The Gilder Lehrman Institute is pleased to offer many opportunities for students throughout the year, encouraging the study of American history and supporting students in their career and research goals.
If you have any questions, please email education@gilderlehrman.org.
Image: Students at a performance of Hamilton in New York City (Photograph by Daniel Rader)
Begin your journey through African American Studies by exploring primary sources, essays, and videos, organized by course unit.
Prepare for this exam with practice questions, test-taking strategy videos, and resources organized by time period.
EduHam Online helps students in grades 6–12 see the relevance of the founding era by using primary sources to create a performance piece as Lin-Manuel Miranda did in the musical Hamilton.
Award-winning teachers lead students through AP US History and other topics over the summer.
Free, self-paced courses in American history for high school students.
Learn more about history through interviews with renowned historians discussing their pivotal work.
This program features Hamilton cast members reading award-winning children’s books, followed by a teacher-led discussion of the history behind the story.
This online research guide shows you how to investigate the lives of people who served in the US military during World War II.
The Gilder Lehrman Institute supports two internship cycles each year: academic-year internships and summer internships. While most internships are for college students, there may also be internships for high school and graduate school students.
Internships are generally available in a variety of departments, including accounting, curatorial, development, digital, education, and marketing. Interns are paid $16 per hour. During the academic year, interns work an average of 10–15 hours per week; during the summer session, they work an average of 15–24 hours per week.
Please email internships@gilderlehrman.org if you have questions about our internship program.
The award is designed to promote historical learning and creative thinking. Two pairs of students, one pair from Louisiana and one pair from Massachusetts, will be awarded spots in the summer 2026 Camino de Santiago program—a ten-day journey through northern Spain that combines culture, history, and personal growth.
This contest asks students in our Affiliate School network to creatively showcase their understanding of American history, civics, and the naturalization exam by proposing a new question for the exam. Ten prizes are awarded, and each winning student receives a $500 prize and is featured on the Citizenship Test: Civics and American History webpage.
High school students in our Affiliate School Program are encouraged to participate in the prestigious David McCullough Essay Prizes competition, named in memory of David McCullough (1933–2022)—a Pulitzer Prize–winning historian and Gilder Lehrman Life Trustee.
Students in grades 7–12 in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania are encouraged to create and submit a performance piece (e.g., a rap, poem, song, monologue) highlighting how New York City has shaped history and continues to inspire the world today. Students are encouraged to highlight New York City’s history, culture, and innovation.
Created in 2014, the Gilder Lehrman Student Advisory Council (SAC) is a diverse group of high-achieving middle and high school students (grades 8–12) interested in history who apply to join this elite community of like-minded individuals.
Students provide valuable feedback on the Institute’s programs and materials, helping the Institute refine its outreach with the needs of young people in mind. Students are also educated about a critical document in American History from a curator in our Collection and hear presentations from guest speakers or fellow members of the SAC.
Launched in 2025, the Gilder Lehrman Undergraduate Advisory Council (UAC) brings together a diverse group of students from four-year colleges and community colleges across the country.
The UAC holds four virtual meetings throughout the academic year, offering students a unique chance to connect with a wide range of history professionals, including teachers, professors, archivists, librarians, and museum experts.
The Gilder Lehrman Institute and Gettysburg College are pleased to offer the Gilder Lehrman Institute History Scholarship.
Each year, the Admissions Office awards a limited number of scholarships, valued at $48,000 per year (totaling $192,000 for four years of full-time study at Gettysburg College), based on the strength of a student’s admissions application and their response to the supplemental scholarship essay prompt.
The Gilder Lehrman Institute and Marist University, with the generous support of the McCormick Family Foundation, are pleased to offer the Long Reach Society Scholarship.
Each year, scholarships will cover students’ tuition for $10,000 per year for four years (assuming continued eligibility), with scholarships reserved for both Pell-eligible students and students without financial need.
The Gilder Lehrman Institute and National History Academy are pleased to offer National History Academy Scholarships.
These scholarships for the four-week residential summer program are inclusive of room, board, learning materials, transportation, and admission to historic sites. The scholarship will not cover transportation to and from the Foxcroft School for the program itself.
The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History offers annual short-term research fellowships of $3,000 each to undergraduate students majoring or minoring in History, American Studies, Africana Studies, Political Science, or related fields. International college students are eligible to apply.
