Why do internships in high school?
Before we jump into a long list of finance internships for high school students, it is important to understand why these opportunities could matter for your future. PRISM consultancy revealed that 70% of students attending a US News top 50 University have completed at least one internship while in high school. Engaging in an internship before the college admissions process helps admission officers notice your efforts in developing your pre-professional path through tangible experience.
In addition, participating in a high school internship will set students up for future success during the college club/job recruiting process, whether it be law, medicine, finance, etc. If you do come to the conclusion that finance is what you want to do, it will also be helpful since recruiting for investment banking/consulting firms occurs very early (sophomore year) in your college career, and you will be one step ahead already.
How to Find Finance Internships for High School Students
The best way to find finance internships for high school students is through online search tools and lists. The StandOutSearch database provides the largest free resource that lists almost every internship program for the high school age group and allows you to search by interest area. MIT Admissions also provides a helpful list of High School Internships.
Keep in mind that these official programs tend to be very competitive, so if you want to maximize your chances of finding a finance summer internship in high school, you should also prepare a cold outreach strategy. In the finance world, networking is key, especially as a high school student. At the end of this article, you can read more about how to form a cold outreach strategy to find a high school internship; hopefully, our email templates will make finding an internship or research position through cold outreach less daunting and ensure a smooth process.
10 Finance Internships for High School Students
Most of the finance internships for high school students below have an acceptance rate of 20% or lower, given that there are many more high school students looking for finance internships relative to official programs that provide them. We recommend choosing at least five opportunities to apply to. If you see an opportunity that excites you, take a moment to write the deadline on your calendar!
Ages: 15-19
Location: Virtual
Timeline: Summer, Spring, Fall, or Winter
Deadline: Various Deadlines
StandOut Connect is a program created thanks to investment from UChicago’s Polsky Center for Innovation that matches high school students with internships in their interest area. Students interview with potential mentors who are leaders and innovators within their area of interest until they are hired for a two-month internship. Many students then receive optional return offers to continue with their internship for as long as they would like.
Ages: Junior or Senior
Location: Princeton, New Jersey
Timeline: Summer
Deadline: May 1
Work as a venture analyst at 1435 Capital, a venture capital firm, to gain practical experience and expand their professional network. Key responsibilities involve conducting thorough investment analyses, tracking the performance of existing portfolio companies, and actively seeking out new investment opportunities through diverse channels. Additionally, Venture Analysts are tasked with staying abreast of industry trends and the technological landscape through continuous market research. Beyond these analytical duties, they also provide essential administrative support to the venture capital team, including scheduling meetings, preparing presentations, and organizing data. Overall, the role offers a comprehensive learning experience tailored to individuals aiming to forge successful careers in venture capital.
Ages: Sophomore and Junior
Location: Chicago, Illinois
Timeline: Summer
Deadline: April 1
CSBI connects students in Chicago with companies for paid internships. The program is divided into two parts each week. Students spend four days at work sites where they receive guidance from a supervisor and work on office tasks and projects. Once a week, they attend seminars aimed at integrating classroom learning with practical experience. The program concludes with a graduation ceremony featuring a speech from either the Mayor or the City Treasurer of Chicago.
Ages: 15 - 19
Location: San Antonio, Texas
Timeline: Year-round
Deadline: None
San Antonio Sports is a sports oriented non-profit organization. Finance interns will assist the finance department with monetary aspects of the organization including assisting with accounts receivable and accounts payable; data entry; filing (checks, invoices, journal entries etc.); assisting with audits; assisting with month-end and year-end financial reports; posting journal entries; and special projects .
Ages: 15 - 19
Location: New York City, New York; other global locations
Timeline: Summer
Deadline: Varies
JP Morgan Chase offers two paths for high school students to learn about and work in the financial sector: school programs or an apprenticeship. These programs allow you to work in one of their businesses or corporate functions, where you’ll be assigned meaningful projects, attend meetings, and interact with managers. You’ll gain insights into the industry while developing your technical and soft skills.
Ages: 16 - 19
Location: Boston, Massachusetts
Timeline: Summer
Deadline: May
Today’s Interns, Tomorrow’s Professionals (TIP). provides income-eligible high school students in Greater Boston the opportunity to work at the Bank in order to gain positive work experience, while building skills for both workplace success and personal financial stability through intensive enrichment programming. 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: 14 - 17
Location: Houston, TX
Timeline: Summer
Deadline: April 3
Are you interested in taking control of your finances? Do you want to plan for your future career and educational finances? The Financial Empowerment Institute will provide you with information on essential financial topics on personal financial planning, such as money management, budgeting, and goal setting by Finance Professors, Finance Students, and Finance Professionals.
Ages: 16 - 17
Location: Des Moines, IA
Timeline: Summer
Deadline: Various Deadlines
Are you an iJAG student currently in your junior year of high school? Does the thought of taking advantage of an outstanding learning and development opportunity at the Principal Financial Group sound appealing to you? If so, look no further. This new learning and development summer internship is geared specifically towards iJAG students completing their junior year. It will allow you the ability to get a head start on your career after high school.
Ages: Rising Juniors
Location: Knoxville, TN
Timeline: Summer
Deadline: March 29
The Accounting and Information Management (AIM) Academy is a summer program designed specifically for high school rising juniors who are underrepresented in the fields of accounting and information management. The program lasts for six days and provides workshops in various areas, such as accounting, finance, entrepreneurship, and professional development.
Ages: 16-18
Location: Various Locations
Timeline: Summer
Deadline: January 17
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.
Cold Outreach Strategy for High School Internships
If the opportunities listed above don’t turn out to be a fit, the next step to finding a finance high school internship is to launch a cold outreach strategy. This may seem intimidating at first, but the guide below should make it much more simple. As an added note, please exercise caution when reaching out to professionals you don’t know. It is always safest to interview or meet virtually.
How to Find Companies to Reach Out to for a High School Internship
Use LinkedIn to find small companies/startups where you can help with skills such as social media, consulting frameworks, project management, or giving presentations, as the finance industry prioritizes communication and teamwork. Smaller companies that need more hands on deck will be the most likely to hire high-school-aged students. Ensure you express your interest and understanding of the finance world; look into what interests you specifically; investment banking, consulting, private equity, marketing, and real estate are some examples of sectors to look into. Stay updated with the finance world and the latest business articles to identify your areas of interest. Additionally, try to find personal connections with the professionals you contact, such as sharing the same hometown or having similar hobbies, like supporting the same sports team.
How to Find Professors to Reach Out to for a High School Research Position
You can use online university staff directories to find professors to reach out to for research positions. Note that if you are looking for a remote research position with a professor, you should be aware that these opportunities tend to be harder to come by. Professors typically have high school students help with more manual laboratory tasks such as washing beakers or running equipment and usually do not have very much use for interns at a high school education level within a remote setting. The exception is if you are doing computational research, which generally requires introductory knowledge of Python or R to parse large datasets. You should be able to learn Python or R on your own for free within a few months using resources such as Coursera’s R Programming Course or Python for Everybody.
How to Structure and Send Outreach Emails
For a successful cold-outreach strategy, aim to send at least 50 emails to potential internship providers. Be sure to include a link to your resume, which should be no more than one page while you are in high school. UChicago provides a helpful free resume template and guide. We recommend including your resume as a Google Drive link because including it as a PDF will sometimes negatively impact the deliverability of your email. Make sure to verify that the sharing settings on the document permit anyone with the link to view its contents. Include work samples in your resume, such as the link to a website you coded, a blog or account you manage, or your profile to a certain app.
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
Whether you are applying to established programs or launching a cold outreach strategy, the name of the game when looking for a finance high school internship or research position is perseverance. These opportunities can be extremely difficult to secure, but most high school students find it worth it in the end to get a head start on building their careers. If you found this article helpful, don’t forget to save it for later or share it with a friend. Good luck on your internship search journey!