If you are a high school student looking to boost your profile before applying to college, an online paid internship is a great place to start! Not only do online paid internships help demonstrate your ability to work in a professional setting, but they also help you build knowledge and skills in your chosen field. Internships that come with a stipend or compensation tend to be more selective, making them a good activity to add to your college applications.

Here are 10 online paid internships for high school students that you can apply to. In this list, you’ll find a variety of online paid internships open to students from different regions. We’ve covered a range of fields so that there is something for everybody.

Note that these virtual internships span multiple subjects like journalism, tech, STEM, and wildlife conservation!

1. The Johns Hopkins Internship in Brain Science Program (JHIBS): Project Pipeline Baltimore

The Johns Hopkins Internship in Brain Science Program is an 8-week, fully-funded summer research opportunity for talented high school students from underrepresented communities. You will research with neuroscientists and participate in projects, scientific seminars, and weekly development sessions. The program is available both on-campus and virtually, accepts less than 10 students, offers an hourly stipend, and covers transportation costs. At the end, you will present your research through an oral or poster presentation.

Location: Virtual and in-person options.

Dates: 8 weeks, June - August (in-person); 5 weeks, July - August (virtual).

Stipend: In-person participants receive an hourly stipend (amount varies), while virtual interns receive a stipend of $500.

Eligibility: - Juniors and seniors from around the country are eligible to apply to the 5-week, virtual program.- Juniors and seniors residing in Baltimore City and the metro area from underrepresented groups are eligible for the in-person program.

Deadline: March 1, every year.

2. Smithsonian Science Education Center Internships

The Smithsonian Science Education Center offers internship positions in communications, marketing, and public relations to high school, undergraduate, and graduate students. Interns may contribute to developing social media communications materials, including content creation, graphics, videos, and campaign brainstorming. They also assist in communication dissemination, strategy, and asset management. Specific duties, schedules, and requirements vary by position. Explore available opportunities here.

Location: Virtual and in-person options (Washington, DC).

Eligibility: High school students who are at least 16 years old can apply.

Application Deadline: March 31.

Dates: 10 weeks between May and August, with a flexible schedule for virtual internships.

Stipend: Students may receive a stipend.

3. Internships at the National Zoo

The Smithsonian National Zoo offers a wide range of internship opportunities, which can include working with animal care staff and research in zoology medicine. Interns have the chance to work with various species while contributing to the zoo's mission of animal conservation and public education. These internships can offer valuable insight into the world of zoology through a combination of theoretical learning and practical application.

Location: Washington, D.C., with options for virtual or hybrid internships. 

Eligibility: All high school students are eligible to apply.

Application Deadline: There is no information on this at the moment. Check their website for updates!

Dates: Vary (typically 8-12 weeks).

Stipend: All interns will be paid a stipend; the amount may vary. 

4. PHC Group’s Mary Miller Summer Program

The Mary Miller Summer Program, offered by PHC Group, provides paid internship opportunities for rising high school juniors and seniors. Interns support the team with social media projects, online community engagement, and technical assistance. Responsibilities include conducting social marketing research and enhancing remote collaboration and relationship building. Applicants with strong proficiency in Microsoft Office and a knack for quick learning are encouraged to apply.

Location: Virtual.

Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors can apply.

Application Deadline: Not specified, but you are urged to apply as soon as possible.

Dates: Not specified, but the program is usually held in the summer.

Stipend: This is a paid internship, but information on the exact amount is not available. 

5. Spark Summer Internship Program (Spark SIP)

With an acceptance rate of less than 5%, Spark SIP is a prestigious internship for aspiring CS majors. Open to all high school students interested in CS, the program offers research opportunities, interactions with scholars, and real-world experience through full-time summer internships. Students select 5-6 projects to work on, covering areas like machine learning, computer programming, computer vision, and neural networks. Spark SIP also provides valuable resources for college applications.

Location: Various locations across the country, varies with the internship. Some of them are remote as well.

Eligibility: High school students who can work for 40 hours/week for 8-12 weeks.

Application Deadline: May 1

Dates: 6-8 weeks, June to August.

Stipend: $500 for some projects.

6. Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL) Internship Program

The Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, a national lab under the US Department of Energy, offers an internship program for graduating high schoolers. Interns work on projects with the lab's research or engineering staff, with options for remote internships. You will work on experimental or computational plasma physics projects, exploring plasma physics, fusion energy, and related fields. The program requires a commitment of 40 hours per week, Monday through Friday.

Location: Virtual.

Eligibility: Graduating seniors in the US who are at least 16 years old at the time of application can apply.

Application Deadline: Applications typically close in March.

Dates: 8 to 10 weeks in the summer (Monday–Friday) after graduation. The exact dates of the internship depend on the student’s school schedule. Some internship options run during school semesters.

Stipend: A stipend is offered, but information on the exact amount is not available.

7. Internships at the American Psychological Association (APA)

APA, the largest organization of psychologists in the U.S., offers internships for students interested in applying psychological knowledge. Internships are available in policy, communications, operations research, IT, and financial services. Responsibilities vary by office and intern skills, including research, writing, web projects, and administrative tasks. Interns gain practical experience and report to a supervisor. Both paid and unpaid internships are available, requiring a cover letter, resume, and writing sample.

Location: Remote or Washington, D.C..

Eligibility: High school student, specific details vary based on the internship.

Application Deadline: Rolling; see the application portal for open opportunities.

Program Length: Year-round.

Stipend: No cost. Some internships are paid.

8. Foreign Policy Research Institute (FPRI) Internship

If you're keen on foreign relations and international policy, the FPRI’s internship provides valuable experience. The internships are divided into three main areas: Research, Special Events/Development, and Operations, allowing you to choose your preferred focus. Throughout the program, you'll be matched with a scholar or professional and trained in industry-specific skills. Additionally, you will have the chance to write a research paper that may be published in FPRI’s Intern Corner. Summer interns can also attend weekly seminars on foreign policy and career development.

Location:  Virtual.

Eligibility: All students, including international students, are eligible. However, the program requires that you have authorization to work in the U.S. 

Application Deadline: May 12

Dates: June – August.

Stipend: Paid.

9. City Limits Accountability Reporting Initiative for Youth (CLARIFY) by City Limits

CLARIFY is an internship initiative by City Limits, the oldest nonprofit news agency in New York City. The program aims to involve students in public service journalism and help them hone their civic engagement, news and media literacy, and research, writing, and interviewing skills. 10-15 interns will be involved in multiple aspects of reporting and news writing, including research, media ethics, interviewing, photojournalism, and more. The cohort will work together and individually on reporting local issues. Although most work and sessions are conducted online, interns may occasionally have to travel locally to interview sources.

Location: Virtual.

Eligibility: NYC junior, senior, and graduating high school students.

Application Deadline: Applications will open soon. Keep checking the Apply page to stay updated, or email the team to learn more.

Dates: 10 days in July, typically.

Stipend: $500.

10. Camp Zon by Zon Lab

Zon Lab, located in Boston’s Children’s Hospital, runs a two-week virtual research experience that teaches students about research using zebrafish. You will work in teams to design a research project to study anemia using zebrafish as an experimental organism. Teams will generate a hypothesis, design experiments, and perform analysis, following which the lab’s scientists will perform the experiments live in the lab while you watch online. At the end, teams will present their findings. You will also attend lectures, read scientific literature, and learn coding to graph data. In-person tours of the lab may take place at the end. You can check the sample schedule here.

Location: Virtual.

Eligibility: High school students or rising college freshmen at least 16 years of age and residing in Massachusetts.

Application Deadline: April 14

Dates: July 15 - July 26 (2 weeks).

Stipend: Paid (amount not specified).

One other option – Lumiere Research Scholar Program

If you are interested in research, consider applying to the Lumiere Research Scholar Program, a selective online high school program for students I 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.

Stephen is one of the founders of Lumiere and a Harvard 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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