15 Writing Internships for High School Students

Writing internships for high school students offer invaluable opportunities for young writers to gain real-world experience, hone their craft, and explore various aspects of the writing industry. These internships provide hands-on learning experiences where students can immerse themselves in writing projects, receive mentorship from experienced professionals, and develop essential writing skills across different genres.

Whether it’s crafting articles for online publications, contributing to marketing materials, or assisting with editorial tasks, these internships offer a look into the professional writing world and help students refine their writing abilities in a practical setting.

In this blog, we explore a list of 15 writing internships and workshops that high school students can take on as ways to improve their writing skills. These internships are also a perfect way to increase a student’s college admissions chances.

15 Writing Internships for High School Students

1. Building-U Writing Internship

• Location: remote
• Cost: free admission
• Program Date: rolling deadlines
• Application Deadline: typically June to August
• Eligibility: open to all high school students

Building-U is a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting high school students, operating in a virtual capacity. We are currently seeking interns to join our blog-spot team. This team consists of students who are passionate about delving into the significance of land-based education for both Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities in addressing global environmental, social, and economic challenges.

Interns will contribute by writing articles for our blog, “Down to U,” and facilitating open discussions with invited expert guests, which will be transformed into podcasts titled “Down to U Discussions.” The internship duration is three months, with the possibility of extension for those who express interest.

2. The Smithsonian Office of Internship Programs’ Benjamin Lawless Internship

• Location: Washington, DC
• Cost: free admission with allowance of $3,200 ($400/week)
• Program Date: rolling deadlines
• Application Deadline: starts in June (8 weeks)
• Eligibility: open to all high school students

Administered by the Smithsonian Institution, the Benjamin Lawless Internship offers a distinctive writing experience tailored for high school students. Spanning five consecutive weeks during the summer, the chosen Benjamin Lawless intern will embark on a journey to enhance their creative skills by exploring innovative storytelling approaches inspired by the Smithsonian’s vast collections and research.

If selected, please be aware that the position requires a commitment of 40 hours per week, from Monday to Friday. Interns will benefit from guided mentorship provided by Smithsonian staff members throughout the internship. At the culmination of the program, interns will have the opportunity to express their internship experience through a medium of their choice.

3. The High School Insider Summer Internship at The Los Angeles Times

• Location: hybrid
• Cost: free admission with allowance of $16/hour
• Program Date: to be announced (typically around April)
• Application Deadline: to be announced (typically between June and August)
• Eligibility: open to all high school students

The Los Angeles Times administers the High School Insider Summer Internship Program for high school students. Successful applicants selected for this program will gain hands-on experience in various aspects of journalism, including covering breaking news, developing in-depth feature stories, and exploring multimedia storytelling techniques. Interns will receive guidance and support from mentors, along with comprehensive training and workshops provided by the newsroom staff. The internship requires interns to commit to working 30 hours per week.

As an HS Insider intern, you’ll delve into the world of professional journalism, immersing yourself in covering breaking news, crafting in-depth feature stories, and exploring multimedia storytelling. Throughout the six-week internship, you’ll pursue stories with the guidance of mentors and benefit from comprehensive training and workshops offered by our esteemed award-winning newsroom.

4. Project Write Now Internship Program

• Location: remote
• Cost: free admission
• Program Date: to be announced in March (typically between June and August)
• Application Deadline: to be announced in March as well
• Eligibility: open to all high school students

Project Write Now, a nonprofit organization dedicated to fostering writing within individuals, organizations, and communities, offers a teen internship program aimed at providing exposure to editing, publishing, and journalism. This internship program comprises three distinct tracks. If chosen, you may opt for the editorial track, involving tasks such as assisting in the management of their online literary magazine and crafting marketing materials.

Alternatively, you could participate in the ‘interview project,’ where you’ll receive training in essential journalism skills such as conducting interviews, selecting pertinent information, and composing compelling narratives. The objective is to produce completed stories to be shared with participants and their families, with the potential for publication. It’s important to note that the teaching assistant track requires in-person participation. Additionally, interns will earn community service hours through this program.

5. Pasquines Writing Internship

• Location: remote
• Cost: free admission, unpaid
• Program Date: to be announced
• Application Deadline: rolling admissions
• Eligibility: open to all high school students

Pasquines is a nonprofit news organization committed to elevating the voices of the U.S. territories, including Puerto Rico, Guam, the US Virgin Islands, American Samoa, and the Northern Mariana Islands, within national discussions on politics, policy decisions, and their repercussions on these American territories. Conversely, they also aim to bring national issues to the forefront at the local level.

Pasquines offers virtual internships year-round with flexible hours, requiring a minimum commitment of 2 hours per week. Interns have the opportunity to refine their writing and reporting skills, gain insights into the impact of large-scale policies at the local level, and collaborate with other writers while learning about publishing within a nonprofit news network.

6. CLARIFY Program at City Limits

• Location: remote
• Cost: free admission, paid
• Program Date: to be announced
• Application Deadline: to be announced
• Eligibility: junior and senior high schools from within New York

City Limit is the oldest nonprofit investigative news agency in New York City, dedicated to empowering youth and providing training in public service journalism. Interns undergo comprehensive training in fundamental aspects of reporting and news writing, covering areas such as research, interviewing, investigative techniques, media ethics, and photojournalism.

Through this program, interns collaborate closely with City Limits to cover locally relevant news stories concerning significant issues in New York City, with a particular focus on underrepresented communities. A distinctive aspect of CLARIFY is its two cohorts: an English-Language Cohort and a bilingual cohort catering to Spanish and English speakers.

Interns will receive thorough training in core principles of reporting and news writing, covering areas such as research, interviewing, investigative techniques, media ethics, story structure, photojournalism, and additional relevant skills. They will collaborate closely with City Limits’ reporters to cover locally significant news stories concerning crucial issues in New York City. The objective is to have these stories published both in City Limits and in a newsletter produced by students.

7. Future Rising Fellowship

• Location: remote but with an in-person introduction boot camp
• Cost: free admission with an allowance of $5000
• Program Date: to be announced
• Application Deadline: to be announced
• Eligibility: 17-25 year old

While the Future Rising Fellowship differs from an internship, it offers an exceptional and distinctive learning opportunity. Renowned for its prestige, the Fellowship meticulously selects fellows from a global pool of outstanding individuals who exhibit a profound dedication to environmental justice and gender equity. This esteemed program empowers young leaders committed to advancing both climate and gender justice. Spanning a year, the fellowship focuses on nurturing fellows’ leadership and storytelling abilities.

If chosen, participants engage in a comprehensive program featuring leadership development, storytelling workshops, professional growth opportunities, and creative enrichment. They benefit from guidance and insights from a diverse array of advisors and experts, including journalists, educators, advocates, filmmakers, artists, academics, authors, and climate scientists.

At Girl Rising, they understand the profound impact of storytelling in driving transformation, which is why it lies at the core of their mission. One of the primary objectives of the program is to assist Fellows in enhancing their storytelling abilities and empowering them to enact change. Throughout their participation, Fellows collaborate with the Future Rising team to undertake a narrative project in any medium that either showcases their own efforts or shares the stories of girls or women who are tackling the effects of climate change and advocating for environmental justice.

8. Columbia Scholastic Press Association’s Summer Journalism Workshop

• Location: Columbia University, New York
• Cost: $899 – $1599 (depending on the class)
• Program Date: typically in June or July
• Application Deadline: rolling
• Eligibility: open to high school students

The Columbia Scholastic Press Association hosts a weeklong Summer Journalism Workshop tailored for high school students. This event provides not only a glimpse into the journalistic process but also insights into the world of publishing. If you’re keen on discovering how to publish your own work and enhance your writing skills, this program offers valuable insights to refine your publishing strategy.

9. The School of The New York Times’s NYC Summer Academy

• Location: New York
• Cost: $5560 – $6845
• Program Date: June to July (2 weeks)
• Application Deadline: rolling
• Eligibility: open to high school students

Conducted by the New York Times, the NYC Summer Academy offers a two-week immersive experience for high school students. Participants reside in New York City and receive instruction from industry professionals, journalists, and prominent media figures.

Throughout the program, students engage in activities focused on writing, reporting, video production, and data visualization while collaborating on projects addressing current challenges encountered by newsrooms. Accommodations are included in the program. If you aspire to gain insight into writing within esteemed news organizations, this experience could be highly beneficial.

10. Kenyon Review Young Writers Workshops

• Location: New York
• Cost: $5560 – $6845
• Program Date: June to July (2 weeks)
• Application Deadline: rolling
• Eligibility: open to high school students

Securing creative writing internships can often be challenging. However, for those passionate about creative writing, Kenyon College in Ohio offers a two-week intensive writing workshop tailored for high school students.

This immersive workshop provides an opportunity to collaborate and network with professional writers, allowing participants to refine their skills in fiction, non-fiction, and poetry writing. The program also includes attending readings, lectures, and engaging in writing workshops to further enhance writing abilities.

Within the online workshops, participants delve into a close-knit community where they can explore creative concepts, generate new material, engage in insightful discussions about the art of writing (and rewriting) with instructors and peers, and cultivate their unique voices across a variety of genres, from short stories and poems to essays.

11. Bard College Young Writers Workshop @ Simons Rock

• Location: Great Barrington, MA
• Registration Fee: $3,500 (includes tuition, room, and board).
• Important Dates: July 7 to July 27, 2024
• Eligibility: Students who have completed grades 9, 10, or 11.

This program sets itself apart by prioritizing informal, playful, and expressive writing techniques aimed at enhancing language and critical thinking abilities. Students are encouraged to explore various genres, including poetry, personal narratives, short stories, drama, and creative nonfiction.

A distinctive aspect of this workshop is its teaching methodology, which focuses on fostering new writing and refining workshop drafts through collaborative small group interactions. The faculty, consisting of accomplished educators and writers affiliated with the Bard College Institute for Writing and Thinking, are chosen for their exceptional teaching skills and profound insight into the needs of young writers. This ensures that students receive top-notch instruction and personalized guidance tailored to their growth as writers.

12. Sewanee Young Writers’ Conference

• Location: Sewanee, TN
• Registration Fee: $2,575
• Important Dates: June 30 – July 13, 2024
• Eligibility: typically for high school students

The program stands out for its ability to unite students with a shared passion for creative writing, offering them an opportunity to immerse themselves in extensive reading, hone their writing abilities, and foster a sense of community among fellow young writers.

A defining characteristic of the Sewanee Young Writers’ Conference is its wide-ranging selection of courses, encompassing Fiction, Poetry, Literary Nonfiction, Songwriting, and Fantasy/Science Fiction/Fabulism, among others.

This diverse array of genres enables students to explore and enhance their writing skills across various captivating areas. Furthermore, the program features multiple craft classes led by Sewanee faculty and esteemed guests, ensuring students benefit from a comprehensive learning experience. Additionally, engaging with experts in revision and development via Zoom adds an invaluable dimension to the educational journey.

13. Writing Institute at Washington University in St. Louis

• Location: St. Louis, MO
• Registration Fee: Not specified.
• Important Dates: The program runs in July (exact dates not specified).
• Eligibility: Open to writers of all levels.

The Writing Institute at Washington University in St. Louis stands as a distinguished writing and literature program tailored for high school students, offering an extensive curriculum that spans various genres. Held during the summer, this program is crafted to accommodate students from diverse academic backgrounds and interests, with a focus on cultivating robust writing skills crucial for higher education and beyond.

The Institute’s curriculum encompasses core courses delving into essential storytelling elements, supplemented by specialized workshops covering genres such as poetry, fiction, and nonfiction. Students benefit from the guidance of experienced faculty members and have the opportunity to engage with guest speakers from the literary realm. Through this program, students not only enhance their writing prowess but also bolster their confidence and capacity for self-expression, making it a transformative experience for young writers.

14. Summer Writer’s Workshop at Sarah Lawrence College

• Location: Bronxville, NY
• Dates: Virtual session from July 15 to July 19, 2024, and an on-campus session from August 5 to August 9, 2024.
• Registration Fee: Not specified in the sources.
• Eligibility: Students entering 9th, 10th, 11th, or 12th grades, at least 14 years old at the program’s start.

Marking its twenty-fifth anniversary in 2024, this program is dedicated to nurturing creativity, fostering exploration of diverse literary genres, and cultivating a deeper appreciation for writing. Students from varied backgrounds can partake in this enriching experience through virtual and on-campus sessions.

The workshop features writing and theater sessions led by seasoned prose writers, poets, and performance artists. It offers a plethora of creative exercises and projects aimed at expanding students’ skills and artistic expression.

Tailored for 9th, 10th, 11th, or 12th-grade students, the program accommodates a broad age range and skill level. Participants must be at least 14 years old at the program’s commencement, ensuring a mature yet diverse cohort of young writers.

15. Yale Young Writers’ Workshop

• Location: on-campus and online
• Registration Fee: fees varies
• Important Dates: typically in the summer
• Eligibility: High school students

The Yale Young Writers’ Workshop holds a prestigious status as a premier writing and literature program designed for high school students. Typically hosted by Yale University, a globally acclaimed institution renowned for its dedication to academic excellence and the arts.

Beyond refining their writing talents, attendees of the Yale Young Writers’ Workshop are immersed in the stimulating academic atmosphere of Yale University. The program is dedicated to enhancing writing skills while instilling a passion for literature, fostering critical thinking, and nurturing the confidence to pursue creative endeavors.

This workshop serves as an invaluable platform for young writers to flourish both personally and artistically, rendering it a highly coveted opportunity for high school students aspiring to elevate their writing abilities to new heights.

How To Prepare for Writing Internships and Workshops

Students can prepare for writing internships and workshops by taking several proactive steps:

Build a Strong Writing Portfolio: Students should compile a portfolio showcasing their best writing pieces across various genres, such as essays, short stories, poetry, and articles. A diverse portfolio demonstrates their versatility and proficiency in writing.

Refine Writing Skills: Prior to the internship or workshop, students can sharpen their writing skills by practicing regularly. They can engage in writing exercises, participate in writing contests or clubs, and seek feedback from teachers, peers, or writing mentors.

Research the Organization or Program: Students should familiarize themselves with the organization or program hosting the internship or workshop. They can explore its mission, past projects, and the types of writing opportunities it offers to understand its focus and expectations.

Prepare Questions: Before starting the internship or workshop, students can prepare questions to ask mentors, instructors, or program coordinators. These questions can relate to the organization’s goals, specific projects they will be working on, and opportunities for growth and learning.

Familiarize Yourself with Writing Tools: Depending on the internship or workshop, students may need to use various writing tools or software. They can familiarize themselves with these tools in advance to ensure they are comfortable and proficient in using them during the program.

Develop Time Management Skills: Writing internships and workshops often involve tight deadlines and multiple projects. Students can practice time management skills to effectively balance their writing tasks, meet deadlines, and maximize their productivity during the program.

By taking these proactive steps, students can better prepare themselves for writing internships and workshops, ensuring they make the most of these valuable learning opportunities.

How To Pick The Writing Internships That Work Best For You

Choosing the best writing internship involves several considerations to ensure the experience aligns with the student’s goals, interests, and skill level. Here are some steps to help students pick the right writing internship:

Identify Goals and Interests: Students should clarify their writing goals and interests before selecting an internship. Whether they are interested in journalism, creative writing, marketing, or technical writing, understanding their preferences will guide them in finding an internship that aligns with their aspirations.

Research Available Opportunities: Students should conduct thorough research to explore different writing internships available to them. They can search online job boards, university career centers, professional organizations, and company websites to discover internship opportunities in their desired field.

Evaluate Internship Requirements: Once students find potential internships, they should carefully review the requirements and qualifications. This includes considering factors such as location, duration, eligibility criteria, application deadlines, and any prerequisites like writing samples or interviews.

Assess Learning Opportunities: Students should assess the learning opportunities offered by each internship. They can look for programs that provide hands-on writing experience, mentorship from industry professionals, workshops or training sessions, networking opportunities, and exposure to different writing genres or styles.

Consider Company or Organization Reputation: Students should research the reputation of the companies or organizations offering the internship. They can read reviews, check ratings, and seek feedback from past interns to gauge the quality of the internship experience and the support provided to interns.

Reflect on Personal Preferences: Students should consider their personal preferences and lifestyle factors when choosing an internship. This includes factors such as the company culture, work environment, flexibility of schedule, compensation or stipend offered, and whether the internship is virtual or in-person.

Seek Guidance and Advice: Students can seek guidance and advice from teachers, mentors, career counselors, or professionals in the writing industry. These individuals can offer valuable insights, recommendations, and assistance in selecting the best writing internship based on the student’s interests and career goals.

By following these steps and thoroughly evaluating each writing internship opportunity, students can make an informed decision and choose the best internship that will provide them with valuable learning experiences and help them advance their writing careers.

Overall, participation in writing internships can significantly enhance a student’s college admissions chances by showcasing their dedication to their craft, their initiative in seeking out experiential learning opportunities, and their ability to thrive in a professional environment, all of which are highly valued qualities by admissions committees.

With these internships, high school students not only expand their writing skills but also set themselves apart as proactive and ambitious individuals ready to tackle the challenges of higher education and beyond.