10 Summer Internships for High School Students
10 Summer Internships for High School Students
Written by
Written by
George Gatsios, Founder of Delta Institute
George Gatsios, Founder of Delta Institute
Published on
Published on
Summer internships are a great way for high school students to explore career paths, gain hands-on experience, and develop skills that can set them apart for college and future opportunities. Many internships include mentorship, skill-building workshops, and research opportunities, giving students a well-rounded experience.
Here are 10 summer internships for high school students that combine learning, practical experience, and career exploration.
The Research Science Institute offers a highly competitive, fully funded research internship hosted at MIT for high school students interested in physics, biology, computer science, and engineering. During the first week, you’ll participate in intensive STEM classes taught by MIT professors to prepare you for the 5-week internship, which you’ll spend conducting research and completing an individual project under the mentorship of experienced researchers and scientists.
At the end of the internship, you’ll present your project to an outside panel of academic and corporate scientists from Boston, who will choose 5 papers and 5 presentations for special commendation. To break up the rigorous academic curriculum, you’ll also visit iconic cultural attractions and science and technology facilities during the internship.
Cost: Free, application fee of $75
Location: Cambridge, Massachusetts
Application Deadline: December (tentatively, based on previous years)
Program Dates: June 28 to August 8
Eligibility: High school juniors globally
The Delve Work-Experience Program by Delta Institute gives high school students the chance to gain professional experience with companies like Ferrari, AWS, Adobe, Stripe, and more. You’ll work on real projects based on your interests, choosing from six fields: healthcare & medicine, business & finance, technology, engineering, international relations & law, and journalism.
You’ll spend 4 weeks working with a team and a dedicated mentor to create a project that solves industry challenges while attending technical, networking, and professional development sessions. At the end of the program, you’ll pitch your project to company representatives and receive a completion certificate and letter of recommendation.
Cost: $4,900
Location: Virtual
Application Deadline: March 29 (Summer I), April 26 (Summer II)
Program Dates: Varies depending on the company (you can check all upcoming deadlines here)
Eligibility: Open to high school students globally
The Hutton Junior Fisheries Biology Program places interns with professional fisheries biologists and natural resource managers across the United States, Canada, Mexico, and the Pacific Islands. You’ll take part in hands-on fieldwork and laboratory tasks like water quality sampling, fish population surveys, habitat assessments, and data analysis, contributing to real research and conservation initiatives. This hands-on experience gives you insight into local ecology, natural resources, and environmental careers you can pursue in the future.
In addition to fieldwork, you’ll complete a mid-summer report and a final report about your experience and findings that you can present at the Hutton Scholars’ Summit.
Cost: Free, $3,000 stipend provided upon completion
Location: Fisheries across the United States, Canada and Mexico
Application Deadline: January (tentatively, based on previous years)
Program Dates: June to August
Eligibility: Rising high school seniors or college freshmen from the United States, Canada, Mexico or the Pacific Islands
Delta Institute’s Deepen Mentorship Program isn’t a traditional internship, but a mentorship-driven experience for high school students. The mentorship is one-on-one and tailored to you, so you’ll be paired with an industry expert in your chosen field. Over 8 weeks, you’ll complete a personalized project in a subject you’re passionate about, helping you develop advanced, industry-relevant skills and enhance your portfolio.
At the end of the program, you’ll present your project, receive in-depth feedback from your mentor, and leave with a strong letter of recommendation.
Cost: $6,500
Location: Virtual
Application Deadline: March 29 (Summer I), April 26 (Summer II)
Program Dates: Flexible start dates available throughout the year
Eligibility: High school students globally
The National Institutes of Health’s Summer Internship Program places recent high school graduates into biomedical labs, where they work on real research under the supervision of NIH scientists. You’ll assist with laboratory experiments, data analysis, literature reviews, and research documentation in fields like genetics, bioinformatics, psychology, or pharmacology. This hands-on experience will teach you essential research skills like experimental design, lab safety, data interpretation, and scientific writing to prepare you for college and a role in science.
You’ll present your research at the Graduate and Professional School Fair in July and the Summer Poster Day in August. Beyond lab and research work, you’ll attend professional development workshops and scientific seminars to strengthen your critical thinking and communication skills.
Cost: Free, stipend available
Location: Multiple NIH campuses in Maryland, North Carolina, Montana, and Arizona
Application Deadline: February (tentatively, based on previous years)
Program Dates: May to August (tentatively, based on previous years)
Eligibility: U.S. citizens and permanent residents who have graduated from high school and will be 18 by September
The U.S. Senate Page Program is a government internship where students work directly on the Senate floor. As a participant, you’ll assist with legislative tasks such as delivering documents, supporting sessions, and coordinating materials for senators and staff, giving you a real-world view at how the U.S. government operates.
The program is highly competitive as there are only 30 positions and you must be sponsored by a senator. There’s also a longer internship during the spring and fall that would require you to live in the Daniel Webster Senate Page Residence and attend Page School instead of your normal high school classes. If you become a summer intern, you can just live with your parents or other relatives in the area.
Cost: Free, stipend available
Location: Washington, D.C.
Application Deadline: Varies by office
Program Dates:
Summer Session I: June 7 to June 26
Summer Session II: July 12 to August 7
Eligibility: Rising juniors and seniors with a minimum GPA of 3.0
The Microsoft Discovery Program is a 4-week, paid internship designed for recent high school graduates interested in technology. The program provides an accessible introduction to the tech industry without requiring extensive prior experience.
You’ll work in teams on projects related to software development, product design, or business operations, gaining exposure to real-world tech environments. You’ll also receive mentorship from Microsoft employees and attend sessions focused on career development.
Cost: Paid internship
Location: Redmond, Washington or Atlanta Georgia
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions
Program Dates:
Atlanta: July 6 to July 31
Redmond: July 13 to August 7
Eligibility: Graduating high school seniors attending a bachelor’s degree program who live around Redmond, Washington or Atlanta Georgia
The ASPIRE Internship at John Hopkins APL gives high school juniors and seniors hands-on experience in STEM fields like engineering, cybersecurity, and data science. You’ll work alongside APL researchers and staff on real projects, contributing to technical tasks and problem-solving initiatives.
During the internship, you’ll work 30 to 40 hours per week, giving you the chance to experience what a real career in STEM will be like. Then, at the end, you’ll have to complete a final poster that you’ll present at the ASPIRE Student Showcase capstone event.
Cost: Free, no stipend
Location: Laurel, Maryland
Application Deadline: February (tentatively, based on previous years)
Program Dates: June 23 to August 21
Eligibility: Rising juniors or seniors with U.S. citizenship and a minimum 2.8 GPA
The Scripps Research Translational Institute’s Student Research Internship Program is designed for high school and college students interested in personalized healthcare, more specifically, the genomic, proteomic, and metabolomic correlates of health and disease. Over 10 weeks, you’ll explore how scientific discoveries move from the lab into real-world healthcare solutions in a real laboratory setting—choosing from a dry or wet lab.
You’ll be paired with a mentor based on your interests, who will help you complete a research proposal and project that you’ll present at the Translational Institute Research Meeting and a poster symposium.
Cost: Funding has yet to be determined, but SRTI provides a stipend of $5,040 for its 7-week summer internships
Location: La Jolla, California
Application Deadline: March 30
Program Dates:
June 1 to August 7 or
June 15 to August 7
Eligibility: High school students 16 years or older before the internship start date
The Summer High School Internship Program by the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center is a highly competitive, 8-week internship that gives rising high school seniors hands-on experience in biomedical research. The program starts with 2 weeks of intensive training in laboratory safety and core techniques such as pipetting, DNA analysis, and data handling to help prepare students for lab work. You’ll spend the rest of the internship in a research lab, where you can assist scientists with ongoing projects, contributing to tasks like data collection, experiment preparation, and literature review.
Beyond lab work, you’ll participate in seminars, workshops and “meet the scientist” sessions exploring topics like biostatistics, ethics, and career pathways in medicine and research. The internship concludes with a formal presentation, where you can showcase your work to the Fred Hutch community as well as your family and friends.
Cost: Free, stipend provided
Location: Seattle, Washington
Application Deadline: March 13
Program Dates: June 22 to August 14
Eligibility: High school students entering their senior year, residing in Seattle
Summer internships are a great way for high school students to explore career paths, gain hands-on experience, and develop skills that can set them apart for college and future opportunities. Many internships include mentorship, skill-building workshops, and research opportunities, giving students a well-rounded experience.
Here are 10 summer internships for high school students that combine learning, practical experience, and career exploration.
The Research Science Institute offers a highly competitive, fully funded research internship hosted at MIT for high school students interested in physics, biology, computer science, and engineering. During the first week, you’ll participate in intensive STEM classes taught by MIT professors to prepare you for the 5-week internship, which you’ll spend conducting research and completing an individual project under the mentorship of experienced researchers and scientists.
At the end of the internship, you’ll present your project to an outside panel of academic and corporate scientists from Boston, who will choose 5 papers and 5 presentations for special commendation. To break up the rigorous academic curriculum, you’ll also visit iconic cultural attractions and science and technology facilities during the internship.
Cost: Free, application fee of $75
Location: Cambridge, Massachusetts
Application Deadline: December (tentatively, based on previous years)
Program Dates: June 28 to August 8
Eligibility: High school juniors globally
The Delve Work-Experience Program by Delta Institute gives high school students the chance to gain professional experience with companies like Ferrari, AWS, Adobe, Stripe, and more. You’ll work on real projects based on your interests, choosing from six fields: healthcare & medicine, business & finance, technology, engineering, international relations & law, and journalism.
You’ll spend 4 weeks working with a team and a dedicated mentor to create a project that solves industry challenges while attending technical, networking, and professional development sessions. At the end of the program, you’ll pitch your project to company representatives and receive a completion certificate and letter of recommendation.
Cost: $4,900
Location: Virtual
Application Deadline: March 29 (Summer I), April 26 (Summer II)
Program Dates: Varies depending on the company (you can check all upcoming deadlines here)
Eligibility: Open to high school students globally
The Hutton Junior Fisheries Biology Program places interns with professional fisheries biologists and natural resource managers across the United States, Canada, Mexico, and the Pacific Islands. You’ll take part in hands-on fieldwork and laboratory tasks like water quality sampling, fish population surveys, habitat assessments, and data analysis, contributing to real research and conservation initiatives. This hands-on experience gives you insight into local ecology, natural resources, and environmental careers you can pursue in the future.
In addition to fieldwork, you’ll complete a mid-summer report and a final report about your experience and findings that you can present at the Hutton Scholars’ Summit.
Cost: Free, $3,000 stipend provided upon completion
Location: Fisheries across the United States, Canada and Mexico
Application Deadline: January (tentatively, based on previous years)
Program Dates: June to August
Eligibility: Rising high school seniors or college freshmen from the United States, Canada, Mexico or the Pacific Islands
Delta Institute’s Deepen Mentorship Program isn’t a traditional internship, but a mentorship-driven experience for high school students. The mentorship is one-on-one and tailored to you, so you’ll be paired with an industry expert in your chosen field. Over 8 weeks, you’ll complete a personalized project in a subject you’re passionate about, helping you develop advanced, industry-relevant skills and enhance your portfolio.
At the end of the program, you’ll present your project, receive in-depth feedback from your mentor, and leave with a strong letter of recommendation.
Cost: $6,500
Location: Virtual
Application Deadline: March 29 (Summer I), April 26 (Summer II)
Program Dates: Flexible start dates available throughout the year
Eligibility: High school students globally
The National Institutes of Health’s Summer Internship Program places recent high school graduates into biomedical labs, where they work on real research under the supervision of NIH scientists. You’ll assist with laboratory experiments, data analysis, literature reviews, and research documentation in fields like genetics, bioinformatics, psychology, or pharmacology. This hands-on experience will teach you essential research skills like experimental design, lab safety, data interpretation, and scientific writing to prepare you for college and a role in science.
You’ll present your research at the Graduate and Professional School Fair in July and the Summer Poster Day in August. Beyond lab and research work, you’ll attend professional development workshops and scientific seminars to strengthen your critical thinking and communication skills.
Cost: Free, stipend available
Location: Multiple NIH campuses in Maryland, North Carolina, Montana, and Arizona
Application Deadline: February (tentatively, based on previous years)
Program Dates: May to August (tentatively, based on previous years)
Eligibility: U.S. citizens and permanent residents who have graduated from high school and will be 18 by September
The U.S. Senate Page Program is a government internship where students work directly on the Senate floor. As a participant, you’ll assist with legislative tasks such as delivering documents, supporting sessions, and coordinating materials for senators and staff, giving you a real-world view at how the U.S. government operates.
The program is highly competitive as there are only 30 positions and you must be sponsored by a senator. There’s also a longer internship during the spring and fall that would require you to live in the Daniel Webster Senate Page Residence and attend Page School instead of your normal high school classes. If you become a summer intern, you can just live with your parents or other relatives in the area.
Cost: Free, stipend available
Location: Washington, D.C.
Application Deadline: Varies by office
Program Dates:
Summer Session I: June 7 to June 26
Summer Session II: July 12 to August 7
Eligibility: Rising juniors and seniors with a minimum GPA of 3.0
The Microsoft Discovery Program is a 4-week, paid internship designed for recent high school graduates interested in technology. The program provides an accessible introduction to the tech industry without requiring extensive prior experience.
You’ll work in teams on projects related to software development, product design, or business operations, gaining exposure to real-world tech environments. You’ll also receive mentorship from Microsoft employees and attend sessions focused on career development.
Cost: Paid internship
Location: Redmond, Washington or Atlanta Georgia
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions
Program Dates:
Atlanta: July 6 to July 31
Redmond: July 13 to August 7
Eligibility: Graduating high school seniors attending a bachelor’s degree program who live around Redmond, Washington or Atlanta Georgia
The ASPIRE Internship at John Hopkins APL gives high school juniors and seniors hands-on experience in STEM fields like engineering, cybersecurity, and data science. You’ll work alongside APL researchers and staff on real projects, contributing to technical tasks and problem-solving initiatives.
During the internship, you’ll work 30 to 40 hours per week, giving you the chance to experience what a real career in STEM will be like. Then, at the end, you’ll have to complete a final poster that you’ll present at the ASPIRE Student Showcase capstone event.
Cost: Free, no stipend
Location: Laurel, Maryland
Application Deadline: February (tentatively, based on previous years)
Program Dates: June 23 to August 21
Eligibility: Rising juniors or seniors with U.S. citizenship and a minimum 2.8 GPA
The Scripps Research Translational Institute’s Student Research Internship Program is designed for high school and college students interested in personalized healthcare, more specifically, the genomic, proteomic, and metabolomic correlates of health and disease. Over 10 weeks, you’ll explore how scientific discoveries move from the lab into real-world healthcare solutions in a real laboratory setting—choosing from a dry or wet lab.
You’ll be paired with a mentor based on your interests, who will help you complete a research proposal and project that you’ll present at the Translational Institute Research Meeting and a poster symposium.
Cost: Funding has yet to be determined, but SRTI provides a stipend of $5,040 for its 7-week summer internships
Location: La Jolla, California
Application Deadline: March 30
Program Dates:
June 1 to August 7 or
June 15 to August 7
Eligibility: High school students 16 years or older before the internship start date
The Summer High School Internship Program by the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center is a highly competitive, 8-week internship that gives rising high school seniors hands-on experience in biomedical research. The program starts with 2 weeks of intensive training in laboratory safety and core techniques such as pipetting, DNA analysis, and data handling to help prepare students for lab work. You’ll spend the rest of the internship in a research lab, where you can assist scientists with ongoing projects, contributing to tasks like data collection, experiment preparation, and literature review.
Beyond lab work, you’ll participate in seminars, workshops and “meet the scientist” sessions exploring topics like biostatistics, ethics, and career pathways in medicine and research. The internship concludes with a formal presentation, where you can showcase your work to the Fred Hutch community as well as your family and friends.
Cost: Free, stipend provided
Location: Seattle, Washington
Application Deadline: March 13
Program Dates: June 22 to August 14
Eligibility: High school students entering their senior year, residing in Seattle
About the Author
George Gatsios holds a BA and MA in Economics from the University of Cambridge and is the founder of Delta Institute. He leads the organisation’s global strategy, overseeing programme design, partnerships, operations, and product innovation across education, career development, and technology. His work centers on building scalable, hands-on learning experiences that connect students with real-world industry exposure and future-ready skills. Alongside his leadership at Delta Institute, George serves as a Research Assistant in Economics at the University of Cambridge and London Business School, contributing to research at the intersection of economic theory, empirical analysis, and policy. He is an active member of the International Baccalaureate Educator Network (IBEN) and a strong advocate for lifelong learning and internationally minded education.
Turn Insights into Action
Fill in the form to talk to our team and learn more about how Delta Institute can help you!
Turn Insights into Action
Fill in the form to talk to our team and learn more about how Delta Institute can help you!
