If you’re a high school student interested in research, a summer internship can be a good way to explore that interest and see how professional research is done. Research internships give you experience in areas like lab work, data collection, analysis, and project support while also helping you build problem-solving and technical skills.
These internships are usually short, structured, and focused on one project or field. Some place you in university labs, while others are hosted by hospitals, companies, or research centers. You might assist with experiments, review data, or work under a mentor guiding an ongoing study. Doing a research internship in high school can also strengthen your college applications by showing early exposure to advanced academic work.
To help you get started, here’s a list of 15 summer research internships for high school students!
15 Summer Research Internships for High School Students
1. Ladder Internship Program
Location: Remote! You can work from anywhere in the world.
Cost: Varies depending on program type (financial aid available)
Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year, including Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter.
Application deadline: Deadlines vary depending on the cohort. Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September), and Winter (November).
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 highly selective, virtual internship program designed for ambitious high school students who want to gain real-world experience working with fast-growing startups. Founded by Harvard entrepreneurs, the program matches you with a startup in industries ranging from AI/ML, deep tech, and health tech to journalism, marketing, consulting, and more. These startups are typically high-growth companies, many have raised over $1 million, and some are led by Y Combinator alumni or former employees of tech giants like Google, Microsoft, and Facebook. As an intern, you work closely with your startup manager and a dedicated Ladder Coach on meaningful projects tailored to your interests and strengths. You’ll present your work to the company at last.
2. Horizon Academic Research Program (HARP)
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies depending on program type. Financial aid available.
Application Date: Multiple deadlines throughout the year for the Spring, Summer and Fall cohorts.
Program Dates: The spring and fall cohorts run 15 weeks, while the summer cohort runs 10 weeks (June-September).
Eligibility: High school students with good academic standing (>3.67/4.0 GPA) can apply. Most accepted students are 10th/11th graders! A few tracks require prerequisites, see here.
Horizon offers trimester-long research programs for high school students across subject areas such as data science, machine learning, political theory, and more! Horizon is one of the few research programs for high school students that offers you the choice to engage in either quantitative or qualitative research. Once you select a particular subject track, Horizon pairs you with a professor/PhD scholar who acts as a mentor throughout your research journey. As a participant, you will be expected to develop a 20-page research paper that you can send to prestigious journals for publication as a high school student. The program also provides a letter of recommendation for each student and detailed project feedback that you can use to work on future projects.
3. Air Force Research Laboratory Scholars (AFRL) Program
Location: Various locations across the U.S.
Cost: None. A stipend of $500/week is provided
Dates: Fall: 16 weeks (late August/early September – mid-December); Spring: 16 weeks (mid-January – early May); Summer: 10 weeks (late May/early June – August)
Application deadline: October 10 – January 10 (summer cohort)
Eligibility: U.S. citizens at least 16 years of age with a minimum GPA of 3.0/4.0
The AFRL Scholars Program is a paid internship where you work with Air Force scientists and engineers on real research projects. As a high school student, you may be placed in labs focused on aerospace systems, artificial intelligence, or data science. You take part in experiments, analyze results, and learn about technologies used in national defense and space missions. You also receive mentorship from professionals who guide you through technical tasks and help you build research and career skills.
4. MIT’s Research Science Institute
Location: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA
Stipend: Paid
Dates: June 21–August 1
Application deadline: December 11
Eligibility: High school juniors with the following scores are preferred: PSAT Math Scores: At least 740; Evidence-Based Reading and Writing Scores: 700 or higher; ACT Math Scores: At least 33; Verbal scores: At least 34
RSI is a six-week program at MIT that brings together 100 high school students from around the world to experience a full research cycle. During the first week, you take intensive STEM courses taught by professors before beginning a five-week mentored research internship in your chosen field. You’ll review current scientific literature, develop a research plan, and carry out experiments or modeling under the supervision of experienced scientists. By the final week, you prepare both a written research paper and a conference-style presentation to share your findings with peers and faculty.
5. Stanford Institutes of Medicine Summer Research Program
Location: Stanford University, Stanford, CA
Stipend: Paid
Dates: June 8 – July 30
Application deadline: February 21
Eligibility: High school juniors or seniors as of the fall, graduating in this or next year, and at least 16 years old by June 9. Applicants must reside in and attend high school in the U.S. and be U.S. citizens/permanent residents with a green card.
At Stanford’s SIMR, you spend eight weeks conducting biomedical research under the mentorship of faculty, postdoctoral fellows, and graduate students. The program allows you to select from research areas such as immunology, cancer biology, neurobiology, genetics, cardiovascular biology, and more, with placement based on your interests. Once matched, you’ll work in a lab on a hands-on project, learning how research is designed, carried out, and communicated. SIMR also includes a bioengineering boot camp option for students who want a more structured learning experience outside of direct lab research.
6. Bay Area Youth Science (BAYS) Program at UCSF
Location: University of California, San Francisco
Cost: None. $5,000 stipend
Dates: Eight weeks in the summer
Application deadline: Late March
Eligibility: Open to all Bay Area high school juniors/seniors meeting GPA criteria
The BAYS Program at UCSF is an eight-week paid summer internship for high school juniors and seniors. You work in UCSF labs on biomedical research topics like drug discovery, cancer biology, computational chemistry, and infectious diseases. Graduate students and postdocs mentor you during the week, while Fridays are reserved for classes on research methods, college prep, and life skills. The program starts with virtual sessions featuring UCSF scientists and career panels. At the end, you present your research to the UCSF community.
7. Science and Engineering Apprenticeship Program (SEAP) by the Department of the Navy
Location: Varies based on lab locations.
Cost: Free; stipend: $4,000 (new participants) | $4,500 (returning participants)
Dates: June–August (8 weeks)
Application deadline: Applications open in August and close on November 1 every year
Eligibility: Open to high school students in grades 10-12 who are 16 years old by the start of the program and are U.S. citizens
The Science and Engineering Apprenticeship Program (SEAP) is an eight-week paid summer internship for high school students hosted by the Department of the Navy. You work in one of over 38 Navy research labs across the U.S. on STEM projects related to robotics, marine engineering, materials science, cybersecurity, or computer modeling. Around 300 students are selected each year based on academic achievement, personal statements, and recommendations. You receive mentorship from Navy scientists and engineers and gain hands-on experience with advanced research.
8. Magee-Womens Research Institute (MWRI)’s High School Summer Internship Program
Location: Magee-Womens Research Institute, Pittsburgh, PA
Stipend: $1800 (if household qualifies for the National School Breakfast and Lunch Program for Pennsylvania)
Dates: 6 weeks starting June 16
Application deadline: February 7
Eligibility: High school students currently in their sophomore or junior year | Over 16 years old by the program start date | Permanent/primary residence in the local southwest Pennsylvania region
At MWRI in Pittsburgh, you can join a six-week, 240-hour internship focused on reproductive biology, women’s health, and infant health. During the program, you’ll work under the supervision of a faculty investigator and their team, carrying out a research project in either basic, translational, or clinical science. In addition to your lab work, you’ll attend weekly Lunch & Learn sessions where researchers discuss their own career paths in biomedical science. The program concludes with a formal presentation day, where interns share their findings with peers, faculty, and staff.
9. High School Fellowship in Biomedical Research, The Wistar Institute
Location: Wistar Institute, University City District, Philadelphia
Stipend: $1,500
Dates: July 6–August 2
Application deadline: March 31
Eligibility: At least 16 years old | Have completed at least one high school science course | (Priority is given to students enrolled in the School District of Philadelphia)
The Wistar Institute in Philadelphia offers a four-week fellowship where you’ll gain practical experience in a training lab focused on cancer and infectious disease research. Throughout the program, you’ll learn essential laboratory skills, practice reading scientific literature, and engage in data analysis as part of your research activities. Career talks are built into the fellowship, giving you the chance to hear directly from scientists about different paths in biomedical research. By the end, you’ll prepare and deliver a presentation summarizing your project, giving you experience in communicating science clearly.
10. UCSF Summer Student Research Program
Location: San Francisco and Oakland, CA
Stipend: Paid
Dates: February 14
Application deadline: June 2 – August 1
Eligibility: Open to high school juniors or seniors, age 16+ by June 1, with at least one year of completed math and biology
UCSF’s Summer Student Research Program places high school and college students into biomedical research labs and clinics across the Bay Area. As a participant, you’ll work one-on-one with a mentor on a nine-week project, which may involve basic science or clinical research depending on your placement. The program also includes weekly seminars, journal clubs, and workshops on topics like healthcare careers, research methods, and professional development. At the end of the summer, you’ll present your work at a formal symposium.
11. University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center – Carl B. & Florence E. King Foundation High School Summer Program
Location: MD Anderson Cancer Center
Cost: None. $6,800 stipend
Dates: June 2 – August 8
Application deadline: January 20
Eligibility: Must be Texas residents in grades 11–12, age 17+ by June 1
At MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, you can spend 10 weeks working alongside faculty in one of the nation’s leading cancer research institutions. This program selects up to 12 high school students each year, giving you a chance to take part in hands-on laboratory research while learning the core principles that guide scientific investigation. Your weekdays are spent in the lab from morning until late afternoon, conducting experiments and building a realistic sense of the discipline involved in biomedical research. The program ends with a formal presentation of your research and a luncheon.
12. NYU Tandon’s Applied Research Innovations in Science and Engineering (ARISE)
Location: NYU Tandon School of Engineering, Brooklyn, New York
Cost: Free. $1,000 stipend
Dates: June 30 – August 15
Application deadline: March 1
Eligibility: Rising juniors and seniors in high school; must be New York residents.
NYU Tandon’s ARISE offers you a free, 10-week summer experience that combines research training with hands-on lab work in New York City. The first four weeks are focused on building your foundation, including lab safety, academic writing, and research methods workshops, while the remaining six weeks are dedicated to working in one of the more than 80 NYU research labs. Throughout the program, you’ll log over 100 hours of lab experience while developing skills in scientific communication, teamwork, and public speaking. You’ll also receive guidance on the college application process and ongoing mentorship that may extend past the summer. The program concludes with a research symposium at the American Museum of Natural History, where you present your work to the community.
13. Texas Tech University – Anson L. Clark Scholars Program
Location: Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas
Cost: None. $750 stipend
Dates: June 22 – August 7
Application deadline: February 24
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors who are at least 17 by the start date
The Clark Scholars Program at Texas Tech University brings together a small, highly selective group of students for seven weeks of immersive research. If chosen, you’ll work directly with a faculty mentor in a subject that matches your academic interests, ranging from natural sciences and engineering to social sciences and the arts. Much of your time will be spent doing independent research, but the program also includes weekly lectures, discussions, and field trips that broaden your perspective on different academic disciplines.
14. Scripps Student Research Internship
Location: Scripps Research Translational Institute, La Jolla, CA
Cost: None
Dates: June 2–August 8 | June 16–August 22
Application deadline: March 31
Eligibility: High school students who will be at least 16 years old by the internship start date
Scripps Research Translational Institute offers a 10-week summer internship focused on personalized medicine and translational research. You work on projects in genomics, computational biology, or mobile health technologies under the guidance of a faculty mentor. You attend weekly seminars, journal clubs, and roundtable discussions with researchers. Most interns work in dry lab settings, though a few wet lab positions are available. At the end of the program, you present your research in a poster symposium.
15. Craig Venter Institute’s High School Internship
Location: La Jolla, CA, and Rockville, MD
Cost: None: $17.50 to $21/hour stipend, based on education level
Dates: May – August; 10-15 week opportunities are offered throughout the year
Application deadline: April 1
Eligibility: High school students aged 16 and above
JCVI hosts a summer internship where high school students aged 16 and older can take part in research projects under the guidance of a mentor. This program puts you in an active research environment where you’ll learn to use advanced lab equipment, work with professional scientists, and contribute to projects tailored to your academic background. Over the course of the internship, you’ll attend seminars, journal clubs, and career development workshops that help you strengthen both your scientific knowledge and professional skills. At the end of the program, you’ll present your research in a judged poster session.
Image source – JCVI