Topics We Cover:
Why Do Internships in High School?
How to Find Summer Internships for High School Students
60 Summer 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 Fransisco, Los Angeles, Boston, or Chicago!)
Email Template for Finding a High School Internship
Why do internships in high school?
Before we jump into a long list of summer internships for high school students, it is important to understand why these opportunities could matter for your future. According to PRISM, a consultancy, 70% of students attending a US News top 50 University have completed at least one internship while in high school. These opportunities serve as a way to distinguish yourself in the admissions process by showing that you have gone out and verified your future goals through experience. Doing internships will help you enter college with a clearer idea of the professional environments you enjoy or don’t enjoy, which will make it easier for you to recruit into a job you love after graduation. Students who have done at least one internship in high school also typically have an easier time recruiting into college internships and pre-professional organizations such as finance or pre-law clubs.
How to Find Summer Internships for High School Students
The best way to find official programs to apply to 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, as does the IvyWise blog.
However, official programs tend to be very competitive, so if you are serious about finding a summer internship in high school, you should also prepare a cold outreach strategy. You can read more about how to form a cold outreach strategy to find a high school internship at the end of this article. We also include email templates to make finding an internship or research position through cold outreach less daunting.
60 Summer Internships for High School Students
Order:
Most of the high school internship opportunities below have an acceptance rate of 20% or lower, given that there are many more high school students looking for 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!
Programs that Match You With an Internship in Your Interest Area
Ages: 15-19
Location: Virtual
Timeline: Summer, Spring, Fall, or Winter
Deadline: Various Deadlines
StandOut Connect is a program created thanks to investment from The University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Innovation that matches high school students with internships. 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: 16-18
Location: Locations Across the US
Timeline: School Year or Summer
Deadline: Various Deadlines
The U.S. Department of State’s Pathways Internship Program includes both the Internship Experience Program (IEP) and the Internship Temporary Program (ITEP). Both programs are targeted toward U.S. citizens enrolled in a wide variety of educational institutions from high school to graduate school and professional academic levels. Both programs provide students with opportunities to explore Federal careers while being paid for the work performed.
Ages: 17-18
Location: Locations Across the US
Timeline: Summer
Deadline: April 2025
Whether you’re interested in being a producer, a journalist, a web developer, an engineer, a business executive, a PR agent, a sales representative, or any other career in media or tech, the EBF Internship is here to help you get your start. If selected, you will have the opportunity to immerse yourself in an organization so you can learn, grow and put yourself on the fast-track to career success.
Ages: 14-18
Location: California
Timeline: Summer, School Year
Deadline: February 2025
The City and County of San Francisco offers various internships and summer programs for high school students through several departments and programs (Airport, City Attorney, Department of Children, Youth and Their Families, Department of Elections, District Attorney, General Services Adminstration, Office of Economic Workforce Development, Public Utilities Commission, Opportunities for All [San Francisco Students Only], and Public Works).
Ages: 14-19
Location: Texas
Timeline: Summer
Deadline: April 2025
The summer internship program provides paid, part-time internships for middle and high school students across San Antonio to build career opportunities and goals. Family Service partners with a variety of organizations within various industries to pair every person with the right organization for them.
STEM Internships for High School Students
Ages: 16-18
Location: Locations Across the US
Timeline: Summer or School Year
Deadline: Various Deadlines
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.
Ages: 16-18
Location: Locations Across the US
Timeline: Summer
Deadline: January 2025
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 are able to contribute to unique, research-based projects.
Ages: 16-18
Location: Locations Across the US
Timeline: Summer
Deadline: January 2025
The Hutton Junior Fisheries Biology Program is an eight week paid summer internship and mentoring program for high school students sponsored by the American Fisheries Society (AFS). Their vision is to stimulate interest in fisheries and aquatic science among underrepresented groups in the profession today. Students who live and have residency in the United States, Mexico and Canada are eligible to apply.
Ages: 17-18
Location: Locations Across the US
Timeline: Summer
Deadline: February 2025
The Summer Internship Program is designed to provide young people an opportunity to spend a summer working side-by-side with some of the most talented scientists in the world in an environment devoted exclusively to biomedical research. Summer interns conduct full-time biomedical research. They are expected to work just as hard as the postbacs, graduate students, and postdocs in their research groups, and the group will depend on their results.
Ages: 17-18
Location: Locations Across the US
Timeline: School Year
Deadline: October 2025
The student programs allow you to learn more about NSA, deepen your career field knowledge and collect a paycheck or scholarship money. This program is for students who plan to participate in a school-sponsored work experience program during their senior year. Positions are available based on requirements at each site.
Ages: 15-18
Location: Locations Across the US
Timeline: Summer
Deadline: March 2025
The TECH360 Summer Bootcamp is an intensive, 3-week program where students learn how to code through web design and web development. Throughout the program students will learn industry-aligned technical and professional skills, gaining knowledge of key coding languages and frameworks including HTML, CSS, and Bootstrap.
Ages: 16-18
Location: Locations Across the US
Timeline: Summer
Deadline: November 2026
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 gives academically talented sophomores, juniors, and seniors interested in STEM the opportunity to learn about Naval research and technology while receiving first-class mentoring by top scientists and engineers.
Ages: 14-18
Location: New York
Timeline: Summer
Deadline: February 2025
Each participant in the HOPP Summer Student Program is assigned to an 8-week, biomedical or computational lab-based internship at MSKCC. Students are paired with a mentor who supervises their activities, helps them develop appropriate skills. Over the course of the internship, students complete a self-directed project that provides value to their mentor and/or Principal Investigator’s overall research objectives.
Ages: 15-17
Location: New York
Timeline: Summer
Deadline: October 2026
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: 14-17
Location: New York
Timeline: School Year
Deadline: March 2025
BioBus creates immersive laboratory environments, including mobile labs and community labs, in which students join scientists for hands-on scientific exploration during in-school, after-school, weekend, and summer programs as well as internships. BioBus helps K-12 and college students in New York City discover, explore, and pursue science.
Ages: 16-18
Location: New York
Timeline: School Year
Deadline: January 2025
The Biorocket Research Internship Program is a 6-month science research internship experience for New York City public and charter high school students age 16 and up. The program provides students with the opportunity to learn the latest advances in genetic engineering and biology laboratory skills, along with the science communication skills necessary to communicate about these topics with a variety of audiences.
Ages: 15-18
Location: New York
Timeline: Summer
Deadline: February 2025
The Hk Maker Lab is an intensive six-week summer program to learn the foundations of design. Focusing on addressing a health problem, participants will design, prototype and test a biomedical device and develop an associated business plan. The program will culminate 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: New York
Timeline: Summer
Deadline: March 2025
The Laboratory Learning Program is a full-time, free research experience in the sciences or engineering for high school students. Students are included in ongoing research programs where they are closely supervised by Princeton faculty and research staff. The participation dates are customized according to the schedules of the research personnel and the specifics of the project.
Ages: 15-16
Location: California
Timeline: Summer
Deadline: March 2025
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 either: East Palo Alto, Belle Haven, North Fair Oaks, or Redwood City.
Ages: 16-19
Location: California
Timeline: Summer
Deadline: December 2024
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
Timeline: Summer
Deadline: Various Deadlines
Sandia applies science to help detect, repel, defeat, or mitigate national threats. Sandia welcomes student interns – from those 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: 16-19
Location: California
Timeline: Summer
Deadline: February 2025
The Stanford Institutes of Medicine Summer Research Program (SIMR) is an eight-week program in which high school students from diverse backgrounds are invited to perform basic research with Stanford faculty, postdoctoral fellows, students and researchers on a medically-oriented project. The goals of the program include increasing interest in biological sciences and medicine in high school students, helping students to understand how scientific research is performed, and increasing diversity of students and researchers in the sciences.
Ages: 15-17
Location: Georgia
Timeline: Summer, School Year
Deadline: Various Deadlines
If you have a passion for aquatic ecosystems and a talent of engaging with people, Georgia Aquarium’s Beginner Environmental Leadership Program is for you. Open to all high school students aged 15-17, this program is dedicated to empowering teens to become tomorrow’s leaders in environmental conservation. The Beginner Environmental Leadership Program runs three times a year and will last for four months. Teens may volunteer on any day during the summer and on breaks and weekends throughout the school year.
Ages: 13-18
Location: Illinois
Timeline: Summer
Deadline: Various Deadlines
The Adler Planetarium offers various opportunities for teenagers to participate in STEAM-based programs that aim at providing an environment for personal growth and scientific experimentation. The Summer Internship Program places high school students in professional museum roles. In addition to the summer internship, the Adler Planetarium offers other teen programs throughout the year, each with their specific requirements, such as the Mission Near Space program, which is open to applicants in 7th-8th grade attending a Chicago Public School.
Ages: 16-17
Location: Massachusetts
Timeline: Summer
Deadline: April 2025
The Tufts University Biomedical Engineering Research Scholars (TUBERS) Program is an opportunity for high school students interested in biomedical engineering research to gain hands-on experience over a six-week period during the summer. Participants will work in Tuft’s biomedical engineering labs, learning experimental protocols, testing hypotheses, and working on specific projects. Students will also receive academic guidance from undergraduates and graduate students involved with the program and their research mentors. The program is free of charge and encourages those from underrepresented backgrounds to apply.
Ages: 16-18
Location: Michigan
Timeline: Summer
Deadline: March 2025
The Aspirnaut Summer Research Internship Program at U-M is a six-week program that aims to increase interest in basic science research by giving high school students from under-resourced areas the chance to work with researchers at U-M in a hands-on science laboratory experience. Interns will come from select communities in Michigan, including rural and socioeconomically disadvantaged areas.
Ages: 16-17
Location: Massachusetts
Timeline: Summer
Deadline: February 2025
The MITES Summer Program is a six-week, on-campus program that immerses US 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: 15-18
Location: Massachusetts
Timeline: Summer, School Year
Deadline: Various Deadlines
The MGH Youth Scholars Program supports students in grades 9 through 12 by promoting educational attainment for students in Boston, Chelsea and Revere. The program works to increase students’ interest in science and healthcare, spark college aspirations and preparedness, and aims to support Scholars to succeed academically in high school, graduate from college, and enter the workforce with a strong sense of academic fortitude and confidence.
Ages: 15-18
Location: New Hampshire
Timeline: Summer
Deadline: March 2025
The 2023 High School Foundations Summer Internship program is a highly competitive and rigorous program designed for high school students to gain real-world experience and insights into various careers. Over the course of several weeks during the summer, interns participate in a range of learning opportunities, such as workshops, lectures, and hands-on projects, that are designed to deepen their understanding of fields like business, medicine, law, engineering, and the arts. Interns work closely with professionals in their areas of interest, participate in team-building activities, and receive mentorship from experienced advisors to guide their personal and professional growth.
Business Internships for High School Students
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: 13-18
Location: New York
Timeline: Summer
Deadline: Contact for Deadline
BALI believes that all youth, including female identifying and gender expansive-youth are destined for greatness. Their mission is to inspire them to become effective, dynamic and visionary 21st century leaders as well as active and creative participants in civic, political, corporate and community life. This program provides the skills set and the social-emotional learning needed by the current generation of young women to gain the knowledge and the confidence needed to become leaders in all circles of life.
Ages: 16-18
Location: New Jersey
Timeline: Summer
Deadline: Rolling
This is an open listing for individuals within their junior or senior year of high school interested in exploring more in-depth areas related to business, finance, and entrepreneurship who would like to intern for a specialized venture capital firm located in the Northeastern part of the US. The position is for a hybrid internship, and the applicant must be able to commute to Princeton, NJ, on a limited basis. We’re looking for talented individuals that are hungry for knowledge and have the entrepreneurial spirit.
Ages: 16-18
Location: Remote
Timeline: Summer
Deadline: Rolling
The PHC Group Summer Program offers talented high school rising/seniors an opportunity to go beyond the classroom to develop leadership skills and gain meaningful and tangible experience as part of a global team in a paid internship. Interns will participate in scheduled activities throughout the summer, engaging in team projects with senior leadership and exploring independent interests that support PHC Group’s mission. Under the guidance of the Public Health Director, Interns will actively assist the team via social media-related projects, online community interaction and technical support.
Ages: 14-18
Location: New York
Timeline: Summer
Deadline: April 2025
The Athena Institute sees entrepreneurship as a powerful way to build the world we want to inhabit. They take an approach to entrepreneurship that’s creative, collaborative, and conscious of impact, on others as well as on ourselves. The Athena Summer Innovation Institute is an intensive, 3-week boot camp that provides young women with the practical skills and knowledge they need to develop ideas that will make a difference in the world.
Ages: 15-17
Location: Illinois
Timeline: Summer
Deadline: Contact for Deadline
CSBI matches Chicago high school students with internships in leading companies in Chicago. The goal is to supply students with the skills and connections that they need to begin their careers as working professionals. Students make connections with industry experts in fields like finance, law, government, and more.
Ages: 15-18
Location: Massachusetts
Timeline: Summer, School Year
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: 14-16
Location: New York
Timeline: Summer
Deadline: April 2025
Accelerate your STEM skills and dive deeper into the science behind urban infrastructure with Innovation, Entrepreneurship, and the Science of Smart Cities (ieSoSC). ieSoSC is a follow-up to the Science of Smart Cities program for middle school students; it is designed for high school students to take their skills in computer science, engineering and technology to a new level and gain hands-on experience designing prototypes for smart city solutions.
Ages: 14-18
Location: Virginia
Timeline: Summer
Deadline: April 2025
Youth Congress is an organization that allows teenagers to experience and gain independence and leadership through paid internships. These internships range from office work to assistance in camp programs to assisting someone who works in a highly ranked job such as marketing. The program is a summer-long commitment of 60 hrs. Teens will have the option to set their own hours with their mentor.
Law & Politics Internships for High School Students
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: 16-18
Location: New York
Timeline: Summer
Deadline: January 2025
The Thurgood Marshall Summer Law Internship Program is an intensive 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
Timeline: Summer
Deadline: March 2025
The Manhattan District Attorney’s High School Internship Program is a rigorous internship that provides students with an insider’s view of the criminal justice system. Participants will have the opportunity to engage in workshops and discussions surrounding criminal justice, police brutality, civic engagement, leadership, and more. Program participants will take part in a series of presentations and conversations with staff in order to build a foundational understanding of how policies are developed and implemented, and of how academic and career paths can result in moving justice forward.
Ages: 16-18
Location: Illinois
Timeline: Summer
Deadline: July 2025
The Saper Law Immersion Program was founded in 2013 by Daliah Saper, Principal Attorney at Saper Law Offices. While originally intended for recent law school graduates, the program has evolved into a week-long camp that exposes high school and college students to the legal profession. The course takes place at Saper Law Offices and is taught by Daliah Saper and other Saper Law attorneys. The curriculum consists of negotiation and writing exercises, field trips, and mock legal proceedings. Since Saper Law practices heavily in the areas of social media and digital technology, a key component of the exercises will involve entertainment, business, and internet related legal case studies.
Ages: 14-18
Location: New York
Timeline: School Year, Summer
Deadline: Contact for Deadline
The New York University High School Law Institute (“HSLI”) is a student-run organization that serves talented and motivated high school students throughout New York City. Alongside its sister program at Columbia Law School, they offer free, yearlong academic programming in constitutional law, criminal law, and speech and debate on Saturdays from 10 AM to 1 PM.
Ages: 16-17
Location: New York
Timeline: Summer
Deadline: February 2025
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 program helps cultivate and develop future leaders from underserved communities and diverse backgrounds as well as increase diversity in the legal profession.
Ages: 17-18
Location: New York
Timeline: Summer
Deadline: March 2025
Since 2005, the Temple of Understanding has implemented 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: Connecticut
Timeline: Summer, School Year
Deadline: February 2025
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: California
Timeline: Summer, School Year
Deadline: Rolling
Volunteers have the opportunity to learn about the criminal justice system firsthand and work closely with all levels of staff, from deputy district attorneys to investigators to support staff, as well as have contact with other court and law enforcement staff. A high school volunteer student can be expected to assist with any of the following duties: Scanning, photocopying, and/or shredding of documents; answering telephones, typing, filing, delivering documents; assembling reports, documents or manuals; and other duties depending on education and skills.
Ages: 14-18
Location: Massachusetts
Timeline: School Year, Summer
Deadline: Contact for Deadline
The Mayor’s Youth Council is a 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: 14-18
Location: California
Timeline: School Year, Summer
Deadline: January 2025
The Student Advisory Board is made up of high school students who live or attend high school in the 18th Congressional District. Past Student Advisory Boards have researched topics and polled students on issues important to young people and made recommendations on legislation being considered in Congress. Their most recent reports have covered important topics such as alternative energy, the economy, human rights, and the Innovation Agenda.
Ages: 14-18
Location: New York
Timeline: Summer, School Year
Deadline: April 2025
The Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office offers high school, college and legal internships throughout the year. These highly competitive internships offer students a unique opportunity to be part of a district attorney’s office. An intern’s duties may include assisting in investigations, attending trials, preparing and compiling documents and financial data, conducting and analyzing legal research, and supporting community outreach programs.
Ages: 16-18
Location: New York
Timeline: Summer, School Year
Deadline: August 2025
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: New Jersey
Timeline: Summer, School Year
Deadline: Various Deadlines
Senator Cory Booker’s office offers a limited number of fall, spring, and summer internships for high school and college students, as well as recent college graduates. Internships are in Senator Booker’s Washington, D.C., Newark, New Jersey, and Camden, New Jersey offices and provide an excellent way to learn first-hand how Congress works.
Ages: 16-17
Location: Oregon
Timeline: School Year, Summer
Deadline: April 2025
Students who are selected for the program work one-on-one with an attorney mentor over the course of the school year. In the past, mentors have helped students with college essays, taken students to observe courtroom proceedings, and provided general networking assistance on topics of the students’ interests.
Ages: 15-19
Location: Massachusetts
Timeline: Summer
Deadline: Rolling
City Mission offers a Social Justice Internship Program for high school students or recent graduates interested in social activism and working for change in Boston. The program aims to dismantle systems of oppression and create lasting change through group collaborations and independent research, offering opportunities for activism and involvement in community work. Interns participate in conferences and workshops to learn about ongoing events and amplify their voices for collective liberation. They work on a presentation project of their choice, engage in positive news discussions, and collaborate on events and actions. The program also invites local and national leaders for conversations to inspire growth, connections, and learning. The program is adjusted based on interns’ interests and ideas, with a stipend of $15 per hour.
Ages: 16-18
Location: Remote
Timeline: Summer, School Year
Deadline: Varies by Position
The Smithsonian Office of Internships provides high school students the opportunity to gain experience in the world’s largest museum, education, and research institution. There are a variety of virtual, hybrid, and in-person internship opportunities across the various different museums such as the National Museum of Natural History, National Portrait Museum, and National Museum of the American Indian, and a variety of others.
Ages: 16-18
Location: Remote
Timeline: Summer, School Year
Deadline: Varies by Position
FPRI offers internships for students during the Summer, Fall, and Spring terms. Interns have the opportunity 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 that come from working in a professional environment 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.
Arts and Marketing Internships for High School Students
Ages: 15-17
Location: New York
Timeline: Summer
Deadline: March 2025
This internship experience is not 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.
Ages: 14-18
Location: New York
Timeline: Summer, School Year
Deadline: Contact for Deadline
The Poetry Society of New York has a simple mission: to redefine and reestablish poetry’s essential position in the culture-at-large. Internship tasks can be tailored around your interests whether those interests are in event production, marketing or PR, fundraising and development, editorial work, or elsewhere. As a small non-profit, they empower their interns with a lot more responsibility than most organizations.
Ages: 16-18
Location: New York
Timeline: Summer, School Year
Deadline: Rolling
CITYarts engages youth with professional artists in the creation of public art, including murals and mosaics. CITYarts welcomes talented individuals to apply for internships that provide resources for arts training, real-world experience with projects and artists, school credit and stipends. Positions include Bookkeeping Internship, Design Internship, Development Internship, Photo/Video Internship, Pieces for Peace Internship, PR/Marketing Internship, Projects Internship, and Social Media Internship.
Ages: 14-18
Location: Illinois
Timeline: Summer
Deadline: Contact For Deadline
The Chicago Philharmonic’s Community Engagement Program aims to make classical music accessible to all Chicagoans by bridging the gap between the musicians in their orchestra and the local community. The Chicago Philharmonic Paid Summer Internship is offered to four high school students each summer and includes mentorship and training in areas of arts administration such as marketing, development, operations, and community engagement, as well as a musical performance element guided by Chicago Philharmonic musicians.
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 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 where you can help with skills such as social media, coding, content/grant writing, or graphic design. Smaller companies that need more hands on deck will be the most likely to hire high-school-aged students. Try to find personal connections with the professionals you reach out to, such as being from the same state originally or liking 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. However, be sure to check that the sharing settings on the document allow anyone with the link to view its contents. It can also be a good idea to include work samples in your resume, such as the link to a website you designed, 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]
Conclusion
Whether you are applying to established programs or launching a cold outreach strategy, the name of the game when looking for a 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!