72 Internships for High School Students

Yes, some internships can be boring. But if you’re reading this, you’re willing to try landing one before you graduate, anyway. After all, an internship actually lets you test drive a career, which will help you ensure you choose the right major later on. Plus, that’s an opportunity to earn some money (over half of internships in the U.S. are paid!).

As a bonus, an internship can also look great during admissions. Describing it is a sure way to prove that you mean it when you say you’re passionate about the field! 

Don’t know where to start looking for an internship? Our scholarship essay writers poured their time and effort into compiling this list of 72 internships for you!

Why Apply for a High School Internship?

In case you’re not 100% certain what an internship is, it allows you to get real-world professional experience in a specific field. Think of it as an extracurricular activity that helps you:

• Explore a specific career
• Develop a network of professional contacts
• Gain or improve the hard skills related to the field
• Develop soft skills (e.g., collaboration, communication, problem-solving)
• Demonstrate your genuine interest in the field during admissions
• Get letters of recommendation from employers to enhance your college application
• Find a mentor to help you navigate the professional world
• Start saving to offset college costs

Medical Internships for High School Students

Looking for medical and nursing internships for high school students? Consider these three:

• Magee-Womens Research Institute. This six-week, 240-hour internship opportunity allows high school students over 16 to pursue their own research project at the institute or its adjacent hospital. You can also get a $1,800 stipend if you qualify based on household income. However, only 8% of applicants get accepted into the program.
• Kaiser Permanente. KP Launch offers seven-week paid internships over the summer for students aged 16 to 19. With the wage standing at $24/hour, it’s an alluring opportunity for anyone ready to put in full-time weeks (40 h/week).
• Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience (MPFI). Another research-focused internship, this is your six-week opportunity to delve into the field of neuroscience. It’s open to students over 16; interns are paid $13/hour and must be ready to work 40-hour weeks.

Business Internships for High School Students

Want to begin your foray into entrepreneurship? Give these three internships a go:

• Bank of America’s Student Leaders. This program connects high schoolers with local nonprofits for an eight-week paid internship (35 hours/week). The wages vary. The program also includes a summit in Washington, D.C., with travel and accommodation expenses covered by the bank.
• Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. If you’re interested in entrepreneurship or STEM (or both), the PNNL offers year-round paid internships (August to May). They require you to invest four hours a day, five days a week. You can also land a spot in the full-time summer internship program (June to August), also paid.‍
• CliftonLarsonAllen (CLA). This wealth advisory, audit, and tax company welcomes students aged 16 to 18 for a summer internship. This immersive four-week paid opportunity will help you explore the ins and outs of consulting and client service.

Law Internships for High School Students

Yes, even students interested in law don’t have to wait to explore the profession. Scout local law firm internships for high school students, or consider these three opportunities:

• Manhattan District Attorney. One of the most prestigious district attorney offices opens its doors to local junior and senior students for a five-week summer internship. Expect workshops, mock trials, and discussions, along with compensation at the state’s minimum wage.
• State Bar Association of North Dakota (SBAND). Ever wanted to participate in a mock trial? The SBAND invites students in grades 9 to 12 to learn more about the U.S. legal system. The program is free, and you can win $10,000 to participate in a national competition.
• Nashville Bar Association. This program connects you with Nashville law firms, legal departments, and government law offices for a seven-week paid internship. It’s open to seniors with a GPA of 2.0 or above.

Online Internships for High School Students

Good news: you don’t even have to leave your room to gain real-world experience, all thanks to opportunities like these three:

• Smithsonian Institution. While many of its internship opportunities are hybrid or in-person, some can be completed online. You can also find paid internships among the opportunities.
• Ladder Internships. Founded by Harvard alumni, this program connects you with a startup for an eight-week internship, with a commitment of five to ten hours per week. The internships are unpaid, but students from households earning under $50,000 are eligible for financial aid.
• EnergyMag. Interested in renewable energy? This unpaid virtual internship grants you the opportunity to strengthen your research skills. It’s open to sophomore, junior, and senior students with a GPA above 3.25 and allows for quarter-time and half-time arrangements.

Psychology Internships for High School Students

Interested in the workings of the mind? These internships are for you:

• Child Mind Institute. The Youth Mental Health Academy, a 14-month program for California high schoolers, is more than a paid internship. Before its start, you attend a five-week summer academy and get connected with a mentor. The academy participants also get a stipend of up to $2,000.
• Barrow Neurological Institute. Students aged 16 or older can gain an unparalleled early opportunity to work with cutting-edge research technology and equipment. The internship lasts four weeks in the summer and requires full-time attendance. It’s unpaid, although some students may be eligible for scholarships.
• American Psychological Association. The APA regularly offers numerous paid and unpaid internships, most of them part-time. You can also find remote opportunities available to high schoolers from time to time.

STEM Internships for High School Students

For all the STEM-minded among you, these three internships might be the stuff of your dreams:

• Meta Summer Academy. Ever wondered how Meta works? This is your opportunity to have a peek behind the curtain, learn coding, and find a mentor. The internship lasts six weeks (30 hours a week) and is free; some participants may be eligible for a stipend.
• NASA. Much like the Smithsonian, NASA offers tons of internships, with some of them taking place online. In-person opportunities are more plentiful, however. Most come with a stipend award; others are free programs and volunteer opportunities. 
• National Security Agency. Yes, that’s right: even the NSA has summer internship opportunities for high schoolers! All internships span 12 weeks, are paid, and even include perks like paid time off, holiday, and sick leave.

Research Internships for High School Students

Does research and the scientific method pique your curiosity? Consider these three internship opportunities, then:

• Rockefeller University. The university’s unpaid Summer Science Research Program, open to students aged 16 or older, is a hands-on lab research opportunity. Spanning seven weeks with a 35-hour/week commitment, it involves working in four research teams. Each team will pursue a project that aligns with their interests.
• Maine Space Grant. This six-week summer internship is open to Maine high school juniors interested in STEM research. The internship is paid. However, it’s one of the more selective internships: you’ll need a GPA equivalent to an A to qualify for it.
• Research Science Institute. The RSI brings together 100 high schoolers for a research-based summer program at MIT. Participation is free; only students about to enter their last year of high school are eligible.

Architecture Internships for High School Students

If you’re curious about how the world around you was built, these three architecture-focused internships are worth looking into:

• Chicago Architecture Center. The Teen Fellows program spans 15 months and is free for sophomores, juniors, and seniors. Besides exploring different careers through in-person internships, you will also attend college courses. A stipend is available.
• Boston Private Industry Council. The organization connects students to internships at 200+ companies and institutions. If you’re interested in architecture, know that the Boston Society for Architecture is one of those partners. Internships span six to eight weeks over the summer and come with a stipend.
• Fallingwater Institute. High school residencies at this institute are open to high school students entering grades 9-12 and gap year students. Participation is paid, but you can apply for need-based scholarships. The residency focuses on architecture and design, as well as Wright’s principles of organic architecture.

Virtual Internships for High School Students

Want to gain some experience with just your laptop and internet connection? Consider these three opportunities:

• Lumiere Education. The Lumiere Research Scholar Program has already connected 6,000+ students with Ph.D. mentors. During the program, students collaborate with mentors on a research project, meeting once a week online over Zoom. You’ll have to pay for participation, but need-based financial aid is available.
• Foreign Policy Research Institute. The FPRI offers in-person and remote internships in spring, summer, and fall. Both paid and unpaid opportunities are available. All internships fall into one of four categories: research, special events/development, communications, or operations.
• Building-U. This nonprofit invites students in grades 9 through 12 to join their team and help fellow high schoolers navigate opportunities. You can participate over the summer or year-round and take on various roles, from coding and social media marketing to animation.

Science Internships for High School Students

If you’re a fan of the first letter in the STEM acronym, these three opportunities will surely appeal to you:

• California Academy of Sciences. The Careers in Science program is a paid year-round internship opportunity spanning two to three years. It’s open to students from communities underrepresented in STEM, grades 9 through 12. Participation is required on weekdays in summer and after school during the academic year.
• George Mason University College of Science. The Aspiring Scientists Summer Internship Program offers remote, in-person, and hybrid internships. Age requirements depend on the format (15/16 years or older). The opportunities are unpaid, however, and the application requires paying a $25 fee.
• National Institute of Standards and Technology. This eight-week, unpaid summer opportunity introduces rising juniors and seniors to scientific research. You’ll need to cover your housing and transportation if needed, however.

Fashion Internships for High School Students

Envisioning a career in fashion? Take your aspirations for a trial run with one of these three internship opportunities:

• URBN. The company behind brands like Urban Outfitters and Anthropologie welcomes high schoolers for a ten-week paid internship at its headquarters. Some positions are open for remote participation.
• Terry Costa. This fashion brand specializing in formal and bridal wear has its own paid Learn & Earn Program, with the next installment taking place in Spring 2026. Internships focus on both fashion and the retail side of it. Keep in mind that the brand is based in Dallas, Texas.
• Brooklyn Museum. Open to high schoolers interested in fashion and art, Creative Practice is a paid internship ($16.50/hour). Spanning up to 120 hours, it focuses on collaborating on projects related to museum exhibitions. It’s also a great opportunity to make connections in the art world.

Art Internships for High School Students

If you want to explore career options in art (and make sure it’s a viable path for you), these three opportunities are worth looking into:

• Cooper Hewitt. Design Hive is a youth-led initiative that brings together creatives at the Smithsonian Design Museum. Participants receive a $2,000 stipend in exchange for a seven-month commitment. The program is open to NYC-based students only.
• New York City’s Museum of Art and Design. The museum offers many opportunities to high schoolers, from free workshops to paid internships. The latter include Artslife and RECESS. Artslife is a ten-week summer opportunity, paid $16.50/hour. RECESS is open to students aged 13 to 18 and takes place during winter and spring breaks.
• Inner-City Arts. The nonprofit’s Work of Art program helps students explore college and career opportunities in art. Open to sophomores and juniors, it includes job shadowing and internship opportunities at local organizations in the Los Angeles area.

Marketing Internships for High School Students

Whether you’re already a social media pro or you’re just curious about marketing as a whole, these three internships can help you delve deeper into the field:

• Chicago Philharmonic. Yes, there’s more to running a philharmonic than bringing musicians together. The Chicago Philharmonic is ready to initiate four students into the ins and outs of arts administration, including marketing, over the summer.
• Federal Reserve Bank of Boston. The bank’s TIP program is a paid internship that blends gaining work experience and learning. It focuses on fields like business management and marketing. The program involves an intensive summer internship, followed by extended year-round internships for select participants.
• CITYarts. This NYC-based art nonprofit welcomes PR and marketing interns for a 15- to 20-hour-per-week internship. The nonprofit awards school credit in exchange for the internship and offers students ages 18 or over a stipend of $15 per 8 hours of work.

Journalism Internships for High School Students

Believe journalism is your cup of tea and want to gain more real-world experience in it? Reach out to your local news outlets — and consider these three opportunities:

• Los Angeles Times. High School Insider is the LA Times’ dedicated community with content created for high schoolers, by high schoolers. Every summer, the HS Insider welcomes the select few for a paid internship that immerses them in the life of a professional journalist.
• Emma Bowen Foundation. This foundation offers a wealth of internships, including opportunities for aspiring journalists. Internships are open only to high school seniors and span eight summer weeks (35-40 hours/week).
• City Limits. Dream of trying on the role of an investigative journalist? This NYC nonprofit’s CLARIFY program is for you. It’s a paid internship that focuses on public service journalism. It also helps participants develop skills useful for their career or college aspirations.

Neuroscience Internships for High School Students

Whether you’re curious about the inner workings of the brain or have already decided to pursue a career in biomedical research, these three opportunities are for you:

• Johns Hopkins. The JHIBS program welcomes juniors and sophomores for a summer research program that lasts eight weeks. It will introduce you to both the theory and practice of neuroscience research. The organization provides a stipend of $15/hour and covers travel costs if necessary.
• Duke University. The university’s Neuroscience Experience (DUNE) is a full-time eight-week program that will give you hands-on experience in neuroscience research. It’s open to students in grades 11 and 12 and comes with a stipend and free lunch.
• Zuckerman Institute. BRAINYAC, the institute’s intensive summer lab internship, welcomes NYC students (grades 10 and 11) from select schools. To qualify for the internship, you’ll need to be enrolled in a partner program.

Chemistry Internships for High School Students

Intrigued by how chemistry explains the building blocks of matter, energy, and the universe? These three chemistry-oriented opportunities are worth looking into, then:

• Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory. High school juniors and seniors can apply for ASPIRE, a STEM research program at Johns Hopkins. It’s an unpaid opportunity and focuses more on learning than gaining professional experience. You can choose between virtual and in-person internships.
• American Chemical Society. The ACS’s Project SEED has been around for over a decade. It connects high schoolers across 40 U.S. states and territories with summer research opportunities lasting eight to ten weeks. There’s also a stipend awarded ($4,000).
• WashU Medicine. The Young Scientist Program (YSP) welcomes high schoolers from the Greater St. Louis area for an eight-week summer research internship. Around 15 to 18 students are selected each year and receive a $4,500 stipend. Chemistry is but one research focus you can choose. 

Tech Internships for High School Students

Jobs in tech are among the most futureproof. Here are three opportunities that will help you explore the many facets of the field:

• MITRE Corporation. Each summer, the corporation welcomes 500+ interns for positions in fields like cybersecurity and computer engineering. Internships are paid, located across the country, and last 10 to 12 weeks. Most are geared toward college students, but the company is ready to consider applications from high schoolers.
• Massachusetts Institute of Technology. MITES Summer is a free summer experience for students from across the nation, taking place on the MIT campus. Besides being free, the program also provides room and board at no cost to participants.
• NYU Cyber Security for Computer Science. This is more of a summer bootcamp, but it comes with a full scholarship and is free to attend. During four weeks, students in grades 10 or 11 will explore the fundamentals of cybersecurity, privacy, and ethical hacking.

Biology Internships for High School Students

Regularly find yourself lost to the world while reading your biology textbook? These three internships will help you take your interest to the next level:

• Joint BioEnergy Institute. Thanks to the iCLEM program, you can spend seven weeks in a state-of-the-art lab over the summer. The internship targets rising juniors and seniors from low-income households and comes with a $3,000 stipend. During it, you’ll learn about microbiology, biochemistry, and molecular biology.
• Monell Center. Every summer, the Monell Science Apprenticeship Program connects students with biomedical scientists for seven weeks of paid full-time research. The program is open to students in the greater Philadelphia area interested in biomedicine.‍
• American Fisheries Society. The Hutton Junior Fisheries Biology Program is designed for students interested in marine biology. The program connects high schoolers with fisheries professionals in all 50 states. Spanning eight summer weeks, it comes with a $3,000 stipend.

Aviation Internships for High School Students

Aviation may not be every student’s first career choice, but if you’re passionate about it, doors will open for you. You can start knocking on them now, thanks to these opportunities:

• Textron Aviation. This aircraft manufacturer offers part-time paid internships to students interested in aviation and engineering. You can also land an internship in auxiliary positions (finance, sales, HR, etc.). Internships last six weeks and take place in the spring, summer, and fall.
• Lockheed Martin Space. The famed defense and aerospace manufacturer welcomes high school students aged 16 or older for 9+ weeks of on-the-job experience. The internships are typically available in the company’s six U.S. locations.
• Air Force Research Laboratory. Thanks to its Scholars Program, upper-level high school students can pursue research projects in the military aerospace domain. You’ll receive a weekly stipend, but the amount depends on the location. These full-time internships are available across 14 locations in the U.S.

Writing Internships for High School Students

Have a way with the written word? Or just want to develop your writing skills? Check out these three opportunities:

• Project Write Now. This nonprofit seeks to transform communities through writing classes. Students aged 15 to 18 can apply for unpaid internships as teaching or editorial assistants or partake in the interview project. Each intern has to attend a virtual or in-person training; a total of 28 positions are available.
• Pasquines. This nonprofit news organization offers both internship and volunteer opportunities, all of which take place online. However, it’s an unpaid internship, and it requires a background in writing and editing.‍
• 826 Digital Virtual Writing Club. If you want to get insightful feedback on your writing, this virtual club will connect you with instructors who do exactly that. You can also participate in online sessions to develop your writing skills. Students in grades 6 through 12 can join. Participation is completely free!

Coding Internships for High School Students

Whether you’re already an experienced coder or you’re just exploring programming, these three opportunities might appeal to you:

• University of Chicago. The university’s Data Science Institute opens its doors to Chicago-based high school students for a paid research program every summer. This Summer Lab connects high schoolers with mentors in computer and data science.
• Sandia National Laboratories. The labs offer a multitude of both year-round and summer internships for students at all academic levels. Summer internships typically last 10 to 12 weeks (up to 40 hours/week) and include positions in cybersecurity and software development. Interns are paid based on a rate sheet.‍
• America on Tech. Not exactly an internship, but TECH360 is still a great opportunity to learn about AI if you’re between 15 and 18 years old. It’s a free summer bootcamp, with most sessions taking place online. If you successfully complete it, you’ll get a $500 stipend.

Accounting Internships for High School Students

If you’re not easily intimidated by numbers and spreadsheet formulas, accounting might be your cup of tea. These three opportunities will help you make sure:

• KPMG. The company advocates for an alternative pathway to CPA licensure, and its Empower program is the first step in that direction. The internship runs for three weeks in a hybrid format and focuses on public accounting. Participants are paid, with compensation reportedly amounting to $20-22 per hour.
• University of Tennessee. The AIM Academy brings together rising high school juniors interested in exploring accounting and information management. It lasts six days and takes place during the summer.
• CliftonLarsonAllen (CLA). Yes, we mentioned CLA once on this list, but the company also started offering paid accounting internships back in 2023. It’s open to students aged 16 to 18 and is available at multiple CLA offices around the country.

Real Estate Internships for High School Students

Real estate is a lucrative career path; there’s no denying it. These three opportunities will help you explore it in more detail:

• Redfin. The company behind the real estate brokerage platform offers tons of internships across the U.S. Some offices are ready to take on high school students as interns. Opportunities are typically paid.
• Real Estate Exchange Program. This two-week summer program enables high school sophomores and juniors to learn more about commercial real estate. Participation is subject to tuition fees, however.
• Drexel University. The NAIOP-Drexel Summer Real Estate Program is a 10-day on-campus residential program open to rising juniors and seniors. The program is targeted at future first-generation college attendees, low-income students, and students already showing interest in commercial real estate. All participants receive full scholarships for the program.

Sports Internships for High School Students

Fans of sports who want to learn the inner workings of sports management might want to consider these three opportunities:

• San Antonio Sports. This nonprofit welcomes high schoolers willing to discover the workings of a sports-oriented organization. Internships are available in event management, marketing, PR, and youth programs. You’ll have to commit to working at least 15 hours a week.
• National Student Leadership Conference. The NSLC offers pre-college programs to help students dive deeper into various domains. The Sports Leadership and Management Program is one of such programs. Participation is paid, with tuition fees reaching $4,000+; the program takes place on various campuses in the U.S.
• Hawken School. The SAMM Intern Program starts out as an unpaid internship, but once you complete six events, you’ll be paid for your effort from then on. Positions focus on sports management and media, including PA announcing, game management, and more.

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In Closing

As you can see, there’s no shortage of internships for high schoolers all across the country. That said, if you need more opportunities, look up local businesses and nonprofits. Chances are, they either already have internship programs for high school students or would consider creating one.

In any case, pursuing an internship is well worth the time and effort. Besides gaining hands-on experience that looks great on your college application and resume, you’ll also make professional connections. And even if you ultimately decide this field isn’t your cup of tea, the soft skills you develop will come in handy in college and beyond.

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