion heritage and luxury brand management, the New York program focuses on contemporary fashion and retail innovation, the San Francisco track highlights design thinking and creative technology, and the Tokyo program introduces students to avant-garde fashion and global streetwear culture. During the program, you participate in project-based learning experiences while interacting with industry professionals and creative teams. Workshops and site visits may include design studios, fashion companies, and creative agencies, providing insight into how fashion and design businesses operate in major global markets.
Location: New York, NY (Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum)
Cost/Stipend: Paid internship, $2,000
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Selective; application-based program
Dates: Varies by program cycle, December 2–May 19
Application Deadline: Varies annually
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors from NYC
The Design Hive Teen Internship at the Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum provides high school students with the opportunity to explore the design process in a professional museum environment. Through this paid internship program, you work collaboratively with peers while engaging with designers, educators, and museum professionals. The program focuses on helping students understand how designers transform initial ideas into final products. During the internship, you participate in hands-on workshops and collaborative design projects, examining objects from the museum’s collection and exploring the creative processes behind them. Activities may include research, prototyping, and group design challenges that encourage critical thinking and experimentation.
Location: Milwaukee, WI (Milwaukee Art Museum and nearby studio locations)
Cost/Stipend: Paid internship; lunch and transportation (MCTS bus tickets) provided
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Selective; limited participants each summer
Dates: July 7–July 31
Application Deadline: May 22
Eligibility: Students aged 16–18 in grades 11–12 or recent graduates attending a Milwaukee-area high school; check all criteria on the website
The ArtXpress Internship Program at the Milwaukee Art Museum is a paid summer opportunity where high school students collaborate with local artists to create a public mural inspired by works in the museum’s collection. Throughout the program, you explore the museum’s exhibitions and permanent collection to generate ideas and develop a design that addresses a social or community issue relevant to Milwaukee. During the internship, you work closely with professional artists and fellow students to design and produce the mural, gaining hands-on experience with artistic collaboration and public art creation. The final artwork is displayed on a Milwaukee County bus, and the completed project is unveiled during a public Launch Celebration Day hosted by the museum.
Location: New York, NY
Cost/Stipend: $1,100 stipend upon completion
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Selective; small cohort placements across departments
Dates: July 7–August 7
Application Deadline: March 13
Eligibility: Students in grades 10–11 who live and attend school in New York, New Jersey, or Connecticut, and have not completed another internship at the Met; check all criteria on the website
The Met High School Internship Program offers high school students the opportunity to explore careers in the museum and creative industries while gaining professional work experience. During the program, you are placed within a department at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, where you work alongside museum professionals and participate in projects related to curatorial work, education, digital media, design, imaging, or social media. Throughout the internship, you engage in both departmental work and cohort-based programming to develop career readiness skills. Interns participate in professional development sessions, group discussions, and mentorship opportunities with museum staff. These activities allow you to gain a deeper understanding of how museums operate and how different departments collaborate to create exhibitions, educational programs, and digital content.
Location: Boston, MA
Cost/Stipend: Paid internship through the Mayor’s Summer Jobs Program (FutureBOS)
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Selective; placements vary by participating architecture firms
Dates: July 6–August 14
Application Deadline: Applications typically open February 20
Eligibility: Students in grades 9–12 enrolled in Boston Public Schools
The Architecture/Design High School Internship, organized by the Boston Society for Architecture (BSA), provides Boston Public School students with the opportunity to explore architecture through a six-week immersive internship at local architecture firms. You will be placed with professional design teams, where you will gain exposure to real architectural projects and observe how architects collaborate with clients, engineers, and designers. During the program, you work at a host architecture firm Monday through Thursday, gaining insight into daily workflows, design processes, and project development. Firms involved in the program have included Payette, Bergmeyer, Goody Clancy, Finegold Alexander Architects, HMFH Architects, and RODE Architects, giving students exposure to a range of architectural practices and project types.
Location: New York, NY
Cost/Stipend: Paid internship ($16.50 per hour)
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Highly selective; approximately 10 interns per cohort
Dates: Summer session (approximately 6 weeks)
Application Deadline: Varies annually
Eligibility: Rising sophomores and juniors enrolled in New York City public or charter high schools
The Artslife Teen Internship at the Museum of Arts and Design (MAD) is a paid summer program that introduces high school students to careers in museums, art, and design. Over the course of the internship, you gain hands-on experience while learning how different departments collaborate to support exhibitions and public programs. You will work closely with museum professionals and local artists on collaborative projects that explore the intersection of art, design, and community engagement. During the program, you learn about a range of museum careers, including roles in curatorial work, education, communications and marketing, development, visitor services, and collections management. You will also create original artwork in MAD’s artist studios with guidance from practicing artists and designers, allowing you to develop creative skills while exploring professional artistic processes.
Location: Boston, MA
Cost/Stipend: Stipend offered
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Selective; limited cohort
Dates: Approximately six weeks during the summer
Application Deadline: Applications open until April 22
Eligibility: Current high school students who reside in Boston or the Metro North region
The Summer Exploratory Experience in Design (SEED) internship, organized by the Sasaki Foundation, introduces high school students to careers in architecture, landscape architecture, urban planning, and interior design. Over the course of the six-week paid internship, you collaborate with other students and professional designers on a group design project that explores real challenges in the built environment. Throughout the program, you participate in design charrettes, site visits, and collaborative workshops led by professionals from Sasaki and other design organizations. These sessions expose you to the tools and methods designers use to analyze spaces, generate ideas, and develop creative solutions for communities. You also build foundational design skills through activities such as hand sketching, digital drawing, and visual communication exercises.
Location: Chicago, IL
Cost/Stipend: Paid internship ($16.20/hour; approximately $1,174 total before taxes)
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Selective; approximately 18 interns each summer
Dates: 5 weeks, typically July–August
Application Deadline: April 11
Eligibility: Chicago residents aged 16–18 who have completed at least one Marwen course; Social Security number or employment tax ID number required
The Art@Work Creative Career Internship, organized by Marwen, is a five-week paid program that places high school students in arts-related organizations across Chicago. Through the internship, you are matched with a creative workplace—such as a museum, architecture firm, gallery, or arts nonprofit—based on your interests and creative strengths. The program is designed to help students explore career pathways in the arts while gaining practical work experience. During the internship, you spend approximately 12 hours per week working at your placement site, where you contribute to projects and observe how creative professionals operate in real-world environments. Host organizations in past cycles have included institutions such as LBBA Architects, the Intuit Art Museum, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, the Griffin Museum of Science and Industry, and Woman Made Gallery.
Location: Brooklyn, NY
Cost/Stipend: Paid internship ($16.50/hour; up to 120 hours) with MetroCard transportation support
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Selective; limited cohort
Dates: September–June (academic year program)
Application Deadline: Applications typically reopen in June for the following academic year
Eligibility: NYC high school students entering grades 10–12
The Creative Practice Teen Internship at the Brooklyn Museum allows high school students to explore careers in art education, museum work, and creative practice while gaining paid professional experience. During the program, you assist teaching artists and museum educators in facilitating art classes and creative workshops for visitors of different ages and backgrounds. As an intern, you collaborate with other teens from across New York City on projects related to current museum exhibitions and themes such as art, fashion, design, and their connection to social justice. The program emphasizes creative exploration and community engagement, encouraging you to develop artistic responses to cultural and social issues.
Location: Sacramento, CA
Cost/Stipend: $25 daily stipend; college credit (up to 4 units through American River College) covered by the program
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Selective; placements vary by department
Dates: Late May/early June–August (varies by department)
Application Deadline: March 13
Eligibility: High school graduates and college students aged 18+ with an interest in theatre production
The Broadway at Music Circus Internship Program provides hands-on training in professional theatre production, allowing interns to work behind the scenes of large-scale musical productions. Hosted in partnership with American River College, the program allows participants to earn college credit while learning directly from union professionals affiliated with organizations such as IATSE, Actors’ Equity Association, United Scenic Artists, and the American Federation of Musicians. You can specialize in several departments, including stage management, wardrobe, costumes, sound, production center, and wigs/hair/makeup. Depending on the department, responsibilities may include assisting with rehearsals and performances, maintaining costumes and props, preparing backstage materials, supporting technical setups, and helping coordinate production logistics.
Location: Parsons School of Design, New York City (Greenwich Village campus)
Cost: $5,610 tuition + $265 university fees; optional housing $2,180 for three weeks
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Limited seats per course
Dates: Session 1: June 8–June 26 | Session 2: July 6–July 24
Application Deadline: Session 1: May 8 (April 1 for international students) | Session 2: June 1 (April 1 for international students; May 8 for housing applicants)
Eligibility: High school students ages 16–18
The Summer Intensive Studies program at Parsons School of Design offers high school students an immersive introduction to art and design while studying at one of the world's leading design schools. During this three-week program, you take a college-level course taught by Parsons faculty while earning three college credits. The curriculum emphasizes project-based learning that encourages you to explore creative ideas and develop practical design skills. Courses are designed for students preparing to apply to college art and design programs, helping you build portfolio pieces and experience the structure of design education at the university level. In addition to studio coursework, the program includes field trips across New York City, guest lectures from industry professionals, and exposure to the city’s fashion, art, and design communities.
Location: Baltimore, Boston, Detroit, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., and Los Angeles
Cost/Stipend: Paid internship
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Selective; placements at partner cultural institutions
Dates: Summer internship for rising seniors, with additional opportunities during senior year and college for select alumni
Application Deadline: Varies by city and partner program
Eligibility: Rising public high school seniors in participating cities
The Bloomberg Arts Internship (BAI) program provides high school students with paid summer internships at museums, galleries, performing arts organizations, and other cultural institutions. The program is designed to introduce students to careers in the arts and cultural sector while helping them build professional skills and gain meaningful work experience. During the internship, you work at a partner cultural organization where you may assist with projects related to education programming, exhibitions, communications, community outreach, or digital media. In addition to the workplace placement, participants take part in professional development activities designed to strengthen work-readiness skills, college preparation, and career exploration.
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: Unpaid
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Open application; roles vary by department
Dates: Year-round participation
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions
Eligibility: Open to all high school students; graphic design applicants should ideally have experience with design tools (Canva preferred but not required)
The Medicine Encompassed Graphic Design Internship allows high school students to contribute to a student-run nonprofit focused on increasing awareness and accessibility for careers in medicine. While the organization primarily develops educational resources on medical topics, the design team plays an important role in communicating them through visual media. As a graphic design intern, you help create visual content for the organization’s website, blog posts, educational materials, and social media platforms. Responsibilities may include designing graphics, illustrations, and digital media that support articles or curriculum materials about different areas of medicine, such as anatomy, surgery, or neurology.
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.
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