25 Awesome Internships for High Schoolers in 2025
What’s Covered:
- What Is an Internship and How Does it Work?
- 25 Awesome Internships for High Schoolers
- How Do Internships Impact Your College Chances?
What do you want to be when you grow up? If you’re like most high school students, the answer still isn’t crystal clear. That’s all right, and in fact, it’s 100% normal. The good news is that there are plenty of ways—like internships—to explore your interests and various career fields before you take the leap and commit to a certain program or college major.
Internships are a great way for high school students to gain work experience, learn about professional opportunities, and network within career and academic fields.
What Is an Internship and How Does it Work?
An internship is essentially an introductory work experience in a professional career field. It is sometimes paid, though usually at the lowest end of the pay scale, and it is sometimes unpaid. The function of an internship is to gain experience and insight into a certain field while also performing some functional work in exchange for the experience.
For example, if you get an internship in a research lab, usually you won’t jump right into hands-on lab work. Instead, you’ll start with things like cleaning the lab and entering data into spreadsheets. While this might sound tedious, it will also give you the opportunity to connect with the people who work there, learn about the day-to-day functioning of the worksite, and give you an idea of whether or not a career in this field might be of interest to you.
Before you commit to an internship, you should always make sure that you are clear on the expectations. Have a good understanding of the time commitment, the length of the internship, the responsibilities, and whether or not you’ll be receiving anything in exchange. Some unpaid internships might offer other perks like free classes at related institutions, travel reimbursement, or even housing. You should also be certain you understand your responsibilities and that you’re comfortable sticking with them.
Internships are a great way to break into difficult career fields. For students who want to gain experience in research, medicine, law, or other professions normally requiring an advanced degree, an internship is a way to gain some insight and experience without the commitment of a degree. You will learn about the field and forge important connections with people who might ultimately write you a recommendation or even offer you a job.
25 Awesome Internships For High School Students
1. United States Secret Service (USSS) Pathways Program
Application Deadline: N/A
Duration: N/A
Through participation in the USSS Pathways Program, students gain insight into the nature and structure of the Secret Service while gaining valuable personal and professional skills. Students must be at least a junior in high school, have a minimum 2.5 GPA, and be in good academic standing. Students are paid for their participation in the program.
2. BRAINYAC
Application Deadline: October 29
Duration: Seven weeks
Offered through the Zuckerman Institute’s BRAINYAC (Brain Research Apprenticeships in New York at Columbia), this program connects NYC 10th and 11th graders with scientists for hands-on neuroscience research experiences. Students begin with a mentor-guided research program on weekends in the winter, followed by a full-time summer lab internship. BRAINYAC partners with several organizations, so application requirements may vary by program.
3. Air Force Research Library (AFRL) Scholars Program
Application Deadline: January 10
Duration: Summer
The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) Scholars Program offers valuable hands-on experiences working with full-time AFRL scientists and engineers on cutting-edge research and technology. Participants are assigned to projects in a variety of STEM-related fields, each of which will give them experience working in a technology-based environment under the supervision of experienced researchers and engineers. The program pays a competitive stipend.
4. Hutton Junior Fisheries Biology Program
Application Deadline: January 19
Duration: Eight weeks (Summer)
The Hutton Program is a paid summer internship and mentoring program for high school juniors and seniors interested in pursuing natural resource and environmental management. Sponsored by the American Fisheries Society (AFS), the program teaches about and encapsulates various fisheries professions among students interested in fisheries science and marine biology, additionally providing students with mentors who can become lifelong connections.
Students from traditionally underrepresented backgrounds in the fisheries profession are strongly encouraged to apply.
5. Cincinnati Museum Center Internships
Application Deadline: Varies
Duration: Ten weeks
- Summer Session: June – August
- Fall Session: September – November
- Spring Session: January – March
This is a fantastic opportunity for just-graduated high schoolers to gain professional experience and build networks before attending their first college class. Assignments vary, however, the perks—which include free admission to permanent CMC exhibits, access to the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, and invitations to select exhibit previews/special events/lectures—are the same for all interns. Students can also apply for programs in the winter, summer, or fall.
6. Student Research Internship Program at the Scripps Translational Science Institute (SRTI)
Application Deadline: March 31
Duration: Ten weeks
- Session 1: June 2 – August 8
- Session 2: June 16 – August 22
The Scripps Translational Science Institute (STSI) offers a Student Research Internship Program for highly motivated high school students. Interns work with and learn from a multi-disciplinary team of scientists who include internationally renowned investigators in the areas of genomics, bioinformatics, and digital medicine.
Students will work within the program to complete a research project, encapsulating it in a final presentation to faculty. While the internship is unpaid, it is a great opportunity for students to get hands-on research experience before entering college.
7. New-York Historical Society’s Student Historian Program
Application Deadline: May 9
Duration: Six Weeks (July 8 – August 14)
Interns use the resources of the New York Historical Society to conduct exciting research and share their scholarship through creative projects. Interns meet with professional staff to learn about careers in the museum, library, and history fields; work collaboratively with fellow students to develop their public speaking and leadership skills; and engage in hands-on work to deepen their understanding of American history and art.
This is a paid internship—students receive a $700 stipend upon the successful completion of the program.
8. Microsoft Discovery Program
Application Deadline: February 26
Duration: Four weeks (July 7 – August 1)
In Microsoft’s Discovery Program, students will learn a lot about the world of computer science and programming. Microsoft internships are geared toward STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) students and will expose students to a variety of STEM-related professions at Microsoft and beyond.
Students must live within 50 miles of one of the program’s two locations—Redmond, Washington, and Atlanta, Georgia—to be eligible to participate.
9. The Expanding Horizons Institute
Application Deadline: March 21
Duration: Six weeks (June 16 – July 28)
Offered through the Constitutional Rights Foundation, the Expanding Horizons Internship provides first-generation, college-bound high school students attending Title 1 schools in the Los Angeles area with an intensive experience of skill development and personal growth that prepares them for college, career, and civic life.
The EHI program begins with interactive seminars in the spring and concludes with a paid summer internship at a prestigious law firm, corporation, government agency, or non-profit organization.
10. Smithsonian High School Internships
Application Deadline: Varies
Duration: Varies
The Smithsonian offers a wide variety of internship opportunities, ranging from centrally funded opportunities that place interns throughout the Smithsonian to specific opportunities available at each of the Smithsonian’s various museums, research centers, and other units. Participants can find roles in art history, business and administration, museum conservation, and much more, for which they will receive a competitive stipend.
11. KP LAUNCH Program
Application Deadline: January 6
Duration: Seven weeks (June 16 – August 1)
This full-time internship is designed to introduce high school students and undergraduates to non-clinical careers in healthcare—providing paid opportunities in Oakland and across Northern California.
Through the program, interns build professional and community leadership skills, as well as the practical skills needed for employment in health professions. Students will make an hourly wage of $24 per hour.
12. Johns Hopkins Internship in Brain Sciences (JHIBS)
Application Deadline: March 1
Duration:
- In-person program: Eight weeks
- Virtual program: Five weeks
This summer program exposes Baltimore-area high school students from underrepresented backgrounds to careers in the neurological sciences. Participants receive hands-on research experience under the supervision of a mentor and are given educational resources and encouragement for pursuing a pathway to a profession as a researcher or clinician scientist at the highest level.
Students can choose to apply to the nationwide virtual research opportunity or the in-person internship if they’re local to Baltimore, and both opportunities will compensate students accordingly.
13. NASA High School Internships
Application Deadline:
- Spring Session: September 12
- Summer Session: February 27
- Fall Session: May 22
Duration: Varies
NASA offers a multitude of internship opportunities for full-time high school students over 16 years of age. Internships are designed to increase the capabilities and diversity of the nation’s STEM workforce and provide participants with the opportunity to perform research under the guidance of a mentor at a NASA facility.
14. Met High School Internship Program
Application Deadline: March 27
Duration: Five weeks (July 7 – August 8)
Rising juniors and seniors from New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut can connect with professionals in the fields of art, museum, and creativity at one of the world’s finest museums—The Metropolitan Museum of Art—with this awesome in-person paid internship. Over the course of this program, students will develop professional skills, build a network, and gain work experience in various departments of the museum. Interns can expect to work between 10 and 20 hours a week.
15. Ladder Internship Program
Application Deadline: Varying deadlines based on cohort. Main summer deadlines are March 15, April 15, and May 15
Duration: Eight weeks
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.
Ladder’s start-ups are high-growth companies on average raising over a million dollars. Past founders have included YCombinator alumni, founders raising over 30 million dollars, or founders who previously worked at Microsoft, Google, and Facebook. In the program, students work closely with their managers and a Ladder Coach on real-world projects and present their work to the company.
This highly flexible program is designed to be accessible to a wide range of students. You will complete your internship remotely, from anywhere in the world, and there are internships available throughout the year, so you can easily plan around your other commitments—you can expect to work for 10-20 hours/week, for 8-12 weeks. Open to high school students and gap year students!
Here is the application form.
16. Adler Planetarium Summer High School Internship
Application Deadline: N/A
Duration: N/A
This eye-opening internship allows Chicago high schoolers to engage with STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math) fields while preparing for a variety of careers. Participants are given space for personal growth and scientific experimentation while connecting with peers from around the city. Students will work in various museum roles and help develop research and engineering projects in this paid, in-person opportunity.
17. Bank of America Student Leader Program
Application Deadline: January 15
Duration: Eight weeks
This paid internship connects a diverse group of socially concerned high school juniors and seniors with non-profits to serve their communities and build leadership. Participants leave the program with a firsthand look at how non-profits, governments, and businesses collaborate to meet local needs and the skills needed to bring about positive change. The program includes a one-week in-person summit in Washington D.C., where students will congregate and continue to develop their skills. The internship is about 35 hours a week.
18. Indiana University Cancer Center Future Scientist Program
Application Deadline: N/A
Duration: Eight weeks
This awesome internship opportunity offers exposure in biomedicine and behavioral science to students from underrepresented populations. Participants in the program will undertake projects with a mentor, such as laboratory-based research, computer-based database research, or clinical research.
On Indiana University’s campus, students will learn from faculty, fellow students, and researchers to gain experience and knowledge in biomedicine and behavioral science and begin their path toward a career in these fields. Participants will receive a paid stipend for their work.
19. Virtual NGO & Social Support Internship out of India
Application Deadline: N/A
Duration: Varies
High school students 16 years of age or older can participate in this internship and provide front-line support for social issues in India, without having to leave the comfort of their home. There is a wide range of internship opportunities, and students are paired where there’s the greatest mutual benefit for locals and them.
Interns can expect to help with everything from writing reports to fundraising to creating content for social media. Participation in the program requires a fee, but students can be compensated with course credit and experience in a global professional environment.
20. Carnegie Museums Internships
Application Deadline: Varies
Duration: Varies
Unpaid in-person internships are available at all four Carnegie Museums—Carnegie Museum of Art, Carnegie Museum of Natural History, Carnegie Science Center, and The Andy Warhol Museum—allowing high schoolers to work in either public-facing or behind-the-scenes positions. No matter where interns are employed, they’ll leave with an incredible work experience, a host of skills, and a bolstered professional network.
21. Princeton University’s Laboratory Learning Program
Application Deadline: March 15
Duration: Five to six weeks
Princeton University offers a full-time research experience for students looking to enter STEM fields such as engineering and natural sciences. Faculty and staff will incorporate interns into ongoing research projects where they will gain hands-on exposure to research in an intensive environment. The internship is highly selective and encourages students to be local. It does not offer any compensation.
22. Inspiring Future Scientists through Shadowing (IFSS)
Application Deadline: April 1
Duration: Two weeks (June 16 – 27)
This free two-week opportunity offered by Stanford University allows rising high school juniors and seniors to explore cutting-edge chemical research. Participants will work with different graduate students from the chemistry department to explore different types of research—learning about an array of scientific topics and techniques while fostering a broader understanding of the field. While not technically an internship, IFSS participants build real-world experience, make professional connections, and develop valuable skills.
This opportunity is open to students who live and attend school locally to Stanford University.
23. BSA Architecture/Design High School Internship
Application Deadline: N/A
Duration: Six weeks (July 7 – August 15)
Aspiring Boston-area architects will want to look into this paid internship pairing students with local architecture firms. Open to rising 10th graders through recently graduated seniors, the program allows students to gain work experience, explore potential architecture careers, and connect with like-minded peers and industry professionals.
In addition to their internship responsibilities, students will engage in architecture-focused field trips through the city and participate in a firm crawl.
24. The Jackson Laboratory Summer Student Program
Application Deadline: January 27
Duration: Ten weeks (May 31 – August 8)
This prestigious internship allows students to immerse themselves in genetics and genomic research at one of The Jackson Laboratory’s two campuses: Farmington, Connecticut, or Bar Harbor, Maine. Participants conduct an independent research project—under the guidance of a mentor—implementing a plan, analyzing data, and reporting their findings.
This is a paid internship, with students receiving a $6,500 stipend for their participation in the program.
25. Simons Summer Research Program
Application Deadline: February 7
Duration: Six weeks (June 30 – August 8)
While not an internship per se, the Simons Summer Research Program provides hands-on experience in science, math, or engineering as participants work closely with faculty mentors on real research projects. Students become part of a research team, take ownership of their project, and participate in workshops, lectures, lab tours, and special events. The program wraps up with a written abstract and a research poster presentation.
The program is open to high school juniors. Participants receive a stipend for successfully completing the program.
How Do Internships Impact Your College Chances?
Extracurricular activities play a considerable role in the college admissions process and are an excellent opportunity for applicants to stand apart from a field of academically equal candidates.
In general, any internship is beneficial to your application, but some are more influential than others. For example, the more high-profile and selective the opportunity, the better it looks to a prospective school. Similarly, the more responsibility and leadership a student demonstrates in an internship position, the more likely it is to catch the eye of an admissions office. The four tiers of extracurricular activities are a good guideline for understanding how colleges view your efforts outside of the classroom.
CollegeVine’s free chancing engine is another easy way to learn the strength of an extracurricular activity and gain a better understanding of your odds of admission at hundreds of schools across the country. Give it a try to get a jumpstart on your college strategy!
Disclaimer: This post includes content sponsored by Lumiere Education.
