Discover Architecture is a career exploration program for NYC high school students, offered by the Center for Architecture and the American Institute of Architects New York Chapter. The program consists of a three-day externship at an architecture office followed by a culminating event at the Center for Architecture. The program will take place during the public school mid-winter break Tuesday, February 17 through Friday, February 20, from 10 am - 3 pm daily. Students accepted into the program will spend Tuesday through Thursday at a local architecture firm gaining valuable, first-hand experience with the work of practicing architects, then have a chance to share their experiences at a concluding event at the Center for Architecture that Friday.
Eligible students must be in their sophomore or junior year of high school. Students must also reside and attend school within the five boroughs of New York City.
We are looking for students who are interested in and would most benefit from this opportunity. No prior experience is necessary. Please note, we are limiting acceptances to three students per high school. Students who were previously accepted into the program and attended, will not be eligible to participate again this year. Priority will be given to students attending NYC Public Schools.
Student Eligibility: New York City high school sophomores and juniors.
Program Dates: February 17th - 20th, 2026, 10am–3pm daily (public school mid-winter break)
Application Deadline: January 4th, 2026
Acceptance Notification: Week of January 19th, 2026
How to Apply:
Complete the application form below and submit that along with a Statement of Interest. It should include why you would like to attend this program and what you hope to gain from the experience. The statement must not exceed 300 words and be single-spaced, typed, and saved as a PDF. Files must be named using the format: Your Full Name_Statement of Interest, example: "John Smith_Statement of Interest.pdf". Submitted applications must be in this required format to be eligible for consideration.
You may include the following optional materials:
- Portfolio containing digital reproductions of 1 to 4 original artwork samples such as drawings, sketches, photographs, or 3-dimensional work. All images must be saved into a single PDF document. Files must be named using the format: Your Full Name_Portfolio, example: "John Smith_Portfolio.pdf". Portfolios must be in this required format to be eligible for consideration.
- Letter of recommendation from teacher, guidance counselor, or school administrator. This may be uploaded through the application or may be submitted separately by email to discoverarch@centerforarchitecture.org as a PDF with the email subject line: Letter of Recommendation: Student Full Name. The reference must provide their name, title, and organizational affiliation. Letters of recommendation must be in this required format to be eligible for consideration.
