15 Media Internships for College Students
- Stephen Turban
- 1 hour ago
- 10 min read
Internships are one of the most effective ways for college students to bridge the gap between academic learning and real‑world application. For students interested in media careers, practical experience is especially valuable. Media internships for college students offer hands‑on exposure to professional workflows, industry tools, and workplace expectations. In addition to developing technical skills, media internships for college students offer opportunities to build professional networks and explore different roles in journalism, digital media, broadcasting, and communications.
To help students evaluate their options, we’ve narrowed down a list of 15 media internships for college students based on prestige, the rigor of the professional experience, and opportunities to network.
Why should I do a media internship in college?
A media internship during college can significantly help students build practical skills and develop a professional portfolio. Many media internships for college students provide mentorship, allowing students to learn directly from professionals in journalism, communications, and digital media. They often provide opportunities to collaborate, attend workshops, and contribute to real projects. These experiences can also strengthen graduate school applications by demonstrating initiative, research ability, and commitment to the field.
15 Media Internships for College Students
Location: Remote
Cost: Varies by program type | Financial aid available
Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year, including Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter
Application Deadline: Varies by cohort: Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September), and Winter (November)
Eligibility: Students who can work for 10–20 hours/week, for 8–12 weeks | Open to high schoolers, undergraduates, and gap-year students
The Ladder University Internship Program is an eight-week virtual program in which you work on project-based assignments with startups and established companies. Throughout the internship, you complete structured tasks under the guidance of professionals with experience in business, consulting, and technology. You build practical skills in problem-solving, research, and project management while gaining insight into how early-stage and growing companies operate. You meet regularly with a supervisor and a coach who review your progress and provide feedback on your work. By the end of the program, you will complete a final project and present your findings, which you can add to your resume or portfolio.
Location: Multiple FOX sites (Charlotte, NC; Chicago, IL; Dallas, TX; Los Angeles, CA; New York, NY; Tempe, AZ; Washington DC)
Cost/Stipend: Paid (amounts vary by role/location, e.g., $20/hr in some postings)
Dates: Fall Term: September–November | Spring Term: February–April | Summer Term: June–August
Application Deadline: Fall Term: Mid-May–Mid-July | Spring Term: Late September–Late November | Summer Term: Mid-October–Mid-February
Eligibility: Actively enrolled sophomore, undergraduate/graduate student in an accredited college/university during the program | Available full term | Own housing/transportation
You apply through the internship portal, where you can explore roles in areas such as production, editorial, art and design, technology, research and analytics, corporate functions, communications, and marketing across various FOX brands in news, sports, and entertainment. During the program, your schedule varies by season: you may work up to 40 hours per week over 4–5 days in the summer, or up to 24 hours per week over 2–3 days in the fall or spring, typically for 8–10 weeks. You also attend Master Classes featuring presentations, panel discussions, and training sessions focused on the company, the industry, and relevant tools and software. You also take part in professional development activities and have opportunities to connect with other interns and employees. Throughout the internship, you contribute to projects within your department, gaining experience with day-to-day responsibilities and workflows.
Location: Various AP newsroom locations worldwide
Cost/Stipend: Paid internships
Dates: Summer | Exact dates vary
Application Deadline: Applications open in the fall/winter
Eligibility: U.S. and international students who are college upperclassmen, graduate students, or recent graduates
As an intern at AP, you gain experience working within a global news organization and collaborate with professional journalists. You contribute to ongoing coverage, developing skills in gathering information, writing on deadline, and working across both digital and print formats. During the internship, you learn how to evaluate the news value of stories, make decisions about placement, and verify information for accuracy. You also have opportunities to connect with reporters and editors, allowing you to observe their workflows and learn from their experience.
Location: DJNF partner news organizations around the U.S.
Cost/Stipend: Weekly salary starting at $525
Dates: 10–12 weeks in the summer
Application Deadline: November 5
Eligibility: College sophomores, juniors, seniors, and graduate students enrolled in school full-time as of the application deadline date | Limited to 100 college students
Through the DJNF internship program, you are placed in a newsroom where you report while receiving guidance from mentors. The program begins with a week of training, after which you transition to your assigned role at a partner news organization. You work with outlets such as the New York Times, Insider, the Wall Street Journal, and the San Francisco Chronicle, with placements available across different coverage areas. During the internship, you develop your writing and reporting skills, learn how to produce publishable work, and gain a clearer understanding of newsroom processes. You also have opportunities to connect with editors and mentors who can offer feedback and advice on your progress. Roles are typically available in areas such as digital media, business reporting, editing, audience engagement, and data journalism.
Location: Young America’s Foundation, Washington, DC
Cost/Stipend: $1,500 monthly stipend (tax-free) | 20 paid housing scholarships available
Dates: January 12–April 3(Spring) | May 26 – August 15 (Summer)
Application Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: College students and aspiring journalists interested in print, broadcast, or digital media
You are placed in a newsroom such as The Hill, The Federalist, or the Washington Examiner, with assignments based on your interests. During the week, you work in person on newsroom tasks, gaining experience with reporting and content production. From Monday through Thursday, you focus on your responsibilities at your assigned outlet, and on Fridays, you attend off-the-record briefings at YAF Headquarters with journalists and subject matter experts. The program also includes on-the-job training, weekly seminars, and guidance on longer-term or investigative projects. Over the course of the internship, you may have the opportunity to earn bylines or contribute to broadcast or podcast content, depending on your placement. Eligible participants can receive housing support through a scholarship program.
Location: Boston Globe Media, Boston, MA
Cost/Stipend: $15/hour (paid weekly); union membership
Dates: January–June | July – December (6 months)
Application Deadline: October 15 (January–June Co-op) | March 1 (July–December Co-op)
Eligibility: Full-time undergraduate students with a minimum of one-semester remaining | Minimum GPA of 3.0 | Available full-time 37.5 hours/week
For the Boston Globe Media Co-op Program, you complete an application form and submit it along with your resume and work samples via email. If selected, you are placed in an entry-level role on either the editorial or business side of the organization, where you take on day-to-day responsibilities. You work full-time, typically 37.5 hours per week, over a six-month period. During this time, you become familiar with newsroom operations and workplace processes while developing practical skills relevant to your role. The program also allows you to build professional connections and gain experience that can be applied to future opportunities. As a participant, you are also affiliated with the Boston Newspaper Guild.
Location: Reuters bureaus (global, including U.S.)
Cost/Stipend: Competitively paid
Dates: Typically 12 weeks
Application Deadline: Applications open in November
Eligibility: College students, recent graduates, and early-career journalists interested in reporting, production, photojournalism, video, or data journalism
You work with journalists at a multimedia news agency, contributing to coverage of both breaking news and longer-form stories across different topics and formats. Your role involves supporting reporting efforts and adapting your work for audiences across various platforms. During the internship, you develop your skills by working in a professional newsroom environment and learning how stories are produced from start to finish. It thus helps you build a foundation in journalism and understand the expectations of global news organizations. Over time, you gain experience that can support future opportunities in the field, including potential roles within the organization.
Location: ESPN, Bristol, CT
Cost/Stipend: Not specified
Dates: June 8 – August 14
Application Deadline: February 4
Eligibility: College juniors, seniors, and graduate students (18+) enrolled at an accredited college or university and taking at least one class at the time of application, or participating in the Disney College Program or a Disney Internship
The ESPN and AAJA Sports Task Force Internship places you on a production team that supports content creation across ESPN’s television shows, live events, and digital and social media platforms. As a Production Intern, you assist with the development and production of video content for a range of ESPN properties and contribute to projects across social and digital platforms. The role also provides exposure to responsibilities similar to a Production Assistant within ESPN NEXT. Your work may involve supporting studio programs such as SportsCenter, First Take, Get Up, and NFL Live, both domestically and internationally. You may also pitch content ideas, assist with audience engagement efforts, edit video materials, and observe different production teams to understand how sports storytelling and content creation are carried out across the organization.
Location: The Washington Post Newsroom, Washington, D.C.
Cost/Stipend: $1,021.15/week
Dates: June 8 – August 14
Application Deadline: October 3
Eligibility: College juniors, seniors, and graduate students enrolled in a degree program by the application deadline date | Applicants who have had at least one previous professional news media job or internship are preferred
The Washington Post newsroom internship places you in a working newsroom, where you take part in daily editorial operations. You work on-site throughout the program and follow a schedule similar to that of full-time staff. During the internship, you contribute by writing articles, editing content, and assisting with audio or design-related projects. If you are interested in the business side of journalism, you may also work on tasks related to data analysis or audience strategy. You can indicate your areas of interest in advance, including roles such as photography, data reporting, graphics, development, audio production, videography, copy editing, digital design, or opinion writing, and your assignments may reflect these preferences.
Location: The Minnesota Star Tribune newsroom, Minneapolis, MN
Cost/Stipend: Paid
Dates: 10 weeks in the summer
Application Deadline: Typically fall (varies by role)
Eligibility: College juniors, seniors, graduate students, and recent graduates with journalism experience preferred
Through this internship, you work in a Minnesota daily newsroom, gaining hands-on experience in journalism over the summer. You are paired with a mentor and supervisor, and you also have access to guidance from senior writers and editors who lead sessions aimed at developing your reporting and editorial skills. Depending on your interests, you may take on tasks in reporting, editing, multimedia, or digital production. The program allows you to contribute to day-to-day newsroom work, observe professional workflows, and develop a better understanding of how a newsroom operates.
Location: The New York Times Headquarters, New York, NY
Cost/Stipend: Paid internship
Dates: Approximately 10 weeks in summer
Application Deadline: November 3
Eligibility: Students in degree-seeking programs, students from non-conventional backgrounds such as boot camps and associate programs, and recent graduates
The New York Times Summer Internship Program places you on a team for 10 weeks, where you gain experience working on projects in areas such as Technology, Product & Design, Data, Marketing, or Advertising. You contribute to ongoing work that supports the organization’s operations and content delivery. During the program, you participate in professional development sessions, attend talks with senior editors and executives, and take part in workshops focused on digital journalism and media innovation. The internship offers an opportunity to understand how storytelling, technology, and strategy intersect in a modern media environment.
Location: Multiple host publications across the U.S.
Cost | Stipend: None | $6,000 stipend
Dates: 10 weeks during the summer
Application Deadline: February 1
Eligibility: Current undergraduate students | Limited to 10 interns
The Intercollegiate Studies Institute’s Collegiate Network Journalism Internship Program places you in media organizations where you can gain practical experience in journalism. Internship assignments are selected based on your skills, interests, and professional goals in media. You receive training and hands-on experience in writing, editing, reporting, and basic multimedia storytelling. During your placement, you work in newsroom environments alongside practicing journalists, learning how stories are developed and produced under deadline conditions. You build skills in researching and reporting accurately, writing clearly, and working within editorial timelines. The program also gives you exposure to newsroom processes and helps you become familiar with the professional standards used in journalism and media production.
Location: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City
Cost/Stipend: $24/hour plus $1,500 housing/travel stipend for full-time MuSe interns
Dates: June 2–August 7
Application Deadline: January 14
Eligibility: Current undergraduate sophomores, juniors, and seniors | Graduate students or recent graduates | PhD students who have not yet achieved candidacy
The Met’s Museum Seminar (MuSe) Internship Program provides an opportunity to learn how a major museum operates. Over 10 weeks, you work with staff across Curatorial, Education, Conservation, Digital Media, and Administration, contributing to ongoing projects and daily tasks. You also take part in weekly seminars, professional development workshops, and networking events with museum professionals. The program offers both full- and part-time schedules, allowing flexibility while giving practical experience in museum and arts-related work.
Location: Northern California Public Media, Rohnert Park, CA
Cost/Stipend: Paid
Dates: Spring, summer, and fall internships available | Exact dates vary
Application Deadline: Rolling review
Eligibility: Students enrolled in high school, accredited higher education institutions, and universities, and recent graduates
An internship at NorCal Public Media allows you to gain experience in journalism and digital media with a focus on environmental reporting. You work within a specific department, contributing to media projects that are published online and prepared for radio or television broadcast. Roles are available across areas such as the news department and the environmental reporting unit. Your responsibilities depend on your assignment but generally include researching stories, recording and editing audio, interviewing sources, compiling materials for web reports, working on field recordings, and covering events. Throughout the internship, you receive guidance from journalists, multimedia producers, and digital media professionals, providing insight into newsroom workflows and media production.
Location: JPL, Harrisburg, PA
Cost/Stipend: Paid
Dates: Summer (tentatively)
Application Deadline: Varies
Eligibility: College students (implied via tracks and client work)
In this paid media and analytics internship at JPL, you work with media buyers, SEO specialists, and analytics professionals to provide data-driven insights for active campaigns. From the start, you contribute directly to client projects and take ownership of meaningful tasks. You lead a project for a nonprofit organization, applying analytical and strategic skills to support real-world goals. Throughout the internship, you collaborate with team members in a hybrid environment at the company headquarters. The program allows you to build a portfolio through hands-on projects while exploring different roles in paid media and analytics.
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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