22 Internships for High School Students
If you are looking to intern, whether during the summer or year-round, then this list is for you! We’ve compiled a list of 22 of the best internship programs that are open to high school students. This list includes internships in STEM subjects such as Math, Engineering, Chemistry, Physics, and Biology, Humanities and Art, Law, International Relations, and Computer Science!
Why Should You Do an Internship in High School?
Before we dive into the list, here’s why we strongly recommend internships for high school students -
1. Gain real-world experience
With valuable internships in the field of your choice, you are given the opportunity to explore, learn, and apply concepts in the real world. While studying a particular subject at school is enriching, applying those concepts and gaining experience at an early age is what sets you apart from other students.
2. Application-oriented learning
Be it STEM subjects or subjects such as law and international affairs, application-based learning is essential for a holistic understanding of a subject/field. As an intern, you get to see concepts come alive in the field, and apply your critical thinking and analytical skills outside the classroom. Apart from learning, you are also given the chance to develop your interpersonal skills, business communication, leadership skills, and problem-solving aptitude.
3. Prestige
There are multiple national and international-level internships available, and getting selected as an intern for such prestigious programs adds great value to your resume and overall profile. If you were to intern with an esteemed organization such as NASA for aerospace engineering, it would automatically demonstrate your skills and talent as compared to your peers, and open up doors to other such opportunities.
4. Stipend
Working towards financially supporting yourself is very important, especially since you will be in charge of your own financial planning and budget at university. Interning at prestigious, competitive programs comes with a hefty stipend, and you can thus save, invest, or set aside the stipend as your college budget later on!
We’ve chosen some of the most prestigious internships offered across the country, and most of the following opportunities are fully-funded, and provide you with a stipend upon completion.
Let’s dive right in!
Business / Tech
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.
Eligibility: Students who can work for 10-20 hours/week, for 8-12 weeks. Open to high school students, undergraduates, and gap year students!
Every year, the Bank of America Student Leaders Program admits hundreds of community-minded high schoolers are into the program. Selected high-schoolers intern with nonprofits like Boys and Girls Clubs of America and Habitat for Humanity and experience community service through a paid eight-week internship.
In this highly-selective leadership program, high school students participate in the National Student Leaders Summit in Washington, D.C, and understand how stakeholders like nonprofits, governments, and businesses collaborate and interact to meet local needs. This experience enables participating students to create change and improve more lives with inspiring stories of enthusiasm and commitment.
Cost: Fully funded, stipend provided
Dates: 8 weeks, (from the end of your school year, and including the week of July 17-24 in D.C)
Application Deadline: To be Announced
Eligibility: A current junior or senior high school student legally authorized to work in the USA.
STEM
With an acceptance rate of about less than 5%, Spark SIP is a highly prestigious internship opportunity for budding CS majors in college. A program open to all high schoolers interested in CS and related disciplines, the Spark SIP program allows students to immerse themselves in research opportunities in the field, interact and learn from scholars and leaders, and gain real-world experience through a full-time summer internship program. This program provides a $500 stipend upon successful completion.
Cost: Fully-funded, stipend provided
Location: Greater Seattle Area
Application deadline: May 1
Program dates: 8 weeks, June to August
Eligibility: High school students who can work for 40 hours/week, for 8-12 weeks
This long-running program, which began in 1996, invites applications from San Francisco students from underrepresented communities in the field of STEM to learn about science and sustainability. Alongside this, you also receive mentorship, building professional skills, and more – all while being compensated for your efforts. Throughout the program, you are also encouraged to participate in seminars and conferences, as well as interact with faculty, mentors, and talented students such as yourself.
If you’re curious about the various subject tracks you can pick up as an intern, here’s the answer we received from the CiS team - students are allocated to roles and departments in a museum setting based on their interests and opportunities they have available in the museum at the time.
Cost: Fully-funded, stipend provided
Location: California Academy of Sciences
Application Deadline: April 3
Program Dates: Multi-year, year-round participation
Eligibility: All high schoolers residing in San Francisco can apply
Looking for an internship that allows you to conduct full-time research in the field of biomedicine? With the HS-SIP program, conducted at NIH facilities, you can carry out cutting-edge research under the guidance and mentorship of world-renowned researchers.
HS-SIP is extremely competitive, with only around 15% of candidates being accepted. The program length is 8 weeks, and offers a stipend of $2080 per month. As part of the internship, you are required to complete an orientation program before starting your research.
Cost: Fully-funded, stipend provided.
Location: NIH campus, as well as labs in Baltimore and Frederick, MD; Research Triangle Park, NC; Hamilton, MT; Framingham, MA; and Phoenix, AZ.
Application Deadline: February 1
Program Dates: May 18 to August 4
Eligibility: All high school juniors and seniors who live within 40 miles of the NIH campus on which they will intern can apply.
The Fred Hutch Summer High School Internship is an 8 week-long, full-time internship for rising high school senior students. The program is specifically designed for students from underrepresented communities, who are interested in the field of biomedical science. Along with receiving hands-on training on laboratory safety techniques and skills in the Fred Hutch Training Labs, you will also participate in research education seminars, attend professional development workshops, and receive mentorship from Fred Hutch research groups.
Note: You are required to arrange for your own transportation and accommodation for the duration of the program.
Cost: None, stipend provided
Location: Fred Hutch Cancer Center, Seattle
Application Deadline: March 31
Program Dates: June 26 - August 18
Eligibility: Rising 12th graders can apply
The Coriell Institute is a leader in stem cell research and genetic discoveries. Select students are invited to participate in the four-week Summer Experience, which allows them to work with world-renowned scientists and researchers. You can apply for one of the eight different paid positions that are open to high school students and undergraduates. You are required to attend staff lectures, conduct independent research, learn data analysis, attend a resume-building session, and present their findings in a final presentation. The program gives you the opportunity to work in Coriell's Cytogenomics and Stem Cell labs while also receiving a $1,000 stipend.
Note: You can apply as an intern in the following fields -
Biobank Laboratories: Stem Cell, Cell Culture, and Molecular biology
Biobank Operations: Research Project Manager, Finance, and Informatic technology (IT)
Cost: None, stipend provided
Location: The Coriell facility in Camden, New Jersey.
Application Deadline: May 10
Program Dates: July 6 - August 3
Eligibility: Before beginning the program, students must be 17 years old and should have a US citizenship.
This highly prestigious program selects 100 students each year from a field of over 2000 applicants. If selected after a rigorous process, you are required to spend 10 weeks as a biomedical intern, and are given a $4,000 stipend. Alongside attending seminars and laboratory sessions with the staff, students can create their own research biomedical projects under the recognized mentoring of the City of Hope facilitators. The curriculum ends in the completion of a research paper, which is then presented at the end of the program.
Cost: None, stipend provided
Location: City of Hope Medical Center
Application Deadline: March 16
Program Dates: TBA
Eligibility: Students must be 16 years old before their first day on campus and have completed chemistry and biology classes in high school before applying.
A program aimed at making the field of neurological sciences more inclusive and representative, the Johns Hopkins Internship in Brain Science Program is an 8-week, fully funded summer research program for bright high school students from underrepresented communities.
As part of the program, you are expected to participate in research under the guidance and mentorship of leading researchers in the field and will take part in hands-on projects, discussions, scientific seminars, weekly personal and professional development sessions, and interactions with leading neuroscientists at JHU.
The program is also offered virtually, for students who cannot attend the program on campus. The program is open to 5-6 students and provides them with an hourly stipend, and also covers transportation costs. At the end of the program, you will present your research via an oral or poster presentation. To get an idea of past projects, visit here.
Cost: Free of cost, in-person participants receive an hourly stipend (amount varies), while virtual interns receive a stipend of $500
Location: Virtual/JHU Campus
Application Deadline: March 1
Program Dates: June - August (in-person); July - August (Virtual program)
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, who have a strong passion and interest in science and medicine, are from underrepresented groups, and have an academically strong background are eligible for the in-person program.
Open to high school and college students, EnergyMag offers virtual research internships to students looking to gain experience working in the renewable energy sector. Students gain research and analytical skills, alongside work experience, by researching specific companies, technologies, and markets. Internships can be half-time (2-8 weeks, 20 hours per week) or quarter-time (1-9 months, 8 hours per week)
Cost: Fully funded
Location: Virtual
Application Deadline: Applications are open all year-round, you can apply here.
Program Dates: Rolling dates
Eligibility: Open to sophomores, juniors and seniors only who have taken at least one honors science or honors English class
The goal of HiSTEP is to expand the pipeline of students interested in biomedical and healthcare careers by expanding opportunities for high school students. The program is open to current high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors. HiSTEP students will explore the breadth of the scientific enterprise, the importance of biomedical research, and many STEM-M careers. Students will receive a stipend of $2150 for the 5 week program.
The program is extremely competitive, and has an acceptance rate of less than 10% - making it a prestigious opportunity for you!
Cost: Fully-funded, stipend provided
Location: National Institutes of Health campus in Bethesda, MD
Application deadline: February 01 (tentative)
Program dates: June 12 to August 4 (tentative)
Eligibility: High school seniors are eligible to apply
SIMR is one of the most prestigious summer programs for STEM enthusiasts in high-school. SIMR provides extensive research opportunities across various medical disciplines for all its participants from immunology and neuro biology to cancer biology - they have it all covered. Once selected, you will be assigned a particular field of study (branch) based on your preference, and spend two months as a mentee. You will be mentored by imminent scholars, researchers, and Ph.D. fellows in the field of medicine. Each branch has a slightly different internship structure to help you get the best exposure to that branch, so be sure to read through the internship structures carefully.
This program will keep you challenged and give you an immersive learning experience into the nuances of research work such as ethics, methodology, collection and analysis of scientific data, etc. The program provides a $500 stipend.
Note: The program is extremely competitive to get into, and accepts about 3% of all its applicants.
Cost: Fully-funded, stipend provided
Location: MIT Campus
Application deadline: December 16
Program dates: June 13 - August 4
Eligibility: Open to juniors and seniors residing in the US with a permanent American residency
SRMP offers the best of Harvard and MIT mentorship and research opportunities, and is open to all high-schoolers with a passion for research to conduct independent research programs under the guidance of Harvard and MIT scholars, in the fields of astrophysics and climate science. The selection is highly competitive with only 10-15 students forming the final cohort - an acceptance rate of less than 5%.
The program offers all the resources you may need to carry out sound research, such as a laptop. You are split into 5-6 research groups, and expected to attend weekly discussion sessions, meetings, and guest lectures. At the end of your program, you will present a cumulation of your research efforts at the annual Harvard symposium.
Cost: Free; Stipend paid by City of Cambridge
Location: Harvard or MIT
Application deadline: May
Program dates: September - May
Eligibility: Local high-school sophomores, juniors, and seniors (both international and US citizens).
If you're an upper-level high school student interested in aerospace engineering, the AFRL program is an enriching opportunity for your pre-college summer. Once selected, you will have the opportunity to receive guidance from full-time AFRL scientists and engineers while touring AFRL laboratories and working on cutting-edge research and technology. You can expect to work on areas such as aerospace / mechanical design for morphing aircraft technology, complex electromagnetic structures, and metalens design and modeling (to name a few). These opportunities are also open to undergraduate and graduate-level students so be sure to filter for specific opportunities open to high school students. A few research areas open to high schoolers are Clean-up of PFAS contamination, Data Structures for Advanced Satellite Navigation Signals, and Experimental Navigation Satellite Signals Simulation and Testing, to name a few.
Cost: Fully-funded, stipend provided
Location: Kirtland/AMOS, Eglin/Hurlbert air force bases
Application Deadline: This may vary based on the AFRL sites and/or projects to which you are applying.
Program Dates: Varies from project to project, but you can expect it to be during the summer months for 9 weeks.
Eligibility: High schoolers with a minimum GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, who are US citizens and have a valid driver's license. You must also be eligible to work 40 hours a week for summer internship positions.
NASA Office of STEM Engagement (OSTEM) offers paid internships at locations all around America. High school students located near NASA facilities can check which research facilities have open positions and have hands-on experience in subjects related to aerospace engineering. You can check out a complete list of positions here - you may have to use the “Filter” option to see opportunities only open to high school students. If you’re a budding engineer or astrophysicist, interning with NASA is the most prestigious experience you can showcase in your college application!
Cost: None
Location: Varies
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)
Eligibility:
Must be a U.S. Citizen
Meet a minimum 3.0 GPA requirement.
A highly prestigious, highly competitive competition for high school students, the SEES is hosted by UT Austin in collaboration with NASA. This is a national-level internship program, where you can work beside NASA subject matter experts. The program is focused on Earth and space research and relies on interns to assist with analyzing and visualizing data - key aspects of moving a project faster and foundational knowledge for aerospace engineering. All project teams will present their research during the Virtual SEES Science Symposium. There is a virtual, learning component to the program and then an onsite experience on campus at the University of Texas, Austin. You are also expected to present your research at the program's concluding symposium.
Note: Here are a few things the SEES team looks for in an intern - your academic records, a written application that includes answers to essay questions, an introduction video, a letter of recommendation form, a transcript, and a demonstration of interest in STEM.
Cost: Fully-funded
Eligibility: High school juniors who hold U.S. citizenship can apply
Location: Hybrid (On-site experience at the University of Austin, Texas campus)
Application Deadline: February 20
Program Dates: May 1 - July 26
If you are specifically interested in an internship in radar systems, then MIT’s LLRISE program will be suited for you. Throughout July, you will be taught how to build small radar systems, such as a Doppler and range radar. Highly talented scientists and engineers will be working alongside the attendees and assisting them. The workshop will be held at two locations: the MIT campus in Cambridge, MA and Lincoln Laboratory in Lexington, MA.
Cost: Fully-funded
Locations: Held at both the MIT campus in Cambridge, MA and Lincoln Laboratory in Lexington, MA.
Application Deadline: March 10
Program Dates: July 9 - July 22
Eligibility: Open to rising seniors passionate about STEM who hold a US citizenship.
Art and Architecture
The Met invites applications for a cohort of high school students passionate about art, design, architecture, and creative expression for their fully-funded internships each year. The Met offers two kinds of internships - one that goes on alongside your school year, and the other that runs exclusively in the summer.
The internship program that runs all year-round invites a cohort of students to connect with art, museums, and creative professionals as they develop professional skills, network, and gain work experience.
As a MET intern, you regularly interact with museum professionals, as well as experts in marketing, scientific research, social media, law, and educational programming.
You also participate in Career Labs - sessions where you interact and learn from professionals about their work, and experiences, and receive advice!
This is a highly valuable opportunity for students passionate not just about art, but related fields as well!
Dates:
School-year Internship: January 14 - June 9
Summer Internship: June 25 - August 12
Application Deadline:
School-year Internship: October 28
Summer Internship: March 31
Location: The Met Fifth Avenue, NY
Cost: Fully-funded, stipend provided
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors based in and around New York City
This opportunity doubles up as an internship and a learning program! You will discover the art and cultural traditions of Asia and learn about special exhibitions as well as the museum collection. You will also create hands-on art activities and other materials for learning about art and culture, and do social media marketing for the museum. There is plenty of networking with local artists!
Pro Tip: Make sure to check with your local museum for such opportunities around the school year and summer!
Dates: August - May
Application deadline: Tentative dates are not yet available. Please join the mailing list to remain updated on applications.
Location: Asia Art Museum (San Francisco, CA) and also partly virtual.
Cost: Fully-funded, stipend and school credit provided
Eligibility: Bay Area public high school students in good standing in grades 10, 11, and 12
International Relations and Public Policy
If you prefer learning through work, then this is a good choice for you because it is a competitive internship program for ambitious high school students interested in pursuing a career in international relations. This program is designed to develop industry-specific skills in foreign policy and relations, as well as sharpen critical thinking, communication, and collaboration skills. You get the chance to connect with members of the foreign relations community and attend weekly foreign policy seminars with guest speakers. You can apply to be a research intern, a special events intern, or an operations intern, and you also have the opportunity to work on a research paper for publication on FPRI’s Intern Corner.
Cost: Fully-funded, no stipend provided
Location: Remote and in-person (Philadelphia) options available
Application deadline:
Early Action: March 15
Final Deadline: April 15
Program dates: June – August
Eligibility: High school students authorized for employment in the US can apply.
Internships at Treasury give students the opportunity to collect, analyze and present policy data, as well as conduct research and summarize academic literature and news important for priority missions. This is a great program to build a solid foundation for a future career in international policy.
Through these internships, you get the chance to gain research and analytical skills and management and organizational skills through interactions with Treasury colleagues and other U.S. government agencies. You can choose to work in any one of the several offices that make up the Treasury Departmental Offices (headquarters).
Cost: Fully-funded, no stipend provided
Location: Washington, D.C.
Application deadline: Varies for all three Internship periods -
Spring Internship Period - Apply in October.
Summer Internship Period - Apply in December.
Fall Internship Period - Apply in June.
Program dates: Treasury typically offers internship opportunities in the spring, summer, and fall:
Spring Internship Period (January-May): Apply in October.
Summer Internship Period (May-August): Apply in December.
Fall Internship Period (September-December): Apply in June.
Eligibility: Students must be U.S. citizens and must be enrolled or accepted at an accredited institution
Law
The New York City High School Law Internship Program aims to connect interested high school students in the city with legal employers. The employers include law firms, corporations, non-profit organizations, and government agencies. The internship offers you practical training, panel discussions, and networking events to help you prepare for a career in law.
Internship duties may include assisting paralegals, filing paperwork, maintaining records, and organizing documents. In addition to the on-the-job experience, you will also receive exposure to the legal profession through development programs offered by your legal employers as part of the internship program.
Cost: Fully-funded, stipend provided
Location: New York City
Application Deadline: Deadlines close in the last week of January.
Program Dates (subject to change): May 29 – August 28
Eligibility: NYC public high school students are eligible to apply
To truly nail your college application, you need to engage in various projects, such as the internships above, and if interested, independent research projects. You can read through a complete list of 24 summer research programs here.
If you are looking to start your own research journey with 1-1 mentorship from a top PhD scholar, check out the Lumiere Research Scholar Program, a selective online high school program for students that I founded with researchers at Harvard and Oxford. 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 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.
Image source: Ladder Internship Program logo