Externships let you shadow professionals and explore careers. Knowing when to apply helps you get the best opportunities.

When Is the Best Time to Apply for Externships in College?

If you’re trying to figure out the best time to apply for externships, you’re already ahead of many students. Externships are shorter, usually unpaid, career exploration experiences where you shadow professionals, observe daily work, and ask questions. They’re especially popular in fields like healthcare, law, education, and business.

Because externships are often less formal than internships, it can be confusing to know when and how to apply. Should you start in high school? Is it better to wait until college—and if so, which year? In this guide, we’ll walk through timing for high school, each college year, and different types of externships so you can plan your job shadowing experiences strategically.

Externships vs Internships: Why Timing Is Different

Before you can decide on the best time to apply for externships, it helps to understand how they differ from internships:

• Length: Externships are usually short (a few days to a few weeks). Internships are longer (months or a semester or summer).
• Structure: Externships focus on observation and job shadowing. Internships usually involve doing actual work tasks and projects.
• Pay: Many externships are unpaid, while internships may be paid or unpaid.
• Recruiting: Internships often follow strict recruiting timelines. Externships can be more flexible and arranged directly with professionals.

Because externships are more flexible, you have more wiggle room on timing. However, organized programs (especially clinical externships or pre-med externships) still have deadlines, so planning ahead is important.

Can You Do Externships in High School?

Yes, high school is a great time to test-drive careers through job shadowing. Even if opportunities aren’t officially labeled “externships,” the idea is similar: you spend time observing someone’s workday and asking questions.

When High School Students Should Apply for Externships

For high school students, the best time to apply for externships or shadowing opportunities is usually:

• Summer experiences: Start reaching out in March–May for a few days or a week of shadowing during summer break.
• School-year shadowing: Ask 1–2 months before you’d like to visit, especially if you’ll need to miss a day of school and get permission.
• Formal programs: Some hospitals, labs, and companies run high school shadowing programs with set application deadlines, often several months before the experience.

If you don’t see an official externship listing, you can create one by emailing a professional, a teacher, or a family friend who works in a field you’re curious about. Politely ask if you can shadow them for a day and explain what you hope to learn.

Best Time to Apply for Externships in College (Year by Year)

In college, externships can help you explore career paths before committing to internships or full-time jobs. Here’s how timing works across your college years.

Freshman Year

Freshman year is all about exploring options without pressure. This is a perfect time for short job shadowing experiences.

• Use breaks (winter, spring, or summer) to schedule 1–3 day externships with alumni, family friends, or professionals in your field of interest.
• The best time to apply or reach out for these freshmen-year externships is 4–8 weeks before your break.
• Focus more on networking and informational interviews than formal applications.

Sophomore Year

Sophomore year, you may start declaring your major and narrowing down career ideas. Externships can confirm whether you’re on the right path.

• Look for structured externship programs through your college’s career center or alumni office; they often run during winter or spring break.
• The best time to apply for these externships is usually early in the semester before the break—for example, September–October for winter break and January–February for spring break.
• If you’re eyeing a specific field like healthcare or law, plan shadowing in hospitals, clinics, or law firms to see real work in action.

Junior Year

Junior year is when many students start serious internships, but externships still play a role, especially if you’re considering multiple career paths.

• Use externships to compare different specialties—like clinical vs research roles, corporate vs nonprofit, or different industries.
• The best time to apply for externships now is before major breaks and gaps in your schedule, such as winter break, spring break, or a lighter semester.
• You can also schedule one-day externships on Fridays or days without class, giving you exposure without overcrowding your schedule.

Senior Year

In senior year, externships can help you make final decisions and network with potential employers right before graduation.

• Use short externships to deepen relationships with organizations where you might want to intern or work full-time.
• Apply or reach out 1–2 months in advance so professionals can plan around your visit.
• For clinical externships or advanced shadowing, follow any formal deadlines carefully—some programs require applications early in the academic year.

Timing for Different Types of Externships

Not all externships follow the same schedule. Here are common types and their usual timelines:

• Career center or alumni externships: Often scheduled during short breaks with applications due 1–3 months before.
• Clinical externships for pre-med or nursing students: Can have stricter deadlines and requirements (vaccinations, background checks). Apply as soon as applications open, which may be a semester or more in advance.
• Independent job shadowing: Arranged directly with professionals. The best time to apply here simply means asking early and politely so they can choose a convenient date.

On Externships.com, you can explore different externship types and learn what kinds of timelines other students have followed successfully.

Helpful Subsection: How to Ask for an Externship by Email

Because many externships are arranged informally, knowing how to send a clear, respectful email is a major advantage. Here’s a simple structure you can follow:

• Subject line: “College Student Requesting Short Job Shadowing Opportunity”
• Introduction: Share your name, major, school, and year.
• Interest: Briefly explain why you’re interested in their field or organization.
• Request: Ask if you could shadow them for a day or a few days during a specific time frame.
• Flexibility: Emphasize that you can work around their schedule.
• Gratitude: Thank them for considering your request.

Sending this kind of email 4–8 weeks before your ideal externship date usually gives professionals enough time to respond and plan.

How to Stand Out as an Externship Applicant

Even though externships are often less competitive than internships, you still want to make a strong impression. Here’s how to stand out when you apply:

• Have a simple, clean resume: Include your education, relevant coursework, part-time jobs, volunteer work, and activities. One page is usually enough.
• Show genuine curiosity: In your email or application, mention 2–3 specific questions you’d love to ask or tasks you’d like to observe.
• Highlight reliability: Professionals care about students who show up on time, respect confidentiality, and follow instructions.
• Follow up politely: If you don’t hear back in 1–2 weeks, send a brief follow-up message to check in.
• Reflect afterward: Send a thank-you note after the externship and share one or two things you learned. This leaves the door open for future internships or references.

When you understand the best time to apply for externships and how to present yourself professionally, you turn a short job shadowing experience into a powerful networking and learning opportunity.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Waiting until the last minute: Professionals are busy. Reaching out a week before spring break is often too late.
• Writing vague emails: Broad messages like “Can I shadow sometime?” make it harder for people to say yes. Offer specific dates or weeks you’re available.
• Overlooking campus resources: Many students forget to check their career center or Externships.com for structured programs and advice.
• Not preparing questions: Showing up to an externship without questions makes you seem uninterested. Prepare a small list ahead of time.

FAQ: Best Time to Apply for Externships

When should I start applying for externships in college?

Most students start applying for externships or reaching out to professionals 4–8 weeks before a break or open time in their schedule. For structured programs through your school, be sure to follow the posted deadlines, which can be a semester in advance.

Is freshman year too early to do an externship?

No. Freshman year is actually a great time to try externships because they’re short and low-pressure. They help you explore majors and careers before you commit to longer internships.

Do externships only happen during breaks?

No. While many externships happen during winter, spring, or summer breaks, you can also arrange one-day or half-day shadows during the semester if your class schedule allows and the professional is available.

Final Thoughts

The best time to apply for externships is any time you have room in your schedule and enough advance notice to plan with a professional. For high school students, that often means reaching out a month or two before summer or a school break. For college students, it means keeping an eye on career center deadlines and contacting professionals 4–8 weeks before your ideal shadowing dates.

Externships give you a low-risk way to explore careers, make connections, and clarify your goals before committing to internships or full-time roles. To discover more ideas, timelines, and examples from other students, keep exploring the resources and articles on Externships.com.