9 Awesome Digital Marketing Internships for High School Students
Internships are a great way to explore your interests in a real-world environment, giving you firsthand experience in various career paths while developing practical skills. These experiences are also a great way to demonstrate to college admissions and job opportunities that you are also dedicated to learning outside of the classroom, giving your application a substantial boost.
For students interested in digital marketing and social media, internships provide invaluable opportunities to learn beyond the classroom. They equip you with the knowledge to navigate market research, brand strategy, and consumer behavior. Working alongside industry professionals gives you insights into how brands create, communicate, and connect with their audience.
These internships offer exposure to some top-tier organizations like NASA, the Smithsonian, ACLU, and more, where you can immerse yourself in brand awareness campaigns, digital content development, and media strategy. If you're curious about content creation, media strategy, and public relations, a digital marketing internship could be the perfect way to dive deeper into this fast-paced field.
Here are 9 top digital marketing internships designed for high school students!
Location: Virtual
Cost: $2,490 (financial aid available)
Application Deadline: November 24, 2024 (for Winter Cohort)
Program Dates: December 16, 2024 - February 2025 (8 weeks, 5-10 hours/week)
Eligibility: Open to all high school students, who can work for 10-20 hours/week for 8-12 weeks. These internships are also open to undergraduates and gap-year students!
Ladder Internships is a prestigious and competitive program that offers students virtual internships with startups from around the globe. The program offers a diverse range of fields to explore, including technology, machine learning, finance, environmental science, healthcare, and media. The program features a distinctive work-based learning model where students collaborate with both a startup manager and a dedicated Ladder coach who supports them throughout the internship.
For students interested in social media, Ladder offers a marketing track, providing opportunities to work with media companies on content creation and management. Previous marketing interns have worked on projects such as creating pitch decks for apps, identifying target audiences, brand positioning strategies, and fundraising efforts.
2. NASA Social Media Internships
Location: These internships are offered across NASA facilities. Students may select roles based in the cities they are in. Some virtual options are offered as well!
Stipend: Interns may receive a stipend based on academic level and session length.
Application deadline: January (Fall session) | August (Spring session) | October (Summer session)
Program dates: These internships are offered in 3 sessions – Fall (16-week program, from late August or early September to mid-December) | Spring (16-week program, from mid-January to early May) | Summer (10-week program, from late May or early June to August).
Eligibility: Internships are available for full-time high school students who meet a minimum 3.0 GPA requirement.
NASA’s Office of STEM Engagement (OSTEM) offers an exciting and enriching social media internship designed for students possessing strong communication skills and a deep passion for science and technology. This internship could be more than just an opportunity — it is a pathway for students to immerse themselves in the world of social media management while promoting one of the most well-respected organizations on the planet, NASA.
Interns will play a crucial role in creating, curating, and managing engaging social media content across NASA's diverse platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, and X (formerly known as Twitter). This hands-on experience will allow interns to discover the nuances of audience engagement and content strategy in a fast-paced environment, where they can see the real impact of their contributions in real time.
Furthermore, interns will have the unique opportunity to write compelling articles for blogs, press releases, and web stories, thereby gaining invaluable hands-on experience in public relations and social media strategy.
3. Benjamin Lawless Internship
Location: Washington, DC
Stipend: $3,200 ($400/week)
Application Deadline: Applications typically close in March.
Program dates: 8 weeks, July to August.
Eligibility: High school students and recent graduates.
The Benjamin Lawless Internship, offered through the Smithsonian, provides students with the opportunity to work in public affairs, social media, and exhibition design. Interns gain hands-on experience by helping enhance audience engagement and developing interactive storytelling strategies based on the Smithsonian's collections.
Throughout the program, interns work closely with museum professionals and artists, honing their creative and communication skills. Interns will focus on enhancing audience engagement using storytelling and interactive marketing strategies in the public relations office, working around 40 hours per week. During the program, participants will develop their creative skills under the mentorship of museum professionals and artists. The internship culminates with students presenting their work in a format of their choosing at the end of the program.
4. Social Media Internship at Smithsonian Associates
Location: Washington, D.C. (virtual and hybrid options available)
Stipend: Unpaid
Application Deadline: Rolling Basis
Program Dates: Spring (January - May), Summer (June - August), and Fall (September-December) for 20 hours/week minimum.
Eligibility: High school graduates and recent graduates.
The Smithsonian Associates Social Media Internship offers students a unique chance to develop digital marketing skills by working on the social media platforms of one of the world’s most renowned cultural institutions. Interns will work 20 hours a week, focusing on tasks such as creating and researching content for Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, managing an editorial calendar, and implementing creative strategies. You will also be attending events for content development, monitoring social media engagement, and designing visuals and content to connect with target audiences.
Interns can choose to work virtually or in a hybrid setting in Washington, where they will receive direct mentorship from marketing professionals. This internship provides valuable hands-on experience in representing the Smithsonian brand and building professional networks, laying a solid foundation for a career in media.
Location: Virtual
Cost: Free
Application Deadline: Rolling deadlines, it is recommended that you apply as soon as possible.
Program Dates: Usually 3 months from June to August. The internship can be extended.
Eligibility: High school students worldwide
The Building-U Internship is a remote program offering high school students the chance to work across various departments, including marketing, multimedia, social media, business development, and research. As a marketing intern, you can contribute to Google Ad campaigns, analyze marketing data through Google Analytics, and help manage social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok. The program emphasizes teamwork, creative problem-solving, and project management.
Over the course of three months, interns can choose to work in various departments such as Multi-media, Marketing, Blog Squad, Social Media Content, and Analytics. Interns work in a collaborative environment with peers from around the world, gaining essential communication skills and practical experience in digital marketing.
6. Internships at the ACLU of Georgia
Location: ACLU of Georgia, Atlanta, GA
Stipend: $15 per hour
Application Deadline: April 19, 2024
Program Dates: May 28, 2024 - August 2, 2024 (summer term)
Eligibility: High school students who are at least 16 years of age
The ACLU of Georgia offers high school students the opportunity to join their non-profit organization each summer, assisting with administrative tasks related to advancing civil rights. The summer internship program allows high school students to work in departments such as communications, development, and community engagement. The communications track is ideal for those interested in digital marketing and social media. Interns in this role will help create and edit video content, manage social media posts, format web articles, and update the ACLU’s website.
This internship provides a unique opportunity for students to contribute to meaningful projects while building strong professional networks within the civil rights community.
7. Communications & Marketing Intern, Smithsonian Science Education Center (SSEC)
Location: Virtual, In-person (Washington, D.C.), or Hybrid
Stipend: Paid (amount not specified)
Application Deadline: March 31, 2024
Program Dates: May-August 2024 (8-10 weeks)
Eligibility: High school students who are at least 16 years old.
The Smithsonian Science Education Center (SSEC) offers a communications and marketing internship that allows students to work on projects related to education and science communication. Interns will assist with content creation, communications strategy, and the development of marketing materials. They will also work alongside curriculum developers to support the Smithsonian’s Science for Global Goals initiative, creating educational guides and resources focused on sustainability.
Additionally, interns will contribute to making the Smithsonian more inclusive by creating accessible content, identifying diverse subject matter experts, and considering cultural contexts. This role allows interns to play a crucial part in ensuring the Smithsonian Science Education Center connects with a broad and diverse audience.
8. Public Affairs Internship at the Smithsonian
Location: Virtual, Washington, D.C., or Hybrid
Stipend: Stipend provided.
Application Deadline: Rolling as needed
Program Dates: 20-30 hours a week, flexible
Eligibility: High school students or recent graduates interested in communications and public relations.
Each year, the Smithsonian offers students an internship in their public affairs department, providing comprehensive training in public relations, social media, and communications. Interns will help with media outreach, managing social media, writing press releases, and developing strategic communications plans. This internship provides a unique opportunity to work on high-profile projects that promote Smithsonian exhibitions and events.
Whether working remotely or in person, students gain hands-on experience in media relations, content creation, and public affairs strategy, which helps build critical professional skills in a real-world environment. This intensive experience equips interns with practical knowledge of communications principles, insights into the media landscape for museums and cultural institutions, and skills for engaging with targeted audiences.
9. The Mary Miller Summer Program by the PHC Group
Location: Virtual
Stipend: Paid (amount not specified)
Application Deadline: Rolling
Program Dates: Summer 2024 (exact dates not specified)
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors
The Mary Miller Summer Program offers a paid internship for high school students interested in social media, digital marketing, and community engagement. Interns work closely with the Public Health Director and senior leadership, assisting with social media projects, online community interactions, and technical support. Key tasks include researching social media trends, creating posts, developing engagement strategies, and participating in planning meetings.
This internship provides an excellent opportunity for students to develop leadership, communication, and technical skills while working remotely as part of a global team. Interns will also explore independent projects that align with PHC Group’s mission of promoting public health and social engagement.
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, with a large number of them in tech. 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.