American Red Cross Internship 2027–2028: Deadlines & How to Apply

Last updated: October 2026

The American Red Cross runs internships all year, but there's no single application window. Its internships page says applications are rolling and gives a general guide: fall roles open in April, winter and spring roles in September, and summer roles in November. So you apply starting in November 2026, and you intern in summer 2027.

This guide covers the national organization. The National Headquarters in Washington, DC, and regional chapters across the country both post internships, and chapters set their own programs and deadlines. On 16 October 2026 the national careers site listed one paid internship, a part-time Communications Intern role in San Diego, out of 360 openings.

Quick Facts

Rolling and thin right now: one paid internship is posted on the national careers site, and the Red Cross says summer 2027 roles open around November 2026. Regional chapters hire separately.

Red Cross roles reward communication, research and community-data skills, and you can start building proof before the November summer window. Externships are short remote projects for real organizations, most commonly 8 weeks long. The Beats by Dre Creative Advertising Strategy Externship practices campaign messaging, and the ARCeH Children's Environmental Health Analytics Externship builds public health data skills. Explore all Externships.

What Is an American Red Cross Internship?

An American Red Cross internship is a paid or unpaid placement for a college or graduate student in one of the Red Cross's lines of business, such as communications, fundraising or disaster services. The Red Cross says interns work on "projects critical to the day-to-day work" of the organization and gain an insider's view of its humanitarian mission, per its internships page.

The Red Cross is a federated organization. The National Headquarters in Washington, DC, runs the formal internship program and a national careers site, while regions and chapters also post their own internships, paid and unpaid. A local posting isn't the national program, so check both doors.

When Do American Red Cross Internship Applications Open for 2027–2028?

The Red Cross says it offers internships "year round (Summer, Fall, Winter, and Spring)" and that the dates on its page are "a general guide only." The guide puts fall applications in April, winter and spring in September, and summer in November, all on a rolling basis.

We checked the national careers site on 16 October 2026. Its board listed 360 openings, and its Job Type filter counted exactly one "Paid Intern." A live posting and an invented requisition id returned different responses, which confirms the board is working. From a November opening to a June start is about seven months by the guide, but individual postings appear position by position and can come later.

How to read this page: our dates come from tracking previous recruiting cycles and daily posting data. Treat them as informed estimates based on historical patterns, not confirmed dates. The company's official careers page is always the most current source. If a role is posted there, go by that, even if this page suggests the window hasn't opened yet.

Why You Must Apply the Week Applications Open

The Red Cross reviews on a rolling basis, so a position can fill before the guide's window closes. It says it may not be able to contact every applicant because of the volume of applications, and you apply to specific positions only.

Supply is also uneven. Only one paid internship was posted nationally on 16 October 2026, and roles appear position by position rather than in one batch. When a role in your field goes up, being among the first applicants matters more than the month on the guide.

Regional programs can run on firm deadlines. The National Capital & Greater Chesapeake Region's summer 2026 program, for example, set 31 March 2026 for its unpaid internships. Set a reminder for November, then check the board weekly.

Which American Red Cross Internship Programs Should You Target?

The Red Cross has no single menu of programs. Internships are posted position by position, through a few routes. The first row is national, and the rest show how local and unpaid routes differ.

Local chapters run their own programs and deadlines, so check your region's page on redcross.org as well as the national site.

What Are the Eligibility Requirements?

The national internships page sets a short list of rules:

• Enrollment: you must be enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate degree program at the time of the internship.

• Specific positions only: the Red Cross doesn't accept general applications, so apply to each posting and follow its extra instructions.

• No relocation: housing and relocation assistance aren't provided.

• Hours: paid summer roles typically need 40 hours a week for the 10-week program, and school-year hours are flexible around classes.

• Posting-level rules: the live San Diego posting says "You must be a currently enrolled student."

What About GPA, Citizenship and Age?

The national pages don't publish a GPA minimum, a citizenship rule or a work authorization rule, so read each posting for its own conditions. The internships page addresses college and graduate students only. We found no official answer about high school students, and a scam email aimed at a high schooler (see below) shows why that matters.

What Skills Does the American Red Cross Look For, and How Do You Build Them?

The Red Cross publishes no skills list for its internships, and only one paid internship posting is live, so there isn't a set of descriptions to count. The San Diego communications posting asks interns to help develop communication materials such as news releases and social media content, do research, support volunteers, and work with media databases and the Sprout Social management tool.

Other Red Cross lines of business post their own roles, so check each posting for its skills.

Note: Only one paid Red Cross internship posting was live on 16 October 2026, so this page lists the skills in that posting rather than a frequency chart. We'll add one when more summer 2027 postings go live.

How Is Demand for Communications Interns Moving Right Now?

Build These Skills Before You Apply

These remote Externships build communication, audience and public health data skills that map to Red Cross roles. They support your application and don't replace it.

For the Red Cross itself, the strongest preparation is a resume tailored to the specific position and some volunteer or community experience.

What Is the American Red Cross Application and Interview Process Like?

The Red Cross describes its process on the internships page:

1. Search for positions. Look for "intern" or "internship" on the careers site for paid roles, with the location left blank because positions can be virtual, and on the Volunteer Role Finder for unpaid ones.

2. Apply to specific positions. There are no general applications, and you can apply to as many positions as you like.

3. Preliminary selection. The hiring team reviews applications and calls selected candidates for a phone interview with the departmental sponsor.

4. Final selection. Departmental sponsors interview candidates and choose, and the hiring team extends offers to finalists.

5. Employment forms. Selected interns complete forms from Red Cross human resources.

If a search returns nothing, the Red Cross says there are no internship positions open at that time.

What Students on Reddit Say

Community discussion is thin and mixed. These two cards are one thread's account each, paraphrased.

How Do You Stand Out for a Red Cross Internship?

Three moves, all before roles go up.

First, check both doors. Paid roles sit on the careers site and unpaid ones on the Volunteer Role Finder, and your own region may run a separate program with its own deadline.

Second, tailor each application. Apply to specific positions only, and match your resume to the posting, since the San Diego posting, for example, centers on communications materials and volunteer support.

Third, show community involvement. Volunteering with a local chapter is a visible way to show interest in the mission, and one commenter in the Red Cross community pointed to disaster volunteering as a route in.

On what comes after: the Red Cross doesn't publish a return-offer rate, so treat the internship as experience rather than a guaranteed job.

What Other Companies Should You Consider?

These health and humanitarian organizations also hire students.

For the wider field, see our nonprofit and social impact internships summer 2027 guide.

FAQ

Can I still apply for a summer 2026 Red Cross internship?

No. The summer 2026 window has passed; the National Capital & Greater Chesapeake Region's summer program, for example, took applications until 31 March 2026. Summer 2027 roles are expected to open around November 2026, and the national careers site had one paid internship posted on 16 October 2026.

When do Red Cross internship applications open?

The Red Cross gives a general guide: fall internships open in April, winter and spring in September, and summer in November, all on a rolling basis as positions become available. It calls these dates a guide only, so check the careers site and your local chapter regularly.

Are Red Cross internships paid?

Both paid and unpaid internships exist. Paid roles are on the national careers site, and unpaid ones appear as volunteer roles. No national rate is published; the one live paid role, in San Diego, lists $17.75 an hour for 20 hours a week, set by location.

How long is a Red Cross internship?

The formal program typically runs 10 weeks, and dates can shift at the business unit's discretion. Paid summer roles typically need 40 hours a week, while school-year hours are flexible around classes. The Red Cross doesn't provide housing or relocation assistance, so budget for that.

Do local chapters hire interns separately?

Yes. Regions and chapters post their own internships, paid and unpaid, with their own programs and deadlines. The National Capital & Greater Chesapeake Region ran an unpaid summer 2026 program with a 31 March 2026 deadline. Check your region's page as well as the national careers site.

Who is eligible for a Red Cross internship?

You must be enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate degree program at the time of the internship. The Red Cross doesn't accept general applications, so apply to specific positions. The national pages don't publish a GPA minimum or citizenship rule, so read each posting.

How many paid Red Cross internships are open now?

One, as of 16 October 2026. The national careers site listed 360 openings and a single Paid Intern, a part-time Communications Intern role in San Diego. The Red Cross posts internships position by position, so expect more to appear from about November for summer.

How can I tell if a Red Cross internship offer is real?

Apply through redcross.org or its careers site, and treat unsolicited emails offering a paid, remote internship with suspicion. One high school student reported exactly that kind of scam email in 2026. Real postings name a specific position, and the Red Cross doesn't accept general applications.

Red Cross summer 2027 roles are expected to open around November 2026. Check the national careers site and your local chapter weekly, and if you want to build communication or public health data proof first, a remote Externship is one way to start.