11 Computer Science Internships for High School Students
If you are considering pursuing Computer Science in high school - you should consider doing internships in high school. Internships allow you to apply concepts in real life and are a great value-add to any college application.
Here, we have curated a list of 110 Computer Science internships for high school students. In this list, you can explore internships from prestigious companies and research opportunities alongside individuals at the top of their fields. Moreover, you have the added benefit of gaining a stipend from most internships alongside an unforgettable experience!
Why should you consider a Computer Science Internship?
Computer Science is an extremely competitive field, and internships with some companies on this list (e.g., NASA, Meta, or the U.S. Navy and Energy Department) will set you apart from the rest. Your success in the internship showcases your drive to go past your classroom and your ability to apply theoretical concepts to practical situations.
Moreover, through internships, you can gain real-world experiences and get an insight into your future career trajectories! Each internship is an opportunity to network with individuals who are highly respected and at the top of their respective industries. Networking with your mentors and other peers gives you a later benefit for future job opportunities.
In summary, doing an internship shows admissions officers your drive and passion for the subject while also allowing you to interact with experts in the field.
The AI Internship Program by Veritas AI is founded and run by Harvard graduate students. Through the 8-week internship, students have the opportunity to work with VC-backed startups on real-world AI/ML projects. Students work directly with mentors from Harvard, Wharton, Google, Microsoft, McKinsey & Company, and more. This program is a great opportunity for students who have prior experience with AI/ML and are looking to gain real-world exposure to a career in the field. Students get a chance to network with industry professionals, work closely with company leadership, and receive a letter of completion from the company at the end of the internship. You can learn more about the program here and apply here.
Cost: $2,490
Application Deadline: October 20, 2024
Internship Date: The start date for the cohort is November 11, 2024
Eligibility: Open to high school students who have prior experience with AI/ML or have completed a Veritas AI program
Ladder Internship is a selective program for high school students to work with startups.
Ladder Startups work in fields including technology, machine learning and A.I., finance, environmental science and sustainability, business and marketing, healthcare and medicine, media and journalism, and more. You can explore all the options here on their application form.
As part of their internship, each student will work on a real-world project and present their work at the end of their internship. In addition to working closely with their manager from the startup, each intern will also work with a Ladder Coach throughout their internship - the Ladder Coach serves as a second mentor and a sounding board, guiding students through the internship and helping them navigate the startup environment.
Note that as a Ladder Intern, you will engage in a coaching/work-based model - a component that sets it apart from most internships in this list. The virtual internship is usually 8 weeks long.
Cost: $1490 (Financial Aid Available)
Location: Remote! You can work from anywhere in the world.
Application Deadline: April 16 and May 14
Program Dates: 8 weeks, June to August
Selection Rate: Selective
Eligibility: Students who can work for 10-20 hours/week for 8-12 weeks. Open to high school students, undergraduates, and gap year students!
Meta, formerly known as Facebook, has launched a prestigious summer opportunity for high school students known as the Meta Summer Academy. Running for 6 weeks, from June through July, the program is held in California.
In this program, you can learn about the various processes and practices in Meta and contribute to its day-to-day environment. Meta expects its participants to work for 30 hours/ week.
Throughout this program, you have the opportunity to be mentored by current employees in Meta. Moreover, the position offers you exposure to potential careers in tech. The program is open to all applicants across California, with Meta providing transport for all their externs.
Landing an internship at Meta as a high school student is a matter of prestige, as the selection process is quite competitive, with only 150 students making it to the final cohort.
Cost: No cost; stipend provided.
Location: California
Application Deadline: March 1st, 2023
Program Length: 6 weeks (June through July)
Eligibility: High school sophomores who are full-year residents of East Palo Alto, Belle Haven, or Redwood City are encouraged to apply
In collaboration with universities and U.S. Army Research Laboratories and Centers, the AEOP offers summer apprenticeships for high school students throughout the United States. You will gain experience conducting research in one of the U.S. Army’s research laboratories, working alongside the top researchers and engineers.
Moreover, each apprentice receives formal mentorship from a professional scientist or engineer. In addition, there will be multiple opportunities to learn from STEM practitioners of varying experience levels.
AEOP has multiple locations across the country, and each program is designed for commuters in the area. If you live close to a lab offering this program, you should apply for the program, as any research conducted alongside the U.S. Army has great prestige and adds value to any application!
Cost: No cost; stipend provided
Location: Varies from lab to lab.
Application Deadline (Summer 2023): March 5th, 2023
Program Dates: Not specified (expect it to be during the summer months)
Selection Rate: Highly Selective
Eligibility:
Be a U.S. citizen
Note. The AEOP offers specific programs for underserved groups (e.g. Native Americans, disability holders, or women). Find the full list of their criteria here!
Any person interested in pursuing Computer Science in college would find SPARK interesting. SparkSIP allows applicants to select 5-6 projects they’d like to work on, then assign sponsors to selected students. Moreover, SPARK provides opportunities and resources that can be used during and after college applications!
For the cohort of 2023, the research project list included the following topics (among others) -
Detection tool for tick-borne infections or breast cancer
DNA Sequence Classification based on Electrical Signatures
2D Materials - A new class of conductors and semiconductors for future
Preparing Python script for crossbar architecture and exploring its various non-idealities.)
Understanding spike-timing and spike-rate impact on Spiking Neural Network (SNN)
Quantum - Technical Writing and Problem Solving
The program allows you to work on real-world applications of concepts in machine learning, computer programming, computer vision, and neural networks but also lets you interact and learn from industry leaders, university professors, and mentors.
Cost: No Cost; Stipend provided ($500)
Location: Greater Seattle Area
Application Deadline (Summer 2023): May 1, 2023 (based on past year's dates)
Program Dates (Summer 2023): 6-8 weeks, June to August
Selection Rates: Very Selective
Eligibility:
Must be a U.S. Citizen or have permanent resident status.
Can commit to working 40 hours/week for 8-12 weeks.
The Summer High School Intern Program by NIST is a program for students who have finished their junior or senior year of high school (by the start of the program) and demonstrate an interest in scientific research.
In this program, you gain the opportunity to participate in cutting-edge research at NIST and work closely with NIST staff scientists and engineers on a specific research topic. 6 NIST laboratories participate in the SHIP program, and they include:
Communications Technology Lab
Engineering Lab
Information Technology Lab
Material Measurement Lab
NIST Center for Neutron Research
Physical Measurement Lab
Note. Students interested in Computer Science are encouraged to apply for the Information Technology Lab. Your areas of focus will be networking and communications, computer security, software engineering, and human interaction with computers. Your examples of area research can include computer network modelling, biometrics for computer access and security, cryptography, and digital data retrieval, just to name a few. You can look at the full list here!
Cost: No participation cost (but students must cover housing and transportation costs)
Location: Varies from lab to lab.
Application Deadline (Summer 2024): February 13th, 2024
Program Dates (Summer 2024): June 18th, 2024, to August 9th, 2024 (tentative)
Selection Rate: Highly Selective
Eligibility:
Rising senior or recent graduate.
Must be eligible to work in the U.S.
A minimum of a 3.0 GPA should be maintained.
Sandia National Laboratories is a contractor for the U.S. Department of Energy’s ‘National Nuclear Security Administration’ (NNSA). SNL has a wide range of internships offered for high school students across America. Currently, SNL only has year-long internships open; however, summer internships do open up in the spring!
In SNL, your role will vary based on your job description; however, their position for digital engineering solutions expects interns to:
Implement scripting and computer programming.
Assist in the development of new software solutions.
Maintain and debug multi-language software projects.
Sandia internships are extremely selective due to the high volume of applications and the limited number of internships. However, Sandia internships offer you the chance to work alongside esteemed researchers and engineers, make use of excellent equipment and research facilities and benefit from their career advancement and enrichment opportunities. Therefore, any computer science student should look at applying to Sandia as it is a great value-add for college applications!
Cost: No cost; stipend provided.
Location: Varies from location to location.
Application Deadline: Rolling admission.
Program Dates: Varies based on internship:
Summer Interns - 40 hours (Throughout summer months).
Year-round Interns - 25 hours/week (Throughout the year).
Selection Rate: Highly Selective
Eligibility:
Attending a local high school.
Enrolled full-time.
Minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0.
Ability to work 25 hours/ week during the term or 40 hours/week during summer.
Minimum 16 years of age.
Be either a U.S. citizen, a legal permanent resident, or an asylee or refugee in the U.S.
Syracuse University offers a 6-week, non-residential summer internship for rising seniors in the greater Syracuse area. Interns are exposed to advanced engineering and computer science research intended to stimulate and deepen their interest in STEM careers.
In the program, you will participate in a university-level research project while receiving mentoring from SU research faculty and graduate and undergraduate students. The program culminates with you presenting your research at a symposium with other high school and undergraduate research interns.
Through your hands-on research project, you will learn how to:
Participate in laboratory safety training.
Learn laboratory and college-level library research techniques.
Develop a research plan.
Maintain a laboratory notebook or its equivalent.
Analyze data for your research project.
Display and present data in a poster format for the research symposium.
Cost: No cost; stipend provided
Location: Greater Syracuse Area
Application Deadline: While the dates for the next cohort have not been announced, expect the deadline to be 2 months before the internship.
Program Dates: 6 weeks during the summer months
Selection Rate: Highly Selective
Eligibility:
Be a rising senior in the Greater Syracuse area.
Be in good academic standing.
Conducted by the Boston Private Industry Council (PIC), the Boston Tech Apprentice is a 6-7 week paid summer internship program for Boston Public Schools (BPS) high school students who are interested in computer science and are considering pursuing it in university. PIC is a non-profit organization working for the benefit of the community by connecting Boston residents to promising career pathways.
The Tech Apprentice connects high school students to companies in Boston so you can gain work experience to help you understand the career options available in the high-tech arena.
You will have the chance to work at companies throughout Boston in various industries. Your role could include (but is not limited to):
Helpdesk/ Troubleshooting support.
Web design and programming.
Quality control.
Social media and video production.
Cost: No cost; stipend provided.
Location: Boston
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions
Program Dates: 6-7 weeks during summer months.
Selection Rate: Selective
Eligibility:
Be a high school student enrolled in a Boston Public School.
The TARGET program is a six-week summer internship opportunity for Illinois high school sophomores and juniors who have an interest in physics, mathematics, computer science, and engineering. The program aims to encourage high school students to undertake STEM in university and continue to pursue careers in STEM fields.
Each intern is provided the opportunity to work with Fermilab scientists and engineers to conduct research and create content on Fermilab research. Previous work by TARGET students includes interviews with scientists and their current projects (e.g. Kentandu Cheidu interviewing her mentor Lauren Biron on the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment) or participating in hands-on workshops to understand 3D modelling and computational thinking.
Cost: No cost; salary of $16.20 provided.
Location: Fermilab site, Illinois.
Application Deadline (Summer 2023): February 1st, 2023
Program Dates (Summer 2023): June 26th, 2023 - August 4th, 2023
Selection Rate: Quite selective
Eligibility:
Illinois high school enrollment.
Must be a sophomore or junior at the time of application.
Minimum of a 3.0-grade average.
Eligible to work in the United States.
NASA’s Office of STEM Engagements provides internship opportunities at all their locations around America. If you’re located near a NASA facility, you can opt for an internship in a research facility near you. However, if you live away from one, NASA now conducts virtual internships as well! You can access their database on internships here (you will have to filter through the database to find opportunities open for high school students specifically).
Through this internship, you will gain the opportunity to experience real-world applications of computer science. Students interested in pursuing computer science in university can consider this program as it’s a great value-add for college applications, owing to the reputation and prestige of this program as well as NASA.
Cost: No cost; stipend provided
Location: Varies, different for each internship offered
Application Deadline: Varies from internship to internship
Program Dates: Varies from internship to internship, but should be in one of these three cohorts -
Fall - from late August/early September to mid-December (16 weeks)
Spring - from mid-January to early May (16 weeks)
Summer - from late May/early June to August (10 weeks)
Selection Rate: Highly Selective
Eligibility:
High School Students
Must be a U.S. Citizen
Have a minimum of a 3.0 GPA.
If you are looking for alternate programs - you can try the Microsoft Discovery Program, Google’s Computer Science Summer Institute, or Code Labs. Each of these programs offers unique experiences where you gain opportunities to further your knowledge of Computer Science!
Bonus - Lumiere Research Scholar Program
If you are interested in doing university-level research in computer science then you could also consider applying to the Lumiere Research Scholar Program, a selective online high school program for students that I founded with researchers at Harvard and Oxford. Last year, we had over 2100 students apply for 500 spots in the program! You can find the application form here.
Stephen is one of the founders of Lumiere and a Harvard College graduate. He founded Lumiere as a Ph.D. student at Harvard Business School. Lumiere is a selective research program where students work 1-1 with a research mentor to develop an independent research paper.
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