15 Summer Internships for High School Students in 2026
If you are a high school student looking to go beyond the classroom and gain hands-on experience, summer offers an extended opportunity during which you can explore areas of interest and develop professional skill sets.
What do summer internships involve?
Many summer internships are full-time and run for a few weeks, allowing you to get the most out of the experience. You can gain hands-on experience in a variety of areas, including aviation, research, public education, climate change, museum studies, finance, conservation, public policy, and medicine.
Why pursue a summer internship in high school?
Beyond the specific skills you build, internships give you concrete work experience you can speak to in college essays and interviews. You'll network with professionals, understand how organizations actually operate day-to-day, and get real signal on whether a given field is right for you before committing to it in college.
We've narrowed down a list of 15 summer internships for high school students. For related opportunities, check out our guides on startups offering internships for high school students and business internships for high school students in California.
Quick Look
7 paid internships: Textron Aviation, Manhattan DA's Office, United States Youth Conservation Corps, NASA Pathways, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art (stipend), among others.
2 fully remote options: Young Founders Lab and the Ladder Internship Program, both open to students nationwide.
3 internships open internationally: Medicine Encompassed, Building-U, and the American Psychological Association.
2 US-citizens-only programs: NASA GISS Climate Change Research Initiative and NASA Pathways.
Young Founders Lab is the only option on this list centered on building your own startup rather than interning with an existing organization, with full financial aid available.
15 Summer Internships for High School Students in 2026
1. Textron Aviation High School Internship
Cost/Stipend: Paid
Dates: Year-round; three sessions: Summer; Fall; Spring
Application Deadline: Summer — applications open January; Fall — applications open June; Spring — applications open October; rolling based on availability
Eligibility: High school students ages 16 and older
Techstron Aviation offers internship opportunities for high school students to gain hands-on experience in the aviation industry. During your internship, you can gain experience across varied areas such as business management, communications, engineering, human resources, manufacturing, finance, sales, information technology, customer experience, and more. You also get to work alongside aviation professionals, build professional skills, and explore different career paths. Internships are available both in the summer and year-round.
2. Young Founders Lab
Cost: $2,900 (need-based financial aid available)
Location: 100% virtual, with live interactive workshops
Eligibility: Open to all high school students
Program Dates: 4-week program starting June 5th, tentatively
Application Deadline: Early Decision: March | Regular Admission 1: April | Regular Admission 2: May
The Young Founders Lab is a real-world startup bootcamp founded and run by Harvard entrepreneurs. You will work towards building a revenue-generating startup that addresses a real-world problem, mentored by established entrepreneurs and professionals from Google, Microsoft, and X. Alongside building your startup, you'll participate in interactive classes on business fundamentals and ideation, workshops, skill-building sessions, case studies, and panel discussions. The program gives you a structured space to explore both theoretical and practical frameworks for building a successful business. You can check out the brochure here and access the application here.
3. Institute for Systems Biology High School Internships
Cost/Stipend: Not specified
Dates: Available during the academic year and the summer (exact dates not specified)
Application Deadline: March 11
Eligibility: High school students; minimum age requirements as applicable (must be at least 18 for some lab work)
The Institute for Systems Biology offers an 8-week summer internship program for high school students interested in exploring biomedical research and related fields. You will work under the mentorship of a researcher and learn about systems biology while applying it to your research project. Some topics you can explore include computational biology, microbiological interactions, oncology, systems medicine, microbial evolution, bioengineering, and more. You'll also have the opportunity to refine your technical knowledge in the areas of engineering, math, coding, and scientific research, along with gaining scientific research skills working in a professional lab environment.
4. Ladder Internship Program
Cost: Starting at $2,490 (financial aid available)
Location: Remote — work from anywhere in the world
Application Deadline: Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September), Winter (November)
Program Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year
Eligibility: Students who can work 10–20 hours/week for 8–12 weeks. Open to high school students, undergraduates, and gap year students!
Ladder Internships is a selective startup internship program for ambitious students. You'll work with a high-growth startup on real projects across industries, including tech, AI/ML, health tech, marketing, journalism, consulting, and more. Ladder's startups are high-growth companies on average raising over a million dollars — past founders include YCombinator alums and former employees of Microsoft, Google, and Facebook. You'll work closely with your manager and a Ladder Coach and present your work to the company at the end of the internship. You can apply here.
5. The Alamo Internship Program
Cost/Stipend: Unpaid
Dates: Three sessions per year: Spring (February–April); Summer (June–July); Fall (September–November); each session is 10 weeks
Application Deadline: Spring - November; Summer - March; Fall - July
Eligibility: Students currently enrolled in high school, undergraduate, or graduate programs; background check required; participants must independently hold valid U.S. work authorization
The Alamo offers high school students the chance to gain professional experience through internship programs in diverse areas such as museum studies, business, and visitor experience. The internship takes place over ten weeks, where you will work alongside museum professionals. You will explore different pathways in the field and gain hands-on experience in diverse areas, including conservation, translation, audience engagement, public education, information technology, marketing, and accounting.
6. NASA GISS Climate Change Research Initiative
Cost/Stipend: Not specified
Dates: Summer session is full-time (exact dates not specified)
Application Deadline: Application details posted on the program page as they become available; interested applicants directed to contact the program leader
Eligibility: U.S. citizens only; high school students participate during the summer session only
THE NASA GISS Climate Change Research Initiative is a highly competitive research opportunity where you get to work directly with NASA scientists and research teams on a NASA research project. The research team is led by STEM educators and graduate student research assistants who will work in the areas of climate change, and the summer session includes the selection of high school interns to the group. You will work alongside the entire team to complete the research project, work on creating a scientific poster, deliver presentations, and create a publish-ready research paper to present at a symposium at the end of the summer.
7. HMRI Biomedical Research Internship
Cost/Stipend: Unpaid
Dates: Year-round, including summer; students who can commit to at least one quarter or semester will be considered
Application Deadline: Rolling; applications accepted beginning September 1 until positions are filled
Eligibility: Current high school and undergraduate students; enrollment in an active academic program required
The Huntington Medical Research Institute offers a biomedical research internship opportunity to high school students. During the internship, you will work alongside biomedical researchers, receive mentorship support, and gain valuable hands-on research lab experience. The program is designed to find alignment between your research interest and that of your faculty mentor's expertise. Some of the research areas you can focus on include diseases of the heart and brain, such as migraine, alzheimer's, neuroscience, cardiovascular signaling, and e-cigarette toxicity.
8. The Metropolitan Museum of Art High School Internship Program
Cost/Stipend: $1,100 stipend paid upon completion of the program
Dates: Summer and Spring sessions available
Application Deadline: Summer - March 13; Spring - October 27
Eligibility: Students currently in grades 10 or 11, or students obtaining their High School Equivalency (HSE), must reside in and attend a high school or home school in New York, New Jersey, or Connecticut as of the application deadline date
The Metropolitan Museum of Art offers internship opportunities to high school students looking to gain work experience, develop professional skills, and connect with creative professionals working in museums, art, and history. The internship program will allow you to work in small cohorts with museum professionals and gain experience in social media, curatorial education, design, imaging, and more. Apart from work, you get to network with peers, participate in career exploration, and attend interactive workshops led by creative professionals.
9. Rockfleet Financials Internship
Cost/Stipend: Unpaid
Dates: Year-round, including summer
Application Deadline: Not specified; rolling
Eligibility: High school, undergraduate, and graduate students are eligible; must be eligible to work in the United States; requires 120 hours of participation; must provide an overview of the school's internship program (including any academic credit to be received), and an approval letter from the school upon acceptance
Rockfeel Financial Services offers an internship opportunity for high school students to gain experience in private capital and wealth management services. During your internship, you will gain insight into the financial services industry, work alongside professionals, and explore different career pathways. Your responsibilities will span areas such as market research, financial modelling, client management, advisory support, and administration, where you can assist the team in different tasks.
10. United States Youth Conservation Corps (YCC) Program
Cost/Stipend: Paid
Dates: Varies by program but typically in the summer
Application Deadline: Applications processed on a rolling basis; applicants directed to contact individual park points of contact via the YCC opportunities page
Eligibility: Ages 15–18; permanent U.S. residents only; local program — participants must be able to commute to and from the site daily; available at national parks, U.S. Forest Service sites, National Fish Hatcheries, and National Wildlife Refuges
The United States Youth Conservation Corps is a youth employment program that helps students gain professional work experience at wildlife refuges, fish hatcheries, national parks, and forests. During the program, you will work on a variety of preservation and restoration projects where you build trails, clean up campgrounds, participate in historic building preservation, and stream restoration, among others. You will also participate in education field trips where you get to engage in different topics such as wildlife, historically significant sites, and hike to see relevant nature-based sites.
11. Manhattan District Attorney’s High School Internship Program
Cost/Stipend: Paid; minimum wage; 35 hours per week
Dates: 5 weeks; typically starts the second week of July and ends the first week of August
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: Students currently in grades 10–12; must live or attend school in Manhattan
The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office offers a high school internship program for students looking to gain experience and insight within the criminal justice system. The program takes place for five weeks over the summer, where you are required to attend full-time and will work with different law enforcement professionals and explore different career pathways in the field. During the program, you will develop professional skill sets, engage in workshops and discussions, and also participate in a mock trial program.
12. Medicine Encompassed Internships
Cost/Stipend: Unpaid
Dates: Year-round, including the summer
Application Deadline: Rolling; general position applications accepted on a rolling basis year-round
Eligibility: High school students in grades 9–12; open nationally and internationally; application via Google Form; international students welcome
Medicine Encompassed is a student-led nonprofit organization that takes high school interns from all backgrounds with an interest in STEAM, biology, and different branches of medicine. You can work in different areas such as resource creation, graphic design, sponsorship and partnerships, marketing, and social media. All of this work contributes to the medical curriculum program outreach, where you gain experience in a medical context, alongside gaining insight into business roles and building transferable skills.
13. Internships at the American Psychological Association (APA)
Cost/Stipend: Varies based on placement
Dates: Year-round; spring, summer, fall, and winter sessions available
Application Deadline: Rolling; applications submitted through the APA Online Internship Application Portal
Eligibility: High school, undergraduate, and graduate students; must be enrolled at least part-time in an accredited academic institution for academic credit internships
The American Psychological Association offers internship opportunities to students interested in gaining experience in areas including research, communications, operations, publishing, education, and policy. As an intern, you will gain insight into the workplace environment of professional psychology, explore different career paths, and get to apply theoretical knowledge to practice. Apart from work, the internship includes engagement through workshops, discussions, and participation in group projects alongside peers.
14. Building-U High School Internship
Cost/Stipend: Unpaid
Dates: Year-round, including in the summer; 3 months minimum
Application Deadline: Rolling; apply via email with resume and a brief statement of interest
Eligibility: Currently enrolled high school students in grades 9–12; open to students internationally; no prior experience required
Building U is a student-led organization that offers hands-on experience to high school students in a variety of areas. During your internship, you can work in the area of your interest, including resource management, marketing, blog writing, coding, business development, social media, analytics, animation, and data privacy. Some of the tasks that you could work on include developing Google Ad campaigns, working on database development, cultivating partnerships, creating social media content, and working on storyboards. You will work virtually with a team from around the world and build professional skill sets in areas such as project management, teamwork, and communication.
15. NASA Pathways Internship Program
Location: NASA centers nationwide; John C. Stennis Space Center, MS
Cost/Stipend: Paid
Dates: Vary by posting; summer internships typically take place between May and August; some positions may span multiple semesters (spring, summer, and fall)
Application Deadlines: Vary by cycle
Eligibility: High school students who are 16 or older; U.S. citizens
NASA's partners program offers a paid internship opportunity for high school students to gain work experience and engage in professional development activities. You will gain experience in areas such as engineering, business, program management, human resources, administration, accounting, budget, communication, public relations, information technology, security, education, and more. The internship will be tailored to your interests, and you will engage in work that is aligned with your academic or career interests. Pathway interns also have the opportunity for their internship to be converted into a full-time position, given that they meet the requirements needed for conversion.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Are there paid summer internships for high school students?
Yes. Textron Aviation, the Manhattan District Attorney's Office, the United States Youth Conservation Corps, and NASA Pathways all offer paid positions, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art provides a $1,100 completion stipend.
2. Which internships are open to international students?
Medicine Encompassed, Building-U, and the American Psychological Association are explicitly open to students internationally. Young Founders Lab is also open to all high school students regardless of location, since it runs 100% virtually with need-based financial aid available.
3. Is there an option to build my own project instead of interning at an existing organization?
Young Founders Lab lets you do exactly that, pairing you with mentors from Google, Microsoft, and X as you build a revenue-generating startup from scratch rather than joining an existing team's projects.