Thinking about studying sociology in college or curious about how social systems shape everyday life? A sociology internship is a great way to explore the field beyond textbooks and classroom discussions. These opportunities let you see how sociological ideas show up in real communities, organizations, and research settings.
Why Try a Sociology Internship?
Sociology internships help you connect theory to real-world practice. You might work on projects related to education access, community health, social inequality, housing, public policy, youth programs, or demographic research. Along the way, you build skills in observation, data collection, communication, and basic analysis, while learning how research teams and community organizations operate.
These experiences also add real depth to college applications. Instead of speaking in general terms, you will have concrete examples to reference in essays, interviews, and future applications. More importantly, you gain a clearer sense of whether sociology is the right fit for you and how it connects to the issues you care about.
To help you get started, we’ve selected 15 of the best sociology internships for high school students! You can also check out summer sociology programs for high school students here.
15 Sociology Internships for High School Students
1. The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights High School Internship
Location: Remote or in person from the Washington, DC-based office
Cost/Stipend: Free | Unpaid
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Competitive
Dates: Year-round internships are available, including in the fall; they last anywhere from two weeks to two months
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions
Eligibility: Graduating high school seniors with strong verbal and written communication skills
The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights High School Internship will allow you to explore civil and human rights work. You’ll watch the federal legislative process up close, learn how coalitions function, get practical policy experience, and improve your understanding of civil rights issues. Your tasks can include conducting online and offline historical research, attending staff and coalition meetings, supporting grassroots events, helping with historical record-keeping, updating listservs, and pitching in with general staff work. You’ll also develop career skills, expand your network, and learn about areas such as policy, communications, operations, and development. You’ll need to be available on Monday afternoons and able to work in the office at least two days a week.
2. Internships at the Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage
Location: Remote or in person in Washington, DC
Cost/Stipend: Free | A stipend is provided; the amount varies by opportunity
Cohort Size: Over 100 students
Dates: Internships are available year-round and can last anywhere from six weeks to a full year, depending on the specific role
Application Deadline: Varies by opportunity; March 1 (summer session)
Eligibility: High school, undergraduate, and postgraduate students, along with non-students such as working professionals
The Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage offers year-round internships in fields like history, cultural anthropology, linguistics, social media, folklore, ethnomusicology, museum studies, design, videography, arts administration, marketing, and library science. You’ll work with staff on projects connected to the Smithsonian Folkways Recordings, Smithsonian Folklife Festival, the Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives, educational outreach programs, and cultural sustainability work. You’ll work 15-20 hours per week, part-time or full-time, for 6 weeks to a full year. Students studying subjects such as history, American studies, music, folklore, and library science can earn academic credit. This internship can also help you learn about sociology, since the Center’s work inherently involves studying various aspects of human society, culture, and community dynamics.
3. New York Historical Society’s Student Historian Internship Program
Location: New York Historical Society, New York, NY
Cost/Stipend: Free | Interns earn a $700 stipend
Cohort Size: 25 interns per session
Dates: October 29 – June 24 (academic year session) | July 8 – August 14 (summer session; tentative)
Application Deadline: August 24 (academic year session) | March 30 (summer session; tentative)
Eligibility: Students entering grades 10–12 who live and attend school in the NYC metro area, including the five boroughs and nearby parts of New York State, Connecticut, and New Jersey
The New York Historical Society’s Student Historian Internship Program will allow you to explore American history by working with the Society’s collections and creating digital projects for the public. This year’s theme, “Our Composite Nation: Frederick Douglass’ America,” focuses on digital humanities and American history. You’ll team up with staff and other interns to learn about museum work, libraries, digital humanities, and the broader history field. You’ll also develop your research, communication, writing, and digital skills. If you’re interested in sociology, studying history will help you explore how societies work and how social relationships and structures shift over time. Through historical research and analysis, you’ll get practical experience that overlaps with core ideas in sociology.
4. Telluride Association Summer Seminar (TASS)
Location: Hosted at colleges across the U.S., including past sites like the University of Maryland (College Park, MD) and Cornell University (Ithaca, NY)
Cost/Stipend: Free | Unpaid
Acceptance Rate: Highly selective (estimated 3–5%)
Dates: June 21 – July 25
Application Deadline: October 15 – December 3
Eligibility: High school sophomores and juniors aged 15–18, including international students
The Telluride Association Summer Seminar is a liberal arts program where students explore how privilege and power shape society through humanities and social science courses. You can choose between two tracks. TASS-CBS (Critical Black Studies) looks at the history, politics, art, literature, and cultural work of people of African descent. TASS-AOS (Anti-Oppressive Studies) examines systems like patriarchy, classism, and white supremacy, along with the ways people work for social change. Each day includes about 3 hours of faculty-led classes, including lectures, discussions, and group activities. You’ll explore art, watch films, read, write essays with feedback, and attend guest lectures, public speaking sessions, and workshops. It also covers topics like poverty, inequality, the media, community life, and democratic decision-making, which will help you improve your understanding of key sociological concepts.
5. University of California, Santa Barbara Research Mentorship Program
Location: University of California, Santa Barbara, CA
Cost: $13,274 (residential option) | $5,675 (commuter option); limited need-based scholarships are available, with priority for California residents
Acceptance Rate: 4–6%
Dates: June 15 – July 31
Application Deadline: December 15 – March 9
Eligibility: Students in grades 10–11 with a 3.8 GPA or higher can apply; exceptional 9th graders may be considered. All accepted students are required to attend an RMP Prep Webinar in May before the program starts.
UC Santa Barbara’s Research Mentorship Program is a selective summer option for students who want hands-on experience with college-level research. The program will allow you to choose from a wide range of disciplines, including Education, History, Art, Anthropology, Sociology, Psychology, Global Studies, Economics, and more. If you’re interested in sociology, you’ll be paired with a professor or researcher who will guide you through your project and help you learn key sociological methods and concepts. You’ll explore research careers, learn research skills, and discover your academic interests.
The program also features GRIT talks, during which UCSB researchers share their current work and technologies. It begins with a virtual orientation to meet your mentor and learn about available resources. After that, you’ll spend six weeks on campus working 35 to 50 hours a week, depending on your project. You might complete fieldwork, use the library, collect data, or handle other tasks. You’ll also write a research paper, present your work at a symposium, and earn eight college credits through two courses called Presentation Techniques and Introduction to Research.
6. Virtual Internship at the American Anthropological Association
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: Free | Unpaid
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Selective
Dates: June 23 – July 18 (tentative)
Application Deadline: March 31 (tentative)
Eligibility: High school students
The American Anthropological Association offers virtual internships for high school students who want to learn how anthropological research works. You’ll work with staff to make complex articles easier for younger students to understand, especially when the material connects to topics like migration and displacement. During the program, you’ll complete two projects. The main one involves reading current anthropological work and rewriting it for a 6th–12th-grade audience. The second project changes each year but usually focuses on accessibility or public education. Past interns have created infographics, summaries, and short videos. You can check out previous project themes here. This internship can also help you learn about sociology, since anthropology and sociology often study similar topics and use similar research approaches. The program’s focus on contemporary anthropological work will give you experience with themes and skills that overlap with sociological study.
7. Smithsonian’s Young Ambassadors Program at the National Museum of the American Latino
Location: Multiple locations across the U.S. and Puerto Rico, including one week in Washington, DC
Cost/Stipend: Free | Stipend is paid (amount not specified)
Cohort Size: 20 high school seniors
Dates: July 8 – August 2; Washington Week is held from June 22 to June 28
Application Deadline: April 11
Eligibility: Graduating high school seniors who are fluent in English, have a minimum 3.25 weighted GPA, are eligible to work in the U.S., and are enrolled full-time in an accredited university or college for the upcoming fall.
The Smithsonian’s Young Ambassadors Program is a national leadership and college-prep program for students interested in the arts, humanities, or sciences, with a focus on Latino communities, culture, and history. The experience starts with Washington Week, a week-long seminar, where you’ll visit Smithsonian Latino collections, meet professionals in the field, and explore academic and career paths. After that, you’ll take part in a four-week practicum at a museum or cultural institution in one of 19 locations across the U.S. and Puerto Rico. The program can help you understand sociology by exploring how cultural identity, social structures, and historical context shape the experiences of American Latinos. You’ll also look at how different groups have been influenced by social and cultural forces over time, including topics like discrimination, immigration, and community formation.
8. Sadie Nash Leadership Project’s Summer Institute
Location: Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, Newark
Cost/Stipend: Free | Students earn a stipend based on their participation
Cohort Size: Over 130 students participate across four program sites
Dates: July 7 – August 14
Application Deadline: March 24 (priority deadline) | April 14 (final deadline)
Eligibility: High school students in New York City or Newark who identify as young women or gender-expansive
The Sadie Nash Leadership Project’s Summer Institute offers young women and gender-expansive youth a space to build leadership skills through lectures, community activities, and field trips. You’ll get to meet women and gender-expansive leaders, including elected officials, business owners, and artists, who will share their work and experiences. You’ll attend lectures on topics like the Anthropology of Gender, Education for Liberation, and Art and Activism in America. These sessions will help you understand how gender roles shape culture and society, how education works outside the classroom, and how art influences social change. You’ll also participate in workshops on topics like social justice and identity, as well as in activities like community organizing, that will teach you sociological concepts and methods.
9. Youth Council Internship at Democracy Maine
Location: Portland, ME
Cost/Stipend: Free | Interns earn $15 per hour
Cohort Size: Each semester, only 3–4 high school interns are selected from across the state
Dates: Internships are available during the fall, spring, and summer
Application Deadline: September 19 (Fall Semester) | January 16 (Spring Semester) | May 15 (Summer)
Eligibility: Maine high school students can apply; students who are 15 or younger must get a Maine work permit before starting the internship
Democracy Maine’s Youth Council Internship allows local students to learn about active citizenship. You’ll spend around 5 hours a week exploring state laws and building organizing and facilitation skills. You might get to plan awareness events, create newsletters for interns and council members, and make classroom PSAs on topics like Miranda Rights, Ranked Choice Voting, Automatic Voter Registration, and burnout in organizing. You’ll also receive mentorship for national conferences, college recommendations, and potential job paths. Past interns have met with Maine leaders, including the Governor, the Secretary of State, and their local Representatives. If you’re interested in sociology, this internship will give you real experience with the social and political dynamics the field examines.
10. Pomona College Academy for Youth Success (PAYS) Summer Program
Location: Pomona College, Claremont, Los Angeles County, CA
Cost/Stipend: Free | Unpaid
Cohort Size: 30 students are accepted each year, with a total of up to 90 students enrolled at a time
Dates: June 21 – July 17
Application Deadline: November 10 – February 23
Eligibility: Current 9th graders who live in Los Angeles, Riverside, San Bernardino, Orange, or Ventura Counties can apply if they come from low-income families, are first-generation college-bound, and are taking Geometry or Integrated Math II
The Pomona College Academy for Youth Success is a four-week program in which you’ll take college-level classes, go on field trips, attend workshops and cultural events, and work on projects. After joining the program, you’ll stay connected with PAYS during the school year for the next three years. During the summer, you’ll engage in a liberal arts curriculum taught by Pomona College faculty. You’ll take Math and Critical Inquiry courses, along with electives led by Pomona students or PAYS alumni. Juniors can also participate in a 10-week SAT prep course. Rising seniors can conduct research with Pomona faculty in areas such as Sociology, Chemistry, Theater, and Math. The program can help you learn about sociology, since some of the summer research projects focus on social science topics. Previous participants have researched topics such as the cultural climate and its effects on mental health, which directly tie into sociological ideas.
11. USC Dornsife Center for the Political Future (CPF) High School Summer Internship Program
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: Free | Unpaid
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Highly selective; 14 students participated in last year’s program.
Dates: June 1 – August 1
Application Deadline: May 19 (tentative)
Eligibility: High school students with a minimum 3.5 GPA can apply; graduating seniors are not eligible
The USC Dornsife Center for the Political Future offers a selective virtual summer internship for high school students. You’ll complete two main projects based on a bill you choose at the local, state, or federal level, as long as it relates to environmental policy or sustainability. The bill can have been passed, is still moving through the process, or has failed. Your projects will include a legislative policy memo and an analysis of the legislative process. If you finish all the required work, one of your assignments will be published online, and you’ll be recognized as a Summer Research Intern for both the USC Center for the Political Future and the USC Wrigley Institute for Environment and Sustainability.
12. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) Voluntary Internship Program
Location: Various locations across the United States
Cost/Stipend: Free | Unpaid
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Competitive
Dates: Internships run for 10–12 weeks; May/June – August (Summer) | September – November/December (Fall) | January/February – April (Spring)
Application Deadline: March 16 (Summer) | June 30 – July 18 (Fall) | December 8 – December 19 (Spring)
Eligibility: Current high school, undergraduate, and graduate students who have U.S. citizenship and are 18 or older
The NARA Voluntary Internship Program allows students to work directly with the National Archives and Records Administration. NARA’s collections cover major moments in American history and are used to explore historical topics, verify a veteran’s service, and conduct family history research. You can explore many areas, like records management, cartography, archival processing, digitizing records, conservation, legal and legislative research, editorial work, public history, and more. You can work anywhere from 10 to 40 hours a week as long as you complete at least 100 total hours. At least half of your hours must be on-site, and you will set your schedule with your supervisor. Working with historical records can also help you learn how societies functioned, how institutions operated, and how social beliefs were documented.
13. Miami-Dade State Attorney High School Volunteer Internship Program
Location: Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office, Miami, FL
Cost/Stipend: Free | Unpaid
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified
Dates: Minimum three months
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions
Eligibility: High school students
The Miami-Dade State Attorney High School Volunteer Internship Program gives students a close look at how the criminal justice system functions and what the State Attorney’s Office handles day to day. You’ll help with tasks like running background checks, taking statements from victims and witnesses, interviewing defendants, attending bond hearings, handling complaints, assisting with protection orders, researching case law, and reviewing evidence to help determine whether charges should be filed. You can also explore careers in social work, criminal justice, or law. You’ll work 16 to 20 hours a week for at least three months each semester and even get to earn school credit. Even though most tasks are legal or administrative, observing how people move through the system can offer you insight into sociological issues such as crime, justice, and inequality.
14. Museum of History and Industry’s (MOHAI) History Lab
Location: Museum of History and Industry, Seattle, WA
Cost/Stipend: Free | Students earn a $150 stipend
Cohort Size: 6 students
Dates: July 21 – August 1
Application Deadline: May 23
Eligibility: Rising 10th–12th grade students
MOHAI History Lab is designed for students who like local history and storytelling. You’ll develop your research skills and find creative ways to study and share the past by choosing a local history topic that connects to the session’s theme. This year’s theme, “the power of history and the history of power,” looks at how power shapes the way history is researched, how our view of the past influences ideas about power, how narratives are created and revised, and what drives social and political change. You’ll explore these ideas through Seattle’s history and your own experiences while using MOHAI’s collections, working in the galleries, going on field trips, and spending time in nearby neighborhoods. You’ll also learn how to share history online through digital public history tools and complete a project that will be published on the Rainy Day History website. Joining MOHAI’s History Lab can also support your interest in sociology. Since history and sociology overlap, the program will allow you to study how societies form, how relationships evolve, and how institutions change by exploring real events from the past.
15. Annenberg Youth Academy (AYA) for Media and Civic Engagement at USC
Location: USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, Los Angeles, CA
Cost/Stipend: Free | Unpaid
Cohort Size: 26 students
Dates: June 16 – July 3
Application Deadline: March 3 – April 14
Eligibility: High school students who live in the neighborhoods surrounding USC’s University Park and Health Sciences campuses
USC’s Annenberg Youth Academy for Media and Civic Engagement is a three-week summer program that will allow you to explore college-level media and journalism. You’ll build skills in public speaking, writing, debate, critical thinking, interviewing, multimedia production, and ethnography, as well as explore how media shapes civic-minded leaders. You’ll take part in sessions led by scholar and media maker Rogelio Lopez and a journalism lecturer. You’ll receive help with college essays and information about USC Annenberg’s undergraduate programs and media careers. You’ll get to meet USC scholars who study gender, race, and ethnicity in communication and journalism. Its focus on civic engagement, social justice, and community dynamics will introduce you to concepts in sociology, such as socialization and analysis.
One more option – Horizon Academic Research Program
If you’re looking for a competitive mentored research program in subjects like social inequality, race and gender studies, youth culture, migration, and education systems, consider applying to Horizon’s Research Seminars and Labs! This is a selective virtual research program that lets you engage in advanced research and develop a research paper on a subject of your choosing. Horizon has worked with 1000+ high school students so far and offers 600+ research specializations for you to choose from. You can find the application link here!
Image source – Pomona College