If you enjoy math, coding, and problem-solving, data science internships offer you the chance to gain hands-on experience in this dynamic field. These programs extend beyond classroom learning, teaching you to clean and analyze datasets, visualize patterns, and build predictive models using tools such as Python, R, and SQL.
In addition to technical skills, you’ll develop critical thinking, teamwork, and ethical reasoning, which are all essential abilities for any aspiring scientist, engineer, or analyst. Whether offered remotely or in-person, these internships let you transform raw data into actionable insights, giving you a head start on both college applications and future career opportunities.
Below is a list of 13 data science internships for high school students, showcasing a variety of programs that cater to different skill levels and interests.
13 Data Science Internships for High School Students
1. Stanford AIMI: Summer Research Internship
Location: Virtual
Cost: $850 program fee + $40 application fee; Financial aid offered
Application Deadline: December 9 – February 28
Program Dates: June 16 – 27
Eligibility: U.S. high school students (+14); Must have strong math or computer programming skills or experience with a healthcare project
This two-week research internship provides an in-depth introduction to AI applications in healthcare and explores how they contribute to advancing health equity and excellence in the field. During the program, you’ll attend lectures that cover the technical fundamentals of AI in healthcare. You’ll also participate in hands-on activities or projects and receive mentorship from Stanford Student Leads and researchers. Aside from this, you’ll attend a “Career Lunch and Learns” series during which you’ll hear from experts from various industries, including academia, nonprofit, government, and more.
2. University of Chicago: Data Science Institute (DSI) Summer Lab
Location: University of Chicago, Chicago, IL
Stipend: $5,600
Application Deadline: January 12
Program Dates: June 15 – August 7
Eligibility: Chicago area high school students
The University of Chicago DSI Summer Lab immerses you in hands-on data science research guided by expert faculty and graduate mentors. You’ll be introduced to advanced topics in data science, climate and energy policy, public policy, computer science, biomedical research, and more. Projects may provide opportunities to analyze public health data, model social networks, or explore environmental datasets. The program emphasizes research communication, requiring you to present findings through posters, reports, and interactive visualizations.
3. MIT Beaver Works Summer Institute: Remote Sensing for Disaster Response
Location: Virtual
Cost: US $2,350 (free for qualifying lower-income families)
Application Deadline: March 31
Program Dates: 4 weeks in the summer
Eligibility: U.S. high school students
This program will equip you with the skills to transform satellite and aerial imagery into data products that support effective disaster response efforts. As a participant, you will acquire foundational knowledge in Python, GIS, Git, and image processing through a self-paced online course. You will then have the opportunity to apply these skills during a four-week virtual summer module. During the summer, you will work with real-world datasets, applying feature extraction and machine learning techniques to classify imagery and develop decision-making tools to support disaster relief efforts. The capstone project simulates a hurricane scenario, where teams predict impacts, optimize evacuation or supply routes, and present their findings.
4. Carnegie Mellon University: AI Scholars
Location: Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA
Cost/Stipend: None
Application Deadline: February 1
Program Dates: June 20 – July 18
Eligibility: Rising high school seniors (16+); U.S. citizens, permanent residents, or DACA students
AI Scholars is a four-week immersive summer experience where you will dive deep into artificial intelligence through a blend of classroom lectures, research projects, and interactions with CMU faculty and industry leaders. As a participant, you will begin with a virtual pre-program Python course, even if you have no prior coding experience. During the in-person portion on CMU’s campus, you’ll learn core AI concepts, work on group research projects, and apply your skills to real-world challenges. The program also includes weekly seminars on college readiness, equity in STEM, and personal development. At the end, you will present your capstone projects in a closing symposium, building both technical and communication skills.
5. NLM Data Science & Informatics (DSI) Scholars Program
Location: NIH, Bethesda, MD
Stipend: Paid
Application Deadline: November 18 – February 19
Program Dates: 8-12 weeks
Eligibility: U.S. students (18+) enrolled at least half-time as seniors in high school with a GPA of 3.2+; More details here
This program is for students with an interest in computational health and computational biology research. To participate, you will need to have experience in computer science, data science, informatics, mathematics, or other related subjects. For over eight to twelve weeks, you will contribute to ongoing data science research projects, work in a collaborative research environment, and receive 1-on-1 mentorship from an NIH researcher. As an intern, you will have the opportunity to enhance your scientific communication skills and participate in seminars and professional development workshops. The internship concludes with NLM’s Summer Poster Day and the NIH-wide Summer Poster Day, during which you will be expected to present a poster summarizing your experiences to date.
6. Code Next
Location: Various locations in Oakland, CA, Chelsea/New York, NY, Detroit, MI, & Inglewood, CA
Cost/Stipend: None
Application Deadline: July – August
Program Dates: Late September – October/June
Eligibility: High school students (13+); No prior coding experience required
Code Next is Google’s computer science education initiative for high schoolers, focused on building creative, ethical, and computational thinkers. Throughout, you will receive mentorship from Google staff, work on real coding and design projects, and develop leadership and problem-solving skills. Code Next strongly emphasizes community and representation, particularly supporting Black, Latinx, Indigenous, and underserved youth in technology. By graduation, a large proportion of its alumni attend college, and many major in STEM or computer science.
7. Machine Learning (ML)
Location: NYU Tandon School of Engineering, Brooklyn, NY
Cost: $3,050
Application Deadline: April 21
Program Dates: Multiple 2-week sessions in the summer
Eligibility: High school students (15+); Some programming experience and Pre‑Calculus or equivalent required
This ML program will introduce you to the core principles of machine learning, such as model validation, neural networks, and data-driven problem solving. You’ll work on real-world applications—from image and video recognition to diagnostic technologies and traffic control systems—under the guidance of NYU Tandon faculty. Through hands-on coding exercises, you’ll gain experience in data analysis, training ML models, and evaluating their performance. Overall, this is a rigorous, immersive program for students who want a strong foundation in AI and machine learning in a true college environment.
8. Stanford AI4ALL
Location: Virtual
Cost: $4,000; Financial aid available
Application Deadline: February/March
Program Dates: 2 weeks
Eligibility: Current 9th graders or rising 10th graders (14+) with math or computer skills
Stanford AI4ALL provides an in-depth exploration of foundational and applied artificial intelligence through a combination of lectures, practical research projects, and mentorship. You’ll be able to choose from specialized research areas, including Computer Vision, Medical AI, Natural Language Processing, or Robotics. The program connects you with Stanford graduate students and researchers, giving you real-world exposure to AI research and development. You’ll explore how AI can be ethically designed to benefit society, working on meaningful projects rather than just completing assignments. By the end, you’ll present your group research and gain deeper insight into AI’s impact on the world and its potential role in shaping it.
9. Research Science Institute (RSI)
Location: MIT, Cambridge, MA
Cost/Stipend: None
Application Deadline: December 10
Program Dates: 6 weeks in the summer
Eligibility: High school juniors; More info here
The Research Science Institute is a summer program in science and engineering research, available to high school students seeking practical research experience. The program combines on-campus coursework in scientific theory and off-campus work in science and technology research. As a participant, you will work on independent research projects in subject areas like data science, engineering, physics, mathematics, etc., under the mentorship of university faculty and professional scientists. By the end of the program, you’ll be expected to have created oral and written reports on your research findings.
10. Girls Who Code: Pathways
Location: Virtual
Cost: Free
Application Deadline: Fill out this interest form for updates
Program Dates: 6-7 weeks (self-paced)
Eligibility: 9th-12th girls and non-binary students
The Girls Who Code: Pathways program offers high school girls and gender-nonconforming students the chance to improve their computer science and problem-solving skills. You can participate in one of many tracks, including data science, cybersecurity, AI, and web development. During the program, you’ll also get to participate in corporate partner events, career panels, and workshops that discuss emerging technologies. The program gives you the chance to build a community and start growing your professional network.
11. Stanford Pre‑Collegiate Summer Institute: Introduction to Data Science
Location: Virtual
Cost: 3,200; Financial aid available
Application Deadline: March 13
Program Dates: Session 1: June 16 – 27; Session 2: July 7 – 18
Eligibility: High school students in grades 8-11
In this two‑week course, you’ll explore how algorithms and statistical models are used to analyze real-world datasets drawn from social and natural sciences. The course emphasizes not just coding, but a scientific approach to data. You’ll learn to formulate hypotheses, choose models carefully, and evaluate your results. There’s also asynchronous homework to reinforce learning and deepen your understanding. By the end of the program, you will be able to investigate datasets with confidence and use data science tools to derive insights in a rigorous, ethical way.
12. Curiosity Machine – AI Family Challenge
Location: Virtual
Cost: Free
Application Deadline: Not specified
Program Dates: Starts in August
Eligibility: Students in grades 6-12
This program introduces younger learners to AI concepts through engaging, hands-on building activities. As a participant, you will explore classification, training data, and supervised learning using accessible tools. You will also collaborate with mentors to develop innovative AI-powered prototypes. The workshop emphasizes problem-solving and creativity rather than complex mathematics, making it an ideal introduction for beginners. You will complete a mini-project and gain foundational AI literacy by the end of the program.
13. Aspiring Scientists Summer Internship Program (ASSIP)
Location: George Mason University, Fairfax, VA (in-person, hybrid, or remote)
Cost: $25 application fee (can be waived)
Application Deadline: December 8 – February 15
Program Dates: June 18 – August 12
Eligibility: High school and undergraduate students; Must be at least 15 years old (16+ for certain “wet lab” internships) by the start of the program
ASSIP gives you a chance to work one-on-one with faculty researchers at George Mason University on real, hypothesis-driven STEM research. Over the 8-week internship, you’ll gain hands-on experience with cutting-edge technology, develop scientific writing and communication skills, and explore STEM career paths through mentorship and discussion forums. You’ll also exercise creativity and problem-solving by designing and conducting experiments or computational studies. The program concludes with a research symposium where you’ll present your work.
One more option – Horizon Academic Research Program
If you’re looking for a competitive mentored research program in subjects like data science, machine learning, political theory, biology, and chemistry, consider applying to Horizon’s Research Seminars and Labs! This is a selective virtual research program that lets you engage in advanced research and develop a research paper on a subject of your choosing. 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 – Carnegie Mellon University