15 Fashion Internships + Programs for High Schoolers in 2023
What’s Covered:
- 15 Fashion Internships and Programs for High School Students
- How Much Do Internships Impact Your College Chances?
From the offices of New York City and London designers to runways in fashion capitals like Milan to Paris, it’s easy to see the appeal of a career in fashion. An internship in the fashion industry can provide insight into what a career in the field looks like, bolster your resume, build an industry network, and put fashion forward in your career.
15 Fashion Internships and Programs for High School Students
Finding a high school internship in the fashion industry is not easy, yet there are opportunities available if you are persistent. The following section is broken up into internships and programs for high schoolers to gain a glimpse into the world of fashion.
Internships
1. URBN Internships
Application Deadline: November 4
Duration: 10 weeks (June through August)
URBN, the umbrella under which brands like Urban Outfitters, Anthropologie, and Free People fall, is home to a 10-week, paid internship. URBN internships are primarily located at the company’s office in the historic Philadelphia Navy Yard, however, there is the possibility of some remote offerings. Participants receive hands-on experience in a specific area of interest while earning a competitive hourly rate. Over the course of the program, URBN interns will develop the leadership and skills necessary to succeed in a fast-paced retail environment. Students can apply for spring, summer, or fall internships.
2. Gap Inc. This Way ONward
Application Deadline: N/A
Duration: N/A
This Way ONward is a program that provides high school students with their first jobs, and mentorship to make their dreams a reality by partnering with their local Old Navy stores with a focus on serving Black and Latinx communities. This Way ONward provides teens 16+ with exposure to retail careers, job readiness preparation, opportunities to apply and interview for part-time and seasonal jobs, and coaching and support through the entire hiring process.
3. Abercrombie & Fitch Co. Freshman Forum
Application Deadline: N/A
Duration: One week
High schoolers getting ready to graduate will want to put this awesome internship with A&F on their lists. This week-long virtual event brings college freshmen from across the country together to get hands-on experience with a customer insight case study, and learn how to generate data, insights, and actionable business solutions from it. Hit the books, because a 3.0 GPA is required to participate in this program.
4. Intern Abroad Fashion Marketing Remote Internships
Application Deadline: Rolling
Duration: 12 months
Recent high school graduates interested in gaining marketing experience and learning about the fashion world will want to pursue this remote internship opportunity. Through this program, interns will assist Italy-based brands, designers, and showrooms through the creation of digital assets such as blogs, social media posts, videos, and photographs. Internships are customized to match the participant’s unique skills and interests with companies in need of them. Three-, eight-, and 13-week internships are available and students must pay to participate.
5. Land’s End Summer Internships
Application Deadline: Varies
Duration: 12 weeks
Land’s End, the clothing and home decor retailer, offers 12-week summer internships in a variety of fields. Interns immerse themselves in the company’s culture and receive mentorship while working on group projects, participating in leadership workshops, and taking part in networking events. Interns are compensated for their time and receive a generous discount at Land’s End and its partner organizations.
Programs
1. LIM Fashion Academy
Application Deadline: June 20
Duration: Three weeks
LIM College’s three-week Fashion Academy introduces students to the business of fashion, covering topics such as fashion merchandising and marketing, visual studies, fashion media, styling, event management, sustainability, and entrepreneurship. The academy is taught in a hands-on style which allows students to experience the business and provides valuable insight into potential fashion careers. LIM Fashion Academy costs $1,295 and students can earn three college credits for its completion.
2. LIM Fashion Workshops
Application Deadline: Varies
Duration: Four days
LIM College also offers a variety of four-day, non-credit workshops for students with an interest in the fashion industry. Workshops are available in a variety of fields, including fashion merchandising, fashion styling, digital design, and fashion media. Most workshops are provided both in person and virtually and cost a few hundred dollars.
3. Parsons Online Summer Intensive Studies
Application Deadline: N/A
Duration: Three weeks
This three-week summer program offered by Lower Manhattan’s Parsons School of Design/The New School—one of the top design schools in the world—is a fantastic opportunity for high schoolers interested in a career in fashion. Specific programs are available in a variety of fashion-focused fields, including fashion design, fashion styling, and product design. In addition to coursework, participants will hear from guest speakers from the fashion industry and go on virtual field trips. It’s a paid program, not a traditional internship, and costs $4,675.
4. Drexel University’s Merchandising: Re-imagining the Business of Fashion
Application Deadline: N/A
Duration: One week
This week-long course isn’t exactly an internship, but it is an amazing opportunity for high schoolers to learn about the field of fashion merchandising. Participants are exposed to a variety of roles in the fashion industry, learning about positions such as buyers, product developers, marketing professionals, fashion writers, event planners, and retail managers. Furthermore, participants will gain an understanding of the relationship between the fields of design, development, merchandising, and marketing. This course costs $1,500 but provides invaluable insight into a career in fashion.
5. Banson NYC Fashion Summer Camp
Application Deadline: N/A
Duration: One week
Banson NYC was founded to provide students with a “real life” tour experience of the fashion industry in New York City. Banson NYC Fashion Summer Camp allows you to learn how buyers select merchandise for their stores and what goes on behind the scenes in a showroom or design studio in NYC. Each week of the fashion camp is packed with visits to key players in the fashion industry, fun educational shopping trips, and the opportunity to stay in dorm rooms with another Banson NYC student. The course is designed specifically for students in grades 9-12 and space is limited—a maximum of 20 participants are accepted.
6. Rhode Island School of Design’s Pre-College Program
Application Deadline: Rolling
Duration: Five weeks
Rhode Island School of Design’s Pre-College Program isn’t a traditional fashion internship for high school students, but an excellent opportunity nonetheless. This residential program introduces students interested in studying art and design in college to a network of like-minded creative high schoolers, challenges them with collegiate-level coursework, and helps them produce portfolio-level work. However, unlike paid internships, participants pay to take part in this program. The cost of RISD’s Residential Pre-College Program is $10,700.
7. Fashion Institute of Technology’s High School Summer Live Program
Application Deadline:
- Spring: February 23
- Summer: N/A
- Fall: N/A
Duration: 10-11 days
This program might not fit the bill as a traditional internship, but it is a great way for high schoolers with an interest in fashion to build their portfolios, explore different fields in fashion, and get a feel for college-level coursework at one of the most prestigious institutions. Courses range from Drawing for Designers to Fashion Business, are taught by FIT instructors, and are available both in-person and virtually. This is a paid program, and each course costs $445.
8. Texas Woman’s University Teen Fashion Design Camp
Application Deadline: N/A
Duration: Five days
Aimed at students between the ages of 14 and 18, Texas Woman’s University Teen Fashion Design Camp covers a broad spectrum of fashion-focused skills. Participants will primarily work to build sewing and apparel construction skills, but will also learn about fashion sketching, trend board development, design concepts, textiles, color theory, and fashion show production. Instruction comes from TWU fashion program faculty, local fashion industry professionals, and undergraduate fashion students. The cost of the program is $575.
9. Pratt’s Summer Pre-College Program
Application Deadline: March 1
Duration: Four weeks
This rigorous four-week, full-time program at the Pratt Institute—one of the country’s top art and design schools—is an excellent opportunity for high schoolers aspiring to a career in fashion. Over the course of the program, students take two intensive studio courses, in disciplines such as fashion design, industrial design, and jewelry, while also participating in workshops and visiting local cultural institutions. By the end of the program, students will bolster their portfolios and have the opportunity to earn college credit.
10. The Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) Rising Star Program
Application Deadline: N/A
Duration: Five weeks
The SCAD Rising Star Program is a five-week summer program that awards college credit to rising high school seniors. This residential program allows participants to get a feel for college life while building their portfolios and creating a network of like-minded peers. SCAD Rising Stars participate in two college-level classes and can choose from courses like fashion Technology, Fashion Aesthetics and Style, Introduction to Fibers, Sewing Technology for Accessory Design, and Beauty and Fragrance through the Ages. This is a paid program; tuition is $6,165 and includes housing and meals.
How Much Do Internships Impact Your College Chances?
Activities such as Internships and programs are an important part of admissions decisions. Extracurricular activities are valued as much as 25% in decision making. An eye-catching internship at a well-known brand or participation in a prestigious program can set you apart from other candidates. Even an unpaid internship demonstrates your interest in the field and shows your commitment.
Extracurricular activities like internships are commonly categorized into four tiers. Tier 1 and Tier 2 are reserved for the most impressive and rare internships and can significantly influence your college odds. Tier 3 and Tier 4 are reserved for less prestigious and more common activities which have less impact on your chances of college admission.
If you’re interested in finding out your odds of acceptance at a particular school, CollegeVine can help. Our free admissions calculator considers factors like GPA, standardized test scores, and extracurricular activities (like internships) to predict your odds of acceptance at over 600 colleges and universities. More than just informing you of your chances, our chancing calculator also provides insight into how to improve your profile to better your chances of gaining acceptance to your dream school.
