12 Marketing Internships for High School Students
In today's competitive landscape, it’s important to look for ways to stand out, while also gaining some practical experience – for both your college applications and your future career. As a high schooler, if you’re looking to explore the exciting world of marketing, communications or business, learning while getting real-world experience is a great way to do that.
A marketing internship can help boost your applications, as you develop your knowledge base and hone your skills in market research, brand strategy, and consumer behavior analysis and more. Having done an internship in the field you’re pursuing ensures you stand out amongst other applicants and your peers, gives you a head start, while also offering the opportunity to learn from professionals and established industry experts.
In this blog, we’ve listed 12 compelling marketing internships for high school students, so ambitious marketing leaders like you can explore diverse subjects within the field.
1. Ladder Internship Program - Marketing Track
Location: Remote! You can work from anywhere in the world.
Eligibility: Students who can work for 10-20 hours/week, for 8-12 weeks. Open to high school students, undergraduates and gap year students!
Application deadline: Summer cohort (early admission): February 18, 2024 | Summer cohort (regular admission): April 14, 2024. Fall, winter and spring cohorts are available too.
Program dates: Varies based on cohort. Summer cohorts run in June-August.
Cost: Starting $1,990. Financial aid is available.
Ladder Internships, founded by Harvard alumni, is a selective program that pairs students with startups and nonprofits across the world for virtual internships. You can choose to intern in a range of fields and industries – business, marketing, finance, tech, healthcare, media, journalism and more. During the internship, you will work on a real-world project that’s of genuine need to the startup, and present your work at the end of the program. You will be guided by your manager at the startup, and by a Ladder coach, who will serve as a second mentor. This internship offers a unique work-learn experience, wherein you will also attend professional skill development training sessions, 1-on-1 sessions with your mentors, group training sessions with your peers, and more.
This is also a great opportunity for you to explore an area you think you might be interested in, and better understand professional career opportunities in that field. In the past, marketing student interns have worked on projects that involved building pitchdecks for apps, identifying target markets, strategic brand positioning and fundraising.
2. KP Launch High School Internship Program (Sales & Marketing track)
Location: You can intern at a Kaiser Permanente Medical Center or business office closest to where you are. Find a location near you.
Eligibility: Students who will be aged 16-19 by June 1, 2024, and are current high school students and/or graduating seniors of the Class of 2024, can apply. Priority is given to juniors and senior-level students. Those applying must have the right to work in the US.
Application deadline: January 2, 2024.
Program dates: June 17, 2024 — August 2, 2024
Cost/Stipend: No cost. Interns receive a stipend of $15.50 - 18 per hour
The Kaiser Permanente Launch Internship Program Is designed to provide hands-on, practical experience and insight into the healthcare industry and its adjacent fields. The program offers a range of internship tracks for students to choose from, such as account management, sales and marketing, product development and more. Students keen on marketing can choose accordingly. This program also places an emphasis on mentorship and provides you with insight into healthcare marketing, while also helping you build a valuable foundation for your future career.
Kaiser Permanente, an insurance provider and care delivery organization, can give your marketing career a solid start. You will not only gain practical exposure by offering your time and energy in the healthcare world, but also enhance your business skills through weekly workshops dedicated to professional growth.
3. The Met Internship Program for High School Students
Location: The Met Fifth Avenue, New York, NY
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors based in and around New York City can apply
Application deadline: October (year-round internships) | March (summer internships)
Program dates: January 14, 2024 — June 9, 2024 (year-round) | June 25, 2024 — August 12, 2024 (summer)
Cost/Stipend: No cost. Interns are provided a stipend of $1,100
The renowned Metropolitan Museum of Art offers fully-funded internships in art, design, architecture and other creative fields for high school students passionate about creative expression. Offered both during the school year and during the summer, you can intern for the Met whenever suits you best. As a MET intern, you will regularly learn from and work alongside museum professionals and experts in marketing, scientific research, social media, law, and educational programming.
These internships immerse students in the realm of art, museums, and creative professions including marketing and social media initiatives. You will also have the unique opportunity to take part in “Career Labs”, which are interactive learning sessions where you receive advice from professionals and hear about their work and experiences.
4. NASA OSTEM Marketing Internships
Location: These internships are offered across NASA facilities. Students may select roles based in cities they are in.
Eligibility: Internships are available for full-time high school students who meet a minimum 3.0 GPA requirement and are US citizens
Application deadline: February 2, 2024 (Summer Internships). The office also offers internships in the fall and spring, deadlines for which are different. Check those out here!
Program dates: These internships are offered in 3 sessions
Summer (10-week program, from late May or early June to August)
Fall (16-week program, from late August or early September to mid-December)
Spring (16-week program, from mid-January to early May)
Stipend/Cost: No cost. Interns may receive a stipend based on academic level and session length.
NASA’s Office of STEM Engagements offers prestigious internships for high school students at all its locations across the country to contribute to NASA projects under the guidance of a mentor. NASA internships offer a wide variety of roles, including marketing, business, communication/journalism, graphic design, public relations/advertising, and more.
Specifically, for their Social Media Internship, NASA is looking for creative students with knowledge of social media and strong communication skills for storytelling in today’s digital world. As an intern, you will be working with OSTEM internship points of contact across the agency to help NASA develop a communications plan for agency internships. This opportunity is full time and remote though it is based out of Maryland.
You can check out a complete list of positions here - you may have to use the “Filter” option to see opportunities only open to high school students. Interning with NASA in marketing and related fields is an experience that can significantly enhance a student’s profile!
5. Warner Bros Reach Honorship Program - Business Track
Location: Warner Bros. Discovery Studios in Burbank, California
Eligibility: Students who
- are high school seniors in Burbank or Los Angeles County;
- have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 upon graduation;
- plan to attend an accredited college or university;
- are passionate about a career in the business of media and entertainment;
- have effective verbal and written communication skills; can apply.
Application deadline: Applications typically close in February.
Program dates: Variable dates, but will run through college.
Cost: No cost to attend, students are paid a $5,000 stipend towards their college tuition. The scholarship will be paid directly to the college/university in equal ($1,250) annual installments.
If you are a graduating senior from Burbank or Los Angeles County interested in a corporate or administrative role in the entertainment industry, The Warner Bros Reach Honorship Program (Business Track) would be a great option for you. With roles in finance, marketing, and communications, this program offers you the opportunity to learn about the creative and business aspects of the industry through in-person experience in television and film production.
By working on the day-to-day operations at a major film and television studio, you will get to work closely with professionals in the industry as this program also includes mentorship opportunities. Depending on which specific program and role you choose, you will help out with creative development, marketing campaigns, and contribute to the production of multimedia content. During your internship with Warner Bros, you will gain valuable industry experience while also growing a network of connections in the industry that can help you on your future career endeavors.
6. Building-U Marketing Internship
Location: Virtual
Eligibility: All high school students can apply. International students can apply too!
Application deadline: Rolling deadlines, it is recommended that you apply as soon as possible.
Program dates: Usually 3 months from June to August. If the intern is keen, the internship can be extended!
Cost/Stipend: No cost, and this is an unpaid opportunity.
Building-U is an entirely remote non-profit internship opportunity for currently enrolled high school students. This organization is designed to build a database of free and helpful resources for students in the form of opportunities, internships, scholarships, contests, and education programs. Currently, Building-U is looking for interns to assist in the administrative and/or business aspect of the organization.
With 10 different teams to choose from (including Marketing, Business and Development, and Student Ambassadors) you can choose which role would be the most fulfilling for your time with Building-U. Each team offers a range of experiences and responsibilities, and will give you the chance to contribute towards the organization’s larger goals. This internship position is for three months, and is entirely virtual.
7. Spark Summer Internship Program (Spark SIP)
Location: Various locations across the country vary with the internship. Some may be remote.
Eligibility: All high school students (grades 9–12) who are US citizens or permanent residents, can apply.
Application deadline: Applications typically close in May (tentatively based on previous years’ dates).
Program dates: 6–12 weeks in the summer.
Cost/Stipend: No cost. A $500 stipend is offered. For in-person internships, students are expected to manage their own boarding, lodging, and local transportation.
With an acceptance rate of less than 5%, Spark SIP is a prestigious internship for high school students. This program offers internships in a range of fields, such as computer science, data science, software engineering and related fields – which include engineering sales and marketing, competitive analysis and market research, social media content generation. Spark SIP allows students to explore research opportunities in the field, interact and learn from scholars and leaders, and get real-world experience. Students must select 5-6 projects that they’d like to work on, and each project comes with assigned sponsors.
Internship options in 2023 featured focused on Engineering Sales and Marketing. This particular role underscores the program’s commitment to bridging the gap between computer science and practical applications in market research and marketing, offering students a chance to make meaningful contributions in this dynamic intersection.
8. Smithsonian Science Education Center Internships
Location: Virtual and in-person options (Washington, DC).
Eligibility: High school students who are at least 16 years old can apply.
Application deadline: Applications typically close March-end.
Program dates: 10 weeks between May-August, with a flexible schedule for virtual internships.
Stipend: Students will receive a modest stipend.
The Smithsonian Science Education Center (SSEC) works toward improving K-12 education in collaboration with communities across the globe. The SSEC develops STEM curriculum and digital resources, conducts professional development for STEM teachers, and fosters STEM education leadership among school and community leaders. They have a range of internship positions open every year, in roles that cover communications, marketing, and public relations. As an intern, you will work with the SSEC team to create communications and marketing materials, assist in communications dissemination, strategy, and asset management. You will also learn how a communications team functions every day, and how to apply developed marketing materials to enhance the SSEC brand.
The Smithsonian Office of Internship Programs offers a number of internships, several of which have virtual options, like the one listed here. Some other opportunities include Administrative and Financial Internships with the Office of Sponsored Projects and the Office of Advancement Internship Program.
9. The Mary Miller Summer Program by the PHC Group
Location: Virtual
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 takes place in the summer.
Stipend: This is a paid internship, but information on the exact amount is not available.
This is a solid internship opportunity for rising high school juniors and seniors with the PHC Group. As an intern, you will be expected to assist the team via social media-related projects, online community interaction, and technical support. Additionally, you are expected to engage in meaningful social marketing research and contribute to better remote collaboration and relationship building. Typical applicants possess strong technical proficiency in Microsoft Office, are fast learners, and are efficient workers for multiple projects and assignments.
Note: As part of your application, you are required to send in your resume to joinus@phcgconsulting.com
10. Interns4-Good
Location: Virtual
Eligibility: High school students from grades 9–12 are eligible to apply.
Application deadline: Open throughout the year.
Program dates: Variable based on the internship selected.
Cost/Stipend: No cost, internships are unpaid.
Interns4Good is a remote organization that offers internship opportunities to high school students at various nonprofits. The program is constantly updating its list of available opportunities, and includes internships that span across various fields. Among these are diverse roles in marketing and outreach, with opportunities both in-house and through partner organizations. This program offers both online and in-person internship opportunities. If you choose to intern with one of the partner non-profits listed, you will also contribute to Interns-4-Good by submitting weekly reports that include the hours you worked as well as a small write up for the program;s comprehensive record for future reference. Additionally, they can request verified hour reports, which can be reported to organizations of their choice.
The program maintains regular updates to its offerings, spanning various fields like graphic design, social media management, and video editing.
Location: Menlo Park, CA.
Eligibility: High school sophomores who are full-year residents of East Palo Alto, Belle Haven, or Redwood City are encouraged to apply.
Application deadline: March 1, 2024
Program dates: 6 weeks (June through July)
Stipend: Students will receive a stipend!
As a part of the Meta Summer Academy, you will have the opportunity to learn about the day-to-day operations of one of the world’s leading organizations. You will learn the ins and outs of a major social media company under leaders and experts in the field, and you’ll have the opportunity to grow in one of the most advanced technological cities.
You will be expected to participate for 30 hours/week, but you and your peers will have the opportunity to be mentored under Meta employees. You will not only gain exposure to the tech industry, but network with individuals who have years of experience working for both Facebook and now Meta. Transportation is provided for all interns, which makes it accessible to applicants from across California. Only 150 students are selected each year as the application process is highly competitive for this prestigious opportunity.
Location: This program is 100% virtual, with live, interactive workshops
Eligibility: The program is currently open to all high school students
Program Dates: The 2024 edition of the program starts on June 5th and spans over 4-weeks.
Application Deadline: There are 3 application deadlines that you can choose between:
- Early Decision Deadline: March 17th, 2024
- Regular Admission Deadline 1: April 14, 2024
- Regular Admission Deadline 2: May 12th, 2023
Cost: The total cost to attend the 4-week program is $2900. There is need-based financial aid.
The Young Founder’s Lab is a real-world start-up bootcamp founded and run by Harvard entrepreneurs. In this program, you will work towards building a revenue-generating start-up that addresses a real-world problem. You will also have the opportunity to be mentored by established entrepreneurs and professionals from Google, Microsoft, and X.
Apart from building the start-up itself, you will also participate in interactive classes on business fundamentals and business ideations, workshops and skill-building sessions, case studies, panel discussions and more.
The program is an excellent opportunity to delve into the world of business in high school, and having a space to explore multiple theoretical as well as practical frameworks that lead to a successful business. You can check out the brochure for the program here.
You can access the application link here!
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.