A Free Resource
StandOut Interns is a free program created with the help of investment from The University of Chicago's Polsky Center for Innovation that matches top US high school students with remote internships. Our students have helped 500+ companies from leading accelerators such as Techstars and Y Combinator get ahead with TikTok & other social media, graphic design, Discord management, research & data entry, and more.
Startup Communities Working With StandOut Interns:
No Hand-Holding
The New Startup Stack
We teach students professional skills specifically for a fast-moving environment, including how to integrate the latest tech into their workflow. When our students are stuck on a problem, they will ask tools such as ChatGPT for help. They also are familiar with other essential tools such as Calendly, Airtable, and LinkedIn Sales Navigator.
The Best US Students
As the largest database for high school internships, we work with the best high schools in the US, such as Stuyvesant and Horace Mann. We receive thousands of applications per year from students who go on to attend top universities. We help you start building relationships with this talent before your established competitors.
A New Generation of Skills
TikTok & Social Media
Graphic Design
Research & Data Entry
Discord Management
Summer 2024 Program Dates
June 6th
Receive Resumes
June 21st
Extend Offers
August 30th
Optional Internship End
June 10th
Schedule Interviews
July 1st
Internships Begin
Case Studies
Saanvi & Haylon
Saanvi
Saanvi, an 11th grader from Oakland, CA, came to StandOut having already completed two internships in TikTok and graphic design at startups in addition to founding her own company.
Haylon
"My intern saved me 20+ hours weekly, and was able to complete a variety of simple and complex tasks with diligence and speed. She filled out technical accelerator applications on our behalf, resulting in $100K in funding."
Alex & Comet Health
Alex
Alex, an 11th grader from Rye, NY, started building an NLP translation bot at age 13 that now generates $5000 a month in revenue. He also moderates a Discord community with 10K members.
Comet Health
"We've always had a great experience with StandOut interns. Our first intern built a new website for mental health providers, launched a blog, and performed a research analysis in the company CRM."
Jasmine & Bekome
Jasmine
Jasmine, an 11th grader from Marlborough, MA, came to StandOut Search with two internships under her belt, in AI research and as the Chief Design Officer for a startup.
Bekome
"My intern was truly "stand out" and added tremendous value to our team and was also very proactive in her work ethic and intentional in her logic. Highly recommend looking for interns through StandOut."
Andrea & Bakitbox
Andrea
Andrea, a 12th grader from Austin, TX, has done three internships. She worked for two startups before being chosen as one of 25 students to be a Techgirls Ambassador for the State Department.
Bakitbox
"She was a wonderful intern and helped create so much content for us, plus jump-starting our TikTok account. The internship was very hands-off, with no handholding, and she was very sweet."
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this program free?
Yes! We are a completely free resource for finding quality interns.
Are students looking for unpaid internships?
Most students are looking for unpaid internships to satisfy school credit requirements. Companies can independently structure compensation in whatever way works best for their team.
Are the internships remote?
Our students are looking for remote and asynchronous internships.
Is it legal to hire a high school student?
Yes! We work with several high schools that have a mandatory requirement for all students to complete an internship in order to graduate. Most companies have parents sign all legal onboarding documents alongside the student. If you have additional questions, please refer to the Department of Labor requirements here.
How old are the students?
All students are 15 or older.
How many hours per week can students commit?
Students generally expect not to intern more than 30 hours per week during the summer or more than 10 hours per week during the school year.
How long are the internships?
Students are generally looking for two-month internships. However, you are welcome to continue working with students for as long as you both would like.
Are we guaranteed a student match?
It is important to us to only send you candidates that are qualified and passionate about your role. It is possible that none of the students from our program will be passionate about your company’s mission. In this case, we can still list the role in our internship database and also can advertise it (for free!) to our social media community.
How does the matching process work?
First, we will send you the resumes of pre-vetted students who are interested in your role. Then, you can conduct interviews as you please and submit selections to us via a form within two weeks. Please issue offers to us, NOT the student, so that we can ensure every student in our program receives an internship match. We will confirm your student match(s) a week later once students graduate from our training program, and you will be free to start working together! Please find the exact dates within the timeline above.
Where are the students from?
StandOutSearch is the largest existing database for high school internships, and we partner with some of the best high schools throughout the US, such as Stuyvesant High School and Horace Mann.
Are high school students qualified to intern for a startup?
Since 2020, StandOut has matched 700+ high school students with startups for internships. 80% of companies have issued extension/return offers to our students. We focus on tasks where high school students have consistently excelled in the past, including TikTok and other social media, graphic design, Discord management, data entry, online research, grant & creative writing, and coding.