10 Neuroscience Internships for High School Students in San Francisco
- Estelle Reardon
- a few seconds ago
- 7 min read
Topics We Cover:
Why Do Internships in High School?
How to Find Neuroscience Internships for High School Students in San Francisco
10 Neuroscience Internships for High School Students in San Francisco
Cold Outreach Strategy for High School Neuroscience Internships
How to Structure and Send Outreach Emails
Neuroscience internships for high school students in San Francisco, and in general, provide a host of benefits to teens with aspirations of careers in fields ranging from healthcare to research to academia. High school neuroscience internships allow students to explore potential career paths, gain real-world experience, and develop valuable skills.
Why Do Internships in High School?
Another benefit of high school internships is that they boost college admissions odds. The consultancy PRISM found that 70% of students attending U.S. News Top 50 universities participated in an internship while in high school. A high school neuroscience internship demonstrates to colleges that you’ve actively explored your interests and taken concrete steps to pursue the field.
The benefits of a high school internship don’t stop at college admissions. Engaging in a high school internship also makes it easier to secure a college internship, as well as gain entry into pre-professional organizations and clubs—for example, a pre-med club or a member of a Science Olympiad team.
How to Find Neuroscience Internships for High School Students in San Francisco
The web is a great place to begin your search for high school neuroscience internships—search tools and lists are a logical jumping-off point. StandOutSearch is one notable resource, it’s the largest free database of high school internships online and can be searched using a variety of filters, including:
Field of interest
Format (in-person, online, hybrid)
Location
Age/Grade
Paid or Unpaid
MIT Admissions has also collected a helpful list of summer programs and internship opportunities for high schoolers.
The downside of official internship programs is that they are often highly competitive. For this reason, students eager to secure an internship should also develop a cold outreach strategy—a plan to connect with potential internship providers and increase their chances of landing a position. Many teens find cold outreach intimidating, but the guide and templates below simplify the process.
10 Neuroscience Internships for High School Students in San Francisco
Most neuroscience internships for high school students in San Francisco have acceptance rates of 20% or lower, due to high demand and limited programs. We recommend applying to at least five opportunities. If one excites you, be sure to mark its 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 online internships tailored to their interests in fields like finance, STEM, medicine, law, arts, and more. The program is supported by StandOutSearch, the largest free online database for high school internships.
StandOut Connect has been recognized by Forbes and was developed with investment from The University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation.
Ages: Juniors
Location: San Francisco, CA
Timeline: Summer
Deadline: TBD
Students in this eight-week paid summer internship conduct biomedical science research alongside a scientist who provides mentorship and guides them through a research project. In the past, research topics have included:
Cancer
Developmental biology
Immunology
Infectious disease
Molecular biology
Neuroscience
Stem cells
Interns develop their science communication skills and build their professional networks. They also receive college admissions support, participate in workshops focused on developing their personal statement, and meet with college counselors.
Ages: 16-19
Location: Multiple locations
Timeline: Summer
Deadline: January 9
The KP Launch program provides high schoolers the chance to participate in paid seven-week internship opportunities in administrative and supporting healthcare careers. Internships are offered in fields including:
Consulting services and project/program management
Information technology
Healthcare and hospital operations
Research and development
In addition to their internship, high schoolers will participate in skill-building workshops, build their professional networks, and gain firsthand insight into careers in healthcare.
Ages: Juniors and Seniors
Location: Stanford, CA
Timeline: Summer
Deadline: February 21
This eight-week summer internship program allows students to perform hands-on research under the daily guidance of a mentor. Participants can pursue one of eight research areas:
Bioengineering
Bioinformatics
Cancer biology
Cardiovascular biology
Genetics and genomics
Immunology
Neurobiology
Stem cell and regenerative medicine
Admission to the program is competitive, with only about 50 students chosen to participate annually.
Ages: Juniors and Seniors
Location: San Francisco, CA
Timeline: Summer
Deadline: February
This nine-week paid summer research program provides students with one-on-one mentoring, clinical shadowing, research training, and firsthand biomedical research experience. Participants also engage in professional development workshops and attend scientific seminars—building skills and interest in careers in health sciences.
The program culminates with a research symposium, where participants present their findings.
Ages: Juniors
Location: Stanford, CA
Timeline: Summer
Deadline: March 17
Just 24 students from Northern California are selected to participate in this prestigious five-week summer program. Participants engage in a hospital internship—gaining hands-on healthcare experience, shadowing professionals, and building the skills needed to succeed in science and medical careers.
Students in the SMYSP program also work on a group research project focused on improving health and healthcare access—writing a college-level research paper and producing a presentation and academic poster. Past projects include:
Addressing racial inequities in COVID-19 health outcomes
Examining low birth outcomes for African American mothers
Combatting language barriers in hospital settings
Participants will also listen to guest lectures and tour medical facilities.
Ages: 16 and over
Location: Greenbrae, CA
Timeline: Year-round
Deadline: None
Only ten spots in this competitive year-long program are open to students serious about pursuing a career in the medical field. Participants are assigned one fixed two-hour shift per week, on a specific day between Monday and Friday from 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM.
The best time to apply for one of these coveted positions is between January and March.
Ages: 14-18
Location: San Francisco, CA
Timeline: Summer
Deadline: TBD
This program is aimed at students interested in health and medical careers. Participants engage in a six-week internship at the University of California San Francisco, the VA, or a local senior home. In addition to their internship, participants also engage in weekly learning-based seminars.
Ages: Freshmen-Seniors
Location: San Francisco, CA
Timeline: Year-round
Deadline: April 1
Participants in this year-round paid program meet on Saturdays during the school year and weekdays during the summer, conducting fieldwork and facilitating learning experiences for California Academy of Sciences visitors. Participants also attend twice-a-month training focused on building science and communication skills, increasing college readiness, and exploring topics like financial literacy.
As students progress through the program, they participate in group projects and become eligible for individual mentorship.
Ages: 15-19
Location: San Francisco, CA
Timeline: Year-round
Deadline: TBD
While not exactly a high school neuroscience internship, the High School Explainer program at the Exploratorium is a great option for students with an interest in science to grow their resumes, develop professional skills, and build career readiness.
High school explainers engage visitors, lead demonstrations, and may run operations. They also receive training and mentorship.
Cold Outreach Strategy for High School Neuroscience Internships
If you’re not excited about any of the opportunities above, or they don’t seem like a good fit, you’ll want to form a cold outreach strategy. Cold outreach can be intimidating, but the steps below make the process less stressful.
How to Find Companies to Reach Out to for a High School Internship
Small companies are fantastic targets for teens trying to land neuroscience high school internships—they’re often understaffed and more willing to hire a high schooler to assist with preparing experiments, recording data, or organizing data.
LinkedIn is a useful tool for finding and connecting with possible internship providers. When reaching out to professionals, try to find personal connections—like a shared hobby, having attended the same high school, or a passion for a particular sports team.
How to Find Professors to Reach Out to for a High School Research Position
Students interested in a research position can find professors to contact using online university staff directories. Online research positions are rare, as high school students generally assist with manual tasks like handling samples and helping conduct studies.
Online internship opportunities for students conducting computational research are the exception; however, these positions normally require a basic knowledge of Python or R to parse large data sets. Fortunately, you learn these for free on your own time using resources like Coursera’s Python for Everybody and R Programming courses.
How to Structure and Send Outreach Emails
The more emails you send to potential internship providers, the better your chances of landing a position—aim to send at least 50 inquiries. When emailing professionals, include a Google Drive link to your resume—make sure its sharing setting allows anyone with the link to view its contents—and highlight any relevant work samples like science fair, research, or data analysis projects, or volunteering in a hospital. It’s preferred to send a Google Drive link, as PDFs and Docs can disrupt deliverability.
If you don’t have a resume, there’s no better time to begin crafting one. Our resume template and tips has everything you need to know about writing a resume that will help you secure an internship in high school and beyond. The University of Chicago has also published a useful resume template and 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
Whether you’re applying to established programs or pursuing a cold outreach approach, securing a high school internship or research position requires persistence. These opportunities are highly competitive, but most students find the effort worthwhile for jumpstarting their careers. If this article was useful, consider saving it for later or sharing it with a friend.
Best of luck on your internship search!