Topics We Cover:
- Why Do Internships in High School?
- How to Find Engineering Internships for High School Students in San Francisco
- 10 Engineering Internships for High School Students in San Francisco
- Cold Outreach Strategy for High School Engineering Internships
- Email Template for Finding a High School Internship
Engineering spans a wide range of fields, including mechanical, electrical, civil, chemical, and industrial. No matter which area you’re interested in pursuing, engineering internships for high school students in San Francisco can provide a strong foundation for a successful future career for Bay Area teens.
Why Do Internships in High School?
High school internships, like an engineering internship for high school students in San Francisco, can offer an advantage in college admissions. In fact, PRISM, a student-run consultancy at the University of Chicago, found that 70% of students at U.S. News Top 50 universities completed at least one internship during high school.
Participating in a high school internship shows colleges that you’ve explored your interests both inside and outside the classroom—and validated your academic and career goals through real-world experience. Interns also develop valuable skills and build professional connections, demonstrating college readiness while helping secure strong letters of recommendation.
Completing an internship also makes it easier to secure future opportunities. For example, landing college internships and gaining admission to pre-professional groups like engineering societies, robotics clubs, hackathon teams, and undergraduate research groups.
How to Find Engineering Internships for High School Students in San Francisco
There’s a wealth of information about high school internships online. One tool that stands out for teens searching for engineering internships for high school students in San Francisco—and internships in general—is StandOutSearch.
The largest free database of internships and research opportunities for high schoolers, StandOutSearch makes it easy to discover opportunities using filters like field of interest, location, and format (in-person, virtual, hybrid). MIT Admissions also provides a helpful resource—a roundup of prestigious internships and summer programs.
One major challenge of official internships is that they’re often extremely competitive. Because of this, high schoolers dedicated to securing an internship will want to develop a cold outreach plan—a strategy for reaching out to potential internship providers with the aim of securing a position.
Many find cold outreach intimidating, but the guide and templates at the bottom of this article demystify the process and make it much more straightforward.
10 Engineering Internships for High School Students in San Francisco
Competition for official internships, like those listed below, is rigorous. Most of the positions below have acceptance rates under 20%; consequently, we recommend applying to at least five opportunities.
If an internship excites you, write its deadline in your calendar, so you don’t miss out on an opportunity.
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. Potential sectors include 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. California Academy of Sciences | Careers in Science (CiS) Intern Program
Ages: Freshmen and Sophomores (to apply)
Location: San Francisco, CA
Timeline: Year-Round
Deadline: Not yet announced (April 1 in 2026)
This multi-year, year-round paid program gives San Francisco teens from underrepresented groups the opportunity to learn, teach, and actively participate in science. Participants work on group projects focused on scientific research or environmental action, receive mentorship, and attend training on topics ranging from college readiness to financial literacy.
Over the course of the program, interns develop confidence and build the skills needed to make an impact in their careers and communities.
3. Joint BioEnergy Institute | The Introductory College Level Experience in Microbiology (iCLEM)
Ages: Sophomores and Juniors
Location: Emeryville, CA
Timeline: Summer
Deadline: Not yet announced
iCLEM is a seven-week paid internship for economically disadvantaged high school students. Students explore various fields, including:
- Biochemistry
- Biofuels
- Microbiology
- Molecular biology
- Synthetic biology
Participants build firsthand lab experience, scientific skills, and insight into potential careers. They also engage in college preparation—crafting a personal statement, learning about the admissions process, and increasing their knowledge of financial aid.
4. Quantum Systems Accelerator | QCaMP
Ages: 16-18
Location: Berkeley, CA
Timeline: Summer
Deadline: Not yet announced (April 3 in 2026)
Bay Area students can learn the basics of quantum computing at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory through QCaMP, a free four-week summer day camp that also meets at the University of New Mexico for New Mexico students. Participants study computing fundamentals and work hands-on with quantum circuits, using quantum physics to approach problems in new ways, and they hear career talks about future opportunities. Students receive a stipend. Most recently, the camp ran June 29 to July 24, 2026. Applicants must be at least 16 by the first day, live fairly close to Berkeley or Albuquerque, and know basic algebra; no advanced math or physics is needed, and past attendees cannot return.
5. Meta (Facebook) | Meta Summer Academy
Ages: Sophomores
Location: Menlo Park, CA
Timeline: Summer
Deadline: February 14, 2027
This exciting summer program allows students to gain hands-on experience with one of the world’s leading technology companies. Applicants must live in East Palo Alto, Belle Haven, North Fair Oaks or Redwood City. Participants learn how to code, explore potential careers, and develop soft skills that transcend any particular field, such as:
- Leadership
- Communication
- Teamwork
- Self-awareness
- Networking
Want to learn more about this exciting opportunity with a social media giant? Check out our definitive guide to the Facebook high school internship.
6. Stanford Compression Forum | SHTEM Summer Internships for High Schoolers
Ages: Juniors and Seniors
Location: Stanford, CA
Timeline: Summer
Deadline: February 21, 2027
Run by the Stanford Compression Forum, SHTEM places high school juniors and seniors on research projects in mentored groups of two to five. Interns also attend a weekly faculty lecture series, a hands-on workshop in the Lab64 maker space, an introductory programming workshop, and facility tours. No prior research experience is needed. Tuition is $2,500, and financial aid is offered.
7. Berkeley Lab K-12 | SeA Bilingual STEM Camp
Ages: Freshmen-Seniors
Location: Berkeley, CA
Timeline: Spring
Deadline: Not yet announced (January 26 in 2026)
Spanish-English bilingual students with an interest in STEM will want to take note of this four-day program that includes lab tours, talks with working scientists, and workshops. Participants also network with scientists, engineers, and administrators at the Berkeley Lab and UC Berkeley.
Sessions are held in both English and Spanish. Participation in this program can create summer internship opportunities at the Berkeley Lab.
8. NASA High School Internship
Ages: 18 (graduating seniors)
Location: Locations Across the U.S.
Timeline: Summer
Deadline: March 1, 2027
Through the NASA Office of STEM Engagement (OSTEM), high school seniors can take a paid internship the summer after they graduate, working on real NASA projects and missions under the guidance of NASA mentors. Placements are at NASA centers across the country, and both STEM and non-STEM students may apply. Summer sessions run 10 weeks, typically 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays, and most interns receive a stipend based on academic level and session length. Applicants must be U.S. citizens, have at least a 3.0 GPA and be 18 by the session start date.
Learn more about internship opportunities with NASA in our ultimate guide to NASA high school internships.
9. Berkeley Lab K-12 | Director’s Apprenticeship Program
Ages: Sophomores and Juniors
Location: Berkeley, CA
Timeline: Summer
Deadline: Not yet announced (March 23 in 2026)
This paid apprenticeship program introduces students to STEM and connects them with the scientific community. Participants build scientific skill sets—such as learning Python—explore different scientific fields, and engage in hands-on projects. They also develop important soft skills, including communication, collaboration, and critical thinking.
Students who complete the apprenticeship are eligible for a traditional laboratory internship the following summer.
10. Berkeley Physics Division | Physics in and through Cosmology
Ages: 14-18
Location: Berkeley, CA
Timeline: Summer
Deadline: Not yet announced
This free summer program brings highly motivated teens with an interest in STEM and high school physics teachers together to gain firsthand experience with cutting-edge research in particle physics and cosmology. Participants tour labs and meet working scientists.
Last summer’s workshop featured a discussion with Nobel Laureate Saul Perlmutter, renowned for his role in discovering that the universe’s expansion is accelerating.
For more options beyond San Francisco, see our list of engineering internships for high school students.
Cold Outreach Strategy for High School Engineering Internships
The alternative to applying to an existing engineering internship for high school students in San Francisco is to uncover an opportunity through cold outreach. Many students find cold outreach stressful, but the guide below should make the process less pulse-pounding.
How to Find Companies to Reach Out to for a High School Internship
Smaller companies are strong targets for teens looking to build real-world engineering experience—they’re often understaffed and more likely to take on a high schooler to assist with tasks like organizing project files and documentation, updating spreadsheets, and running basic simulations and calculations.
When reaching out to professionals, try to find commonalities to connect over—for example, having attended the same school, sharing a hometown, or a passion for the same hobby, movie, or sports team. Make safety a priority when reaching out to people you don’t know and schedule virtual meetings and interviews.
How to Find Professors to Reach Out to for a High School Research Position
One effective approach to finding research positions is to browse online university staff directories to identify professors whose research aligns with your interests and contact them directly about potential research opportunities. Keep in mind that remote high school research positions are rare, as most professors rely on younger students to assist with hands-on lab duties.
While remote high school research positions are rare, computational research is the exception. These projects often require familiarity with programming languages such as Python or R to handle and analyze large datasets. Fortunately, you can learn these skills at no cost in just a few months using free online resources like Coursera’s Python for Everybody and R Programming courses.
How to Structure and Send Outreach Emails
We suggest reaching out to at least 50 potential internship providers through cold outreach. When emailing professionals, make sure to send a Google link to your resume. Links are preferable to Docs and PDFs, which can trigger spam filters and negatively affect deliverability. Before sending, double-check that the link’s share setting allows anyone with it to view its contents.
A strong resume is often your first and only chance to impress an internship provider—so it’s good to get it right. Whether you’re writing your first resume or fine-tuning an existing one, our resume template and tips have everything you need to know about crafting an internship-earning resume. The University of Chicago’s resume toolkit is another useful resource.
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
Pursuing an engineering internship for high school students in San Francisco takes persistence, whether you’re applying to established programs or reaching out directly to businesses. These opportunities are competitive, but students who stick with the process often find the experience transformative—providing a kickstart to a career in engineering.
If this guide has been helpful, save it as a resource or share it with someone else who might benefit. Wishing you all the best in your internship journey!
