Topics We Cover:
- Why Do Internships in High School?
- How to Find Coding Internships for High School Students in Chicago
- 10 Coding Internships for High School Students in Chicago
- Cold Outreach Strategy for High School Coding Internships
- Email Template for Finding a High School Internship
Coding internships for high school students in Chicago can serve as a valuable springboard for Windy City teens interested in pursuing a computer science degree or a career in technology.
Why Do Internships in High School?
Coding internships offer STEM-savvy high schoolers an abundance of benefits, including demonstrating to colleges that a student has explored their interests outside of the classroom, gained real-world experience, and validated their interest in a field.
Coding internships for high school students in Chicago—and internships in general—help students stand out among competitive fields of college applicants. Consider that the consultancy PRISM found that 70% of students attending U.S. News Top 50 universities engaged in at least one internship while in high school.
Not only can high school internships boost students’ chances of college admission, but they can also increase their odds of securing a college internship. Furthermore, they can make it easier to gain entry to pre-professional clubs and societies, like computer science clubs, hacking teams, and open-source organizations.
How to Find Coding Internships for High School Students in Chicago
Online is a great place to begin your search for a computer science internship in Chicago—search engines and lists, like StandOutSearch, are valuable resources. StandOutSearch is the largest free online database of internships for high school students and is searchable using a variety of filters, including:
- Field of interest
- Location
- Format (in-person, online, or hybrid)
- Compensation (paid or unpaid)
MIT Admissions also provides a useful list of summer internships and programs.
Official internships are often easy to find and prestigious; however, they tend to be highly competitive. In addition to applying for established internship programs, high schoolers serious about landing an opportunity should also develop a cold outreach strategy—a plan for contacting professionals directly to secure an internship.
Many high schoolers find cold outreach daunting, but the tips and template further below should make the process less intimidating.
10 Coding Internships for High School Students in Chicago
Most computer science internships for high school students in Chicago have acceptance rates of 20% or lower, due to high demand and limited spots. We recommend applying to at least five programs to increase your chances. If an opportunity excites you, mark the deadline on your calendar so you don’t miss out!
1. StandOut Connect
Ages: 15-19
Location: Virtual
Timeline: Summer, Spring, Fall, or Winter
Deadline: November 23, 2026 (Winter cohort)
StandOut Connect is a program that helps match gifted high school students with online internships in their industry of interest. Students match with companies across 25 interest areas such as finance, STEM, medicine, law, arts, and more. StandOut Connect is funded by StandOutSearch, the largest free database for high school internships. The program has been featured in Forbes and was created with the help of investment from The University of Chicago's Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation.
2. Fermilab PRISM Program
Ages: Rising Seniors and Graduating Seniors
Location: Batavia, Illinois
Timeline: Summer
Deadline: March 1, 2027
The Fermilab Program for Research, Innovation, and STEM Mentorship (PRISM) offers students the opportunity to explore cutting-edge STEM fields and dive into topics including:
- Artificial intelligence (AI)
- Engineering design
- Quantum science
- Particle physics
Over the course of the four-week program, interns engage in hands-on activities, listen to lectures, and tour Fermilab’s research facilities—preparing for future academic endeavors and potential career paths. PRISM pays $500 a week and runs in July and August at Fermilab in Batavia, with some off-site days. It is open to U.S. citizens enrolled in an Illinois high school who will be seniors the following school year or are graduating that spring.
3. UChicago Space Explorer’s Program
Ages: Freshmen-Seniors
Location: Chicago, Illinois
Timeline: Multi-year
Deadline: Not yet announced (February 22 in 2026)
Students in this free, multi-year program work with astronomers and physicists while tackling college-level math, science, and computer science courses. They also build college and career readiness through tutoring, college application advising, and career-focused workshops. In addition, students participate in field trips and visit research labs to gain hands-on experience.
4. UChicago DSI Summer Lab
Ages: Freshmen-Seniors
Location: Chicago, Illinois
Timeline: Summer
Deadline: Not yet announced
Chicago high schoolers in this eight-week summer research program work with mentors in fields including:
- Biomedical research
- Climate and energy policy
- Computer science
- Data science
- Materials science
- Public policy
- Social science
Participants build valuable skills, learn to work within a team, and gain firsthand experience with research methodologies.
5. Fermilab | VALOR JROTC Program
Ages: Juniors, Seniors, and Recent Graduates
Location: Batavia, Illinois
Timeline: Summer
Deadline: February 5, 2027
Fermilab's VALOR JROTC Program gives Illinois high school students in JROTC six weeks of paid summer work at the Batavia national laboratory. Each intern is assigned to a team, usually an experimental group or a support team, and provides technical help while a Fermilab employee supervises them directly, working beside scientists and engineers. The 2027 session runs June 28 to August 6 and pays $18 an hour. Interns arrange their own housing and travel. Juniors, seniors and recent graduates who belong to an Illinois JROTC program and can work in the U.S. are eligible, and the summer closes with an oral presentation. It gives Chicago-area students hands-on technical work at a national lab near the city.
6. Genesys Works
Ages: Juniors-Seniors
Location: Chicago, Illinois
Timeline: Summer and School-year
Deadline: Not yet announced
Genesys Works trains high school students in workplace IT skills, then places them in paid technical internships at corporate partners during senior year. The training happens over eight weeks in the summer before senior year, about 160 hours that cover both technical skills and professional ones such as public speaking, teamwork, interviewing and writing a resume. Afterward, students can earn an entry-level role at a partner company for 20 hours a week across the school year. A placement has to be earned: Genesys Works decides each match by weighing the student's strengths, what the company needs and how the student will get there. Coaches support college and financial aid applications, and Chicago is among the program's regions.
7. Illinois Tech Cybersecurity Bootcamp
Ages: Rising Freshmen-Seniors
Location: Chicago, IL
Timeline: Summer
Deadline: Not yet announced (May 15 in 2026)
This two-week residential summer program at Illinois Tech introduces students to a variety of cybersecurity topics, including:
- Ethical hacking
- Network security
- Incident response
- Threat analysis
Students gain firsthand cybersecurity experience, working through real-world scenarios to test their knowledge. Participants also get to sample a slice of college life—immersing themselves in the college experience.
8. Illinois Tech Coding Bootcamp: Introduction to Python
Ages: Rising Freshmen-Seniors
Location: Chicago, Illinois
Timeline: Summer
Deadline: Not yet announced (May 15 in 2026)
Students with little to no coding experience, but an interest in computer science, will want to check out this week-long program at Illinois Tech. Participants learn the fundamentals of the coding language Python through hands-on sessions and interactive projects. Students also explore topics like variables, data types, control structures, and basic algorithms.
9. University of Chicago Youth Internship Program
Ages: Freshmen-Juniors (16+)
Location: Chicago, Illinois
Timeline: Summer
Deadline: Not yet announced
The University of Chicago Youth Internship Program (YIP) is a paid, two-summer job program for Chicago public high school students who want to explore STEM careers. In the first summer, students take part in workshops, a speaker series with STEM professionals, workplace visits, and college tours. Students who finish Year 1 can reapply for a six-week Year 2 internship in health sciences, computer sciences, or IT services within a University department, where they support department projects and give a formal presentation.
Interns are paid Chicago minimum wage for up to 20 hours a week, and priority goes to students who live in or attend school in South Side neighborhoods near campus. Applicants must live in Chicago, attend a Chicago public high school (charter schools included), and be at least 16 by the first day.
10. Girls Who Code at UIC Club
Ages: Freshmen-Seniors
Location: Chicago, Illinois
Timeline: Academic Year
Deadline: Not yet announced (September 19 in 2026)
Run by UIC's Women in Engineering Programs, Girls Who Code at UIC is a free Saturday coding club for Chicago-area students in grades 9 through 12, and teens of every gender are welcome. Members join one of four levels, from beginner Python and HTML and CSS web apps up to circuit building and smart sensors, so newcomers and experienced coders both have a place. Sessions take place from 10 a.m. to noon, mostly over Zoom, with a few gatherings on campus and a graduation in April. The club runs from late September through the following April.
For more options beyond Chicago, see our list of coding internships for high school students.
Cold Outreach Strategy for High School Coding Internships
If none of the official computer science internships for high school students in Chicago are the right fit, the next step is to launch a cold outreach strategy. This can be intimidating, but the guide below simplifies the process and makes it much less stressful.
How to Find Companies to Reach Out to for a High School Internship
The professional networking platform LinkedIn is a great tool for finding potential internship providers. Use it to search for small companies—which are often shorthanded and more likely to take on a high school intern—where you can assist with tasks like writing simple scripts, documenting bugs, or participating in code reviews.
When contacting professionals about internship opportunities, try to make personal connections, like a shared hobby, a passion for a sports team, or a volunteer activity. When scheduling meetings or interviews, opt to connect virtually—it’s safer.
How to Find Professors to Reach Out to for a High School Research Position
Use online university staff directories to identify professors to contact for research opportunities. Keep in mind that remote research positions for high school students are rare. Most professors typically involve high school interns in hands-on laboratory tasks, such as washing glassware or running equipment, which are difficult to do remotely.
Fortunately, the main exception is computational research, which often involves analyzing large datasets using Python or R. High school students can learn these programming languages independently using free resources like Coursera’s Python for Everybody or R Programming courses.
How to Structure and Send Outreach Emails
Aim to send at least 50 emails to potential internship providers as part of your cold outreach strategy. When emailing, make sure to include a link to your resume. We recommend sending a Google link—make sure the share setting allows anyone with the link to view its content—as PDFs and Docs can negatively impact deliverability. Also include any relevant work samples, like a coding project you worked on, a game you wrote, or a website you created.
Our resume template and tips are an excellent resource for students who have yet to craft a resume (or those who want to freshen up an existing one before sending it out). The University of Chicago also provides a helpful resume guide and template.
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
Persistence is essential as you pursue high school coding internships in the Chicago area, whether through well-known programs or direct outreach. These positions are highly competitive, but many students believe the experience gained is worth the effort, providing a head start on a future career. If you found this article a useful resource, bookmark it or share it with fellow students exploring opportunities.
Good luck with your internship pursuit!
