12 Internships for High School Students in Boston
If you’re a high schooler looking for internship opportunities in Boston, we’ve got you covered!
High school internships help you go beyond classroom learning and put your skills to work in real-life situations. You can use this opportunity to build a professional network, which will be helpful for your future job searches and college applications.
Early exposure through internships can provide an advantage in the competitive college admissions process by demonstrating your proactive approach to learning and passion for your chosen field. It also highlights your commitment to personal and professional growth and your willingness to step out of your comfort zone.
In this blog, we will explore 12 internship opportunities for high school students in Boston spanning various fields such as science, architecture, marketing, film production, creative arts, law, and more!
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
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: $2490 (Financial Aid Available)
Location: Remote! You can work from anywhere in the world.
Application deadline: Deadlines vary depending on the cohort
Program dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year
Eligibility: Students who can work for 10-20 hours/week, for 8-12 weeks. Open to high school students, undergraduates, and gap year students!
Ladder Internships is a selective start-up internship program for ambitious high school students! In the program, you work with a high-growth start-up on an internship. Start-ups that offer internships range across a variety of industries from tech/deep tech, and AI/ML to health tech, marketing, journalism, consulting, and more. You can explore all the options here on their application form. Ladder’s start-ups are high-growth companies on average raising over a million dollars. Past founders have included YCombinator alums, founders raising over 30 million dollars, or founders who previously worked at Microsoft, Google, and Facebook. In the program, interns work closely with their managers and a Ladder Coach on real-world projects and present their work to the company. Here is the application form.
Interns are offered one-on-one training in communication, time management, and other such valuable skills and will also have the opportunity to attend group training sessions with other interns in their cohort. The virtual internship is usually 8 weeks long.
Location: MIT campus, Cambridge, MA
Cost/Stipend: Fully funded; Stipend is provided to the participants (the exact amount is undisclosed).
Dates: Spans 6 weeks between June and August. The 2024 program ran from June 23 to August 3.
Application Deadline: Closed for 2024. Application dates for 2025 are to be announced soon.
Eligibility: Only high school juniors can apply; high school seniors are not eligible for this program. To qualify for RSI, PSAT Math Scores be at least 740 or higher and the Evidence-Based Reading and Writing Scores be 700 or higher. ACT math scores should be at least 33 and verbal scores at least 34. Those with lower scores must show strong indicators of potential in other areas of STEM and academics, such as in recommendations, high school grades, and science activities.
Each summer, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) hosts the Research Science Institute (RSI), a prestigious and selective program for 100 of the world's most accomplished high school students. RSI offers a unique opportunity for students to engage in a cost-free, immersive summer science and engineering experience.
You will engage in intensive STEM coursework during the initial week, led by distinguished professors, before embarking on a five-week research internship. You’ll be paired up with an MIT mentor while taking biology, chemistry, engineering, and math courses. Under the mentorship of experienced scientists and researchers, you’ll get to conduct independent research projects spanning various scientific disciplines. The program concludes with you delivering conference-style oral and written presentations on your research findings during the final week of RSI. Participation in RSI will not only enhance your scientific knowledge and skills but will also significantly strengthen your college applications and prepare you for future academic and career opportunities in the science and technology fields.
Location: Remote! You can work from anywhere in the world.
Cost: Starts at $2,490. Financial aid is available.
Dates: 8-week programs with multiple cohorts throughout the year, including spring, summer, fall, and winter. The upcoming fall cohort begins on September 16, 2024.
Application Deadline: Deadlines vary depending on the cohort. The upcoming fall cohort deadline is August 4, 2024.
Eligibility: Students who can work for 10-20 hours/week, for 8-12 weeks can apply. Open to high school students, undergraduates, and gap year students!
Ladder Internships, a fairly selective program founded by Harvard alumni, pairs high school students with startups and nonprofits around the world for virtual internships. You can choose the field you wish to work in, from a wide range of industries, including technology, machine learning, AI, computer science, finance, environmental science, sustainability, business, marketing, healthcare, medicine, media, journalism, and more.
As an intern, you will work on meaningful projects that contribute to the startup or nonprofit’s larger mission, and present your work at the end of the program. This internship program includes one-on-one training in communication and time management, among other skills, and group training sessions with fellow interns. You will be paired with a manager at the startup and with a Ladder coach, who serves as a second mentor. The internship opportunities in this program span the globe, with a concentration in the U.S., Asia, Europe, and the UK. You can explore all the options here on their application form.
Location: Charlestown High School, Charlestown, Boston, MA
Cost/Stipend: No cost; Stipend is provided only for the sessions attended by the participants.
Dates: July 10–August 11, 2024.
Application Deadline: Applications typically close in June (Applicants are accepted on a first-come, first-serve basis).
Eligibility: Teens between the ages of 14 and 18 who reside in Boston can apply.
Fresh Films Boston Summer Film Program is a paid, 5 week-long summer film training program for Boston Public High School Students. This program aims to help students learn production, pre-production, and post-production skills and have an opportunity to create multiple film and documentary projects.
During this program, you’ll get to film music videos, short films, and documentaries. You’ll gain experience using professional equipment including a camera, boom mics, lighting, and audio recording. You will also get an opportunity to create scripts, storyboards, shot lists, and more. You will learn about careers in film and the pre-production, production, and post-production process of filmmaking. You will also participate in mandatory sessions to learn film set etiquette, and essential technical competencies plus sharpen your resume and interview skills to access internships & jobs.
Location: Broad Institute, Cambridge, MA
Cost/Stipend: No cost; a $3,600 stipend + partial reimbursement for transportation costs is provided to the participants.
Dates: June 24–August 2, 2024
Application Deadline: Applications typically close in January. Applications for the 2025 program will open in mid-November.
Eligibility: Applicants must:
Be rising high school seniors (i.e. current high school juniors can apply).
Attend a high school in Massachusetts within commuting distance of the Broad Institute.
Have earned a B or better in science and math classes.
Be US citizens, permanent residents, or non-US citizens with employment authorization (i.e. DACA).
The Broad Summer Scholars Program (BSSP) provides opportunities to highly motivated high school students with a strong interest in science to spend six weeks at the Broad Institute. During the program, you’ll be matched with Broad scientists to conduct original, cutting-edge research projects in areas such as cancer biology, psychiatric disease, chemical biology, computational biology, infectious disease, genetics, genomics, and more.
If you’re interested in genetics, you can opt to conduct research in areas such as Genome Regulation, Cellular Circuitry, Epigenomics; Medical and Population Genetics Research; Genetic Perturbation Platforms; and more. In addition to original research, you will get to explore scientific careers, attend interesting scientific talks, present your research to the Broad community in a scientific poster session, attend a college fair, participate in social events, and meet other students who share similar interests.
Location: Boston, Worcester, and Springfield, MA
Cost/Stipend: There is no cost to attend. Interns will receive a stipend of $15 per hour (25 hours per week).
Dates: July 8–August 16, 2024 (six weeks)
Application Deadline: Applications typically close in March.
Eligibility: Applicants must attend a high school in Boston, Worcester, or Springfield (depending on the location of the application). Students in grades 10, 11, and 12 are eligible to apply.
The Judicial Youth Corps (JYC), sponsored by the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts, is a six-week educational summer internship that teaches students about the Massachusetts court system and the rule of law. The JYC is available in three locations in Massachusetts: Boston, Worcester, and Springfield. As an intern, you will work four days a week in one of the Suffolk County courts and spend one full day in law-related educational sessions.
In this paid internship, you will be taught and mentored by judges, lawyers, clerks, probation officers, and other court personnel who volunteer their time in educational sessions or as work supervisors. Students also can opt to participate in a mock trial in federal court in August. For further details about the internship and the application links for the various locations, check here.
Location: Roxbury, Boston, MA
Cost/Stipend: No cost; A stipend is paid but depends on the opportunity.
Dates: Internships are offered in Fall, Spring, and Summer cohorts.
Application Deadline: Applications for Fall 2024 are now open and will be reviewed on a rolling basis till August 15. The deadline for the upcoming Spring cohort is December 15, 2024, and for the Summer cohort is April 15, 2025.
Eligibility: High school students passionate about making a difference who are willing to work in person at the Boston office can apply.
826 Boston, named as one of the best places to volunteer by The Boston Globe, offers internship opportunities in the fall, spring, and summer semesters. As an intern, you will get the opportunity to design, write, or teach in a professional environment, gain experience in creative arts education, and learn about the day-to-day operations of a small non-profit.
You can also apply to 826 Boston’s Youth Literary Advisory Board (YLAB) which represents students from across Boston and aims to provide a safe place for teens to express themselves. YLAB members apply, are selected in the fall, and receive paid stipends for their work during the school year as artist-leaders and peer editors. The students meet weekly, and their work culminates every year in a final project. Past projects have included a podcast and a professionally printed book. This will help you build job skills, advance your resume, and acquire excellent references. You will work with other interns, staff, service members, and a large group of volunteers. You can keep an eye out for the Fall 2024 opportunities that will be posted in June on their website!
Location: Northeastern University campus, Boston, MA
Cost/Stipend: None
Dates: Dates for 2025 TBA. The 2024 program ran from June 24 to August 1.
Application Deadline: Applications are closed for 2024. Typically, applications roll out in January and close by March.
Eligibility: Open to Massachusetts residents (within commuting distance of Northeastern University) who have completed their junior year of high school (i.e. rising seniors).
The Young Scholars Program (YSP) at Northeastern University offers Massachusetts residents who have completed their junior year of high school a solid hands-on research experience in collaboration with faculty from Northeastern's Colleges of Engineering, Science, and Health Sciences.
During the program, you will engage in laboratory research, exploring topics such as agent-based modeling, model compression algorithms, battery chemistries, and cancer therapies. You will also get to attend seminars on various engineering disciplines with topics including radar, environmental issues, superconductivity, lasers, microwave materials, biotechnology, chemical analysis, and robotics. You will have access to education and career counseling and visit corporate and government sites to observe engineers in action. This program will introduce you to college life and provide industry-relevant experiences, utilizing Northeastern University's state-of-the-art facilities and dedicated staff. You can check out the research topics for 2024 here.
Location: The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, MA
Cost/Stipend: No cost; Participants receive a stipend of $15/hour.
Dates: This is a 12-month program.
Application Deadline: Applications for the 2024–25 cycle are currently being accepted.
Eligibility: Applicants must be Boston residents and/or attend a Boston Public School.
This year-long, paid opportunity is designed for rising high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors interested in the arts at the Museum of Fine Arts (MFA). The program is tailored for leadership development, career exploration in museum professions, and creative expression through studio art classes and workshops. It offers an immersive experience within the museum, including behind-the-scenes access, studio art classes, and workshops with artists and innovators.
During the program, you will gain firsthand experience of the museum's operations, explore its collections, and participate in studio art classes and workshops led by artists, leaders, and innovators. You will also develop leadership skills, provide valuable assistance to Museum visitors as Visitor Aides and Program Assistants, and help organize teen-focused events for your Boston-area peers to enjoy and engage the Museum’s global collections. The program is ideal for students seeking hands-on experience in museum operations, art education, and professional development within a vibrant cultural institution like the Museum of Fine Arts (MFA).
Location: Museum of Science, Boston, MA
Cost/Stipend: No cost; Both paid and unpaid opportunities are available.
Dates: Typically a 7-week program between July and August. Dates for 2025 are yet to be announced.
Application Deadline: Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.
Eligibility: High school students between the ages of 14–19 can apply.
The Museum of Science offers paid internship opportunities for teens where they will learn how the museum operates and gain valuable skills through their work and professional development workshops. Internships are available in education spaces and behind-the-scenes roles. Opportunities are available in Educational and Visitor Support, Business and Administrative, Technical, and Hands-On roles.
During the program, you will get to attend weekly professional development workshops including financial literacy, field trips to other cultural institutions and local colleges, resume and cover letter writing, and more. You’ll have free admission and access to the Museum of Science’s exhibit halls and venues. You will also be able to avail of discounts in the Museum store and café.
Location: Local architecture firms in Boston, MA.
Cost/Stipend: No cost; Interns are paid.
Dates: July 8–August 16, 2024. Dates for 2025 TBA.
Application Deadline: Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.
Eligibility: Boston public high school students in grades 9–12 can apply.
The Architecture/Design High School Internship is presented by the BSA and BSA Foundation in partnership with the Boston Private Industry Council (PIC). This six-week immersive program offers Boston public school students a hands-on exploration of architecture through placements at local firms.
This internship provides diverse perspectives on architecture, fostering career exploration and professional development. Partnered with the Mayor’s Summer Jobs Program, it aims to empower youth with paid opportunities and meaningful experiences in the architectural field. This program, in collaboration with eight local firms, offers hands-on exposure to architecture and design through practical projects and site visits. During the program, you will improve your skills and confidence in drawing, presentation, and 3D modeling. You will also have an opportunity to understand architecture better and develop essential soft skills like time management, teamwork, and personal growth.
One other option - the Lumiere Research Scholar Program
If you’re interested in pursuing independent research, you could also consider applying to one of the Lumiere Research Scholar Programs, selective online high school programs for students founded with researchers at Harvard and Oxford. Last year, we had over 4000 students apply for 500 spots in the program! You can find the application form here.
Also check out the Lumiere Research Inclusion Foundation, a non-profit research program for talented, low-income students. Last year, we had 150 students on full need-based financial aid!
Stephen is one of the founders of Lumiere and a Harvard College graduate. He founded Lumiere as a PhD 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.