Fall- and Spring-Semester Internships for Undergraduate and Graduate Students

The Met has over forty department areas that host interns from a wide variety of academic backgrounds. For example, students majoring in computer science might apply to intern in our Digital or Information Systems & Technology departments. Engineering students might be interested in our Buildings and Construction Department. Art history and other humanities students gain valuable experience in curatorial departments, as well as Editorial, Education, and Development. Studio art, design, or photography majors have thrived in areas like Digital, Design, or Imaging. Our Department of Scientific Research welcomes students with a strong background in science.

Interns may also be placed at The Met Cloisters to work on education, library, gardens, or curatorial projects. The departmental placement is onsite at The Met Cloisters, but these interns participate fully in orientation and all other intern activities and programs at The Met Fifth Avenue. If you have a specific interest in The Met Cloisters, select this museum area (along with any additional areas that interest you) on your application.

Learn about the possible internship placement areas at The Met.

Interns commit to 140 hours during the ten-week program, usually scheduled on two days per week between Monday and Friday.

Interns' work days are arranged on mutually convenient days for both the intern and supervisor. All interns must be available to participate in the internship program seminar on Fridays from 11 am to 12 pm (EST), which counts towards the required hours.

Fall Internship Program dates: Third week of September through the first week of December (with one week off during the week of Thanksgiving)
Spring Internship Program dates: Second week of February through the third week of April

$22 per hour

Internships are available to:

• Undergraduate and graduate students currently enrolled in a degree-granting program
• Recent graduates of an undergraduate or graduate program who have graduated no more than twelve months before the application deadline
• PhD students within the first two years of their program, provided that they have not yet achieved candidacy. PhD candidates are not eligible for internships. If you are unsure about your PhD student eligibility, contact us at collegeprograms@metmuseum.org.

Former interns: If you have been an undergraduate or graduate intern at The Met, you are eligible to reapply, provided you have not already completed twelve months or three semesters as an intern. Former interns who have completed a one-semester internship are still eligible to apply for The Met's long-term internships for recent graduates.

Current interns: Supervisors may apply to the Education Department to renew the internship of a current intern for the same project or department. Current interns who wish to be considered for an internship in another department must reapply.

Preprogram conservation internships: If you are no longer a student or recent graduate and are looking for a preprogram internship in a conservation department in order to apply to a graduate conservation program, contact us at collegeprograms@metmuseum.org to inquire about your eligibility.

Undergraduate and graduate internships at the Museum are open to international applicants. Interns are responsible for ensuring that they have valid legal status under applicable U.S. visa regulations while participating in the Museum's paid internship program. All interns must have valid U.S. work authorization. Although the Museum acts as your host institution, the Museum does not sponsor visas for interns. If you require a visa, you may be eligible to participate in the Exchange Visitor Program (J-1 visa program), by going through an outside agency that has been authorized by the State Department to sponsor a J-1 trainee visa. These sponsors are responsible for supporting and monitoring foreign nationals during their exchange programs in the United States. Note: The J-1 visa program currently requires that interns work 32 hours per week; for this reason, individuals requiring a J-1 visa should only apply to the full-time summer MuSe Internship Program, not the fall or spring internship.

If you are an international student at a U.S. college or university, please consult your school's international office for guidance on how to participate in a paid internship program. If you are a student at a non-U.S. college or university, we recommend that you consult with the U.S. embassy in your home country to determine which visa will allow you to participate in this internship. Please be aware that obtaining a visa is usually a lengthy process and can cost upwards of US$1,500; it must be completed well in advance of the internship start date. If you are offered an internship but do not have your visa and work authorization before the start date of the program, your internship will be canceled.

Due to the global pandemic, additional restrictions are in place regarding visas and travel. Please check the U.S. Department of State website for current information.

• All interns are employed by The Met and must have valid U.S. work authorization. If you are not a U.S. citizen nor a permanent resident with authorization to live and work in the U.S., please see “International Applicants” above.
• As employees of The Met, all interns must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

It’s important to explain what you want to learn from an internship at The Met in your essays. Researching the variety of jobs available in an art museum—and the skills needed to do those jobs—will help you shape and articulate your goals. Once reviewers understand what you’d like to get out of the internship, they can evaluate whether The Met’s program and internship projects can help you meet your goals.

Reviewers look at your past jobs, internships, volunteer work, academic courses, and your personal journeys and consider how this internship could help you grow and/or constitute a turning point in your studies or career. Your application will be stronger if you’re able to demonstrate how the internship could have a strong impact on your growth in one or more areas. This potential impact could be evident in your essays and supported by the experiences on your résumé. For summer applicants, this potential can also be supported by your letters of recommendation.

The Met is committed to creating a cohort that is diverse, inclusive, and supportive. Reviewers look for interns who are eager to participate in this kind of community and demonstrate a commitment to these values in their application materials. You can demonstrate your values as part of an essay—by offering examples of how you practice inclusion and anti-racism in your own life—or through a sample of your work that embodies these values.  

Reviewers evaluate the level of personal and academic responsibility your application demonstrates. We’re not only considering your grades, but also whether you’ve been consistent and followed through with your commitments to your chosen activities, jobs, or volunteer work. Reviewers want interns who will show up for themselves and their peers and are ready to learn and take advantage of everything this internship experience can offer. We’re looking across all your materials to find a picture of how ready you are to learn and commit to this internship; a few low grades will not knock you out of consideration. For summer applicants, letters of recommendation are also helpful.

Reviewers look at your past exposure to the arts and art museums, and whether you’ve had any experiences like our internship program. If you’ve already had several museum internships, especially at large museums like The Met, reviewers want to know how The Met’s program can offer something new, and how you’d continue to grow from this experience. Students who have had very little or no prior experiences in the arts due to systemic barriers or unequal access to art and culture will be rated higher in this area.