15 Business Internships for High School Students in California

 Explore 15 top business internships in California for high school students. Enhance your skills and gain real-world experience in a dynamic environment.

If you're a high school student in California interested in business, there’s multiple ways you can go about it! An internship, specifically, is a good way to start exploring what a business career looks like, beyond textbooks or club projects. Internships during high school can give you direct exposure to how companies operate, how teams work together, and what roles like marketing, product management, or finance involve.

California is where many leading companies are headquartered, across industries like tech, entertainment, retail, and venture capital. That means there are real opportunities to intern at startups, nonprofits, and established firms. Some of these internships are in-person, others are remote. Either way, you get a chance to learn how to communicate in a professional setting, handle projects with deadlines, and understand how business decisions are made.

To help you choose the right fit, we’ve curated a list of 15 business internships for high school students in California! 

15 Business Internships for High School Students in California

Ladder Internship Program

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 remote internship program for high school students where you work with a real start-up for about 8 weeks. The companies are from different fields like tech, AI/ML, health tech, marketing, journalism, and consulting. Most of these start-ups are early-stage but growing fast, and some have raised over a million dollars. As an intern, you work on real projects under a start-up manager and get guidance from a Ladder coach. You also attend weekly sessions on skills like communication and time management with others in your cohort. At the end of the program, you present your work to the company. Apply here

Young Founders Lab 

Location: This program is 100% virtual, with live, interactive workshops

Dates: Vary according to cohort

Application Deadline: Varies according to cohort. You can access the application link here!

Eligibility: All high school students can apply

The Young Founder’s Lab is a real-world start-up boot camp founded and run by Harvard entrepreneurs. You will work towards building a revenue-generating start-up that addresses a real-world 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 ideation, workshops, skill-building sessions, case studies, panel discussions, and more. While this isn’t a traditional internship, it follows the same work-learn structure as the other programs on this list. You can check out the brochure for the program here.

Bank of America Student Leaders® Program

Cost: Free; includes a paid internship and all-expenses-paid trip to Washington, D.C.

Location: California (Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, Sacramento, Fresno, Orange County, Inland Empire, San Jose)

Dates: 8-week program during Summer (Summit: July 21–26)

Application Deadline: January 15

Eligibility: Open to high school juniors and seniors who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents and legally authorized to work in the U.S.; students must reside in one of the eligible locations.

Bank of America Student Leaders® is an eight-week paid summer program where high school students work full-time with a local nonprofit. You get hands-on experience in community work while building skills like project management, communication, and leadership. One part of the program includes a week in Washington, D.C., for the Student Leaders Summit. There, you learn how nonprofits, businesses, and government work together to solve community issues. You also take part in team projects and networking sessions. Each year, about 300 students are selected across the country.

KP LAUNCH High School Internship Program

Cost: Free; interns are paid $23 to $40 per hour

Location: Northern California (various Kaiser Permanente medical centers and offices)

Dates: June 16 – August 1 (7 weeks, full-time)

Application Deadline: January 6

Eligibility: Open to current high school students or graduating seniors who are ages 16–19 by June 1. Applicants must reside in a Northern California Kaiser Permanente service area and be legally authorized to work in the U.S.

KP LAUNCH offers high school students a paid summer internship in non-clinical departments across Kaiser Permanente facilities. You will gain firsthand exposure to healthcare administration, operations, IT, HR, and business support roles while receiving mentorship and career guidance from professionals. You’ll work full-time in an office environment, attend weekly workshops, and participate in community service and networking events. You will also learn professional communication, teamwork, and leadership skills that are transferable to any business career. 

Warner Bros. Discovery Reach Honorship Program

Cost: Free; includes a scholarship and paid summer internship

Location: California (Burbank and Los Angeles County)

Dates: Summer (exact dates vary; internship follows graduation)

Application Deadline: Not specified; typically opens in winter for graduating seniors

Eligibility: Open to graduating high school seniors from California with an interest in business or media/entertainment; must be available to work in-person in Burbank or LA County.

The Reach Honorship Program is for high school seniors interested in the business side of media and entertainment. If selected, you get a paid internship at Warner Bros. Discovery, where you work in departments like finance, marketing, HR, operations, or content development. You get hands-on experience in a corporate setting and learn directly from professionals in the industry. The program also includes a college scholarship for selected students.

Meta Summer Academy (MSA)

Cost: Free; includes a stipend, meals, and transportation assistance

Location: California (East Palo Alto, Belle Haven, North Fair Oaks, Redwood City)

Dates: June 16 – July 25 (6 weeks, 30 hours/week)

Application Deadline: February 14

Eligibility: Open to current sophomores with a minimum 2.0 GPA; applicants must be full-year residents of East Palo Alto, Belle Haven, North Fair Oaks, or Redwood City.

Meta Summer Academy (MSA) is a six-week paid summer program for high school sophomores. You work on real projects at Meta in areas like product development, UX design, digital marketing, and business strategy. Each day, you participate in activities at the company, build workplace skills, and learn from Meta professionals. The program includes transportation, meals, and sessions with guest speakers. It’s designed for students interested in business, tech, or entrepreneurship.

NASA OSTEM High School Internships

Cost: Free; includes a stipend

Location: NASA centers across California, including Ames Research Center (Silicon Valley) and Jet Propulsion Laboratory (Pasadena)

Dates: Varies by session; The next summer session starts in June for a 10-week duration.

Application Deadline: February 27 (for Summer session)

Eligibility: Open to U.S. citizens aged 16+, with a minimum 3.0 GPA; must be full-time students in high school, college, or graduate school.

NASA’s OSTEM Internship Program offers high school students a chance to work on real projects that support NASA’s missions. While many roles are in science and engineering, there are also placements in business areas like finance, IT, communications, public affairs, and analytics. You work directly with NASA staff and build professional and leadership skills through full-time summer internships. The program includes mentorship and training and is suited for students interested in how business works in a research and tech setting.

Emma Bowen Foundation Summer Internship

Cost: Free; paid internship (partner companies determine compensation)

Location: Various locations in the U.S., including California (e.g., Los Angeles, San Francisco)

Dates: May–August (minimum 8 weeks, full-time)

Application Deadline: Rolling review from September to April; final placements by May 1

Eligibility: Open to high school seniors and undergraduate students (graduating spring this year or later); minimum 3.0 GPA; must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents and 18+ by internship start.

The Emma Bowen Foundation Fellowship offers paid internships for high school and college students from underrepresented communities. You work with partner companies in media, tech, and business, in departments like marketing, finance, PR, operations, or content development. The program gives you real work experience, mentorship, and professional development support in a corporate setting. Around 150 students are selected each year. It’s a good fit if you’re interested in building a business career in media or technology.

CliftonLarsonAllen High School Internship Program

Cost: Free; paid internship

Location: Select cities across California and other U.S. states (office locations vary by year)

Dates: June 17 – July 19

Application Deadline: Not specified. The cycle typically opens late fall to early winter.

Eligibility: Open to high school students aged 16–18; no prior experience required

The CLA High School Internship Program gives students hands-on experience in accounting, finance, and professional services. You work on real client projects and learn directly from professionals in a team setting. The program helps you build technical and communication skills while learning how business and consulting firms operate. Internships are available at CLA offices across California and include mentorship throughout the program.

U.S. Department of State Pathways Internship Program

Cost: Free; paid internship with federal benefits (varies by appointment type)

Location: Nationwide, including California (exact locations vary by posting)

Dates: Rolling opportunities year-round; individual postings determine duration

Application Deadline: Rolling

Eligibility: U.S. citizens enrolled in high school (or higher); must meet age and academic requirements listed in each job announcement

The Pathways Internship Program gives high school students paid federal work experience in areas like public service, diplomacy, and administration. Depending on the role, you might work in budgeting, communications, HR, or project coordination, gaining insight into how federal departments operate. You can be placed through the Internship Experience Program (IEP) or the Internship Temporary Program (ITEP). Both options help you build skills and strengthen your resume. Some students may also qualify for future federal jobs through a non-competitive hiring process.

Norman Mineta Bay Area Summer Academy

Cost: Free; includes a stipend and completion certificate

Location:  San Francisco Bay Area; primarily virtual sessions + optional in-person capstone in San Francisco

Dates: July 3 – August 1; Capstone on August 1

Application Deadline: February 17

Eligibility: Open to Bay Area high school students aged 15+ who have completed 9th grade by the start of the program

The Norman Mineta Bay Area Summer Academy is a paid summer program for high school students interested in public policy, infrastructure, and regional planning. Hosted by government agencies, it focuses on how decisions about transportation, housing, and environmental justice are made and funded in the Bay Area. You learn how public agencies manage budgets and resources, and you complete a capstone project based on real policy work.

Project Pull Internship – City and County of San Francisco

Cost: Free; paid internship

Location: California, San Francisco (City and County departments)

Dates: 9 June – Friday, 1 August

Application Deadline: 17 February

Eligibility: Open to high school and college students residing in San Francisco; applicants must be motivated and committed to participating full-time during the summer

Project Pull is a paid summer internship for San Francisco high school and college students. You work in City and County departments on projects related to business, engineering, architecture, and public service. Each intern is matched with a mentor and gets hands-on experience in how city agencies manage teams, budgets, and services. The program also includes workshops that support career development and civic learning.

SLAC Summer Internship Program

Cost: Paid

Location: Menlo Park, California

Dates: May to September (up to 12 weeks)

Application Deadline: Rolling (varies by department; early applications encouraged)

Eligibility: High school students who are 18+ years old by the start of the internship; U.S. citizens or authorized to work in the U.S.; must pass a background check

SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory offers a paid internship where high school students can explore career paths in both science and business. Depending on your placement, you might support areas like administration, project coordination, communications, or business operations. You work up to 40 hours a week in a real lab environment and take part in daily team activities. The program helps you build skills in organization, communication, and workflow management while gaining experience in a national research setting.

SF YouthWorks

Cost: Free; Stipend paid at $19.18/hour

Location: San Francisco, California

Dates: Typically June to early August.

Application Deadline: Typically closed in early spring, late March, or early April

Eligibility: Rising 11th and 12th graders who reside in or attend school in San Francisco; must be eligible for a work permit.

SF YouthWorks offers paid internships for high school students in San Francisco city government departments. You might work in places like the Public Library, the Airport, or the Public Utilities Commission, handling tasks related to business, communications, or public services. The program includes training, career-readiness workshops, and citywide field trips. You’ll be matched with a mentor in your department, and second-year students can join the Youth Leadership Team to continue building skills.

SFUSD Summer Internships with Industry Partners

Cost: Paid (interns earn for a minimum of 20 hours/week)

Location: San Francisco, CA

Dates: June–August (Exact dates not specified)

Application Deadline: Not specified

Eligibility: Open to sophomores and juniors enrolled in SFUSD (priority to rising seniors)

The SFUSD Summer Internships with Industry Partners place you in real-world roles across sectors like finance, law, project management, marketing, and more. You will be matched with mentors in local organizations and work a minimum of 20 hours per week. Weekly career-readiness seminars help you strengthen professional and communication skills while gaining exposure to industry expectations. Priority is given to rising seniors, and placements are determined based on student interest and partner availability.