If you’re a high schooler looking to explore subjects beyond the standard school curriculum, graphic design can be an exciting one to consider. This field, a means of visual storytelling, combines the use of art and technology to communicate an idea. A graphic designer typically works with design elements like text, images, and shapes to come up with meaningful messages — making graphic design an indispensable tool for marketing, disseminating information or news, branding, and visualizing data.
As a potential career path, graphic design offers a wide range of possibilities. To explore those opportunities and to build your skills and knowledge in the field, a graphic design internship is a good idea. It will give you hands-on experience, while also exposing you to possible futures in fields such as journalism, advertising, communications, arts, fashion, and more!
Here’s 13 graphic design internships for high school students. Although some of the options listed are not traditional internships, they do offer hands-on experience in the field.
1. Ladder Internships
Location: Virtual
Cost: Starting at $1,990. Financial assistance is available.
Eligibility: Open to all high school students who can work for 10–20 hours per week, for 8–12 weeks. The internships are also open to undergraduates and gap-year students! Application deadline: Multiple deadlines throughout the year.
Program dates: 8-week programs with multiple cohorts throughout the year. The summer cohort deadline is April 14, 2024.
Ladder Internships is a fairly selective program, founded by Harvard alumni. It provides high school students with virtual internship experiences at startups and nonprofits across the world. You can choose the field and industry you wish to work in, based on your interests! For instance, business/marketing and media/journalism internships may offer some hands-on graphic designing experience. You can choose your area of interest while applying here.
You will get to work on a real-world project that is relevant to the organization and will present your work at the end of the internship. What sets Ladder apart is its emphasis on mentorship, giving students the chance to work alongside experienced professionals, engage with cutting-edge research, and contribute to meaningful projects. In addition to working closely with your startup manager, you will be paired with a Ladder Coach, who acts as a second mentor, offering guidance for navigating the startup environment. The experience also involves one-on-one skills training and group training sessions with fellow interns.
2. Design Hive at the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum
Location: Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum, New York, NY
Stipend: $2,000. Which is paid in two $1,000 installments during the program.
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors in NYC are eligible to apply.
Application deadline: There is no information available on this at the moment.
Program dates: The internship typically runs from November to May.
This is a youth-led program that’s worth considering if you are interested in working on a collaborative design project while exploring design objects and processes. At Design Hive, you will also work with professional designers to learn how an initial idea becomes the final design, from brainstorming and ideating to execution. Access to the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum is also offered with the program, so you can engage with the exhibitions, objects, and people. The program is conducted in the form of 2-hour sessions every Tuesday. You can keep an eye on the Design Hive page for application announcements.
3. Smithsonian Science Education Center Internships
Location: Virtual and in-person options (Washington, DC)
Stipend: Students may receive a stipend.
Eligibility: High school students who are at least 16 years old can apply.
Application deadline: March 31, 2024.
Program dates: 10 weeks between May and August, with a flexible schedule for virtual internships.
The Smithsonian Science Education Center (SSEC) works toward improving K-12 education in collaboration with communities across the globe. It offers a range of internship positions in fields like communications, marketing, and public relations to high school students as well as undergraduates and graduates. As an intern, your responsibilities may involve assisting in the development of communications materials for social media. You will get to work on content creation, graphics, videos, brainstorming social media campaigns, and identifying best practices across platforms. You may also assist in communications dissemination, strategy, and asset management. The exact duties, work timings, and requirements vary as per the position. You can check out all the opportunities here. If you want to apply for a graphic designing position, you can request to share a sample of your artwork while applying.
Location: Virtual
Stipend: None
Eligibility: All high school students can apply.
Application deadline: Applications can be submitted throughout the year.
Program dates: The duration and dates vary as per the internship.
Interns 4-Good is a nonprofit organization that offers high school students to work leading nonprofits. The goal is to help high schoolers serve the community and get hands-on work experience. At any point, you will be able to find opportunities in a variety of fields, from social media management to video editing and graphic design. You can select your preferences on the application form here. If you choose a graphic designing opportunity, you may get to work on developing art or ads for publications, flyers, and other promotional materials for the chosen nonprofit. You also get to choose internships as per your schedule and time constraints!
5. Medicine Encompassed (Graphic design team)
Location: Virtual
Stipend: None
Eligibility: All high school students can apply. Graphic design applicants should ideally have experience using design programs (experience with Canva is preferred, but not mandatory) and producing graphics on platforms without templates.
Application deadline: Rolling basis
Program dates: Runs throughout the year
Medicine Encompassed is a student-run nonprofit that aims to spread awareness and enhance accessibility for those interested in careers in medicine. At the moment, high school students can apply for general positions in the organization, and become writers, editors, or resource creators for the organization’s 18 committees. You can even opt for positions in graphic design, sponsorships and partnerships, and marketing and social media teams to contribute toward promoting the mission of Medicine Encompassed. Each committee corresponds to a medical branch, like anatomy, surgery, neurology, and more. Upon becoming members, interns will contribute toward the Medicine Encompassed medical curriculum, so they will work on developing content on various branches of medicine. Each position has its unique requirements. The graphic design position involves producing graphics and designing media/artwork for the organization’s website, blog posts, articles, and social media posts. You will also work closely with the Executive Graphic Designer and Executive Social Media & Marketing Director to create the most appropriate content. You can check the complete position description here.
6. PHC Group’s Mary Miller Summer Program
Location: Virtual
Stipend: This is a paid internship, but information on the exact amount is not available.
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors can apply.
Application deadline: Not specified, but you are urged to apply as soon as possible.
Program dates: Not specified, but the program is usually held in the summer.
PHC Group is an organization that provides public health and management solutions to professional associations, federal systems, and local organizations. Its Mary Miller Summer Program is a paid internship opportunity for rising high school juniors and seniors. As an intern, you will be expected to assist the team with social media-related projects, online community interaction, and technical support. Additionally, you will conduct social marketing research and contribute to improving PHC’s remote collaboration and relationship building. The internship involves creating posts for various social media platforms, giving you a chance to put your graphic designing skills to use. Those with strong technical proficiency in Microsoft Office and quick learners are encouraged to apply.
Location: Virtual
Stipend: Unpaid opportunity
Eligibility: All high school students can apply.
Application deadline: Rolling deadlines, it is recommended that you apply as soon as possible.
Program dates: The internship usually runs for 3 months from June to August, but can be extended.
Building-U is an organization that aims to provide students with a database of free, helpful resources in the form of opportunities, internships, scholarships, contests, and education programs. Currently, Building-U is looking for interns to assist with the administrative and/or business aspects of the organization. Although students can choose from 10 teams, you can opt for the social media content and analytics or animation team to work with graphics. Both roles involve content creation and addressing a specific business need at Building-U. Additionally, you will get to work with other teens and develop teamwork and communication skills. You can send an email to internships@building-U.com to learn more about the opportunity.
8. City of Alameda Internship Program
Location: Santa Clara Avenue, Alameda, CA
Stipend: $16.54/hour
Eligibility: High school students who are at least 16 years old and currently live in Alameda, CA, can apply.
Application deadline: April 30, 2024
Program dates: The internship will probably start in late June but is flexible depending on your availability
The City of Alameda is offering high schoolers in the region a chance to witness first-hand how the city government works. Its Base Reuse & Economic Development Department is currently looking for a Marketing/Graphic Design/Social Media intern. This internship is meant for those interested in graphic design and marketing. So, applicants must have a working knowledge of social media platforms and tools like Canva, Adobe, and Microsoft Word. Interns will be expected to create, design, and edit marketing materials, such as newsletters, brochures, social media posts, and PowerPoint presentations. Interns will also produce high-quality content for newsletters, social media, and marketing campaigns that promote local businesses.
9. Museum of Arts and Design Teen Programs
Location: Museum of Arts and Design (MAD), New York, NY
Stipend: $16 an hour and an unlimited MetroCard for the duration of the internship (Artslife). $200 stipend and weekly unlimited MetroCard (RECESS).
Eligibility: Rising high school sophom*ores and juniors in NYC can apply to Artslife. All students aged 13–18 in NYC can apply to RECESS.
Application deadline: April 7, 2024 (Artslife) | RECESS applications typically close in January.
Program dates: July 9, 2024–August 16, 2024 (Artslife) | February 20–23, 2024 (RECESS I) | April 23–26, 2024 (RECESS II)
Museum of Arts and Design offers two paid art internships to NYC teens, Artslife and RECESS. Artslife is a 6-week program offering a combination of art and design through leadership training, museum studies, and community engagement. Students will be introduced to careers in all museum departments—Curatorial, Education, Development, Communications and Marketing, Visitor Services, Security, and Registrar. The first week of Artslife will revolve around team bonding and an introduction to the museum. The next five weeks focus on collaborative projects (which could involve the creation of artwork and visits to other cultural institutions) with mentors, which include museum staff, local designers, and arts professionals.
RECESS is an intensive 4-day program that involves understanding art and art history and how museums work. RECESS I and II are scheduled during winter and spring breaks of NYC public schools, respectively. Both, Artslife and RECESS, involve developing and leading peer-to-peer tours of the museum. The programs also offer a chance to develop a podcast series! You can check out podcasts developed by MAD interns here.
10. Spikeview High School Internships
Location: Virtual
Stipend: Unpaid internship
Eligibility: All high school students are eligible to apply.
Application deadline: None
Program dates: The internship typically runs in the summer and around the school year.
Spikeview is an online portfolio platform that helps students catalog their skills and experiences and build their profiles. It offers internship opportunities to high school students as well. The internship would be suitable for those who have some experience with social media and have a digital presence. To hone your graphic design skills, you can choose either the Content Creator role or the Social Media Marketer role. Both roles involve developing and posting content and also reaching out to other influencers and creators to help the marketing team. Overall, you will be expected to work just 5–7 hours per week!
11. UCLA Design Media Arts Summer Institute Program
Location: Virtual and in-person (University of California, Los Angeles campus)
Cost: $4,800 (in-person fee; includes housing) | $2,452 (virtual)
Eligibility: All high school students who are at least 15 years old are eligible to apply.
Application deadline: June 1, 2024
Program dates: Session A (In-person) July 7-20, 2024 | Session B (Virtual) July 22, 2024–August 2, 2024
UCLA’s Design Media Arts Program is a two-week learning opportunity. During the program, you will explore different practices and design methods split into four classes. The first would be the 2D Image class, in which you will explore image-making along with typography. The second is called Net, in which you will focus on internet-based art. The third class, called World, focuses on the basics of how games and immersive media are developed and worldbuilding. The final class, called Motion, explores technical and experimental approaches to cinematography, animation, editing, and sound. All four classes are interconnected and will contribute to the creation of an integrated, final, multi-media project. The program follows the same structure for in-person and virtual students. At the end of the program, you may have a portfolio-ready body of work that could be included in college applications.
12. NSLC High School Digital Arts & Design Program
Location: Columbia University, New York, NY
Cost: $4,095
Eligibility: Students between the ages of 14–18 who have completed at least one year of high school can apply.
Application deadline: Rolling basis. The program will continue to accept applications if space is available.
Program dates: You can choose between two summer sessions: June 17–25, 2024 and June 29, 2024–July 7, 2024
The National Student Leadership Conference (NSLC) offers school students pre-college experiences. Its Digital Arts & Design Program enables students to work closely with professionals in the field and explore career options. While applying, you can choose from three tracks: Photography, Animation, or Graphic Design. The Graphic Design track can help you hone your Adobe Photoshop CC, Illustrator CC, and InDesign CC skills. You will get to learn how to manipulate digital images and create vector graphics for logos and brand packages. You will also learn about color and design theory to communicate your message via your digital designs. The program will also cover foundational elements of design, creative workshops, and career exploration.
13. Tufts University Pre-College Program SMFA Graphic Design Bootcamp
Location: Virtual
Cost: $2,000. Need-based financial aid is available.
Eligibility: All high school students are eligible to apply.
Application deadline: May 1, 2024
Program dates: July 29, 2024–August 2, 2024
Tufts University School of the Museum of Fine Arts offers high school students a chance to learn from professional graphic designers through its Graphic Design Bootcamp. The experience involves working with Adobe Creative Cloud software tools and learning about the real-world applications of graphic design. The experience can help you develop the skills to make digital design products like posters, portraits, flyers, social media posts, newsletters, and more. You will work on projects and have 1 or 2 finished pieces of work by the end of the program! You can explore what past participants have created during the program here. This virtual program will be conducted mainly over two platforms: Zoom and Canvas.
Looking for an immersive internship experience?
Check out Ladder Internships!
Ladder Internships is a selective, virtual internship program where students work with startups and nonprofits from around the world! The startups range across a variety of industries. As part of their internship, each student will work on a real-world project that is of genuine need to the startup they are working with, and present their work at the end of their internship. In addition to working closely with their manager from the startup, each intern will also work with a Ladder Coach throughout their internship. Apply now!
Stephen is one of the founders of Ladder Internships and a Harvard College graduate.
