15 Software Internships for High School Students in Tennessee

If you’re thinking about studying computer science or a related field in college, a software internship is one of the best ways to build experience while you’re still in high school!

A software internship allows you to move beyond coding exercises and see how software is developed to solve real problems. Whether you’re interested in app development, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, or data science, internships expose you to the tools, technologies, and workflows professionals use every day. You may also work alongside engineers, researchers, or developers who can help you better understand the field.

Why should you choose an internship in Tennessee?

Tennessee has steadily expanded its technology sector over the past several years. Alongside growing startups and software companies, the state is home to universities, research institutions, healthcare systems, and advanced manufacturing organizations that increasingly rely on software and computing.

That gives students the chance to explore technology in a variety of settings rather than a single industry. Whether you’re interested in healthcare technology, research computing, automation, or software engineering, internships in Tennessee can provide solid exposure while helping you build experience before college.

To help you explore your options, we’ve put together a list of 15 software internships for high school students in Tennessee! To help you along in preparing for these internships and how programming and AI intersect, you could also check out this article for a list of relevant courses.

Key Takeaways

• 15 software internships in Tennessee range from paid federal placements like the ORNL NGSI and AFRL Scholars Program, to short residential camps like Explorations in Engineering and Computing at Tennessee Tech, to fully virtual research programs like Stanford AIMI and CS@Mines.
• Several federal and national laboratory programs offer substantial paid stipends. The AFRL Scholars Program pays $506.80 per week, and CISA and DHS Pathways internships pay at federal GS-scale rates, giving students real compensation for defense and government technology work.
• Genesys Works Nashville stands out for its extended commitment structure, combining eight weeks of technical skills training with a full year long paid internship placement at a corporate partner in fields like finance and healthcare.
• Several programs are geographically or institutionally restricted despite their prestige. The ORNL NGSI is limited to specific Tennessee counties, Genesys Works Nashville is limited to underserved Nashville communities, and Vanderbilt’s REHSS is limited to students from three specific high schools.
• Research focused internships at Vanderbilt, George Mason, and Stanford all place students directly on faculty led projects involving real data, from clinical datasets and biomedical informatics to machine learning bias and natural language processing.
• Cost varies for the non-research camps and programs, from $75 for ETSU’s Applied STEM Institute, up to $4,800 for Stanford AIMI’s Academic Year Research Internship, with several fully paid options like the CS@Mines Research Internship offering $20 per hour.
• Software internships in Tennessee are a strong way to build technical and research skills through direct exposure to national labs, universities, and federal agencies, but they are not the only path for a student interested in independent research. Those who want to pursue a research project in a different field might consider Horizon’s Research Seminars and Labs, a mentored virtual research program with 600+ specializations across subjects like political theory, data science, and biology.

1. ORNL Next Generation STEM Internship (NGSI)

At Oak Ridge National Laboratory, the NGSI puts you inside research teams spanning computing and computational sciences, energy, materials, nuclear science, and national security. You will work under the mentorship of actual ORNL scientists and technical staff, contributing to ongoing project work at Oak Ridge. The computing and information sciences track brings students into areas like data analysis, scientific software, and simulation, using infrastructure that includes some of the most advanced high-performance computing systems in the country. The program runs across summer, fall, and spring sessions, with fall and spring participation structured as part-time and primarily virtual. Summer appointments are on-site in Oak Ridge.

2. AFRL Scholars Program at Arnold Air Force Base

Arnold Air Force Base in Tullahoma, Tennessee, houses the Arnold Engineering Development Complex, one of the largest and most advanced aerospace testing facilities in the world. Through the AFRL Scholars Program, you will be placed on projects developing systems, concepts, and technologies that enhance the Air Force’s information capabilities. Specializations include software engineering tasks, data analysis tied to aerospace testing results, or simulations that model how flight systems behave in extreme conditions. You work alongside Air Force Research Laboratory scientists and engineers over a 10 to 12-week term, with exposure to how defense-grade computing and software development operate in an applied national security context. 

3. Genesys Works Nashville

Genesys Works begins with eight weeks of training where you will learn technical skills in IT, business technology, and workplace communication before starting your internship. After the training, you’ll spend a full year working in a paid internship with one of the organization’s corporate partners in fields such as finance, healthcare, and business operations. Your day-to-day work focuses on entry-level IT and technology support, and you’ll receive guidance from professionals at your host company throughout the year. The extended internship gives you enough time to take on larger responsibilities and understand how technology teams operate inside major organizations. 

4. Vanderbilt University Summer Research Internship Program in Biomedical Informatics 

Biomedical informatics sits at the intersection of computer science and medicine, and at Vanderbilt’s DBMI, you’ll be iterating on problems that require working knowledge of both fields. You’ll be matched with research mentors working on active projects involving clinical data systems, computational biology, and health AI. Your project might involve analyzing large clinical datasets, developing software tools that interact with patient record systems, or exploring how algorithms can surface patterns in health data that physicians can act on. The summer also includes a seminar series where informatics researchers across the department share their work, giving you exposure to the full range of what the field covers beyond your specific project. You present your research at the end of the term, putting what you’ve built in front of faculty, students, and department staff.

5. Vanderbilt Research Experience for High School Students (REHSS)

REHSS pairs you one-on-one with a Vanderbilt faculty mentor for six weeks of full-time research at Vanderbilt University or Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Depending on your placement, you may contribute to projects in computer science, engineering, biology, chemistry, or physics while working as part of an active research lab. Students in the computing track may work on software development, computational modeling, or data analysis connected to a faculty research project. Weekly workshops introduce different parts of the research process and help you develop your project throughout the summer. The programme concludes with a research symposium where you present your work to Vanderbilt faculty, researchers, and fellow participants.

6. Explorations in Engineering and Computing Summer Camp

Explorations in Engineering and Computing is a residential summer camp at Tennessee Tech University that introduces you to computer science, computer engineering, and related STEM fields through hands-on projects. You work alongside university faculty and student mentors in campus laboratories while exploring topics such as programming, engineering design, and computing. The camp includes laboratory activities, team projects, and campus experiences that help you understand what studying engineering or computing in college is like. The $100 attendance fee covers meals, residence hall accommodation, and program activities.

7. Cyber Ambassadors Tech Camp

Cyber Ambassadors Tech Camp, hosted by the University of Memphis Center for Information Assurance, introduces you to cybersecurity, programming, and ethical hacking through practical activities. You learn software coding, Internet of Things programming, and cybersecurity concepts while completing hands-on exercises that simulate real cyber threats. One of the camp’s signature activities involves programming autonomous R/C cars to defend against cyber attacks, giving you experience applying computing skills to real-world security challenges.

8. Quantum Summer Camp

UTC’s Quantum Summer Camp introduces you to the ideas behind quantum computing through hands-on activities, demonstrations, and lab experiences. You will explore the physics and mathematics that led to quantum technology before learning how quantum computers work and where they can outperform classical computers. The programme also includes visits to UTC’s Quantum Node, professor-led sessions, and demonstrations inside research laboratories. During the week, you’ll see quantum experiments, learn about quantum networks, and meet researchers working in the field. The camp also includes field trips and activities that connect quantum computing with real-world technology and current research.

9. CISA Cyber and IT Internship

CISA’s internship gives you the chance to work with the federal agency responsible for protecting the nation’s critical infrastructure from cyber threats. Depending on your placement, you may contribute to projects involving network operations, software assurance, IT management, or information systems security alongside cybersecurity professionals. Since the internship is offered virtually, you can participate from anywhere in the United States while working on real government projects. You’ll also attend virtual lab tours and briefings with senior CISA leaders to learn how the agency responds to cybersecurity challenges at the national level. The programme offers a rare look at how large-scale cyber defense is planned and carried out inside the federal government.

10. DHS Pathways IT Student Trainee

The Department of Homeland Security’s Pathways IT positions are federal internships for students still in high school, and the IT track puts you inside DHS component offices doing substantive technology work. Tasks span research analysis, system documentation, technology tool support, and cross-directorate coordination on data and IT projects. The roles sit inside DHS operational components, allowing you to understand how government IT infrastructure works and support active departmental functions. Pay is set by the federal GS scale adjusted to your location, and the appointment can run across the summer or into the academic year.

11. Applied STEM Institute (Technology/Computing track)

ETSU’s Applied STEM Summer Camp introduces you to several areas of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics through hands-on projects at East Tennessee State University. You will spend the week designing, building, testing, and solving real engineering and technology challenges while working with university faculty and mentors. Activities are designed to show how STEM concepts are applied outside the classroom through experiments, collaborative projects, and problem-solving exercises. You’ll also explore the university’s laboratories and STEM facilities while learning about different college majors and career paths. The programme concludes with team presentations where you’ll demonstrate the solutions and projects you developed during the camp.

12. George Mason University Aspiring Scientists Summer Internship Program (ASSIP)

ASSIP matches you one-on-one with a George Mason University faculty researcher for eight weeks of full-time research. Depending on your placement, you may work on projects in computer science, cybersecurity, data science, artificial intelligence, or other STEM fields while contributing to your mentor’s ongoing research. Past computing projects have explored topics such as machine learning bias, natural language processing, dark-pattern detection, and user interface design. You will use the same research tools and methods that faculty research groups rely on throughout the summer. The programme ends with a research symposium where you present your work, and participants earn three undergraduate credits from George Mason University.

13. Stanford AIMI Academic Year Research Internship

Stanford’s AIMI program places you in a small research team of four or five students working on an artificial intelligence project in medicine. Guided by Stanford student mentors, you will build, test, and evaluate machine learning models using real clinical datasets to investigate healthcare questions. Throughout the programme, you’ll learn how researchers prepare health data, measure model performance, and apply responsible AI practices when working with patient information. Weekly mentoring sessions give you regular feedback as your project develops over the academic year. The programme concludes with a research presentation where you share your findings using the same approach followed in applied AI and medical research.

14. CS@Mines Computing For the Good

Computing for the Good is a five-week virtual programme where you will work with a small team to build a software product from the ground up. You will write code, work through professional development tools, and move from an initial idea to a working application by the end of the programme. Each week, guest speakers from industry and academia explain how they use computer science in their own careers and answer questions about their work. The schedule is designed around 5 to 10 hours per week, making it manageable alongside other summer activities. The programme ends with a completed team project that demonstrates the software your group built during the summer.

15. CS@Mines Research Internship

The CS@Mines research internship places you on an active faculty research project in computer science, with work in areas like artificial intelligence, robotics, and cybersecurity. The experience involves reading academic literature, contributing to live research questions, running experiments or analyses, and operating as a real member of a working team. For projects that are primarily computational and don’t require physical lab access, some positions can be completed remotely, depending on the faculty lead. Qualifying students can receive scholarship funding of $20 per hour, making it a paid placement. An undergraduate mentor from the Mines CS department is typically embedded in the team alongside you, giving you a connection to someone already a few steps further down the same path.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which of these internships pay a stipend or hourly wage?

The ORNL NGSI, AFRL Scholars Program, Genesys Works Nashville, Vanderbilt’s REHSS, the CISA Cyber and IT Internship, DHS Pathways IT Student Trainee, and the CS@Mines Research Internship are all paid, with the AFRL Scholars Program paying $506.80 per week and CS@Mines paying $20 per hour.

Do I need to live in a specific area of Tennessee to apply to these programs?

Some do have geographic restrictions. The ORNL NGSI is limited to specific counties near Oak Ridge, Genesys Works Nashville is limited to underserved Nashville communities, and Vanderbilt’s REHSS is limited to students from three specific Nashville area high schools.

Which programs give access to real government or defense related work?

The AFRL Scholars Program places students at Arnold Air Force Base working on aerospace testing and simulation projects, and the CISA Cyber and IT Internship and DHS Pathways IT Student Trainee both place students inside federal agencies working on national cybersecurity and IT infrastructure.

Are any of these programs fully virtual and open to students outside Tennessee?

Yes. The CISA Cyber and IT Internship, DHS Pathways IT Student Trainee, Stanford AIMI Academic Year Research Internship, CS@Mines Computing For the Good, and parts of the ORNL NGSI and George Mason ASSIP programs all offer virtual participation options.

What if I am interested in research outside of software or computing fields?

These internships are focused specifically on software development, computing, and related technical research, but students looking for a research based credential in a different subject area might consider Horizon’s Research Seminars and Labs, a selective virtual research program that pairs students with a mentor to develop an original research paper across subjects like political theory, data science, and biology.

Image source: Vanderbilt University