11 Summer Internships for High School Students in the Bay Area
Summer internships for high school students in the Bay Area provide valuable exposure to professional environments, helping you build critical skills such as communication, problem-solving, and teamwork. These opportunities also allow students to network with professionals, which could lead to mentorship, future opportunities, and stronger applications for college or jobs. Gaining this kind of hands-on experience can be an important step in shaping academic and career paths.
If you’re looking for summer internships in the Bay Area should start your search early, as these competitive positions usually accept applications on a rolling basis. We’ve focused on internships that stand out in terms of prestige, the rigor of the professional experience, and the potential for networking with industry leaders. Internships at organizations like Google, Apple, and Stanford offer significant industry exposure and a challenging environment that encourages professional growth.
Here are 11 summer internships for high school students in the Bay Area!
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. 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. The virtual internship is usually 8 weeks long.
Cost: Starting at $2,490 (financial aid available)
Location: Remote! You can work from anywhere in the world.
Application Deadline: Deadlines vary depending on the cohort. Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September), and Winter (November).
Program Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year, including Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter.
The San Francisco Department of Technology offers a summer internship for high school students interested in technology and public service. As an intern, you’ll collaborate with the city’s IT department on projects involving network security, web development, and data management. Throughout the program, you'll receive mentorship from professionals in the field and develop skills in problem-solving, communication, and teamwork. This internship allows you to explore careers in public sector technology while learning about initiatives that support the city’s operations. It’s an opportunity to gain hands-on experience in a professional setting while contributing to meaningful projects.
Location: San Francisco, CA
Stipend/Cost: Paid ($35.40 per hour.)
Dates: June (12 weeks).
Application Deadline: January 17
Eligibility: Open to high schoolers in their second-to-last or last semester or quarter, as they may still be selected for the program within six months of graduation.
The San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) offers a Summer Internship Program for high school students, providing hands-on experience in various industries across the Bay Area. As an intern, you’ll develop essential professional skills such as communication, teamwork, and problem-solving, while gaining insight into different career paths. You’ll work alongside professionals in fields like tech and healthcare, learning how classroom knowledge translates to real-world work environments. This internship offers an opportunity to explore potential careers while building a foundation for future professional growth.
Location: San Francisco, CA
Stipend/Cost: Paid (minimum 20 hours/week)
Dates: Varies based on industry sector
Application Deadline: February 28.
Eligibility: Open to rising juniors and seniors (11th and 12th grade students) with priority given to 11th grade students. They must be able to work a minimum of 20 hours per week.
The High School Explainers Program at the Exploratorium gives students interested in science the opportunity to develop science communication skills. Since 1969, this program has provided a unique alternative to traditional research internships. As an Explainer, you’ll receive training in science content, exhibit presentation, and career development. You’ll engage with museum visitors, helping them understand exhibits and explaining scientific concepts. This program offers practical experience in making complex ideas more accessible to diverse audiences.
Location: Exploratorium, San Francisco, CA
Cost/Stipend: No cost; paid position (amount unspecified).
Dates: Offered throughout the year and during the summer.
Application Deadline: Applications for summer programs are typically available in March, respectively, on the Current Openings page.
Eligibility: Open to students aged 15–21 who can obtain a valid work permit.
The UCSF High School Intern Program (HIP) offers a summer internship for students interested in biomedical research. As an intern, you’ll work alongside UCSF scientists on original research projects while developing skills in science communication and networking. Ten interns are selected each year to participate, with support from UCSF and various foundations. This program provides hands-on research experience and a chance to learn from professionals in the field.
Location: UC San Francisco (UCSF)
Cost/Stipend: Paid internship; Part-time (25 hours/week): $3,200 upon completion. Full-time (35 hours/week): $4,500 upon completion.
Dates: 8 weeks starting from June
Application Deadline: March 2
Eligibility: Must be a rising high school senior, enrolled in an SFUSD high school, SF charter school, or College Track San Francisco; and from historically marginalized backgrounds in the sciences.
The Youth Summer Internship Program (YSIP) in South San Francisco provides high school students with 8 weeks of professional experience across various city departments. The program begins with a week of virtual training to prepare you for your placement. Afterward, you’ll work alongside staff to support city operations. YSIP offers an opportunity to explore careers in public service and helps you build valuable skills for future roles in local government.
Location: South San Francisco, CA
Cost/Stipend: Paid internship; participants earn $19/hour.
Program Dates: June 10: Paid virtual training begins (2 hours/day) | June 17 — August 2: Internship placement.
Application Deadline: April 12
Eligibility: Open to high school students aged 15–18 who live in or attend school in South San Francisco.
The Stanford Institutes of Medicine Research (SIMR) program offers 50 high school students an 8-week opportunity to gain hands-on experience in medical research alongside Stanford faculty and researchers. During the program, you’ll explore fields such as bioengineering, genetics, neurobiology, and cancer biology, while receiving training in lab safety and research techniques. The program concludes with a poster presentation, where you can share your findings and discuss your experience with peers and professionals.
Location: Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford, CA
Cost/Stipend: The program has a $40 application fee (waived for those with financial need). Participants receive a stipend of at least $500, with additional need-based stipends up to $2,500 available. Housing and meals are not included.
Dates: June 9 — July 31 (8 weeks)
Application deadline: February 22
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors who are at least 16 years old and are U.S. citizens or permanent residents can apply.
Project Pull, sponsored by the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC), offers paid summer internships for high school and college students from diverse communities in San Francisco. This hybrid program provides mentorship in STEAM fields, helping you develop skills in leadership, teamwork, and creativity while exploring careers in the public sector. Throughout the program, you’ll work on projects that promote personal growth and prepare you for future opportunities in both college and the workforce.
Location: Various govt department offices in San Francisco with a hybrid option
Cost/Stipend: No cost, stipend $19.25 per hour
Dates: June 9 — August 1
Application Deadline: February 14
Eligibility: Applicants must be entering junior, senior, or college-bound freshman year in the Fall, live or attend high school in San Francisco, and have a 2.75+ GPA.
The Rock Paper Scissors Collective (RPSC) internship program offers an opportunity to explore artistic expression, curatorial practices, and entrepreneurial skills through hands-on projects and mentorship. If you’re between 15 and 25 years old, you can work with local organizations like the Oakland Museum of California and the Oakland Public Library, gaining experience in arts organizing and project production. Many past participants have gone on to receive scholarships to art schools like the California College of the Arts. The program encourages creativity and community engagement within a volunteer-run, non-hierarchical structure.
Location: Oakland CA, San Francisco Bay Area
Cost/Stipend: No cost or stipend mentioned. However, internship hours may be certified academic credit.
Dates: Kindly mail these info@rpscollective.org
Application Deadline: No deadline mentioned
Eligibility: Applicants must be between the ages of 15–25.
The iCLEM (Introductory College Level Experience in Microbiology) program is a 7-week paid internship for rising high school juniors and seniors from underrepresented, low-income backgrounds in Alameda, Contra Costa, or San Francisco counties. During the program, you’ll work on research projects at the Joint BioEnergy Institute (JBEI), gaining experience in microbiology, molecular biology, biochemistry, and synthetic biology. You will receive a $3,000 stipend and have access to college preparation resources, including personal statement assistance, financial aid workshops, and STEM career exploration through company visits and professional talks.
Location: Emeryville, CA and virtual
Cost/Stipend: No cost, participants are rewarded with a stipend of $3,000
Application Deadline: March 17
Dates: June 14 — July 26
Eligibility: Students 15+ (by Dec 31), sophomores/juniors in Alameda, Contra Costa, or SF County, with a 2.5+ GPA, US citizenship/residency/DACA, completed Algebra 1 & Biology, and household income below limits. Check here for specific info.
Bonus program - the program below isn’t hosted in-person in the Bay Area, but allows students from the Bay Area to apply!
Project SEED is a summer fellowship program that offers high school students the chance to work in laboratory research settings, focusing on an independent chemistry project. As an intern, you'll be placed in a university or research lab, gaining hands-on experience in scientific research. The program is designed to support students from underrepresented communities, providing resources like university preparation camps and career development workshops. You may also have the opportunity to attend field trips, campus tours, and career panels, further enhancing your exposure to the field. At the program’s conclusion, you'll present your research findings at the American Chemical Society National Meeting, showcasing your work in a professional setting.
Location: Various lab choices, San Francisco State University for San Francisco students.
Cost/Stipend: No cost; interns receive a $4,000 stipend.
Dates: 8–10 weeks, June to August.
Application Deadline: Typically in April.
Eligibility: Applicants must be high school sophomores, juniors, seniors, or recent graduates who have completed at least one chemistry course and have a family income below 300% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines.
One other option — the Lumiere Research Scholar Program
If you’re interested in pursuing independent research, 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 4,000 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.
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