10 Biotechnology Internships for High School Students in Chicago
- Estelle Reardon
- Oct 6
- 7 min read
Topics We Cover:
Biotechnology internships for high school students in Chicago—and high school internships in general—offer numerous benefits, both academically and professionally. For example, they allow students to explore fields of interest.
Keep reading to learn why participation in internships continues to grow and how to secure one of these valuable opportunities.
Why Do Internships in High School?
High school internships, like biotechnology internships in Chicago, can have a significant effect on your academic journey. According to the consultancy Prism, 70% of students attending U.S. News top 50 universities complete at least one high school internship.
Through these opportunities, students can pursue fields of interest, demonstrate a passion for a field, and build real-world experience—ultimately distinguishing themselves from other applicants in the admissions process. Internships also provide high school students with a clearer idea of what particular careers entail and the path to them, allowing them to make more informed decisions about their future.
High school internships also make it easier to land similar opportunities in college and join pre-professional and student-run organizations like pre-med and pre-health societies and innovation clubs.
How to Find Biotechnology Internships for High School Students in Chicago
The best way to find biotechnology internships for high school students in Chicago is with online search tools and lists. The StandOutSearch database is a great jumping-off point—it’s the largest free online catalog of internship programs for high schoolers and is conveniently searched using filters including location, field of interest, and age group. Another helpful resource is a list of high school internships and summer programs collected by MIT Admissions.
Official internship programs are fantastic, but they’re also typically competitive. Students serious about landing an internship are advised to prepare a cold outreach strategy—that is, a plan for contacting potential internship providers to secure a position.
Further below, you’ll find guidance for creating a cold outreach strategy as well as email templates to make the process of finding a biotechnology internship or research position more straightforward and less daunting.
10 Biotechnology Internships for High School Students in Chicago
Since there are more students pursuing internships than open positions, most of the biotechnology internships for high school students in Chicago listed below have acceptance rates below 20%. We suggest applying to at least five opportunities.
If you find an exciting internship, take a moment to write the deadline on your calendar, so you don’t miss out on an opportunity!
Ages: 15-19
Location: Virtual
Timeline: Summer, Spring, Fall, or Winter
Deadline: Various Deadlines
StandOut Connect is a program that connects high-achieving high school students with online internships tailored to their career interests. Opportunities are available in fields like finance, STEM, medicine, law, the arts, and more.
StandOut Connect is supported by StandOutSearch, the largest free internship database for high school students, and was developed with investment and support from the University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. The program has also been featured in Forbes.
Ages: Rising Seniors
Location: Chicago, IL
Timeline: Summer
Deadline: Contact for Deadline
Interns selected for this summer research program are carefully matched with a Northwestern faculty member and given a hypothesis-driven or hypothesis-generating basic or clinical research project. Each intern’s project will make a meaningful contribution to their laboratory’s research and help advance our understanding of the mechanisms that drive lung disease.
In addition to research experience, interns participate in activities that prepare them for the college/graduate school application process, success in college/graduate school, and development of their professional careers in science and/or medicine.
The research experience culminates with a presentation at the annual Kimberly Querrey Summer Research Symposium.
Ages: Juniors and Seniors
Location: Chicago, IL
Timeline: Varies
Deadline: Contact for Deadline
High schoolers in this competitive program work full-time in the labs of established cancer researchers, gaining firsthand insight into careers in cancer research. Students are exposed to fields including:
Cancer immunology
Bioengineering
Experimental cancer therapeutics
Cancer disparities
Participants also engage in skill-building workshops, a lecture series, and networking with faculty and peers. At the conclusion of the program, students participate in a research symposium for friends, family, and the scientific community.
Admission to the program is competitive, with no more than 30 students chosen to participate annually.
Ages: Sophomores-Seniors
Location: Chicago, IL
Timeline: Summer
Deadline: Contact for Deadline
This multi-year summer program for high school and college students interested in biomedicine provides real-world experience with cancer research. Participants work full-time in the labs of established cancer researchers. They also engage in skill-building workshops and network with faculty and peers.
The summer program is supplemented with a year-long lecture series and mentorship, culminating in a research symposium that highlights their work.
Ages: Rising Sophomores-Juniors
Location: Chicago, IL
Timeline: School-year
Deadline: September 29
Participants in this year-round program gain exposure to healthcare careers by touring medical and research facilities, attending lectures from prominent professionals in the field, and engaging in community service related to medicine. Participants also develop leadership skills and network with healthcare professionals.
Programs and activities may vary between chapters, which are based on location.
Ages: Freshmen-Seniors
Location: Chicago, IL
Timeline: Summer
Deadline: Contact for Deadline
CHESS is a paid, eight-week summer program for underrepresented high school students that provides research experience, builds academic and career readiness, and explores careers in biomedicine. Over the course of the program, students build skills including:
Networking
Presentation
Research
Writing
Participants are matched to a lab based on their interests (from biostatistics to computation to molecular biology), complete an independent research project, and present their work at a research symposium.
Ages: Freshmen
Location: Chicago, IL
Timeline: Summer
Deadline: Contact for Deadline
Participants explore careers in medicine—better preparing them for futures as physicians and biomedical scientists—in this summer program led by Northwestern physicians and researchers. This paid summer intensive experience also includes course credit, college access and entrance support, and test preparation.
Ages: Sophomores-Seniors
Location: Chicago, IL
Timeline: Summer
Deadline: Contact for Deadline
QuarkNet offers summer research opportunities in science and technology for students who have demonstrated a strong interest in and aptitude for science and mathematics. Students work with scientists for seven weeks on projects related to the Fermilab research program.
Ages: Freshmen-Seniors
Location: Chicago, IL
Timeline: School-year
Deadline: April 11
MAAP is a pre-medical program for students aspiring to become physicians, preparing them for medical school. Participants, known as apprentices, engage in medical courses, lab sessions, higher education classes, and career development sessions.
Ages: Freshmen-Seniors
Location: Chicago, IL
Timeline: Summer
Deadline: January 12
DSI is a paid, eight-week immersive experience that pairs high schoolers with mentors in fields including:
Biomedical research
Climate and energy policy
Computer science
Data science
Materials science
Public policy
Social science
Participants are paired with researchers and hone their skills in research methodologies, practices, and teamwork.
Cold Outreach Strategy for High School Biotechnology Internships
If the opportunities listed above aren’t the right fit for you, the next step to finding biotechnology internships for high school students in Chicago is to launch a cold outreach strategy. Many high schoolers find cold outreach intimidating, but the guide below should make it much simpler.
How to Find Companies to Reach Out to for a High School Internship
LinkedIn is an excellent platform for discovering internship opportunities at small companies. Smaller companies are often understaffed, making them more likely to take on a high schooler to assist with tasks like maintaining and cleaning equipment, data entry, background research, and literature reviews.
Try to make personal connections with the professionals you contact, such as attending the same high school, sharing the same hobby, or having a passion for a particular sports team. Just remember to use caution when reaching out to professionals you don’t know—online interviews and virtual meetings are always the safest option.
How to Find Professors to Reach Out to for a High School Research Position
Online university staff directories are an excellent resource for finding professors to reach out to for research positions. High school interns often assist with manual tasks—such as sterilizing equipment, maintaining lab cleanliness, and observing and recording results—consequently, remote positions are rare. The exception is for computational research interns.
Computational research generally requires a foundational knowledge of Python or R to parse large data sets. Luckily, you can learn Python or R for free on your own time through online classes like Coursera’s Python for Everybody and R Programming.
How to Structure and Send Outreach Emails
High schoolers should aim to send at least 50 emails to potential internship providers. When emailing possible internship hosts, make sure to include a link to your resume. We recommend sending a Google Drive link to your resume, rather than a PDF or DOC, which can negatively impact deliverability.
If you don’t have a resume—or want to brush your resume up before sending it out—our high school resume template and tips provide everything you need to know about creating a resume that stands out from the crowd and can help you secure internships, jobs, and scholarships. The University of Chicago also provides a helpful guide to crafting a resume.
Email Template for Finding a High School Internship
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.
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].
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,
[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].
I have included my resume here. Thanks so much!
Sincerely,
[Your name]
Conclusion
Whether you’re applying to established programs or reaching out to companies on your own, the key to landing biotechnology internships in Chicago as a high school student is perseverance. These opportunities can be competitive, but the effort is worth it for the experience and head start on your career. If you found this article helpful, save it for later or share it with a friend.
Good luck with your internship search!
