10 Psychology Internships for High School Students
- Estelle Reardon
- Jan 15
- 7 min read
Topics We Cover:
Psychology internships for high schoolers give students early exposure to the field, helping them build skills and explore careers before committing to a path.
Why Do Internships in High School?
Engaging in a psychology internship for high school students—or any high school internship—can also increase your odds of admission into a top school. According to PRISM, a student-run consultancy at the University of Chicago, nearly three-quarters of students attending U.S. News Top 50 Universities completed at least one internship while in high school.
Completing a high school internship is an excellent way to set yourself apart in the highly competitive college admissions process. Internships show admissions committees that you’ve pursued interests both inside and outside of the classroom, gained real-world experience, and verified your future goals.
High school internships also pave the way to future opportunities. For example, having a high school psychology internship on your resume makes it easier to land an internship in college. It also makes it easier to gain admission to pre-professional groups like mental health awareness clubs, peer counseling groups, and pre-health clubs.
How to Find Psychology Internships for High School Students
StandOutSearch is a fantastic spot to start your search for a high school psychology internship. It’s the largest free online database of internships for high schoolers—you can easily search it using filters ranging from area of internship to location to paid vs. unpaid. Online tools and lists—like the one collected by MIT Admissions—are also fantastic resources.
Official internship programs are just one way to secure a high school internship, and a competitive one at that. Another strategy you can employ to obtain an internship is to develop a cold outreach strategy—that is, a plan for contacting potential internship providers with a professional message that introduces yourself, highlights your skills and interests, and explains why you would be a valuable addition to their team.
Cold outreach can be intimidating, even for seasoned professionals, but the tips and templates below make the process straightforward and less daunting.
10 Psychology Internships for High School Students
Official psychology internships for high school students, like those listed below, typically have acceptance rates of 20% or lower; consequently, we recommend applying to at least five opportunities.
If you find one of the internships below exciting, make sure to mark its deadline in your calendar so you don’t miss out on an awesome opportunity.
Ages: 15-19
Location: Virtual
Timeline: Summer, Spring, Fall, or Winter
Deadline: Various Deadlines
StandOut Connect links high‑achieving high school students with virtual internships tailored to their career interests in fields ranging from psychology to STEM to the arts. The program is backed by StandOutSearch, the nation’s largest free internship online database for teens. StandOut Connect has been highlighted in Forbes and was launched with support from the University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation.
Ages: Sophomores and Juniors
Location: New York, NY
Timeline: Fall
Deadline: TBD
Students in the Brain Research Apprenticeships in New York at Columbia (BRAINYAC) program engage in hands-on research, connect with working scientists, and develop skills they will use throughout their academic and professional careers.
Participants are paired with a mentor who guides them through a research project—gaining direct experience with the inner workings of laboratory research.
Ages: Sophomores
Location: Boston, MA
Timeline: Summer
Deadline: TBD
This summer job program for high schoolers provides real-world experience, mentorship, and career exploration. Participants can explore fields in healthcare, research, and science, such as:
Emergency medicine
Nursing
Neurology and neurosurgery
Radiology and imaging
Psychiatry and behavioral health
Anesthesia and sleep medicine
Pulmonary and respiratory services
Pathology and clinical laboratories
Research labs and global health initiatives
Just 75 students are chosen annually to participate in the program.
Ages: 14-18
Location: New Britain, CT
Timeline: Summer
Deadline: Rolling
Interns get the opportunity to work alongside healthcare providers at Hartford Hospital to learn more about the world of healthcare. Volunteers are asked to commit to at least 40 hours of service throughout the school year, and community service credit is available for those who complete the requirement.
Ages: Juniors and Seniors
Location: New York, NY
Timeline: Fall, Spring, and Summer
Deadline: Varies
This dual-enrollment program enables qualified high schoolers to enroll in credit-bearing college courses, including Introduction to Psychology. The course covers foundational topics such as the major fields and divisions of psychology, as well as core scientific methods. It also explores the biological foundations of thought and behavior, including learning and memory.
Ages: 16-19
Location: New Britain, CT
Timeline: Summer
Deadline: Rolling
High schoolers can gain firsthand healthcare experience through this exciting opportunity. Participants follow an individualized training plan and can focus on areas such as:
Human services
Social work
Recreation therapy
Music therapy
Interns commit to working at least 60 hours over three months—during that time, they’ll partner with various healthcare professionals.
Ages: 16-18
Location: Princeton, NJ
Timeline: Summer
Deadline: March 15
The Laboratory Learning Program offers high school students a cost-free, full-time opportunity to engage in hands-on research in science or engineering. Participants join active research teams and work under the guidance of Princeton faculty members and research professionals.
Program timelines are flexible and tailored to the needs of each research project and the availability of the supervising staff.
Ages: Freshmen-Seniors
Location: Baltimore, MD
Timeline: Varies
Deadline: Rolling
The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine offers internship opportunities for high school students, providing early exposure to cutting-edge research and neuroscience careers.
Ages: Sophomores and Juniors (advanced Freshmen considered)
Location: Santa Barbara, CA
Timeline: Summer
Deadline: March 9
This competitive program offers high-achieving high school students the opportunity to participate in interdisciplinary, hands-on, university-level research across fields ranging from STEM to the humanities and social sciences. Students work closely with a mentor while developing field-specific skills and connecting with like-minded, ambitious peers.
Ages: 16 and above
Location: New York, NY
Timeline: Summer
Deadline: March 15
This prestigious summer program pairs NYC high schoolers with graduate students to engage in ongoing neuroscience research. Students build foundational knowledge of neuroscience while participating in interactive lectures, designing an original experiment, and reading and presenting a scientific article. Participants will even get the chance to dissect a brain!
Cold Outreach Strategy for High School InternshipsÂ
If the opportunities above aren’t the right fit for you, your next step to finding a psychology internship for high school students is to launch a cold outreach strategy. The guide and templates below simplify the process and will get you on your way to landing an internship.
How to Find Companies to Reach Out to for a High School Internship
LinkedIn is a great tool for discovering small companies and organizations that might be willing to take on a high school intern. Smaller companies and organizations are often understaffed and more willing to hire a high schooler to assist with tasks like providing administrative support, gathering research, and organizing data.
When reaching out to professionals about potential internships, try to build personal connections—for example, having attended the same high school, sharing a hobby, or having a passion for a particular sports team.
Engaging with professionals you don’t know is part of the cold outreach process, but keep yourself safe by opting for virtual meetings and interviews, rather than in-person.
How to Find Professors to Reach Out to for a High School Research Position
University faculty directories are a useful starting point for identifying professors who may be open to hosting a high school intern. Remote research opportunities are limited for high school students; most professors rely on younger interns for hands-on, in-person support, such as maintaining lab equipment, rather than remote work.
Computational research is one notable exception. These positions often involve working with data off-site and typically require a basic understanding of programming languages like Python or R to manage and analyze large datasets. It’s possible to gain introductory proficiency in these languages within a few months using free resources, such as Coursera’s Python for Everybody and R Programming.
How to Structure and Send Outreach Emails
Plan to send at least 50 emails to potential internship providers as part of your cold outreach strategy. Each email should include your resume. Keep your resume to one page and share it as a Google link rather than attaching a PDF or Word document, as attachments can negatively affect email deliverability. Be sure to check your sharing settings so that anyone with the link can view the document.
If you have any relevant work experience, such as volunteering at a local hospital or senior center, previous work in labs, or in-demand skills like Excel or coding, make sure to include them.
If you don’t yet have a resume—or want to refresh your current one before sending it—our resume guide and tips provide everything a high school student needs to create a compelling, professional resume. The University of Chicago’s resume toolkit is another handy resource.
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 targeting well-known programs or pursuing cold outreach, persistence is key when seeking a high school psychology internship. Landing these positions can be challenging, but many students find that the experience is well worth the effort for jump-starting their future careers.
If you found this guide useful, consider saving it for later or passing it along to a friend. Wishing you good luck on your internship search!