As a high school student interested in media, journalism, film, or communications, it’s one thing to learn about reporting, storytelling, or digital content in class, but it’s another to experience how media actually works in the real world. Media internships for high school students offer a direct way to step into that reality, where creativity, critical thinking, collaboration, and technology come together, and seeing how it all operates day to day can make a real difference as you think about your future.

Imagine spending your summer working in a newsroom, assisting on a film set, contributing to social media strategy for a nonprofit, or supporting content creation for a digital platform. Picture learning from seasoned journalists, producers, or media professionals who share their expertise. These internships give you hands-on experience and a clearer sense of what media careers actually look like.

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

With so many opportunities out there, finding internships that truly offer meaningful experience can be challenging. That’s why careful selection matters, because it helps you identify internships that match your interests, challenge you intellectually, and contribute to your long-term growth.

Media internships can be found within news organizations, film and television production companies, marketing and PR firms, digital media startups, and nonprofit communications teams. You might assist with research, social media management, video editing, writing stories, or supporting production logistics, depending on the organization and role. Programs range from introductory placements to selective experiences where you take on substantive responsibilities that mirror professional work.

You’ll learn from experienced professionals, take part in collaborative projects, and develop a portfolio of work that reflects your contributions. Along the way, you’ll sharpen your communication skills, strengthen your ability to work under deadlines, and gain valuable insight into how the media industry functions. To help you get started, we’ve curated a list of 15 Media Internships for High School Students.

If you’re interested in media, you might also want to have a look at journalism internships for high school students.

15 Media Internships for High School Students

1. L.A. Times High School Insider Internship

Location: Los Angeles Times office, El Segundo, CA
Cost/Stipend: Paid internships
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: 7 weeks, June – August
Application Deadline: Application opens late January
Eligibility: High school students from schools across Southern California (or beyond, with an adviser)

The L.A. Times High School Insider Internship is a paid, seven-week summer program that places high school students directly inside a professional newsroom, making it one of the most credible media internships for high school students. As an intern, you experience the day-to-day work of journalists at the Los Angeles Times, learning core reporting, writing, and multimedia storytelling skills.

You cover breaking news, develop feature and enterprise stories, and experiment with formats such as video and podcasts under the guidance of editors and reporters. The program emphasizes mentorship and professional standards, helping you understand how stories are pitched, edited, and published for a major news organization. Supported by the Jack and Denny Smith Memorial Fund for Literacy, this internship offers hands-on exposure to real journalism work while building a strong foundation in media ethics, storytelling, and newsroom collaboration.

Why it stands out: You work inside a major newsroom and publish real stories, gaining rare, paid access to professional journalism at a national media outlet.

2. Immerse Education’s Media & Journalism Summer School

Location: London, New York
Cost/Stipend: Varies; summer school scholarship available through their bursary programme
Dates: 2 weeks during the summer
Application Deadline: Multiple summer cohorts with rolling admissions
Eligibility: High school students worldwide aged 15-18

Immerse Education’s Media & Journalism Summer School is a two-week intensive program designed for high school students who want hands-on exposure to modern journalism and media careers. You explore core topics such as news writing, investigative reporting, media ethics, and digital journalism while learning how the industry operates in real-world settings.

The program emphasizes practical learning through workshops, collaborative discussions, and multimedia projects that combine text, video, and audio storytelling. Led by experienced journalists and academics, the course provides personalized feedback to help you strengthen reporting, communication, and critical thinking skills. You also gain insight into media careers through industry visits and mentor interactions, helping you understand professional expectations. 

Why it stands out: The program blends hands-on journalism training with global exposure in cities like London and New York, offering an international perspective on modern media careers.

3. BBC “Get In” Taster Experiences

Location: Local BBC bases across the UK
Cost/Stipend: Paid placements
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: Throughout the year
Application Deadline: Varies by opportunity available
Eligibility: High school students aged 16-18 across the U.K.

BBC “Get In” Taster Experiences are short, in-person opportunities that allow high school students to explore what it’s like to work inside the BBC’s production and media environment. On designated days, you visit a local BBC base, spend time in studios, and shadow professionals across a variety of roles such as production, journalism, technical operations, and creative teams.

The experience is designed to introduce you to the realities of a professional media workplace while helping you understand the wide range of career paths available at the BBC. You also gain insight into apprenticeships and early-career routes, including guidance on the application process and what the BBC looks for in candidates. While not a formal internship, these taster experiences provide valuable first-hand exposure to media careers and help you make more informed decisions about university, apprenticeships, or entering the workforce directly.

Why it stands out: You gain behind-the-scenes access to BBC studios and professionals, making it one of the few entry-level pathways into a world-class public broadcaster.

4. City Limits CLARIFY Program

Location: Midtown Manhattan, NYC/ Virtual in Fall
Cost/Stipend: No cost; $2,000 stipend in summer and $500 in fall
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly competitive
Dates: July 1st – August 30th (based on the previous year’s program), Fall dates unavailable
Application Deadline: April 30th (based on the previous year’s program)
Eligibility: New York City high school students in grades 10 and up

The City Limits CLARIFY Program is a paid public service journalism internship designed to equip high school students with practical skills for college, careers, and civic life. Through hands-on reporting experiences, you learn how to research local issues, write journalism pieces, meet deadlines, and communicate ideas clearly to real audiences.

The program combines structured training with close mentorship from professional journalists, helping you develop critical thinking, public speaking, teamwork, and media literacy skills. With a focus on expanding access to paid professional opportunities, especially for students who may not otherwise have them, the program offers real-world work experience that builds confidence, professionalism, and a strong foundation for future careers in journalism, public service, or related fields.

Why it stands out: It combines paid, community-centered journalism with strong mentorship, making public service reporting accessible to NYC high school students.

5. The Met High School Internship Program

Location: The Met, New York, NY
Cost/Stipend: $1,100 stipend
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive admissions
Dates: To be announced for Summer, Spring: Approximately 2 to 4 hours per week from February 10th to May 29th
Application Deadline: Summer: TBA, Spring: October 27th
Eligibility: Students in grade 10 or 11 who attend a high school or home school in New York City; Students in New Jersey or Connecticut are eligible for the summer. Check more details here

The Met High School Internship Program is a paid opportunity that introduces you to the inner workings of a major museum while helping you build professional skills through real work experience. You work one-on-one and in small cohorts with Met staff across departments such as curatorial, education, social media, imaging, design, and digital media.

Media-focused placements include Digital roles involving films, interactive media, gallery touchscreens, and web content, as well as Graphic Design and Exhibition Design work supporting layouts, displays, and visual assets. Imaging and photography placements focus on digitization, archiving, and hands-on visual documentation using professional tools. Overall, the program offers structured mentorship and practical exposure to media, design, and content creation within a world-class cultural institution.

Why it stands out: You explore media, design, and digital storytelling within a world-renowned museum, connecting creative work to cultural institutions.

6. Bloomberg Arts Internship (BAI)

Location: Baltimore, Boston, Detroit, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C
Cost/Stipend: This is a paid opportunity
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive
Dates: Typically late June to mid-August
Application Deadline: Exact dates may vary based on location
Eligibility: Rising high school seniors residing in participating cities (Baltimore, Boston, Detroit, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C.); can be Los Angeles for the upcoming program

The Bloomberg Arts Internship (BAI) is a paid summer program that places rising public high school seniors at arts and cultural organizations across five major cities. You work on projects at museums, cultural nonprofits, and creative organizations, gaining exposure to arts administration, exhibitions, marketing, and event coordination.

Many placements include media-related work such as writing, editing, outreach, social media promotion, photography, video, or marketing support, depending on the host organization. Alongside the internship, you receive structured work-readiness and college-preparation training, as well as mentorship from professionals in the arts sector. While not every placement is purely media-focused, the program offers strong, practical media and creative experience through hands-on roles in real cultural institutions.

Why it stands out: The program pairs hands-on arts and media work with structured college and career readiness training, all while being fully paid.

7. The Hearst High School Media Internship @PALEY

Location: The Paley Center, New York, NY
Cost/Stipend: Stipend $17/hour
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: July 6th – August 6th
Application Deadline: March 30th
Eligibility: Rising 11-12 grade students; NY State Working Papers required, even for out-of-state students working in NYC; contact a Family Support Coordinator in NY District Leadership to start the process

The Hearst High School Media Internship at The Paley Center for Media is a five-week, paid summer program for rising 11th and 12th-graders interested in media and entertainment. The internship focuses on media literacy and digital learning, media career development, and mentorship, helping you understand how media shapes culture and public opinion.

You gain behind-the-scenes exposure through visits to newsrooms, podcast studios, and television production environments while learning directly from high-profile industry professionals. The program also emphasizes digital storytelling, giving you insight into how words, visuals, and sound are used to create impactful media. Overall, it is designed to build college and career readiness while serving as a strong entry point into media-related career pathways.

Why it stands out: You gain direct exposure to media executives, production spaces, and digital storytelling through a major media legacy organization.

8. Summer in the City Internship Program – Communications Track

Location: Knoxville, TN (onsite at city departments)
Cost/Stipend: $15/hour stipend
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 20 students
Dates: June 2nd – July 24th  (based on the previous year’s program)
Application Deadline: March 31st (based on the previous year’s program)
Eligibility: Any students aged 16-22 years (assumes U.S. only work eligibility)

The Summer in the City Internship Program – Communications Track is a paid, eight-week city internship where you work on real-world communication and outreach projects. In this track, you contribute to social media strategy, digital content creation, event coverage, and youth-focused campaigns through tasks like writing posts, designing flyers, drafting newsletters, and documenting events with photos or video.

You may also support branding initiatives, content calendars, and basic analytics tied to city programs and public events. As an intern, you commit 30 hours per week and participate in weekly professional development sessions covering communication, civic engagement, leadership, and workplace skills. Each intern is placed in a city department and paired with a mentor who provides training, oversees projects, and offers regular feedback throughout the internship.

Why it stands out: You work on real government communication projects, learning how media, messaging, and civic engagement intersect in the public sector.

9. Project Write Now Teen Internship

Location: Project Write Now Teen Office, Red Bank, NJ / Virtual
Cost/Stipend: None (can earn community service hours)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 8-10 students
Dates: TBA
Application Deadline: Application opens in February
Eligibility: High school students; ages 15-18 years (No explicit international student eligibility mentioned)

The Project Write Now Teen Internship offers high school students hands-on experience in writing, editing, and digital storytelling through roles such as teaching assistant, editorial assistant, and interview project intern. You contribute original content like poetry, creative essays, blog pieces, interviews, and social media or newsletter writing, while also supporting the youth literary magazine Bridge Ink.

You help plan and facilitate writing workshops and mentorship sessions for younger writers under the guidance of professional writers and educators. The program emphasizes collaboration across editorial, storytelling, and multi-format projects, with optional participation in public literary events. While unpaid, the internship provides community service hours, portfolio-ready work, and a letter of accomplishment.

Why it stands out: The internship emphasizes creative voice and editorial collaboration, helping you build a strong writing portfolio in a supportive environment.

11. ACLU of Georgia – Communications Internship

Location: ACLU of Georgia headquarters, Atlanta, GA
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Unspecified
Dates: Internships are available in spring, summer, and fall
Application Deadline: Varies
Eligibility: Students from all levels of education (No explicit international student eligibility mentioned)

The ACLU of Georgia Communications Internship places you on the organization’s communications team, where you help create digital content that supports civil rights advocacy across the state. You work on video projects, graphics, and social media campaigns, especially for platforms like TikTok and Instagram, translating policy and advocacy work into engaging short-form storytelling.

You gain hands-on experience writing for digital audiences, planning media assets, and applying design and editing skills to mission-driven communications. You collaborate with advocacy, policy, and community engagement teams to shape narratives and highlight ongoing civil liberties work. 

Why it stands out: You learn how media and storytelling drive advocacy, gaining experience creating digital content for real civil rights campaigns.

11. NorCal Public Media Internship

Location: NorCal Public Media office, Rohnert Park, CA
Cost/Stipend: Paid internship
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Cohorts throughout the year
Application Deadline: Based on the cohort
Eligibility: College, technical school, and high school students (No explicit international student eligibility mentioned)

The NorCal Public Media Internship is a paid program open to high school students interested in journalism, digital media, and multimedia storytelling, with a strong focus on environmental reporting. You work alongside newsroom journalists, digital media staff, and producers to create real audio, video, and written content that is published online and broadcast on public radio and TV.

Through the Center for Environmental Reporting (CER), interns contribute to podcasts, radio reports, short-form video, social media campaigns, and regional television projects centered on environmental issues. Roles across audio production, video production, news, and CER involve hands-on research, field recording, editing with tools like Adobe Audition and Premiere, and broadcast preparation. 

Why it stands out: You produce broadcast-ready journalism and multimedia content that is published and aired, offering true newsroom immersion.

12. CITYarts PR and Marketing Internship

Location: CITYarts Inc. Office, New York, NY
Cost/Stipend: None for high school students; interns aged 18 years or more will receive a stipend
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Unspecified
Dates: Flexible
Application Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: High school students can apply (No explicit international student eligibility mentioned)

The CITYarts PR and Marketing Internship gives you hands-on experience supporting a nonprofit arts organization focused on youth empowerment through public art. In this role, you help manage social media platforms, draft outreach content, and create digital and print promotional materials such as flyers, brochures, and graphics using tools like Illustrator and Photoshop.

You also assist with website updates, social media scheduling, community outreach research, and the development of promotional videos. Working closely with the Project Coordinator and arts professionals, you gain insight into branding, content strategy, and how nonprofits communicate with partners, donors, and youth communities. The internship builds practical skills in design, project management, and marketing while exposing you to real-world nonprofit operations in the arts sector.

Why it stands out: You build hands-on marketing and design skills while supporting youth-centered public art and nonprofit storytelling.

13. Internships at the Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage

Location: Mainly in-person in Washington, D.C.
Cost/Stipend: $700/week stipend
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not mentioned
Dates: 8 to 17 weeks, year-round
Application Deadline: Summer: March 1st. Applications for other seasons (Fall, Winter, and Spring) can be submitted at any time. However, completed applications must be submitted at least six weeks prior to the internship’s start date
Eligibility: High school students are eligible (Also open to non-U.S. citizens)

The Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage offers year-round internships that involve you in documenting, researching, and presenting cultural traditions from around the world. Internships span fields such as folklore, cultural anthropology, museum studies, arts administration, graphic and web design, videography, marketing, social media, and library science, with most roles based in Washington, D.C.

Working under the guidance of Smithsonian professionals, you contribute to real projects connected to the Smithsonian Folklife Festival, Smithsonian Folkways Recordings, the Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives, and educational outreach programs. Your work may include research, archival support, video or audio production, graphic design for events, or digital content creation for public-facing platforms. These roles provide hands-on media and cultural production experience while exposing you to how large-scale cultural institutions operate.

Why it stands out: You contribute to Smithsonian-affiliated media, archives, and cultural documentation projects with global reach and professional standards.

14. Princeton Summer Journalism Program

Location: Hybrid; Princeton University campus, Princeton, NJ
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive admissions; 40 students
Dates: Late June through early August
Application Deadline: November – January
Eligibility: Enrolled full-time as a junior in high school during the year of application (living in the U.S. or Puerto Rico); GPA of 3.5 out of 4; limited-income backgrounds with excellent academic achievement. Check more details here

The Princeton Summer Journalism Program is a fully funded, year-long journalism and college-access program for high school juniors from limited-income backgrounds. You begin with a multi-week summer intensive where you explore current events, media ethics, and reporting through lectures and workshops led by Princeton professors, professional journalists, and alumni.

The experience culminates in a 10-day residential stay on Princeton’s campus, during which you collaborate with peers to publish the Princeton Summer Journal. Beyond journalism, each student is paired with a dedicated college adviser who supports them throughout senior year with college lists, essay development, applications, and final decision-making, making PSJP stand out as both a journalism immersion and a comprehensive college-prep experience.

Why it stands out: It uniquely combines elite journalism training with year-long college admissions support for high-achieving students from limited-income backgrounds.

15. New York Times NYC Summer Academy

Location: New York City
Cost/Stipend: $6,195 for Day Students or $7,695 for Residential Students. Students who enroll in multiple terms are eligible for a $500 discount on each term
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: Term 1: June 7-19, Term 2: June 21st – July 3rd, Term 3: July 5-17, Term 4: July 19-31
Application Deadline: Different priority and regular deadlines. Rolling admissions are also available. Check the details here
Eligibility: Students in grades 10-12 (graduating seniors); at least 15 years of age (international students can apply)

The New York Times NYC Summer Academy is a pre-college program that introduces high school students to journalism through real-world reporting and media analysis. You explore issues across areas such as media, culture, sports, fashion, business, and law, guided by professional journalists, editors, and media experts.

The program focuses on building core journalism and media literacy skills, including reporting, writing, research, and digital storytelling. Through newsroom-style learning and discussions, you go beyond headlines to understand how stories are developed and why they matter. The experience is designed to help you clarify your academic and career interests while gaining practical exposure to professional journalism in an immersive setting.

Why it stands out: You learn journalism directly from New York Times professionals in an immersive, newsroom-style academic setting

Media Skills, Broader Career Horizons

Media skills go beyond headlines, reels, and edits. They shape how you think, ask questions, and communicate with clarity in any environment.

With the right media internship, you learn to meet deadlines, collaborate under pressure, and turn research into stories that real audiences understand.

The media internships for high school students listed here offer a practical route into newsroom, production, and digital roles, while building transferable skills that matter everywhere.

Want to explore what those skills unlock next? Dive into our Career Exploration blogs for career pathways, key skills, and study routes that make choosing your future feel simple.