Paste Internship FAQs

Paste offers internships in our editorial department. Internships are offered in the summer to both current students and recent graduates. A one-time $1,000 stipend will be provided to all interns at the completion of their internship. Visit our [INFO PAGE] for more information on how to apply.

Q. What are Paste’s business hours?
A. Monday-Friday, 9 AM-6 PM Eastern Time (excepting most major holidays).

Q. When are internships offered?
A. Our internships are offered in the summer, May through August.

Q. Whoops, I just missed the deadline! Can I still apply?
A. Any applications received after the April deadline will not be considered, but you are encouraged to apply again during the next internship period.

Q. Are internships part-time or full-time?
A. We offer part-time internships that accommodate work or class schedules, but due to the 1:1 mentorship structure of our program we are typically looking for around 20 hours a week of availability (which is flexible outside business hours to work on writing assignments).

Q. Do I have to receive academic credit for my internship?
A. No. However, we are happy to fill out any paperwork required of those students who are taking the internship for course credit.

Q. I have a full-time job. Can I still apply?
A. Certainly, as long as your full-time job does not conflict with Paste’s regular business hours. While we are flexible, if you are unavailable during the majority of those hours for most of the week, we unfortunately will not be able to accommodate you.

Q. I’m not currently a college student. Is there an age limit to interns?
A. No, our internships are open to both current college students and graduates alike.

Q. I’m in high school. Are there any internship opportunities for me??
A. Currently, we don’t offer a high school internship program. However, we have in the past and it’s possible that we will have one in the future. Please email [email protected] to express your interest and we will be in touch if the program is expanded.

Q. How many internships are offered per term?
A. We generally offer 1-2 internships per term.

Q. Will you hire me after my internship?
A. We cannot and do not promise employment to interns. However, past interns are always welcome to apply for any positions that open up within the company for which they may be qualified, and many continue to freelance for us.

Q. If I’m not offered an internship for this term, can I reapply in the future?
A. Yes.

Q. I’m majoring in [insert seemingly unrelated academic field here]. Can I still apply?
A. Yes. While many of our interns have strong academic backgrounds in their respective departments, others come from quite disparate disciplines. Some of our past interns have been political science, urban studies, history, English, and music theory majors. What made them strong intern candidates was their involvement in extracurricular activities, organizations and publications through which they developed and honed their relevant skills.

Q. I have no relevant academic, extracurricular, or professional experience. What are the chances I could still get an internship?
A. Very slim.

Q. What do you mean by “published clips”?
A. “Published clips” include anything you’ve written that has been printed in a publication, such as news stories, trend pieces, Q&As, profiles, reviews, op ed columns, and so on. We do not require clips related to any of our specific sections.

Q. I don’t have any “published clips.” What else can I send?
A. You may submit pieces submitted for publication that have not yet appeared in print, or you may submit mock samples of what you would submit if assigned a movie, book, or album to review.

Q. Can I send examples of my creative writing, like short stories, poetry, or a creative essay? What about an academic paper from one of my college classes?
A. Yes, but please note that we prefer published clips primarily and mock samples as an alternative, as creative and academic writing are not always effective indicators of an applicant’s journalistic or critical writing ability.

Q. Should I send over anything in addition to what’s required? Examples of my photography? Glowing letters of reference? Cookies? Large amounts of cash?
A. No, please don’t. If we need anything else, we’ll let you know.

Q. Okay, I just submitted my application. How long will the decision-making process last? When should I expect to hear back from you?
A. If you are chosen to move forward, you will hear from an editor within two weeks after the deadline. Final decisions will be made within a month of the deadline. If you do not hear back within that time, we thank you for your application and wish you the best, and hope you consider reapplying in the future.

Feel free to email [email protected] with any further questions not answered here.

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