If you enjoy exploring history, literature, philosophy, culture, politics, or the social sciences, humanities internships for high school students can help you discover how these subjects extend beyond the classroom. Textbooks introduce important ideas and events, but internships provide a closer look at the work scholars, researchers, writers, archivists, and policy professionals do every day.

You might help preserve historical records, support research projects, contribute to cultural initiatives, or work alongside professionals at museums, libraries, nonprofits, and academic institutions. These experiences allow you to engage with real-world issues while strengthening your communication, research, and critical-thinking skills.

An internship can also provide a practical foundation for your academic journey by showing how a subject operates in a professional setting. Whether your interests lie in public policy, history, literature, ethics, journalism, or cultural studies, the experience can clarify your goals and strengthen your academic profile.

How do you choose the right humanities internships for high school students?

Finding the right humanities internship can feel challenging. Some opportunities offer limited responsibilities, while others provide direct involvement in research, public engagement, writing, or archival work. Understanding what you hope to gain from the experience can help narrow your options.

Many universities, museums, cultural organizations, libraries, and nonprofits offer internships designed specifically for high school students. Depending on the program, you may conduct research, analyze historical sources, support community projects, develop writing skills, or learn about public humanities work. 

To make your search easier, we’ve compiled a list of 15 Humanities Internships for High School Students. 

For adjacent opportunities, you can consider history summer programs, art summer programs, and philosophy summer programs.

Key takeaways

• Stanford’s SHTEM Summer Internship admits approximately 63 students and charges a $95 application fee, but is restricted to US citizens or permanent residents.
• Immerse Education’s Academic Insights Programme spans eight global locations, including Boston, Cambridge, London, and Tokyo, with small classes of seven to 10 students open to students worldwide aged 13 to 18.
• The Library of Congress High School Work Study Program pays $16.79 per hour and can run for nearly a full year, but requires living within a 45-minute commute of Washington, DC.
• The Met Summer Internship pays $1,100 to fewer than 5% of applicants, drawing roughly 36 students annually from New York, New Jersey, or Connecticut.
• The Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage Internship is one of the few humanities internships open to international students, though it is unpaid unless otherwise noted for a specific project.
• The Smithsonian’s Young Ambassadors Program pays a $1,350 stipend and combines a week-long Washington, DC seminar with a four-week internship placed in the participant’s own local community.
• The Bloomberg Arts Internship in Philadelphia pays $20 or more per hour and combines a paid arts placement with intensive college and career readiness training.
• Nearly every humanities internship in this list restricts eligibility to US citizens or specific regional residents, with the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Immerse Education’s Academic Insights Programme standing out as the primary options open internationally.

15 Humanities Internships for High School Students 

1. Stanford SHTEM (Science, Humanities, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) Summer Internship

Location: Stanford Compression Forum, Stanford University, Stanford, CA
Stipend: $95 application fee / No stipend
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective; ~63 students
Dates: June 22nd – August 14th
Application Deadline: February 1st
Eligibility: Current high school juniors and seniors who are at least 14 years old by June 21st; U.S. citizens or permanent residents; not open to international students

The Stanford SHTEM Summer Internship introduces you to interdisciplinary research that connects STEM fields with the humanities. Working in small teams, you’ll contribute to research projects under the guidance of Stanford faculty, staff, and student mentors.

You may draw project topics from areas such as communication, linguistics, psychology, philosophy, design, engineering, and computer science. You spend most of your time engaged in active research and collaborative problem-solving. The experience is designed to show how technical and human-centered disciplines intersect in real-world inquiry.

Why it stands out: Few high school research programs place such a strong emphasis on the relationship between STEM and the humanities while offering direct exposure to interdisciplinary research at Stanford.

2. Immerse Education’s Fine & Digital Art Summer School

Location: University College London, London, UK
Cost/Stipend: Varies according to program; summer school scholarship available through our bursary programme
Dates: 2 weeks during the summer
Application Deadline: Multiple summer cohorts with rolling admissions
Eligibility: High school students worldwide aged 15-18

The Fine & Digital Art Summer School by Immerse Education is designed for students who want structured exposure to both traditional studio practice and contemporary digital creation before pursuing higher education in the arts. You explore drawing, painting, sculpture, and mixed media alongside digital art tools and software, building technical skills and visual thinking through studio sessions, art history discussions, and computer-based projects.

Guided by professional artists, the program combines individual mentorship, portfolio development, and expert critique to help you refine your artistic voice. Through its Career Insights Pathway, you also engage in workshops and exhibition visits that introduce you to the professional landscape of fine and digital art, offering a clearer understanding of creative career pathways.

Why it stands out: A balanced program that integrates classical fine art training with digital practice and portfolio-focused mentorship.

3. Library of Congress High School Work Study Program

Location: Library of Congress, Washington, DC
Stipend: $16.79 per hour
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; cohort size not specified
Dates: Up to one year; schedule aligns with the public high school academic calendar and may continue through June 30th of a student’s graduation year
Application Deadline: April 23rd
Eligibility: U.S. citizens who are at least 16 years old and enrolled as juniors or seniors at a local high school within a 45-minute commute of the Library of Congress; not open to international students

The Library of Congress High School Work Study Program is one of the paid humanities internships for high school students that combines employment with career development in the nation’s largest library. You’ll work alongside Library staff while gaining experience in a professional federal workplace. The programme blends on-the-job training with mentoring and career guidance, helping you build workplace skills that extend beyond the classroom.

During the school year, you follow a part-time schedule that allows you to balance academics and work responsibilities. Along the way, you gain exposure to how one of the world’s most important cultural and research institutions operates behind the scenes.

Why it stands out: You earn a federal salary while working inside the Library of Congress, giving you early exposure to public service, cultural preservation, and professional workplace practices.

4. The Met Summer Internship for High School Students

Location: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Stipend: $1,100
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly competitive (<5%); approximately 36 students per year
Dates: July 7th – August 7th
Application Deadline: March 13th
Eligibility: Students in grades 10 and 11 who reside in and attend a high school or homeschool in New York, New Jersey, or Connecticut; not open to international students

The Met Summer Internship stands out among the many humanities internships for high school students by introducing you to the inner workings of one of the world’s leading museums. Through departmental placements, you’ll work with professionals in areas such as curatorial affairs, education, design, social media, and imaging.

The programme combines hands-on work experience with cohort meetings, mentorship, and career-readiness activities. You’ll also participate in Teen Fridays and other group events that connect interns across departments. No prior background in art history is required, making the experience accessible to students with a wide range of interests. 

Why it stands out: You get paid to explore museum careers while working directly with professionals across multiple creative and humanities-focused fields.

5. Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage Internship

Location: Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage, Washington, DC (some opportunities may be virtual or hybrid)
Stipend: Unpaid, unless specifically noted for a distinct project
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive; over 100 interns accepted annually across all Center activities
Dates: Offered year-round (durations range from six weeks to one year)
Application Deadline: March 1st for summer; rolling for fall, winter, and spring (must apply six weeks before your intended start date)
Eligibility: High school students, undergraduate students, graduate students, recent graduates, working professionals, and career changers; open to international students

The Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage Internship lets you explore the humanities through projects focused on culture, history, music, language, and community traditions. Depending on your placement, you may contribute to research, archives, educational outreach, digital storytelling, museum programs, or the Smithsonian Folklife Festival.

You’ll work alongside professional staff while learning how cultural institutions document and share human experiences. Whether your interests lie in anthropology, folklore, public history, or cultural preservation, you’ll gain practical experience in a field with public engagement.

Why it stands out: You can work on real cultural heritage projects at the Smithsonian while studying how traditions, stories, and communities are preserved and shared with the public.

6. Smithsonian National Museum of the American Latino – Young Ambassadors Program (YAP)

Location: Washington, D.C., followed by a placement in the participant’s local community
Stipend: $1,350
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly competitive; up to 24 participants
Dates: Typically late June to early August, based on prior cycles
Application Deadline: April 24th
Eligibility: Rising high school seniors enrolled in an accredited high school for fall and on track to graduate in the next year; authorised to work in the U.S.; minimum cumulative 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale; fluent in English; not open to international students

In this program, you begin with a week-long training seminar at the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C., followed by a four-week internship at a cultural institution in your local community. Immersed in the humanities, you explore Latino history, arts, and culture through guided museum tours, expert-led workshops, and direct interactions with prominent scholars.

During the localized internship phase, you take on practical workplace responsibilities like archiving historical documents, developing educational programming, or assisting with community outreach initiatives. You utilize collections management frameworks and digital storytelling tools to preserve and promote underrepresented narratives. By contributing to real-world museum operations, you build professional communication skills and a deep understanding of cultural preservation. 

Why it stands out: It combines an intensive national training seminar at the Smithsonian with a community-based local internship, bridging federal museum practices with grassroots cultural preservation.

7. National Archives Volunteer Program

Location: National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), Washington, DC, and other National Archives facilities nationwide
Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; typically 70-100 interns nationwide across all educational levels
Dates: Spring: Late January or early February to April; Summer: Late May or early June to August; Fall: September to late November or early December
Application Deadline: Spring: Mid-November; Summer: Mid-to-late March; Fall: Mid-July
Eligibility: Current high school students who are at least 16 years old, although some specific roles require applicants to be 18; undergraduates, graduates, and recent graduates within two years of graduation; must pass a background check; not open to international students

The National Archives Volunteer Program gives you the chance to contribute to the preservation and accessibility of historical records. Depending on your assignment, you may assist with archival projects, digitization efforts, research support, educational programs, or public engagement initiatives. You’ll work with documents, photographs, and materials that help tell the story of the United States.

Through this structured workplace immersion, you build tangible career skills in records management and historical preservation. The experience offers a practical introduction to archives, history, and cultural preservation while allowing you to support the work of professional archivists. 

Why it stands out: You can work directly with historical records and help make important archival materials more accessible to researchers and the public.

8. Youth Insights Leaders

Location: Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, NY
Stipend: Paid; exact amount not specified
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; approximately 10-15 students
Dates: YI Leaders: School year (year-long); YI Artists: Fall or spring (one school semester); YI Arts Careers: Summer; YI Introductions: Summer
Application Deadline: Summer programmes (Arts Careers & Introductions): May 29th; Fall/Spring programmes (Artists & Leaders): Vary, but typically late summer for fall programmes and January for spring programmes
Eligibility: New York City high school students in grades 11-12 who have completed at least one semester of Whitney’s Youth Insights Artists or Youth Insights Arts Careers programme; not open to international students

Youth Insights Leaders allows you to work inside a museum education department while helping shape programs for other young people. As a paid intern, you’ll organize public events, collaborate with artists, lead interactive tours, and support family and community programs.

The role also introduces you to museum education through hands-on projects tied to the Whitney’s exhibitions and collection. Along the way, you’ll connect with teen programs across New York City and gain experience in public engagement. The year-long format allows you to take on meaningful responsibilities while developing leadership and communication skills.

Why it stands out: You help design and deliver programs while serving as a youth ambassador for one of the country’s leading contemporary art museums.

9. New York Historical Society – Student Historian Internship Program

Location: New-York Historical Society, New York, NY
Stipend: $1,200
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly competitive; 25 students per cohort
Dates: Academic Year Cohort: October 28th – June 16th; Summer Cohort: July 7th – August 13th
Application Deadline: August 23rd
Eligibility: Students entering grades 10, 11, or 12 who live and attend school in the New York City metro area, including parts of New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut; valid employment certificate (working papers) required; not open to international students

The Student Historian Internship Program allows you to investigate history through the collections and exhibitions of New-York Historical. You’ll work with museum staff, analyze primary sources, and explore how historians and curators interpret the past. The program includes workshops on historical research, public speaking, and digital media, helping you build skills that extend beyond the classroom.

You’ll also collaborate with fellow interns on projects that connect historical topics to contemporary issues. Through this hands-on work, you build practical digital media competencies while deepening your understanding of archival workflows and professional museum operations.

Why it stands out: You learn history by working directly with museum collections and primary sources while developing research and public presentation skills.

10. Brooklyn Museum – Museum Apprentice Program

Location: Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn, NY
Stipend: $16.50 per hour for first-year apprentices and $17.50 per hour for returning apprentices
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; cohort size not specified
Dates: November – August
Application Deadline: Late September
Eligibility: NYC high school students between the ages of 14 and 19; not open to international students

The Museum Apprentice Program lets you step into the role of a museum educator while exploring art, art history, and public engagement. Guided by museum educators and curators, you’ll learn how exhibitions are interpreted for different audiences and develop lesson plans based on works in the collection.

The program includes training in teaching strategies, opportunities to assist with family programs, and experience leading tours for summer camp groups. You’ll meet artists and museum professionals while building research, communication, and public speaking skills. 

Why it stands out: You do more than study art. You learn how to teach it, gaining real experience as a museum educator while working with visitors of all ages.

11. Project Write Now Teen Internship Program

Location: Project Write Now, Red Bank, NJ (virtual and in-person opportunities available)
Cost/Stipend: $75 registration fee / No stipend
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; Teaching Assistant: 8 students; Editorial Assistant: 10 students; The Interview Project: 8 students
Dates: Virtual training takes place in July; internship activities continue throughout the summer
Application Deadline: First-come, first-served basis
Eligibility: Students ages 15-18; Teaching Assistant and Interview Project interns must live locally in Monmouth County, New Jersey, because those roles include in-person components; partially open to international students through virtual tracks

The Project Write Now Teen Internship Program is one of the humanities internships for high school students offering hands-on experience in writing, publishing, education, and journalism. You can choose from three tracks that reflect different aspects of the literary world.

As a Teaching Assistant, you’ll help lead writing activities for younger students. Editorial Assistants create content for blogs, social media, and the organization’s literary magazine, Bridge Ink. If storytelling interests you, The Interview Project teaches interviewing techniques and narrative writing through real community stories. Each track begins with professional training before you take on project-based responsibilities.

Why it stands out: You can explore journalism, publishing, or teaching while building a portfolio of work that extends beyond a traditional classroom setting.

12. Missouri Historical Society – Teens Make History

Location: Missouri History Museum, St. Louis, MO
Stipend: $150
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; typically small, team-based groups
Dates: September – May
Application Deadline: Mid-May
Eligibility: High school students in the St. Louis area; not open to international students

Teens Make History invites you to explore local history through theater, storytelling, and original research. Working with museum staff and teaching artists, you’ll investigate historical topics, examine primary sources, and transform your findings into performances for public audiences. The program emphasizes collaboration, helping you develop skills in writing, public speaking, and historical interpretation.

This foundational workshop strengthens your collaborative and communication abilities while qualifying you for a paid, long-term museum apprenticeship extending until your high school graduation. As the year progresses, you’ll contribute to the creation of original productions that connect the past with issues that still matter today. 

Why it stands out: Instead of simply studying history, you bring it to life through original performances developed from your own research and creative work.

13. Bloomberg Arts Internship (BAI)

Location: Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance, Philadelphia, PA
Stipend: $20+ per hour
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive; cohort size not specified
Dates: Summer: June 19th – August 14th; School Year: Mid-September – May
Application Deadline: Summer Programme: February 27th; School Year Programme: Invitation only for summer alumni
Eligibility: Rising high school seniors who are at least 16 years old and attend a participating Philadelphia public high school; not open to international students

The Bloomberg Arts Internship places you at a Philadelphia arts and culture organization for a summer of paid, hands-on work. It provides students with real-world work experience in the cultural sector alongside intensive college and career readiness training. 

You’ll contribute to real projects while learning how museums, theaters, community arts groups, and other cultural institutions operate. Alongside your placement, you’ll take part in professional development sessions focused on public speaking, self-advocacy, career readiness, and personal growth. The program also includes cultural immersion experiences that help you engage with Philadelphia’s creative sector more deeply. 

Why it stands out: You receive paid professional experience while exploring Philadelphia’s arts community through both workplace learning and structured career development.

14. The Noguchi Museum – Teen Advisory Board (TAB)

Location: The Noguchi Museum, Long Island City, NY
Stipend: $750
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive; up to 15 students
Dates: November 5th – May 6th
Application Deadline: Mid-to-late October annually
Eligibility: New York City high school students; not open to international students

The Teen Advisory Board gives you a voice in shaping how a museum connects with young audiences. You engage in behind-the-scenes conversations with museum staff, exploring different departments and the responsibilities of preserving cultural heritage.

Throughout the school year, you’ll collaborate with fellow students to design projects, develop public programs, and advise museum staff on teen engagement. The experience includes discussions, workshops, field trips, and behind-the-scenes access to museum departments. As you explore the work of artist Isamu Noguchi, you’ll also learn how cultural institutions serve their communities. 

Why it stands out: Rather than simply participating in museum programs, you help create them and influence how the museum engages future teen visitors.

15. Asian Art Museum – Art Speak Internship Program

Location: Asian Art Museum, San Francisco, CA
Stipend: Typically $300
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive; cohort size not specified
Dates: Summer Session: June 15th – August 16th; Academic Year Session: September 7th – May 31st
Application Deadline: March 1st
Eligibility: Bay Area public high school students in grades 9-12; not open to international students

The Art Speak Internship Program invites you to explore Asian art and culture while taking on an active role within a museum community. It is designed to give public high school students hands-on experience working in a major cultural institution while exploring Asian art, social justice, and career paths in the arts.

You’ll collaborate with local artists and arts organizations, learn about cultural traditions, and participate in conversations with museum professionals about careers in the arts. A key part of the experience involves designing hands-on art activities and leading them for visitors during public museum programs. Along the way, you’ll strengthen leadership, communication, and creative-thinking skills. 

Why it stands out: You move beyond learning about art by creating educational experiences and sharing them directly with museum visitors.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are humanities internships for high school students open to international students?

Most humanities internships restrict eligibility to US citizens or permanent residents, including the Met Summer Internship, the Library of Congress Work Study Program, and Youth Insights Leaders at the Whitney. A few exceptions exist: the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage Internship is explicitly open to international students, and the Project Write Now Teen Internship Program offers partially open virtual tracks. Immerse Education’s Academic Insights Programme is also open worldwide to students aged 13 to 18 across eight global locations.

Do humanities internships for high school students pay a stipend?

Many do, though amounts and structures vary widely. The Library of Congress pays $16.79 per hour, the Smithsonian’s Young Ambassadors Program pays $1,350, and the Bloomberg Arts Internship in Philadelphia pays $20 or more per hour. Some programs, like the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and the National Archives Volunteer Program, are unpaid, since they’re structured more around mentorship and skill-building than paid employment. Always confirm a program’s payment structure directly, since “stipend” amounts are sometimes undisclosed until you apply.

What is the difference between a museum internship and an archival internship in the humanities?

Museum internships, like the Met Summer Internship or the Brooklyn Museum’s Apprentice Program, place you in visitor-facing roles involving education, tours, and public programming alongside curatorial exposure. Archival internships, like the National Archives Volunteer Program, instead focus on preserving and digitizing historical records, with less public interaction and more hands-on work with primary source materials. If you’re drawn to teaching and public engagement, a museum role fits better; if you prefer research and preservation work, an archival placement is the stronger match.

How competitive are humanities internships for high school students?

Selectivity varies considerably. The Met Summer Internship accepts fewer than 5% of applicants, and Stanford’s SHTEM program admits around 63 students from a large national pool. Community-based programs, like Project Write Now or the National Archives Volunteer Program, tend to have somewhat more available spots since they aren’t limited to a single prestigious institution. Regardless of selectivity, meeting residency and age requirements precisely matters as much as the strength of your application.

Do you need prior experience in the humanities to apply for these internships?

No, most humanities internships are designed to introduce you to the field rather than assume prior expertise. The Met Summer Internship explicitly states no prior art history background is required, and the Smithsonian’s Young Ambassadors Program builds cultural and historical knowledge through its training seminar rather than expecting it beforehand. A few more specialized programs, like Stanford’s SHTEM internship, do expect some prior coursework or demonstrated interest in interdisciplinary research, so check eligibility sections closely.

Is Immerse Education a good option for exploring the humanities before college?

Immerse Education’s Academic Insights Programme is a strong choice if you want flexibility in location and subject matter, since it spans eight cities and covers humanities subjects like Creative Writing, English Literature, Film Studies, and Philosophy. The two week program places you in small groups of seven to 10 students, and you’ll complete a personal project, receive written feedback, and earn a certificate of completion. It’s especially useful if you’re not yet tied to US residency requirements that limit many of the humanities internships listed here.

Find Your Place in the Humanities

Your interests in history, culture, writing, and ideas can reveal career paths that feel meaningful and unexpectedly suited to your strengths.

These humanities internships for high school students let you explore those possibilities through research, storytelling, preservation, education, and work connected with communities.

Rather than choosing a future based on assumptions, reflect on the tasks that energized you, challenged you, and made your abilities feel useful.

Which career path could fit you best? Explore our Career Exploration blogs to compare roles, understand industries, and plan your next steps confidently.