25 Best Internships for High School Students in 2025
- Estelle Reardon
- Jun 7
- 13 min read
Updated: Jun 12
Topics We Cover:
Why Do Internships in High School?
How to Find Internships for High School Students
25 Best Internships for High School Students
Cold Outreach Strategy for High School Internships (This is especially helpful if you don’t live near New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Boston, or Chicago!)
Email Template for Finding a High School Internship
High school internships are extremely advantageous to students, helping them explore potential career paths, develop skills, and establish a network of peers and professionals. The best high school internships also help students gain a competitive edge when seeking college admissions or future jobs.
Why Do Internships in High School?
Before diving into the best internships for high school students, it’s important to understand why these opportunities matter. According to PRISM, 70% of students at US News Top 50 universities completed at least one internship in high school. Internships help you stand out in the college admission process by showing initiative and clarity about your goals.
High school internships also give you a head start in understanding the types of work environments you enjoy, making it easier to pursue a career you love after graduation. Another benefit of participating in high school internships is that students often find it easier to secure college internships and join competitive pre-professional organizations like finance or pre-law clubs.
How to Find Internships for High School Students
Online search tools are a great starting point for high schoolers looking for internship opportunities. The StandOut Search database is a fantastic resource that lists almost every internship program open to high schoolers and is easily searchable using a number of filters, like field of interest, location, and age. MIT Admissions has also collected a useful list of high school internship opportunities, as well as the CollegeVine blog.
The downside of official programs is that they’re often very competitive. Students serious about obtaining a summer high school internship will want to formulate a cold outreach strategy—a way to connect with potential internship providers with whom they have no prior relationship. At the end of the article, we detail how to construct a successful cold outreach strategy, along with providing email templates to give you a jumpstart on landing a high school internship.
25 Best Internships for High School Students
The following internship opportunities have been selected based on their reputation among university admission officers, selectivity, and student reviews.
All of these high school internship programs have an acceptance rate of 15% or lower. We recommend choosing at least 10 opportunities to apply to. If you see an opportunity that excites you, take a moment to write the deadline on your calendar!
Ages: 16-18
Location: Locations across the U.S.
Timeline: Summer or school year
Deadline: Various
NASA Office of STEM Engagement (OSTEM) paid internships allow high school and college-level students to contribute to agency projects under the guidance of a NASA mentor. Applicants for this internship must be U.S. citizens and meet a minimum 3.0 GPA requirement. There is also a program for international students.
Interested in learning more about this out-of-this-world internship opportunity? Check out our article for an in-depth look at NASA internship opportunities for high schoolers.
Ages: 16-18
Location: Washington, DC
Timeline: Summer
Deadline: State-dependent
The United States Senate Page Program introduces students from diverse backgrounds to many interesting and challenging experiences in the nation’s capital. Living away from home with students from across the country allows pages to experience a myriad of new ideas, perspectives, and issues. Pages learn the value of public service while meeting some of our nation’s most prominent leaders and witnessing firsthand the political debates of the United States Senate.
Ages: 15-19
Location: Virtual
Timeline: Summer, spring, fall, or winter
Deadline: Various
StandOut Connect matches high-achieving high school students with virtual internships tailored to their interests, in fields like finance, STEM, medicine, law, the arts, and more. The program is powered by StandOutSearch, a database of nearly all high school internships. StandOut Connect has been featured in Forbes and was launched with support from the University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation.
Ages: 16-18
Location: Locations across the U.S.
Timeline: Summer
Deadline: January 10
The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) Scholars Program offers stipend-paid summer internship opportunities to upper-level high school students. The selected interns gain valuable hands-on experiences working with full-time AFRL scientists and engineers on cutting-edge research and technology, and can contribute to unique, research-based projects.
Ages: 15-16
Location: Menlo Park, California
Timeline: Summer
Deadline: February 14
Externs of Meta Summer Academy (formerly known as Facebook Summer Academy) will have the opportunity to learn about the day-to-day operations of one of the world’s leading social media networks by being part of a dynamic workforce. Applicants must be sophomores in high school and full-year residents of:
East Palo Alto
Belle Haven
North Fair Oaks
Redwood City
Like the sound of this internship opportunity for high schoolers? We share all the details in our definitive guide to the Facebook high school internship. The Microsoft Discovery Program is another great option for students interested in a tech or computer science internship.
Ages: 16-17
Location: Cambridge, Massachusetts
Timeline: Summer
Deadline: February 1
The MITES Summer Program is a six-week, on-campus program that immerses U.S. high school juniors in rigorous and rewarding mathematics, science, and humanities courses. Scholars will also have access to lab tours, social events, and college admissions counseling while developing the academic and personal skills essential for success. Students will engage with STEM professionals in seminars and tours of MIT labs and local companies employing MITES alumni.
Ages: 16-18
Location: Locations Across the US
Timeline: Summer
Deadline: Contact for deadline
As a Student Leader, you will participate in an eight-week paid internship at a local nonprofit organization where you will learn first-hand about the needs of your community and the critical role nonprofits play. In addition, you will learn valuable civic, social, and business leadership skills. Each Student Leader will attend the Student Leaders Summit held in Washington, D.C. where you will learn how government, business, and the nonprofit sector work together to address critical community needs.
Ages: 16-18
Location: Locations across the U.S.
Timeline: Summer
Deadline: November 1
The Science and Engineering Apprenticeship Program (SEAP) places high school students in Department of Navy (DoN) laboratories where they take part in real Naval research for eight weeks during the summer. SEAP allows academically talented sophomores, juniors, and seniors interested in STEM to learn about Naval research and technology while receiving first-class mentoring by top scientists and engineers.
Ages: 15-17
Location: New York City, New York
Timeline: Summer
Deadline: TBD
The Zuckerman Institute’s Brain Research Apprenticeships in New York at Columbia (BRAINYAC) program prepares today’s youth to become tomorrow’s scientists. BRAINYAC provides high schoolers with an immersive, hands-on summer research experience in a Columbia laboratory. They emphasize opportunities to connect with real scientists, learn key skills required to work in a research environment, and become part of the Columbia University community.
Ages: 15-18
Location: New York City, New York
Timeline: Summer
Deadline: January 8
The Hk Maker Lab is an intensive six-week summer program to learn the foundations of design. Focusing on addressing a health problem, participants design, prototype, and test a biomedical device and develop an associated business plan. The program culminates in a presentation to leading executives from the biomedical community. The Hk Maker Lab projects might then be incubated using the state-of-the-art facilities at Harlem Biospace.
Ages: 16-18
Location: Princeton, New Jersey
Timeline: Summer
Deadline: March 15
The Laboratory Learning Program is a full-time, free research experience in the sciences or engineering for high school students. Students in this summer program for high schoolers participate in ongoing research programs under the close supervision of Princeton faculty and research staff. The participation dates are customized according to the schedules of the research personnel and project specifics.
Ages: 16-19
Location: California
Timeline: Summer
Deadline: January 6
Through KP LAUNCH, Kaiser Permanente offers young adults a variety of paid internship opportunities in the Oakland headquarters and medical offices across Northern California. Interns have the opportunity to work for an industry leader on projects that matter. Interns are provided with work experience that exposes them to administrative and supporting careers in healthcare environments.
Ages: 16-19
Location: California and New Mexico
Timeline: Summer
Deadline: Various
Sandia applies science to help detect, repel, defeat, or mitigate national threats. Sandia welcomes student interns—from students in their final years of high school, to undergraduates, to researchers obtaining PhDs. As an intern, you will work on real-world, challenging projects that contribute to Sandia’s mission.
Ages: 15-18
Location: Boston, Massachusetts
Timeline: Summer and school year
Deadline: Contact for deadline
Today’s Interns, Tomorrow’s Professionals (TIP) is the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston’s paid work and learning internship program for eligible high school students who have completed their sophomore year in the Boston Public Schools. This finance internship opportunity starts with a developmentally rich summer work experience that includes job coaching and skill-building workshops. Then, based on available openings and individual interest, effort, and performance, some students are selected for an extended year-round internship program that can last up to three years.
Ages: 16-18
Location: New York City, New York
Timeline: Summer
Deadline: Contact for deadline
The Thurgood Marshall Summer Law Internship Program is an intensive six- to eight-week summer program that places diverse NYC public high school students with legal employers for the summer and provides them with additional programming before, during, and after the summer designed to help them prepare for a legal career.
Ages: 15-18
Location: New York City, New York
Timeline: Summer
Deadline: March 12, 2025
Another excellent New York City internship opportunity for high school students is offered by the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office. This rigorous five-week internship offers students an insider’s view of the criminal justice system. During the internship, participants engage in workshops and discussions about criminal justice, police brutality, civic engagement, leadership, and more. Program participants will also engage in a series of presentations and conversations with staff to develop a foundational understanding of how policies are developed and implemented, and how justice can advance through academic and career paths.
Ages: 16-17
Location: New York City, New York
Timeline: Summer
Deadline: January 1
The Sotomayor Program has helped over 400 high school, college, and law school students gain experience with the legal system and develop their professional skills! The leadership program helps cultivate and develop the next generation of trailblazers from underserved communities and diverse backgrounds, as well as increase diversity in the legal profession.
Ages: 17-18
Location: New York City, New York
Timeline: Summer
Deadline: February 20
Since 2005, the Temple of Understanding (TOU) has demonstrated its commitment to the education of young people by hosting a Summer Internship. TOU’s student interns attend some open meetings of the UN Security Council, the General Assembly, and various committees. This program launches their careers as global citizens who care about the humanitarian goals embraced by the UN.
Ages: 16-18
Location: Hartford, Connecticut
Timeline: Summer and school year
Deadline: Various
The Attorney General serves as Connecticut’s chief legal officer for civil matters, and the OAG serves as legal counsel to all state agencies. Internships are unpaid, volunteer positions open to graduate and law students, paralegal, undergraduate, and highly motivated high school students.
Ages: 16-18
Location: Los Angeles, California
Timeline: Summer and school year
Deadline: Various
Volunteers in this program have the opportunity to learn about the criminal justice system firsthand and work closely with all levels of staff, including deputy district attorneys, investigators, and support staff, as well as contact with other court and law enforcement staff. A high school volunteer can be expected to assist with any of the following duties: scanning, photocopying, and/or shredding of documents; answering telephones; typing, filing, and delivering documents; assembling reports, documents, or manuals; and other duties depending on education and skills.
Ages: 14-18
Location: Boston, Massachusetts
Timeline: School year and summer
Deadline: Contact for deadline
The Mayor’s Youth Council (MYC)is a leadership program that engages Boston’s high school students in government and civic participation. The MYC has 86 council members, each of whom works in one of eight committees and a neighborhood working group. Each committee is led by two co-directors, and each neighborhood working group is led by two co-liaisons. The Council represents every neighborhood in Boston, with members who are confirmed by Mayor Wu through an application and interview process. Council members are selected for a one-year term and work with the Mayor’s Office, community leaders, and city officials.
Ages: 16-18
Location: New York City, New York
Timeline: Summer, school year
Deadline: March 30
Interns apply to the department that interests them most, and, if selected, will work within that department for the duration of their internship. In their positions, interns will have the chance to collaborate with staff and work on a range of projects. These projects may include conducting research, attending meetings, managing incoming inquiries, analyzing data, drafting briefings, staffing events, assisting with outreach, and supporting special projects.
Ages: 16-18
Location: Varies
Timeline: Summer and school year
Deadline: Varies by position
The Smithsonian Office of Internships offers high school students valuable experience at the world’s largest museum, education, and research complex. Students can choose from a range of virtual, hybrid, and in-person internships across institutions like the National Museum of Natural History, the National Portrait Gallery, the National Museum of the American Indian, and more.
Ages: 16-18
Location: Remote
Timeline: Summer and school year
Deadline: Varies by position
FPRI offers summer internships, as well as internships during the school year in both the fall and spring. Interns have the chance to connect with members of the foreign relations community and gain experience working for a prestigious think tank. Each intern is paired with a scholar or professional in the field who will work with them to develop industry-specific skills as well as sharpen general skills such as communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and time management. Summer interns have the opportunity to attend weekly foreign policy and career-focused seminars with guest speakers. Additionally, interns have the opportunity to work on a research paper to be considered for publication on FPRI’s Intern Corner.
Ages: 15-17
Location: New York City, New York
Timeline: Summer
Deadline: March 7
This internship for high schoolers isn’t limited to young people who have a passion for art! The High School Internship Program allows you to connect one-on-one and in small cohorts with museum professionals in a number of related fields, including editorial, marketing, social media, education, and more. During your time at The Met, you have the chance to find the intersection of your interests as you gain insights from peers and professionals.
Cold Outreach Strategy for High School Internships
Do the opportunities above look interesting, but you find yourself wondering, are there any internships near me? One of the best methods for finding local internships is to establish a cold outreach strategy. This can be intimidating, but the steps below should make the process considerably easier. Keep in mind to exercise caution when reaching out to professionals you don’t know—it’s always safest to meet virtually.
How to Find Companies to Reach Out to for a High School Internship
LinkedIn is a great platform for discovering small businesses that might provide an internship opportunity. Smaller companies are great targets for high schoolers looking for internships, as they often find themselves short handed and more willing to take on high-school-aged students. When connecting with professionals on LinkedIn, look for common ground with them, like sharing a hometown or a favorite sports team.
Before you approach internship hosts, ensure your LinkedIn profile looks polished and professional. Our ultimate LinkedIn guide for high school students shows you how to craft a profile that highlights your skills, passions, and career-readiness.
How to Find Professors to Reach Out to for a High School Research Position
University staff directories are useful for finding professors to contact about research opportunities. Remote internships are rare, since professors often have high school students assist with in-person lab duties like washing beakers or running equipment. Computational research is the exception, although it typically requires at least an introductory knowledge of Python or R. Fortunately, you should be able to learn Python or R on your own using resources like Coursera’s R Programming Course or Python for Everybody.
How to Structure and Send Outreach Emails
When it comes to cold outreach, it’s all about numbers—the more you put yourself out there, the more likely you are to hear back. Plan on sending emails to at least 50 potential internship providers. Your emails should include a link to your resume. StandOut Connect suggests including your resume as a Google Drive link, as opposed to sending a Doc or PDF, which can negatively affect the deliverability of your email. Just remember to set the share settings so that anyone with the link can view its contents.
We recommend high schoolers limit the length of their resume to one page and encourage them to include work samples on their resume, such as a link to a website they’ve designed, a social media account they manage, or a GitHub profile. The University of Chicago provides a helpful resume template and guide to get you started.
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
Earning a high school internship requires tenacity, whether you’re applying to an established program or pursuing a cold outreach strategy. Although these opportunities are difficult to secure, those who lock in one of these coveted positions typically find the reward is worth the work, providing them with a boost to building their career.
If you found this article helpful, remember to bookmark it for reference and don’t hesitate to pass it along to a friend who might also find it useful. Good luck on your internship search journey!