15 Business Internships in New York for High School Students
What do business internships for high school students involve?
For high school students, business internships provide a clear and realistic way to explore how businesses operate. You get to observe daily work, contribute to small tasks, and learn how teams operate outside a classroom. Business internships help you understand what direction you may want to take in the future
Why consider business internships in New York?
New York is a major center for business activity, with opportunities across technology, finance, media, retail, consulting, and nonprofit work. The city’s mix of growing startups and long-standing firms creates space for students to learn how businesses operate at different scales. This exposure helps make abstract ideas more concrete.
If you’re interested in more options, you can look at online business internships for high school students. To expand your horizons and learn analytics skills, you can also check out business analytics internships for high school students.
With that, here are 15 business internships for high school students in New York!
15 Business Internships in New York for High School Students
1. Young Entrepreneurs Academy - New York City Chapter (YEA!)
Location: Staten Island, NY (additional NYC chapters, some virtual options)
Cost: Free for select chapters (check site for scholarships)
Application Deadline: Varies by partner site
Dates: Academic year or summer (duration ~7 months for year-round, varies for summer pilot)
Eligibility: Open to middle and high school students; NY residents
The Young Entrepreneurs Academy (YEA!) is a program for high school students who want to learn how businesses and nonprofits are created and managed. You begin by identifying a potential venture idea and gradually turn it into a structured business plan. The program introduces you to practical steps such as registering an organization, handling basic operations, and making early sales. As part of the experience, you present your plan to a review panel that provides feedback and evaluates student projects, with some participants considered for seed funding. Throughout the program, you build skills in areas like budgeting, communication, and leadership. You also engage with local entrepreneurs and community members to better understand how small organizations function in real settings.
2. Young Founders Lab
Location: This program is 100% virtual, with live, interactive workshops
Cost: Varies depending on program type. Full financial aid available
Application Deadline: Varies according to cohort. You can access the application link here!
Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year, including summer, fall, winter, and spring
Eligibility: The program is currently open to all high school students
The Young Founder’s Lab is a start-up program designed for high school students interested in learning how new ventures are developed. In the program, you work on shaping a start-up idea that addresses a real-world issue while considering how it could generate revenue. You receive feedback and guidance from mentors with backgrounds in technology and business, including professionals who have worked at companies such as Google, Microsoft, and X. Alongside project work, you participate in organized sessions that introduce core business concepts and methods for refining ideas. The program also includes workshops, case studies, and panel discussions that examine different paths to building and scaling a company. Through this structure, you gain exposure to both the conceptual and practical sides of entrepreneurship in an academic setting. You can check out the brochure for the program here.
3. Bank of America Student Leaders
Location: Local nonprofit placements across the U.S., including in NY + a summit in Washington, D.C.
Cost: No cost. Stipend paid
Application deadline: January 15
Dates: June – August; eight-week program including the Student Leaders Summit: July 21 – 26
Eligibility: High school seniors and juniors who are eligible to work in the U.S
Bank of America structures this program around steady, real work inside nonprofit organizations. You are placed locally and become part of today's operations, helping with coordination, communication, and basic administrative or financial tasks. Over eight weeks, you develop professional habits by showing up consistently and managing responsibilities alongside staff. The Washington summit shifts focus outward, helping you understand how nonprofits interact with public institutions and business.
4. Ladder Internship Program
Location: Remote! You can work from anywhere in the world.
Cost: Full financial aid available
Application deadline: Deadlines vary depending on the cohort
Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year
Eligibility: Students who can work for 10–20 hours/week, for 8–12 weeks. Open to high school students, undergraduates, and gap year students!
Ladder Internships is a selective internship program for high school students interested in gaining experience with start-up companies. Through the program, you are matched with a growing start-up and work on an internship project related to its operations. These start-ups span a range of fields, including technology, AI and machine learning, health technology, marketing, journalism, and consulting. Many of the companies have received external funding and are led by founders with prior experience in established tech firms or start-up accelerators. During the internship, you work directly with a manager at the company and receive guidance from a Ladder Coach. Your responsibilities focus on real-world tasks rather than simulations. At the end of the program, you present your work and reflect on what you have learned.
5. Bossgirls Summer Program
Location: The City College of New York (CCNY), New York
Cost: None
Application deadline: February 28
Dates: June 29 – July 30
Eligibility: Students in grades 9 to 12 who are residents of the tri-state region and commute to the CCNY campus this summer.
The Bossgirls Summer Program at the City College of New York is a five-week entrepreneurship course for high school girls and nonbinary students, supported by Standard Chartered. In the program, you participate in hands-on activities such as market research, prototyping, and brand planning, culminating in a final pitch presentation. The curriculum emphasizes problem-solving and design skills within an entrepreneurial context. You receive guidance from mentors with experience in the field, giving you insight into entrepreneurship as a potential career path. Working in teams, you develop your ideas and practice approaching business challenges with a focus on human-centered solutions.
6. CLA High School Internship Program
Location: Offered in select offices nationwide, including NYC
Cost: A stipend is paid
Application Deadline: Applications typically open in winter and close by March
Dates: 4–8 weeks, June – August
Eligibility: Ages 16–18
CLA’s High School Internship is a paid program that allows you to gain guided experience in areas such as finance, tax, and digital advisory. During the internship, you work on structured projects that may include budgeting, forecasting, and reviewing financial reports. You observe how professionals support clients with financial planning, investment decisions, and business operations. The program includes case studies, practice client scenarios, and opportunities to work with financial data alongside your team. You also take part in sessions focused on personal finance, tax concepts, and digital tools commonly used in the field.
7. Morgan Stanley Finance Academy
Location: Virtual
Cost: Free (fully funded career development program; no tuition or program fees)
Application Deadline: September 19 (tentative)
Dates: Five-month program running October–March
Eligibility: Current high school seniors in the United States
Morgan Stanley's Finance Academy is a selective career development program designed to introduce high school seniors to professional finance through structured learning and real-world application. Over five months, you participate in biweekly virtual sessions led by Morgan Stanley professionals, who guide you through the fundamentals of financial careers and industry dynamics. Alongside these sessions, you work in a team setting on a capstone project that simulates a real business scenario, drawing on actual Morgan Stanley client work and market conditions. This project requires you to analyze financial information, make strategic recommendations, and present your findings, mirroring the work that junior professionals perform daily at the firm. The program concludes with a capstone project competition.
8. The Met High School Internship Program
Location: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Cost: Paid (Stipend approx. $1,100)
Application Deadline: Early February (Applications open mid-Nov)
Dates: July – August (check specific department dates)
Eligibility: High school students in grade 10 or 11 who reside in and attend a high school or home school in either New York, New Jersey, or Connecticut
The Metropolitan Museum of Art offers a paid summer internship for high school juniors and sophomores that brings you inside one of the world’s largest museums to explore real work with professionals across departments. You are placed in a specific department, such as curatorial research, social media and communications, design and imaging, conservation support, education, or visitor services. You observe and assist staff with ongoing projects, learn how museum operations unfold behind the scenes, and contribute to meaningful tasks that match your interests. No art history background is required; enthusiasm for learning about museum careers, teamwork, and professional skills is what matters most.
9. Citadel Securities - High School Terminal
Location: Citadel Securities headquarters in New York, NY (Manhattan, Park Avenue); program is online and accessible nationally
Cost: Free (no program fees; competition-based)
Application Deadline: Rolling basis; varies by cohort
Dates: Varies by cohort; typically offered during summer and fall
Eligibility: High school students ages 13+, currently enrolled and in good standing in the United States, Canada, or select international locations
Citadel Securities' High School Terminal is a games-based online programming competition designed to build quantitative and trading skills in a competitive, interactive format. Terminal immerses you in a realistic market simulation where you develop algorithmic trading strategies, analyze financial data, and make real-time decisions. The platform presents scenarios that reflect the complexity of financial markets, and your performance is ranked against other participants globally, creating a competitive environment that mirrors the work of professional traders and quant researchers. You will develop core competencies in problem-solving, data analysis, and strategic thinking that are essential in finance and technology.
10. Mayor’s Office Internship Program - City of New York
Location: Offices of the Mayor of New York City, New York, NY
Cost: Paid internship; high school rate is $16.50 per hour
Application Deadline: Varies by term; Fall/Spring term, August 31
Dates: Summer Term: June – August (exact dates unspecified); Fall/Spring Term: October 20 – April 10
Eligibility: High school (Summer): age 16+, working papers, enrolled in high school or accepted to college; high school (Fall/Spring): NYC resident, age 16+, working papers, enrolled in high school
The City of New York Mayor’s Office offers this internship as a practical introduction to how large public organizations function. You apply to a specific department and support ongoing projects through research, data work, drafting materials, and attending meetings. The work feels similar to an entry-level role in a professional office, with expectations around communication and collaboration. Regular speaker sessions expose you to senior officials and decision-making at scale. Designing a service project adds planning and coordination experience that extends beyond desk work.
11. Summer Internship Program - Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corporation
Location: Brooklyn Navy Yard, Brooklyn, NY
Cost: Paid (stipend amount unspecified)
Application Deadline: Unspecified (fill interest form for notifications)
Dates: 8-week sessions in summer
Eligibility: College-bound high school seniors and college students
Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corporation connects you with businesses operating inside an active industrial campus. Your placement depends on interest and skill fit, with roles spanning operations, technology, design, or manufacturing. Over the summer, you contribute to ongoing projects and build familiarity with workplace norms. The setting exposes you to a range of companies in one location, which makes networking and observation part of your daily experience. The focus stays practical and work-driven.
12. Innovation, Entrepreneurship and the Science of Smart Cities (ieSoSC) - NYU Tandon School of Engineering
Location: In-person at NYU Tandon School of Engineering, Brooklyn, NY
Cost: Free (fully funded thanks to National Grid sponsorship; no tuition or program fees)
Application Deadline: April 14
Dates: July 1 – August 2
Eligibility: New York City high school students in grades 8–10
ieSoSC is a five-week, fully funded commuter program for high school students in New York City that focuses on the intersection of STEM, entrepreneurship, and urban challenges. During the program, you take part in hands-on activities related to engineering, coding, prototyping, and product design. Your projects are centered on practical city-based issues such as transportation systems, emergency preparedness, or infrastructure planning. Along the way, you incorporate business concepts by developing budgets, outlining business models, and defining the value of your project. You work collaboratively with a team to refine both the technical and financial aspects of your ideas. The program ends with a presentation in which you explain your project and approach to professionals from industry and entrepreneurship.
13. NYC Ladders for Leaders Program
Location: New York City, NY (placements with NYC-based corporations, nonprofits, and government agencies)
Cost: Free; internships are paid (hourly wage, varies by employer)
Application Deadline: January 9
Dates: 6–7 weeks during the summer; usually July – August
Eligibility: High school and college students ages 16–21 in New York City; must be eligible to work in the US; competitive selection and completion of pre-employment training required
NYC Ladders for Leaders is a summer internship program for high school and college students that offers paid placements in a variety of fields, including finance, business, technology, healthcare, government, and nonprofit organizations. You begin by applying through a competitive selection process and complete 30 hours of pre-employment training to develop workplace skills. Once accepted, you are matched with a finance-related placement based on your interests and background. Possible placements include investment banks, accounting firms, asset management companies, fintech startups, or city finance offices. During the internship, you gain practical experience in tasks such as budgeting, financial analysis, client support, and general business operations.
14. LaGuardia Community College Summer Youth Employment Program
Location: LaGuardia Community College, Long Island City, NYC
Stipend: $16.50/hour for working up to 25 hours/week
Application deadline: Typically, Late February
Dates: July – August
Eligibility: NYC residents, ages 14–24, who are legally allowed to work in the U.S
The Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP) at LaGuardia Community College provides NYC high school students with paid summer work experience aimed at building career skills. You can work up to 25 hours per week at $16.50 per hour in fields such as business administration, education, customer service, and finance. Alongside your placement, the program offers workshops on topics like budgeting, career planning, and project management. By combining practical work with structured learning, SYEP helps you develop skills that transfer to many careers, including communication, teamwork, and problem-solving.
15. Tech Flex Leaders Program - America on Tech
Location: Hybrid (New York City, Los Angeles, or Miami)
Cost: Free. $500 stipend upon program completion
Acceptance rate/Cohort size: Unspecified
Application Deadline: Priority: July 6; Final: August 3
Dates: Fall: September 15 – December 8; Spring: January 26 – May 4; Summer: June – August (9 months total)
Eligibility: High school juniors/seniors in NYC, LA, or Miami
This 9-month hybrid program equips you with tech skills through weekly sessions including technical training, professional development, and mentorship from industry experts. Semester 1 covers web development (HTML, CSS, Bootstrap) and introductory AI concepts, ending in a Demo Day competition. Semester 2 lets you specialize in Advanced Web Development, UX Design, Digital Marketing, Product Management, or Data Science, all with AI integration. NYC participants in good standing secure paid summer tech internships via partner networks; LA/Miami students apply for select roles. Mandatory in-person events include orientations, sessions (3x/semester), Demo Day, and graduation. The free program builds leadership, coding, and AI literacy for tech careers.
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