10 Internships for High School Students in Iowa
If you're a high schooler in Iowa, consider an internship in the state!
Beyond hands-on experience, internships provide invaluable industry exposure, allowing you to test potential career paths before committing to a major. They also give your college applications a standout edge, showing admissions officers you’re proactive, curious, and ready to succeed.
Here’s a list of 10 internships for high school students in Iowa, including STEM internships and research internships.
The American Psychological Association (APA), the largest professional organization for psychologists in the U.S., offers diverse internship opportunities for students eager to explore careers in psychology and related fields. Internships span policy, communications, operations research, IT, and financial services, enabling students to apply psychological principles in practical settings. Tasks vary by role and skills but often include research, writing, web development, and administrative support. You will gain hands-on experience, and work closely with a supervisor for guidance and professional growth.
Location: Remote or on-site in Washington, D.C.
Eligibility: Open to high school students; specific qualifications depend on the internship.
Application Deadline: Rolling; check the application portal for current openings.
Program Duration: Year-round opportunities available.
Cost: Both paid and unpaid internships are offered; details vary by position.
The Career Ready Internship Program is tailored for graduating high school seniors planning to enter the workforce directly after graduation. This program provides hands-on work experience within the local community, opening the door to potential permanent employment opportunities.
The process includes an interview phase where students are matched with companies seeking candidates in their field of interest. These interviews are conveniently scheduled either at the student’s high school or on an Iowa Lakes Community College campus, ensuring accessibility for participants.
This initiative is perfect for seniors looking to kickstart their careers while building valuable connections and skills in a real-world setting.
Location: Iowa Lakes Community College, Iowa
Cost: $14/hr
Application Deadline: N/A
Internship Date: 6-12 weeks
Eligibility: High school seniors
If you’re a high-achieving high school sophomore or junior, this competitive and immersive summer research program could be the perfect fit. Designed to support ambitious students, the program offers unparalleled access to research opportunities that align with your academic and career aspirations.
Beyond the lab, you’ll participate in challenging classes and activities designed to refine your skills as both a researcher and a scholar.
Location: University of Iowa, Iowa
Cost: $7,500. Financial aid is available.
Application Deadline: February 14, 2025
Internship Date: June 18-July 26, 2025
Eligibility: High school sophomores and juniors
This internship program is the first of its kind in Des Moines, that offers high school seniors a unique, research-backed experience to jumpstart their professional journey.
The program identifies and trains motivated high school seniors, and equips them with the tools and skills needed to thrive in professional work environments. After training, students are matched with real-world internships tailored to their interests and career goals. This 9-month internship will provide you with one-on-one mentors.
Location: Des Moines, Iowa
Cost: No cost; students receive a stipend
Internship Date: TBA
Eligibility: High school seniors
Location: Iowa Speciality Hospital and Clinic, Iowa
Cost: No cost; students receive a stipend
Application Deadline: February 14, 2025
Internship Date: June 2-July 25, 2025
Eligibility: Students must be entering their junior year in high school or above
Iowa Specialty Hospitals & Clinics (ISH) offers an enriching eight-week summer internship for high school students, designed to provide firsthand exposure to the healthcare field. Through this program, interns gain valuable insights and explore potential career paths in a dynamic environment.
In this internship, you will be required to adhere to ISH’s student expectations, dress code, and facility standards of behavior.
The Water in Progress internship program, aimed at high school students aged 16–19 living in communities with populations of 5,000 or fewer, bridges the gap between education and practical experience in Iowa's environmental sector. It aims to grow and retain water and wastewater operators and addresses a pressing need in small towns unable to support similar opportunities.
Running for 12 weeks, this internship allows students to work up to 20 hours weekly, offering hands-on exposure to essential industry tasks. It reimburses up to $5,000 to sponsoring cities or utilities, ensuring accessibility for communities while meeting program requirements.
Location: Iowa Water Environment Association, Iowa
Cost: $5000
Application Deadline: Rolling basis
Internship Date: Rolling basis
Eligibility: High school students aged between 16-19 years living in communities with a population of 5000 or lower
Here you will get to collaborate to launch your business ventures, which will culminate in investor pitches, infomercial screenings, and a trade show where teams compete for the "best product" award. Alongside these challenges, the program features leadership activities, team-building exercises, and workshops led by Iowa professionals, offering valuable networking opportunities and career insights.
This program only accepts 75 students each year!
Location: College campus in Iowa
Cost: $350 (need-based financial aid available)
Application Deadline: Opens early 2025 for the summer program
Program Dates: Typically five days during the summer
Eligibility: High school students, including recent graduates
This program offers high school and college-aged students the opportunity to gain valuable employability and safety skills while interning at a local manufacturing company. Students, aged 14 to 21, will earn $10 per hour for their time at the internship, and they will also earn 3 college credits for completing the program. This hands-on experience allows students with an interest in manufacturing to develop practical skills, gain industry exposure, and get paid for their efforts.
Location: Northwest Iowa Community College, Iowa
Cost: $10/hr
Application Deadline: Usually in May
Program Dates: Between June-August
Eligibility: Students aged between 14-21
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.
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!
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.