15 Finance Internships in Colorado for High School Students
If you’re a high school student in Colorado thinking about finance, the quickest way to understand it is to step into the work itself. Internships let you move beyond classroom concepts and see how money, decisions, and strategy actually connect in real settings.
What do finance internships in Colorado involve?
In a finance internship, you may assist with basic financial tasks such as organising data, tracking expenses, or supporting small research projects. Some roles may place you inside banks, investment firms, or local businesses where you observe how teams handle budgets, clients, and planning. The work is often simple at first, but it shows you how financial decisions take shape day to day.
Why pursue finance internships as a high school student?
These internships help you test your interest early. You start to see whether finance is something you enjoy working with, not just reading about. They also give you concrete experience you can use in college applications. Even a short internship can give you examples and clarity that most students don’t have at this stage.
For adjacent opportunities, check out business summer programs in Colorado.
To help you get started, here are 15 finance internships in Colorado for high school students!
15 Finance Internships in Colorado for High School Students
1. Air Academy Federal Credit Union Internship Program
Location: Colorado Springs, CO; training at corporate HQ with branch assignments across Colorado Springs, Castle Rock, Highlands Ranch, Monument, Parker
Cost: Not specified
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: June 8–16; July 13–21 (7-day training sessions at corporate HQ, followed by ongoing branch work through the school year)
Application Deadline: April 5
Eligibility: Rising 11th and 12th graders; must be at least 16 years of age by June 8; must attend school within a qualifying district served by AACU.
The Air Academy Federal Credit Union Internship Program offers high school students practical experience within the financial services industry. The internship starts with a training program, after which you will be assigned a branch location where you’ll work on financial projects and services. You will understand the role of financial professionals, receive mentorship, and shadow professionals, including financial advisors, planners, analysts, risk managers, and consultants. The program includes quarterly performance reviews, and you will receive a letter of recommendation upon completion, with a chance of getting a full-time or part-time role after you complete high school.
2. Young Founders Lab
Cost: Varies depending on program type. Full financial aid available.
Location: This program is 100% virtual, with live, interactive workshops
Program Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year, including summer, fall, winter, and spring
Application Deadline: Varies according to cohort. You can access the application link here!
Eligibility: The program is currently open to all high school students
The Young Founder’s Lab is a start-up boot camp founded and run by Harvard entrepreneurs. In this program, you will work towards building a revenue-generating start-up that addresses a complex problem. You will also have the opportunity to be mentored by established entrepreneurs and professionals from Google, Microsoft, and X. Apart from building the start-up itself, you will also participate in interactive classes on business fundamentals and business ideations, workshops and skill-building sessions, case studies, panel discussions, and more. You participate in live, interactive sessions that cover ideation frameworks, customer discovery, market validation, and foundational financial principles. You can check out the brochure for the program here.
3. Growing Grads Summer Internship Program
Location: Interns placed within various City of Brighton departments, Brighton, CO
Cost: Pays a stipend; hourly rate not specified
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive
Dates: 4 mandatory professional development days in June and July; internship runs 8 weeks in the summer, up to 150 hours total (exact dates vary)
Application Deadline: March 1
Eligibility: High school students and youth aged 14–21; must live within Brighton city limits or attend a School District 27J school.
Growing Grads places you inside city departments, where finance shows up in budgeting, procurement, and internal operations. If you choose a finance-related role, you work with tasks like tracking expenses, reviewing budget requests, and organizing financial data for reports. The structure is slower and more process-driven compared to private companies, but that also helps you understand how public sector finance works. The weekly training sessions break up the routine and give you a clearer sense of how these systems connect across departments.
4. Ladder Internship Program
Cost: Varies depending on program type. Full financial aid available.
Location: Remote! You can work from anywhere in the world.
Application Deadline: Deadlines vary depending on the cohort. Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September), and Winter (November).
Program Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year, including Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter.
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 start-up internship program for ambitious high school students! In the program, you work with a high-growth start-up on an internship. Start-ups that offer internships range across a variety of industries, from tech/deep tech and AI/ML to health tech, marketing, journalism, consulting, and more. Ladder’s start-ups are high-growth companies on average, raising over a million dollars. Interns work closely with their manager at the startup on real-world projects and present their work to the company. You will contribute to active company initiatives, building skills in research, financial analysis, strategy, product development, marketing, or operations, depending on your placement.
5. General Services Administration (GSA) Pathways Internship Program
Location: General Services Administration (GSA), Denver and Fort Collins, CO
Cost: Free. A stipend is paid, starting at the GS-4 pay grade level, and varies as per location
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly competitive; 5–15 students
Dates: Academic year and summer (June – August)
Application Deadline: Mid-February; applications typically open on USAJOBS in October and again in February for very short windows (often only 10 business days)
Eligibility: Students in an accredited high school; U.S. citizens
The GSA Pathways Internship focuses on government finance, especially in procurement and contracting. If you are placed in the contracting track, you work with documents and processes that define how agreements are created and managed. You observe how financial terms are negotiated and how contracts are maintained over time. The work involves reviewing detailed records and following strict procedures. You also see how compliance and accountability shape financial decisions within federal systems.
6. Denver Public Schools Launches Internship Program
Location: Various companies or organisations across the Denver metro area, CO (in-person, hybrid, or virtual, depending on site)
Cost: No cost
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: Exact dates vary; typically offered in Summer, Fall, and Spring semesters
Application Deadline: Varies by semester
Eligibility: High school students enrolled at a participating DPS school (currently 19 schools); must complete Skills Training for Young Professionals before first internship
Denver Public Schools’ Launch Internship Program starts with a required training where you learn workplace basics before beginning your placement. Once placed, you work in an organisation where finance may be part of business or administrative functions. You support tasks depending on the role, which can include observing financial workflows or assisting with basic operational work. A mentor is assigned to guide you and help you adjust to the work environment. The internship runs for about 10 to 12 weeks, during which you also shadow professionals to understand their roles.
7. CareerWise Colorado Financial Services Apprenticeship
Location: Placed at local employer partner sites in cities including Denver, Colorado Springs, Aurora, Boulder, Fort Collins, Lakewood, and Grand Junction, CO
Cost: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive; hiring is led by individual employer partners and varies by position and location
Dates: Year-round, 16–24 hours per week during the school year alongside regular coursework
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions through the CareerWise Hiring Hub
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors or seniors; must attend a participating school in a partnering district; age and grade requirements vary by individual employer posting; interest in financial services fields such as banking, bookkeeping, accounting, or insurance
CareerWise Colorado offers an apprenticeship where you are placed with employers in financial services like banking, accounting, or insurance. You work during the school year alongside your classes, which makes the experience longer and more consistent than short internships. In your role, you take on tasks that reflect actual workplace needs, such as handling financial data or supporting customer-facing services. You also learn how different financial institutions operate and what roles exist within them. Over time, you build practical skills like attention to detail and problem-solving.
8. Denver Youth Employment Program (DYEP)
Location: Work placements at employer partner sites across the City of Denver, CO
Cost: None. A stipend is paid
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive
Dates: Internships run from June through August (Exact dates vary)
Application Deadline: Not specified; applications typically open in the spring
Eligibility: DPS-enrolled high school students and youth ages 14–21; designed for first-time workers
The Denver Youth Employment Program begins with job readiness and financial literacy training before placing you with an employer. Once placed, you work in a role where you support daily operations, which may include administrative or finance-related tasks depending on the organisation. The placements vary widely, so your exposure to finance depends on where you are assigned. During the internship, you interact with supervisors and receive guidance on how to handle workplace responsibilities. You also gain experience working within structured environments like businesses or public offices.
9. National Archives and Records Administration Voluntary Internship Program
Location: National Archives locations across the U.S., including the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) facility in Broomfield, CO
Cost: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive; typically, 1–5 students per department
Dates: The program typically takes place over 2-5 months and aligns with academic sessions, i.e., Summer, Fall, Spring
Application Deadline: Varies by session; Summer: Late March; Fall: Early July; Spring: Mid-December
Eligibility: High school, undergraduate, and graduate students
The National Archives internship allows you to work in areas such as accounting, budgeting, or financial management within a federal agency. You handle administrative tasks that support how financial records are maintained and organized. The work involves following established systems and understanding how documentation is managed. You are guided by professionals who oversee your tasks and explain how processes work. Since the program aligns with academic sessions, the timeline depends on the term you apply for.
10. Aurora City Hall Internships
Location: Placements within City of Aurora departments at city facilities across Aurora, CO
Cost: Not specified
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: Year-round; no fixed program cycle
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions through the Aurora careers portal
Eligibility: High school students ages 14 and older; open to anyone interested in exploring city government careers across a wide range of departments; no GPA or district enrollment requirement specified
The City of Aurora offers an internship opportunity where you will gain experience working with various departments of the city administration. You can expect to work in areas including public works, parks and recreation, housing and community services, finance, library and cultural services, and the water department. Tasks will vary according to your areas of work, but you can expect to assist with administrative tasks and shadow professionals. You will be working alongside professionals from various departments, while gaining professional experience in areas including coordination, program management, teamwork, and communication.
11. Denver Mayor's YouthWorks Initiative
Location: Employer partner sites throughout the city across a wide range of industries, including retail, hospitality, parks, nonprofits, government, and internships with major employers, Denver, CO
Cost: $250 retention bonus upon completion of 100 qualifying work hours (in addition to regular wages paid by the employer)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: March 1–August 14 (qualifying work period to accumulate 100 hours)
Application Deadline: Approximately July 1
Eligibility: High school students and young adults ages 14–21; must be a Denver resident; must have a job offer or an active job at the time of application
Denver Mayor’s YouthWorks Initiative places you with employers across different industries, where some roles involve finance-related work like operations or account support. You work in a structured environment and complete tasks assigned by your employer. The type of work depends on your job placement, which can range from business to public sector roles. During the program, you gain experience handling workplace responsibilities and interacting with supervisors. You are eligible for a retention bonus after completing 100 hours of work and submitting proof.
12. Habitat for Humanity ReStore Internship
Location: Habitat ReStore locations across the metro Denver area, including stores in Denver, Littleton, Arvada, and Aurora, CO
Cost/Stipend: Unpaid; counts toward high school graduation volunteer/service hour requirements
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Moderate; open application with informal virtual group interview
Dates: Summer, with one shift per week; minimum of 7 shifts required for program completion
Application Deadline: May 1
Eligibility: High school students ages 14 and older; must attend a virtual group interview; must attend in-person orientation on June 5; must commit to one weekly shift for the duration of the summer and complete at least 7 total shifts
Habitat for Humanity ReStore places you in a nonprofit retail setting where financial tasks are part of store operations. You assist with handling transactions, organising inventory, and supporting administrative work that keeps the store running. Through this, you see how revenue from sales contributes to larger housing initiatives. The work also includes interacting with customers and supporting daily store functions. You are required to complete a set number of shifts over the summer. In return, you receive volunteer hours and a completion letter for your participation.
13. City of Boulder Youth Opportunities Internship Program
Location: Placements within various City of Boulder departments, Boulder, CO
Cost: Paid; hourly rate varies by department
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive; cohort size not specified
Dates: 6 weeks, June–July; 120 hours total
Application Deadline: Typically late January; applications generally open in December
Eligibility: High school juniors or seniors; must be a resident of the City of Boulder; must attend a City of Boulder high school
The City of Boulder Youth Opportunities Internship places you within a city department where the day-to-day work regularly intersects with finance. Depending on your placement, tasks can include supporting budget tracking, assisting with data analysis that informs financial decisions, or helping departments manage operational records. Beyond the departmental work, the program includes career readiness sessions where you build professional skills alongside a cohort of peers from other city departments. The structure gives you a concrete picture of how municipal finance operates, how funds are allocated, how departments justify spending, and how accountability is maintained within public institutions.
14. Morgan Stanley Finance Academy
Location: Virtual (with potential in-person capstone events at NYC headquarters)
Cost: Free
Program Dates: 5 months, typically beginning in summer and continuing into the academic year
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: High school seniors from underrepresented communities in the U.S.
This five-month virtual program introduces high school seniors to the finance industry through interactive sessions led by Morgan Stanley professionals across investment banking, equities, capital markets, and research. You’ll gain foundational knowledge in areas like private equity, IPOs, and sustainability-linked finance while also building practical skills in networking and financial literacy. A core feature is the capstone competition, where you’ll work in teams to solve a real transaction case study; previous winners earned a trip to Morgan Stanley’s NYC office. The program is designed to support students who may not have prior access to finance networks or mentorship.
15. Fordham University - Finance Institute: Wall Street in the Classroom
Location: Virtual
Cost: $100 deposit + $1100 program cost
Dates: Week 1 - June 15-19; Week 2 - June 22-26; Week 3: July 20-24; Week 4: July 27-July 31
Application Deadline: Not Specified
Eligibility: High school students
Fordham University – Finance Institute: Wall Street in the Classroom is a one-week hybrid program that introduces you to finance through real-world market examples and simulations. You study topics like investment banking, stock markets, corporate finance, and portfolio management with Fordham faculty and professionals who have Wall Street experience. You work on financial models, analyze case studies, and participate in group projects. The program includes guest speakers and Q&A sessions with industry experts. You present your work at the end of the week and receive feedback.