10 Biotechnology Internships for High School Students in Boston
- Estelle Reardon
- Dec 5, 2025
- 8 min read
Topics We Cover:
Biotechnology internships for high school students in Boston offer an exceptional opportunity for Bay State teens to build skills and experience while exploring career paths in health-related fields.
Why Do Internships in High School?
In addition to building real-world skills and firsthand experience, biotechnology internships for high school students in Boston—and internships in general—also offer an advantage when applying to college. Prism, a student-run consulting organization at the University of Chicago, found that just under three-quarters of students attending a U.S. News Top 50 university completed at least one internship in high school.
Participating in a high school internship demonstrates initiative and ambition, showing colleges that you’re motivated and curious enough to pursue real-world experience. It also signals that you’re genuinely committed to your interests beyond the classroom and helps validate your future academic and career goals.
Completing a high school biotechnology internship also makes it easier to secure internship opportunities in college. Furthermore, it can make it easier to gain admission to professional groups like pre-health societies, life science clubs, and affinity groups like Women in STEM.
How to Find Biotechnology Internships for High School Students in Boston
There’s a wealth of online resources available to students looking for biotechnology internships in Boston and beyond. One standout tool is the StandOutSearch database. The largest free online database of internships for high school age students, StandOutSearch features a number of filters—ranging from location to season to compensation—which makes it easy to find the right opportunity for you.
MIT Admissions also offers a helpful list of high school internships and summer programs. The downside of these official programs, however, is that they’re often highly competitive. High schoolers driven to earn an internship will also want to develop a cold outreach strategy—that is, a plan for contacting potential internship providers to secure an opportunity.
Many find the thought of contacting professionals and professors they don’t know through cold outreach intimidating, but the guide and templates below make the process more approachable.
10 Biotechnology Internships for High School Students in Boston
Many biotechnology internships for high school students in Boston are highly competitive, often admitting 20% or fewer applicants due to the large number of students seeking these positions. It’s wise to apply to at least five programs.
Found one that sparks your interest? Be sure to mark the deadline on your calendar!
Ages: 15-19
Location: Virtual
Timeline: Summer, Spring, Fall, or Winter
Deadline: Various Deadlines
StandOut Connect pairs talented high school students with virtual internships in fields like the arts, biotechnology, business, engineering, law, math, and beyond. Supported by StandOutSearch—the largest free high school internship database—the program has received coverage in Forbes and was developed with backing from the University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation.
Ages: 15-18
Location: Boston, MA
Timeline: Summer
Deadline: March 31
Leaders through Education, Action, and Hope (LEAH) scholars is a multi-year program that builds college and career readiness. Participants gain firsthand experience with science and scientific research through lab experiences, internships, and monthly events while developing the skills and knowledge needed to succeed.
3. MITES Summer
Ages: Juniors
Location: Cambridge, MA
Timeline: Summer
Deadline: February 1
MITES Summer is a six-week residential program that immerses students in life at one of the country’s most prestigious colleges: MIT. Participants engage in rigorous coursework, take lab tours, participate in social events, and receive college admissions counseling. Ultimately, participants gain firsthand college experience while building the skills, knowledge, and network needed for academic and professional success.
Ages: Juniors
Location: Boston, MA
Timeline: Summer
Deadline: TBD
RISE is a six-week summer program at Boston University (BU) that provides students with the chance to conduct real research and expand their STEM skills. The program is offered in two tracks: internship and practicum.
Internship:Â In this track, interns spend 40 hours a week working on a research project in fields including astronomy, biology, biomedical engineering, chemistry, computer science, electrical and computer engineering, mechanical engineering, medical laboratory research, neuroscience, physics, psychology, and public health.
Practicum: Students in the practicum track follow a more structured schedule that blends lectures, workshops, and research. Students can pursue one of two fields—computational neurobiology or data science.
The RISE program has a history spanning over four decades of launching the careers of scientists, researchers, and professors.
Ages: Rising Seniors
Location: Cambridge, MA
Timeline: Summer
Deadline: December 15
Students excited about math and science will want to look into the MIT Women’s Technology Program (WTP). During this rigorous four-week academic experience, participants engage in a number of engineering-focused classes, labs, and team-based projects. They will also:
Learn how to develop portfolios
Visit local engineering companies and meet local engineers
Design a Rube Goldberg Machine
Prepare a scientific poster
The program gives students the chance to explore engineering and determine if it’s the right path for them, so no prior engineering experience is necessary.
Ages: Juniors
Location: Cambridge, MA
Timeline: Summer
Deadline: December 10
This extremely prestigious summer program brings 100 of the world’s most accomplished high school students to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology for five weeks in the summer. Participants engage in intensive classwork and conduct their open research project under the guidance of mentors—gaining firsthand experience with the entire research cycle.
The program culminates with participants giving written and oral presentations of their research.
Ages: Freshmen, Sophomores, and Juniors
Location: Boston, MA
Timeline: Summer
Deadline: TBD
Boston-area high school students gain scientific experience in this competitive program, learning basic lab techniques and participating in a real-world research project. Through hands-on research experience, students develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills while fostering their intellectual curiosity.
The program concludes with participants delivering a poster presentation to the Boston-area scientific community.
Ages: Rising Seniors
Location: Boston, MA
Timeline: Summer
Deadline: March 26
The Young Scholars Program offers students the chance to build firsthand academic research experience, working in state-of-the-art labs on the campus of a major research university. YSP Scholars network with faculty and peers, explore potential career paths, and visit local industries and organizations applying STEM to real-world applications. Participants also receive college and career counseling.
Ages: Rising Seniors
Location: Cambridge, MA
Timeline: Summer
Deadline: February 16
The Ragon Institute Summer Experience internship program introduces students to immunology and related fields. Participants learn the basics of working in a lab, take courses in immunology, and engage in career-focused workshops covering topics like writing resumes and cover letters.
Participants also build skills like leadership and communication, visit local institutions and facilities, and deliver a final presentation.
Ages: 16-18
Location: Boston, MA
Timeline: Summer
Deadline: TBD
This exciting program places more than 150 Massachusetts high school students each year in internships at small life science companies. Interns receive hands-on training, build foundational knowledge in biotechnology and biomedical sciences, and develop essential professional skills. Participation is limited to students from Gateway Cities.
Cold Outreach Strategy for High School Biotechnology InternshipsÂ
If the options above don’t align with your needs, another pathway to securing biotechnology internships in Boston is to begin a cold outreach campaign. Contacting professionals directly may feel daunting, but the steps outlined below are designed to make the process straightforward.
How to Find Companies to Reach Out to for a High School Internship
LinkedIn is a great tool for finding small companies to contact about potential biotechnology internships. Small companies are great targets—they often need an extra set of hands to assist with tasks like preparing experiments, maintaining labs, and entering data.
When reaching out to professionals, try to make personal connections, such as being from the same town, sharing a hobby, or rooting for the same sports teams. Just remember, when meeting professionals you don’t know, it’s safest to opt for virtual meetings or interviews.
How to Find Professors to Reach Out to for a High School Research Position
One way to identify potential research positions is to browse faculty listings on university websites and reach out directly to professors. Remote positions for high school students are relatively rare, as most high school interns provide in-person lab support, such as helping with tasks like cleaning glassware or operating basic equipment.
Computational research is an exception, offering opportunities for students with some programming experience. Languages like Python or R can be learned for free in just a few months through resources such as Coursera’s Python for Everybody or R Programming course.
How to Structure and Send Outreach Emails
The more email inquiries you make, the better your chances are of landing a biotechnology internship. Aim to send at least 50 emails that include a link to your resume and any relevant work experience, like data sets you helped organize, certifications from courses like Python for Everybody, or experiments you assisted with.
We recommend sending a Google link to your resume (make sure its share settings allow anyone with the link to view its contents) rather than a PDF or Doc, which can negatively impact delivery. If you don’t have a resume, our resume template and tips will give you a jumpstart on crafting an internship-landing resume. The University of Chicago also provides a helpful guide.
Email Template for Finding a High School InternshipÂ
If you are unsure how to structure your outreach emails to potential internship providers, here are some basic templates you can customize to your needs.Â
Template for Finding an Internship
Subject: Student Reaching Out
Dear Mr./Ms.____,
I hope you are having a great day! My name is [your name], and I am a rising [grade] at [your school]. I read about your company on LinkedIn and found the concept quite interesting. For context, [briefly state how the company relates to your interests or experience].Â
I was wondering if you might be looking for interns. I know I would have a great deal to learn from working with you, and I would love to contribute in any way I can. I have included my resume here. Thanks so much!
Sincerely,Â
[Your name]
Template for Finding a Research Position
Subject: Student Reaching Out
Dear Professor/Dr. ____,
I hope you are having a great day! My name is [your name], and I am a rising [grade] at [your school]. I recently read your paper on [restate the abstract] in [name of publication] and was quite intrigued by [part you found interesting]. I was wondering if I might be able to intern for you over this summer. [Elaborate on your relevant skills and experience and why you are passionate about the field].Â
I have included my resume here. Thanks so much!Â
Sincerely,
[Your name]
Conclusion
Finding biotechnology internships in Boston as a high school student requires determination. Whether applying through formal programs or reaching out directly to professionals, the process isn’t easy, but the payoff is worth it. Students who persist often gain invaluable early experience that sets the stage for future academic and career success.
If you found this guide helpful, consider bookmarking it or sharing it with someone who might benefit. Wishing you success in achieving your internship goals!