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10 Business Internships for High School Students in Boston

  • Writer: Estelle Reardon
    Estelle Reardon
  • 6 days ago
  • 8 min read

Updated: 19 minutes ago

Internships offer high school students numerous benefits. If you’re interested in business, a high school internship can provide you with hands-on experience in various fields—like accounting, entrepreneurship, finance, and marketing—and develop the skills you need to succeed on your academic and career paths.


Why Do Internships in High School?


Before diving into a list of business internships for high school students in Boston, it’s worth understanding why these opportunities matter. According to PRISM, a consultancy, 70% of students attending a U.S. News Top 50 university have completed at least one internship during high school. Internships help you stand out in the college admissions process by showing that you’ve taken initiative and explored your interests through real-world experience.


High school internships also give you a head start in discovering which professional environments you enjoy, making it easier to pursue a career you’re passionate about after college. Students with internship experience in high school also often find it easier to land college internships and gain entry into competitive pre-professional organizations, such as finance or pre-law clubs.


How to Find Business Internships for High School Students in Boston


Online search engines and lists are an excellent initial step for finding business internships for high school students in Boston. As the largest free source of information about internships for high-school-age students, the StandOutsearch database is a great launchpad for your internship search. MIT Admissions and the CollegeVine blog are also handy resources for high schoolers looking for internship opportunities.


Official high school internship programs do pose some challenges. Namely, the number of opportunities is limited, and competition for established positions is very competitive. Consequently, high schoolers serious about landing an internship will want to formulate a cold outreach strategy—a plan to reach out to potential internship providers with whom you have no prior relationship.


At the end of this article, you’ll find details on how to form a cold outreach strategy along with email templates to help make the process of finding an internship a little less daunting.


10 Business Internships for High School Students in Boston


The majority of the business internships for high school students in Boston have acceptance rates below 20%. Given their selectivity, we recommend that high schoolers consider applying to at least five opportunities to increase their odds of acceptance. If you see a program below that excites you, make sure to mark its deadline on your calendar, so you don’t miss out on the opportunity.



Ages: 15-19

Location: Virtual 

Timeline: Summer, spring, fall, or winter

Deadline: Various


StandOut Connect matches high-achieving high school students with online internships aligned with their interests. Opportunities are available in a range of fields, including finance, STEM, medicine, law, the arts, and more. The program is powered by StandOutSearch (the largest free database of high school internships), 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: Boston

Timeline: Summer

Deadline: Rolling


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. It 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: Greater Boston

Timeline: 8 weeks over the summer

Deadline: January 15


The Bank of America Student Leaders program is available in over 100 communities nationwide, including Boston and its surrounding areas. Student Leaders participate in an eight-week paid internship at a local nonprofit organization, where they’ll learn first-hand about the needs of their community and the critical role nonprofits play. Participants also learn valuable civic, social, and business leadership skills.


Student Leaders attend the Student Leaders Summit held in Washington, D.C., where they explore how government, business, and the nonprofit sector collaborate to address critical community needs.



Ages: 14-18

Location: Boston

Timeline: Summer

Deadline: May 13


This workforce development program connects Boston-area students with community-based jobs, delivering them a work-based learning experience. The Franklin Institute of Technology and Roxbury Community College offer students dual enrollment courses that allow them to earn college credit and build college readiness. This approach helps students see the relevance of their learning as they use their educational foundation to succeed in college and the workplace.


Students can also develop leadership, advocacy, and life skills through workshops and civic engagement projects that directly translate to their jobs, interactions with professors, and relationships with peers.



Ages: 16-18

Location: Varies

Timeline: September-August

Deadline: October 1


This paid high school internship opportunity is open to juniors interested in fields such as business, computer science, and engineering. High school interns assist in roles like office assistant and computer aide—helping with administrative tasks and the maintenance of data processing equipment.

 

 

Ages: 17 and 18

Location: Across the US

Timeline: Summer

Deadline: Early January


The EBF Summer Internship isn’t exactly a business internship—rather, it’s aimed at students with an interest in a wide variety of fields, including producing, journalism, web development, engineering, business, PR, sales representative, and other careers in media or tech. Earning an internship can put you on the fast track to success, working with industry-leading partner organizations like Warner Bros., NFL, Paramount, and Time.



Ages: 15-18

Location: Boston

Timeline: Various 2-week intervals in summer

Deadline: Rolling


While not a high school business internship per se, this two-week program allows rising sophomores, juniors, and seniors to live and learn on the campus of Boston University, just like college students. Students engage in seminars covering topics that include business—participating in discussions, listening to lectures, engaging in projects, and going on field trips while gaining firsthand experience with college life.



Ages: 16-18

Location: Boston

Timeline: 6-8 weeks over the summer

Deadline: Rolling


This paid internship opportunity places Boston Public School students in positions with local employers ranging from Fortune 500 companies to boot-strapped startups. High school interns earn an income while gaining work experience and developing professional skills. Positions are available in numerous fields, including business and finance, and offer exposure in disciplines such as accounting, finance, human resources, and marketing.



Ages: 16-18

Location: Boston

Timeline: 6 weeks over the summer

Deadline: Contact for Deadline


This six-week paid summer program for rising juniors and seniors who are Boston residents builds advanced math skills and prepares students for college-level coursework. Students also learn how to apply mathematical concepts to enhance their understanding of financial concepts, learning about topics like banking and saving, credit cards, student loans, interest rates, and investing.



Ages: 14-18

Location: Virtual

Timeline: 2 weeks over the summer

Deadline: June 19


Although not technically a business internship for high schoolers, students interested in business will want to check out this competition from Bentley University—located just outside of Boston in Waltham, Massachusetts. The program tests students’ knowledge of the stock market and provides real-world investing experience using a virtual trading platform. Winners receive Barnes and Noble gift cards!


In addition to the competition, participants also gain access to videos and articles covering topics like stocks and trading.


Cold Outreach Strategy for High School Internships 


If none of the aforementioned opportunities are appealing, the next step toward securing a high school business internship in Boston is to formulate a cold outreach strategy. While this can seem intimidating, following the guide below will simplify the process and put you on the path to earning an internship. Just remember to use caution when reaching out to professionals you don’t have a prior relationship with—it’s always safest to meet virtually.


How to Find Companies to Reach Out to for a High School Internship 


LinkedIn is a phenomenal resource for finding internship opportunities with Boston area businesses. Look for smaller companies, which are often shorthanded, and more willing to take on a high school intern to assist with tasks like social media, coding, content writing, and graphic design. When inquiring about potential internships, try to find personal connections with the person you’re reaching out to, for example, coming from the same town or being fans of the same sports team.


Before reaching out to potential internship hosts, it’s important to ensure your LinkedIn profile presents you in the most professional and polished way possible. Our ultimate guide to LinkedIn for high schoolers walks you through how to build a strong LinkedIn presence that showcases your skills, interests, and career readiness.


How to Find Professors to Reach Out to for a High School Research Position 


University staff directories are a great place to find professors to contact about research positions. Most high school research positions are in person, as high school students typically assist with manual work like cleaning beakers and operating equipment. Computational research is the exception, and remote positions are more common. Computational research positions generally require a basic knowledge of Python or R, which you can learn for free, on your own over a few months with resources like Coursera’s R Programming Course or Python for Everybody.


How to Structure and Send Outreach Emails 


To improve your cold outreach strategy’s chances of success, aim to send at least 50 emails to potential internship providers and make sure to include a link to your resume. StandOut Connect encourages high schoolers to keep their resumes to no longer than one page. If you need to create a resume, the University of Chicago offers a helpful, free resume template and guide to get you started.


We recommend linking to your resume via Google Drive, as attaching PDFs can sometimes hurt email deliverability. Just make sure the sharing settings allow anyone with the link to view it. If relevant, consider adding work samples to your resume, like a website you built, a social media account you manage, or your GitHub profile.


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]



Business Internships for High School Students in Boston
Business Internships for High School Students in Boston

Conclusion


Whether you are applying to an established business internship for high schoolers in Boston or pursuing a cold outreach strategy, stick-to-it-iveness is the name of the game. High school internships are challenging to secure, but the effort is worth the reward—the experience you build and skills you develop will serve you well no matter what academic or career path you follow.


If you found this article about high school business internships in Boston helpful, make sure to save it as a reference and share it with any friends who might find it beneficial. Good luck on your internship search journey!

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