PBS Internship 2027–2028: Programs, Deadlines & How to Apply

Last updated: October 2026

PBS posts its internships in February, not in the fall. Its careers page says "Opportunities are posted in February each year," and the class works in PBS's offices in Arlington and Alexandria, Virginia. So you apply around February 2027, and you intern in summer 2027.

PBS has not published a close date or session dates on its own pages, so watch its board and apply the day a role posts. This guide covers national PBS; local member stations like WHYY or Austin PBS run their own, separate internships.

Quick Facts

Nothing is open: PBS's job board listed 8 openings on 16 October 2026, all regular full-time roles and no internships. Expect postings around February 2027; PBS has not said how long they stay open.

PBS's 2026 postings asked for short-form video, social content, and project and budget skills, and you can build proof before February. Externships are short remote projects for real organizations, most commonly 8 weeks long. The Beats by Dre Creative Advertising Strategy Externship practices campaign and creative-brief thinking, and the Pinterest Gen Z Consumer Behavior Externship builds audience analysis. Explore all Externships.

What Is a PBS Internship?

A PBS internship is a paid summer placement in a department of the Public Broadcasting Service, the nonprofit public media organization headquartered in Arlington County, Virginia. PBS says its program is "designed to provide college students a practical and valuable experience that complements their major field of study," with interns working on "key projects" and "business-critical work."

PBS describes itself as a membership organization that serves the American public in partnership with its member stations. Its careers page shows former PBS KIDS interns from the class of 2022, one of whom is now on staff.

When Do PBS Internship Applications Open for 2027–2028?

PBS's careers page says internship opportunities "are posted in February each year" on its Current Opportunities page. PBS has not published session dates on its own pages.

We checked PBS's Workday board on 16 October 2026. It listed 8 openings, none an internship, and its Job Type filter showed only regular roles. A live posting and an invented requisition id returned different responses, which confirms the board is working. The 2026 internship postings have been removed from PBS's board, and PBS has not published their dates on its own pages, so the only date we can rely on is PBS's own statement that internships are posted in February.

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

PBS has not said how long its internship postings stay open. PBS itself says only that opportunities are posted in February, so we cannot promise a long rolling window.

Because each department posts its own requisition, you may have several roles to choose from, but each can close independently. An applicant in April 2026 mentioned PBS "had quite a few open this year."

The safe plan is simple. Watch the board from January, have a resume and work sample ready, and apply the day a role goes up. If PBS leaves a posting open longer than last year, you lose nothing by being early.

Which PBS Internship Programs Should You Target?

PBS posts role-specific internship requisitions by department. These are two 2026 postings we could read, and the departments change from year to year.

The program overview is on PBS's careers page, and current postings are on its Workday board.

What Are the Eligibility Requirements?

PBS publishes little on eligibility. What we can state:

• Students: PBS says its program is for "college students."

• Kids role (2026): "College student or graduate student with social content experience."

• Operations role (2026): seeking or having completed a BS/BA in film, TV or digital production, or equivalent education.

• Not published: minimum GPA, class year, and citizenship or work authorization rules.

Is the GPA a Hard Cutoff?

PBS doesn't say. Neither its careers page nor the 2026 postings we could read state a GPA minimum, so don't assume one. The postings emphasize relevant experience, such as filming and editing for social platforms or comfort with spreadsheets and project tracking, so show that in your application.

What Skills Does PBS Look For, and How Do You Build Them?

PBS publishes no skills list for its internships. Two 2026 postings we could read show what each department wanted. The creative role asked for filming and editing for Instagram and TikTok and social content experience, with promotional writing and marketing a plus. The operations role listed Microsoft 365, data management, analysis and reporting, with monday.com, AI tools and Canva as nice-to-haves.

That's two postings, which isn't enough to count, but it shows the range: creative production on one side, planning and budgets on the other.

Note: Only two PBS internship postings could be read, and PBS has removed them from its board, so this page describes their skills instead of a frequency chart. We'll add one when the summer 2027 postings go live.

How Is Demand for Communications Interns Moving Right Now?

Build These Skills Before You Apply

These remote Externships build the content, audience and data skills the 2026 PBS postings named. They support your application and don't replace it.

For PBS itself, the strongest preparation is a work sample that matches the department you want.

What Is the PBS Application and Interview Process Like?

PBS publishes general hiring steps on its careers page, not internship-specific rounds:

1. Search. Look at PBS's Current Opportunities page on its Workday board for internship postings.

2. Apply. Apply through the careers site, and a recruiter will reach out.

3. Interview. PBS says interviews are either virtual or in person.

4. Onboarding. Selected candidates complete onboarding before the session starts.

PBS doesn't publish the number of interview rounds for interns.

What Students on Reddit Say

We found no first-hand account from a national PBS intern on Reddit. The one relevant thread, from April 2026, is an applicant asking about the interview timeline and noting that PBS "had quite a few open this year." Threads about working at PBS stations describe separate local employers, so we left them out.

How Do You Stand Out for a PBS Internship?

Three moves, all before February.

First, pick a department and build a matching sample. For creative roles, that means a short vertical video or social edit. For operations roles, it means a clean spreadsheet or a project-tracking example.

Second, be ready to apply the day a role posts. Postings can come and go, so keep your resume, cover letter and samples in one folder.

Third, know the difference between national PBS and your local station. If you miss the national window, local member stations run their own internships on their own sites.

On what comes after: PBS doesn't publish a return-offer rate, though its careers page features a former PBS KIDS intern who is now on staff.

What Other Companies Should You Consider?

These organizations also hire students for media, content and public programming work.

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

FAQ

Can I still apply for a summer 2026 PBS internship?

No. The summer 2026 postings are closed, and PBS's board listed no internships on 16 October 2026. PBS has not published the 2026 dates on its own pages. The next cycle is summer 2027, with postings expected in February 2027, so watch PBS's Workday board from January.

When do PBS internship applications open?

PBS's careers page says internship opportunities are posted in February each year on its Current Opportunities page. It hasn't published 2027 dates or how long postings stay open, so check the PBS Workday board often from January and apply the day a role goes up.

How much do PBS interns earn?

PBS has not published intern pay on its own pages. Check the pay line on each posting on PBS's Workday board when the summer 2027 roles go live, because the official posting is the only source we would rely on. PBS's careers page is the best place to start.

Where are PBS internships located?

PBS says its internship class works in its offices in Arlington and Alexandria, Virginia. PBS doesn't state whether roles are remote or hybrid, and the pages we read mention no housing help, so plan how you'd live in the Washington, DC area for the summer.

How long is the PBS internship?

PBS has not published session dates on its own pages. Its internship class works in its Arlington and Alexandria, Virginia offices, and the program is aimed at summer. Check the summer 2027 postings on PBS's Workday board for start and end dates once they go live in February.

What departments hire PBS interns?

The 2026 postings we could read were in Kids Initiatives and Creative Production for PBS KIDS, and in Production Management & Operations. An applicant also mentioned several other roles that year. PBS posts each department's role separately, so the list changes by year.

Do local PBS stations offer internships too?

Yes, separately. Member stations such as WHYY or Austin PBS run their own internship programs and post them on their own sites, on their own schedules. This guide covers national PBS only, so if you miss the national window, check your home station's careers page.

What GPA do I need for a PBS internship?

PBS doesn't publish one. Neither its careers page nor the 2026 postings we could read state a GPA minimum or class-year rule beyond being a college student or graduate student. The postings focus on experience, such as video editing for social platforms or project-tracking tools.

PBS's summer 2027 internships should post around February 2027. Build a work sample now, set an alert on the PBS board for January, and if you want proof to show, a remote Externship is one way to start.