Marine Biology Internships for High School Students

TL;DR

Need a quick answer? Here are 12 marine biology internships, with details on pay, deadlines, and eligibility. Most are local, and spots fill quickly. For the most impressive and flexible experience, choose Horizon. Horizon lets you work individually with a professor or PhD mentor, complete your own research project, and finish with a paper ready for journals or competitions. It is fully online, open to everyone, and designed for students who want a real edge for college and beyond.

For most high school students, marine biology means reading about tides in a textbook or labeling a food web diagram. In reality, the work is completely different.

It’s standing in a river counting fish, dragging a plankton net through a bay at sunrise, and trying to identify what you’ve just collected. It’s water chemistry, seagrass surveys, and hours spent sorting samples. Some days, it’s even explaining to a curious kid why a sea star isn’t a fish.

An internship is the best way to find out if you enjoy the real work. You spend a summer experiencing the side of marine biology you won’t see in a classroom or brochure. A few hours sorting samples can teach you more about research than a year in biology class.

How to apply, and what you need to qualify

Follow these steps in order. The first one will eliminate more programs than the rest combined, so start there to save time and effort.

1. Check location requirements. Eleven out of the twelve programs here have strict geographic restrictions. Some accept only students from a particular state, county, or even neighborhood. For example, SUNY Oneonta is for New York residents, MarineLab is for Monroe County, and NHMLAC requires you to live in or attend school in Boyle Heights. If you don’t meet these criteria, you won’t be eligible, no matter how strong your application is.

2. Review age and grade requirements. Some programs set minimum ages or age limits. For instance, Hutton requires you to be 16 by the application deadline. Aquarium of the Pacific has an upper age limit of 16, so apply early. National Aquarium requires completion of ninth grade, while REEF at UCSB is open to students as young as eighth grade.

3. Determine if you need a work permit. NHMLAC, for example, pays you as a museum employee, which means you’ll need a work permit and proof of authorization to work in the US. Getting these documents can take time, so start the process before you apply.

4. Request recommendations early. REEF requires a teacher recommendation and parental consent. Teachers are busiest in January, so give them two to three weeks’ notice or more, if you can. Asking early shows respect and gives you a better chance at a thoughtful recommendation.

5. Prepare a proposal, if required. Kwiáht is unique: you don’t apply for a specific position but instead submit a proposal with your research question, methods, and planned analysis. This is more challenging than filling out a form, but it closely mirrors the real research process. But if you want to try independent research, here’s how to find a lab.​

6. Apply during the correct window. Most applications open between December and March. You’ll find a complete table of deadlines in the FAQ.

Never done anything like this? Start with research programs built for complete beginners, then come back. And these 10 tips on getting into a top research program apply just as well here. You can also check out our list of biology internships for high school students. 

How competitive are these internships?

Less competitive than you’d think, and harder to get than the numbers suggest. Both things are true.

Almost none of these programs publish an acceptance rate. We looked at all twelve. None state how many people apply. If you’ve seen a Marine internship list quoting “12% acceptance” for Hutton, that number appears nowhere on Hutton’s site, and we can’t find a source for it anywhere else either. It’s invented, and it’s been copied between blogs for years.

But what programs do publish is cohort size, and those numbers are small:

• SUNY Oneonta takes 1 to 3 high school interns
• VIMS takes up to 6
• NHMLAC takes 10, and 2 of those go to returning interns, so there are really 8 new spots
• New England Aquarium doesn’t publish a number but lists only two roles

So the competition is real. It’s just local. A program that takes three students from New York State is competing you against a much smaller field than a national program with a hundred spots. That cuts both ways depending on where you live.

If you want programs where selectivity is the point, Horizon keeps separate lists: the most competitive research programs, the most prestigious ones with low acceptance rates, and the most competitive summer programs.

Can you do a marine biology internship if you don’t live near the coast?

Most marine biology internships have geographical restrictions except Hutton. Hutton places you with a mentor near where you live. 

Where you’d need to be	Programs
New York State	SUNY Oneonta
Boston or Cambridge	New England Aquarium
Boyle Heights, Los Angeles	NHMLAC Marine Teens
Baltimore area	National Aquarium
Long Beach, California	Aquarium of the Pacific
Orange County, California	Ocean Institute
Santa Barbara, California	REEF at UCSB
San Juan Islands, Washington	Kwiáht
Monroe County, Florida	MarineLab
Virginia	VIMS Governor’s School
Anywhere	Hutton

Now, what if none of those are you?

So you’ve got three honest options. You can apply to Hutton and accept that its next cycle is uncertain. You can volunteer locally at a nature center, aquarium, or state park, which won’t be marine biology but will be fieldwork. Or you can do research online, which is the only route here that doesn’t care where you live.

That third route has grown a lot. Online research mentorship programs, free online research programs, and the best online research programs globally are all out there if you want to compare.

Which programs should you look at?

Choose this program if	Program
You want to collect data, run analysis, and write something up	Hutton Junior Fisheries Biology Program, SUNY Oneonta Biological Field Station, Kwiáht Apprenticeships, VIMS Governor’s School in Marine Science, REEF College Prep Internship, UC Santa Barbara
You want experience this summer and don’t mind public-facing work	New England Aquarium Teen Internships, National Aquarium Youth Exhibit Guide, NHMLAC Marine Teens Internship, Aquarium of the Pacific VolunTEENS, Ocean Institute Summer Internship, MarineLab High School Internship
Nothing above is open where you live	Horizon Academic Research Program

Looking for something broader than internships? Horizon has separate lists for marine biology summer programs, marine biology programs generally, marine biology summer research programs, and pre-college marine biology programs.

Marine biology research internships for high school students

These five involve collecting data, working in a lab, or both. Four of the five end in something you present or write up.

1. Hutton Junior Fisheries Biology Program

Location: Placed with a mentor near where you live, anywhere in the US, Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico or the Pacific Islands

Pay: $3,000, though see the note below

Selectivity: Not published

Length: 8 weeks over the summer, 32 to 40 hours a week

Deadline: The most recent published deadline was January 19. Nothing newer has been posted

Next cycle: Uncertain. Check the site in November

Eligibility: Current high school students, at least 16 by the end of the application period

You’ll be matched with a fisheries scientist working near you, which is why this is the only program here that doesn’t care about your zip code. Days range from single field outings to multi-day trips: fish population surveys, water quality testing, examining specimens, sometimes community education work. Selected students also attend the Hutton Scholars Summit, with travel covered. The catch is that Hutton’s website hasn’t been updated in a while. Its three pages currently show three different program years, and the stipend is listed as $3,000 on two pages and $4,000 on a third. Email them before you plan a summer around it.

Best for: You want a paid research placement and there’s no marine lab within a hundred miles of you.

2. SUNY Oneonta Biological Field Station

Location: Biological Field Station on Otsego Lake, Oneonta, New York

Pay: $3,500

Selectivity: 1 to 3 positions, with at least one reserved for an Otsego County resident

Length: 8 weeks, late May through August, with flexible start and end dates

Deadline: Not yet posted

Next cycle: Application materials available January 2027

Eligibility: New York State residents, 16 or older by June 20

This is the best-paid option on the page and has the clearest research output. You’d do fisheries and plant surveys, water sampling and ecological monitoring in the field, then water chemistry, fish dissections and zooplankton identification in the lab. And it ends with a research talk, a poster, and a technical report. That’s more than most college internships ask for. One honest note: Otsego Lake is freshwater, so this is aquatic biology rather than marine biology. The techniques are the same ones marine labs use, and this is the only entry here already pointing to its 2027 cycle. If you’re in New York, these research programs in NYC are worth a look too.

Best for: A New York student who wants to finish the summer with a paper, not a certificate.

3. Kwiáht Apprenticeships

Location: Kwiáht, Lopez Island, San Juan Islands, Washington

Pay: Funded conservation biology apprenticeships were available for summer 2026. Terms aren’t published

Selectivity: Not published

Length: 4 to 12 weeks, at any time of year

Deadline: Rolling. Proposals are reviewed in the order they arrive, with about a 30-day turnaround

Next cycle: Ongoing

Eligibility: Middle school through graduate students, with preference for students at local schools

Kwiáht works differently from everything else here, and it’s the entry we’d point an ambitious student to first. There’s no set position to apply for. You write a proposal describing your own research question, the methods you’d use, and how you’d analyze the data. If they take it, you work with a mentor most days, using real equipment, on a project that’s yours. And they say you may have the chance to publish. That’s rare at this level, so if it interests you, read how to publish research in high school before you write the proposal. Students in Washington should also see lab opportunities in Seattle.

Best for: You already know what you want to study and you’d rather design it than be assigned it.

4. VIMS Governor’s School in Marine Science

Location: Virginia Institute of Marine Science, Gloucester Point, Virginia

Cost: Not published

Selectivity: Up to 6 students each summer

Length: 4-week residential program

Deadline: Set by the Virginia Department of Education, not by VIMS

Next cycle: Dates not published

Eligibility: High school students across Virginia. VIMS doesn’t publish grade requirements

Six students a year get a faculty mentor at one of the country’s serious marine science institutes. Then they spend four weeks living on site. We’ll be straight that this is a Governor’s School rather than an internship, so if you want a job title on your resume, this isn’t it. Instead, you get a research project with an actual marine scientist, which matters more. You apply through the Virginia DOE website under “Application for Marine Science,” and VIMS publishes almost nothing else: no dates, no cost, no grade cutoff. Call the VDOE before you plan around it.

Best for: A Virginia student who’d trade the word “internship” for four weeks at a real marine institute.

5. REEF College Prep Internship, UC Santa Barbara

Location: Research Experience and Education Facility, UCSB Marine Science Institute, Santa Barbara, California

Pay: Not published

Selectivity: Not published

Length: Not published. You arrange the schedule

Deadline: Not published

Next cycle: Rolling, as far as we can tell

Eligibility: Grades 8 to 12, with parental consent and a teacher recommendation

The widest age range on this page, and the least structured. You help care for the touch tanks and aquaria, assist with research projects, and learn directly from UCSB faculty and marine biologists. Other lists call this the “REEF High School Internship,” which isn’t its name, and that’s a good sign those lists never opened the page. It’s the REEF College Prep Internship, and it sits in UCSB’s Marine Science Institute rather than at the beach. So treat the page as a starting point and email early, since very little is published. There’s no application window to miss, which is either freeing or frustrating depending on how you like to plan.

Best for: A Santa Barbara student, especially a younger one, who wants in before ninth grade.

Aquarium, museum, and field education internships

These six put you in front of the public. You’ll learn to explain science to strangers, which is a skill most researchers never develop. Four of the six pay.

6. New England Aquarium Teen Internships

Location: Boston, Massachusetts

Pay: Paid. The rate isn’t published

Selectivity: Two roles offered. Headcount isn’t published

Length: One week of training plus six weeks of work

Deadline: Summer 2026 has closed

Next cycle: Applications open in March 2027

Eligibility: 14 and up. Most positions are open to Boston and Cambridge residents

Two roles run each summer: Visitor Services Assistant and Aquarium Guide. Training covers marine science, climate science, public speaking, and customer service, plus weekly professional development sessions and an ocean advocacy course. You’ll notice we’re not quoting a cohort size, and that’s deliberate. Other lists say this program takes 40 interns a summer. That number isn’t on the aquarium’s site, and the site lists two roles. If you’re in Boston, these 15 lab opportunities and the best summer programs in Massachusetts are worth adding to your list.

Best for: A Boston or Cambridge student who wants to be paid and doesn’t mind talking to people all day.

7. National Aquarium Youth Exhibit Guide

Location: Baltimore, Maryland

Cost: $40 materials fee if you’re accepted, with need-based scholarships

Selectivity: Interviews are held in late February. Cohort size isn’t published

Length: At least 10 shifts across 5 weeks, two 4-hour shifts a week

Deadline: Not published

Next cycle: Applications open December 2026

Eligibility: Grades 10 to 12, having finished ninth grade

You train on Chesapeake Bay ecology, interpretation techniques, and customer service, then work the exhibit floor and the Living Seashore helping visitors. The 2026 season ran orientation on May 17, training June 22 to 26, and the program itself June 29 to August 9, which gives you a good sense of the schedule. Every Marine internship list we checked, including Horizon’s own, had those dates wrong by a day. The $40 fee is the only money you’ll pay on this page outside Horizon, and scholarships exist if that’s a barrier.

Best for: A Baltimore-area sophomore or junior who wants a first structured summer role.

8. NHMLAC Marine Teens Internship

Location: Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County and partner sites across LA County, with transportation provided

Pay: Paid. You’re hired as a museum employee. The amount isn’t published

Selectivity: A cohort of 10, made up of 8 first-year interns and 2 returning peer mentors

Length: Saturdays in April and May, then full-time for six weeks across June and July

Deadline: The 2026 cycle has closed

Next cycle: Check the page in February 2027

Eligibility: Juniors and seniors who live in or attend school in Boyle Heights. A work permit and US work authorization are required

Eight new spots a year, which makes this the smallest cohort here after VIMS. You design and present your own interpretation projects, help with museum collections, and lead interactive programs for visitors. The two-year structure is the part worth planning around: do it as a junior, and you can come back as a paid peer mentor as a senior. Transportation across LA County is provided, which removes the barrier that kills most city internships. Get the work permit started early.

Best for: A Boyle Heights junior who wants a two-year run rather than one summer.

9. Aquarium of the Pacific VolunTEENS

Location: Long Beach, California

Pay: Unpaid

Selectivity: Not published

Length: 60 hours across a 10-week session

Deadline: April 15 for the summer cycle, August 5 for the fall cycle

Next cycle: 2027 dates aren’t posted yet

Eligibility: Ages 14 to 16

Sixty hours over ten weeks, working touch pools, conservation carts, and exhibits, after training on the aquarium’s animals and ecosystems. Summer 2026 ran June 13 to August 7. Here’s the bit most lists miss: there’s a fall cycle too, weekends only, running late September to late November. So if your summer is already full, you still have a route in, and we haven’t seen another Marine list mention it. Now note the age cap of 16. This is one of the few programs where being older works against you. If you’re 14 or 15, apply now rather than next year.

Best for: A 14 or 15-year-old in Long Beach, especially one who needs a fall option.

10. Ocean Institute Summer Internship

Location: Dana Point, California

Pay: Not published

Selectivity: Not published

Length: 4-hour weekday evening shifts or 5-hour weekend shifts

Deadline: Not published

Next cycle: Unclear. Email them

Eligibility: High school and college students

You’d lead guest activities, interpret exhibits, and support daily operations, with training sessions and challenge sheets along the way. It’s a real nonprofit work experience, and the commitment is light: one shift a week. We have to flag this one honestly: the page hasn’t been updated since the 2025 season. It still shows 2025 dates and still tells you to come back in March 2026 for the next round, which has come and gone. That doesn’t mean the program is dead, and Ocean Institute is a well-established organization. It does mean you should email before you count on it. Other lists, including Horizon’s, have been quoting those 2025 dates as if they’re current.

Best for: An Orange County student who wants a low-commitment role and doesn’t mind chasing an email.

11. MarineLab High School Internship

Location: MarineLab, Key Largo, Florida

Pay: $15 an hour

Selectivity: Not published

Length: At least 4 weeks during June and July, 20 to 40 hours a week

Deadline: Not published. Applications open at the end of January

Next cycle: End of January

Eligibility: Rising juniors and seniors, Monroe County residents who can get themselves to and from MarineLab, strong swimmers and snorkelers who enjoy working with kids

The best hourly rate here, and the most physical role. You’d lead snorkel field trips, assist with lab lessons, support summer camp programs, and help maintain equipment and boats. It’s a teaching job in a marine setting rather than a research job, so go in knowing that. And the swimming requirement is real, not a formality. So is liking children, since you’ll spend your days with them. If you’re in the Keys, this is the strongest paid option on the page, and the geographic restriction means you’re competing against a very small group.

Best for: A Monroe County student who’s comfortable in the water and wants to be paid properly.

Research you can do from anywhere

12. Horizon Academic Research Program

Location: Fully online

Cost: $6,950 per course, with need-based aid for households under $75,000

Selectivity: 26% acceptance rate from 6,539 applications

Length: 10 weeks for Seminars, 12 to 16 weeks for Labs, at 8 to 10 hours a week

Deadline: Cohorts start three times a year

Next cycle: Fall, spring, and summer trimesters

Eligibility: An unweighted GPA of 3.67

Every other program on this page ends when the summer does. Horizon ends with a paper. You’d work through a single research question with a professor or PhD mentor across a full term and write it up properly, around 5,000 words, with four sessions from a writing coach built in. Labs give you 15 one-on-one mentor sessions. Seminars run 20 sessions with a professor and TA in a cohort of 3 to 6 students. The closest course to marine and ocean work is Environmental Health and Engineering, and there’s no course called “marine biology,” so don’t apply expecting one. What you finish with is yours to submit to research journals or competitions, which is a different outcome than a summer of shifts. And where you live decides nothing.

Best for: Anyone the other eleven ruled out, and anyone who wants a finished piece of work rather than a completed placement.

Frequently Asked Questions

When do applications open and close?

Program	When to apply
National Aquarium	Applications open December 2026
MarineLab	Applications open end of January
NHMLAC Marine Teens	Check the page in February 2027
New England Aquarium	Applications open March 2027
SUNY Oneonta	Materials available January 2027
Aquarium of the Pacific	April 15 for summer, August 5 for fall
Hutton	Last posted deadline was January 19. Nothing newer published
Kwiáht	Rolling, about 30 days for a decision
VIMS Governor’s School	Through the Virginia Department of Education
REEF at UCSB	Not published. Email early
Ocean Institute	Page not updated since 2025. Email them
Horizon	Three cohorts a year

More from Horizon

Getting started with research 8 tips on doing biology research in high school · 40 biology research topics · 7 ways to find a research lab · Research programs for complete beginners

Paying for it 12 paid research mentorship programs · 11 free research mentorship programs · 16 fully funded STEM programs · 14 grants for high school research

Writing it up Key components of a research paper · How long it takes to write one · How to format citations · What you can actually do with it

Other subjects 15 best biology programs · Life science summer programs · 15 biotech internships · 15 genetics summer programs · 15 best STEM summer research programs

Ready to start your own research?

Horizon pairs you with a professor or PhD mentor, and ends with a research paper you can submit to journals or competitions. Cohorts start three times a year. This selective virtual research program lets you engage in advanced research. Horizon has worked with 1000+ high school students so far and offers 600+ research specializations for you to choose from. You can find the application link here!

Image source: Horizon Academic Research Program