Summer science internships are one of the most effective ways for high school students to build technical skills while gaining experience in professional research settings. These programs expose you to subject-specific tools, lab techniques, and data analysis methods that go far beyond what you typically encounter in the classroom.
By working directly with scientists, engineers, or graduate mentors, you can practice applying scientific methods in areas such as molecular biology, physics, computer modeling, and environmental science. This provides an opportunity to learn how scientific work is documented and presented, whether through lab reports, symposia, or research papers.
To help you find the right opportunity, we’ve pulled together 15 summer science internships for high school students. You can check out our blog on summer research programs for high school students in NYC.
1. Max Planck Florida Institute (MPFI) Summer Research Internship
Stipend: Paid; $13/hour
Program Dates: June 16 – July 25
Application Deadline: March 4
Cost: Free
Location: Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience, Jupiter, FL
Eligibility: Open to high school juniors and seniors (16+) living in Palm Beach or Martin County with U.S. work authorization
This six-week program introduces you to neuroscience through full-time lab work on brain structure, development, and function. You may utilize neuroimaging tools, work with scientific programming, or contribute to engineering projects that support active research. Training emphasizes experimental design, data analysis, and lab techniques specific to neuroscience. By the end of the program, you will have prepared a scientific abstract and presented your findings, gaining experience in both technical research and scientific communication.
2. Mental Health Careers Summer Internship
Stipend: Unpaid
Program Dates: June
Application Deadline: Early February
Cost: Free
Location: Virtual
Eligibility: Open to rising 10th–12th graders and rising college first-years
This two-week online internship exposes you to the range of clinical and research careers in mental health. Sessions are led by practicing clinicians, including psychiatrists, neuropsychologists, physician assistants, and social workers. You’ll prepare with reading packets that include both media articles and peer-reviewed research, then engage in interactive sessions where professionals demonstrate their work and answer career-focused questions. Topics span psychotherapy, neuroscience, neuropsychological testing, and interventional psychiatry. The program emphasizes both scientific foundations and practical pathways into mental health fields, with mentoring relationships often continuing after the internship.
3. Ladder Internship Program
Stipend: Unpaid
Program Dates: 8-week cohorts offered in Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter
Application Deadline: Varies by cohort — Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September), Winter (November)
Cost: Varies depending on program type; financial aid available
Location: Remote
Eligibility: Open to high school students, undergraduates, and gap-year students able to commit 10–20 hours per week for 8–12 weeks
Ladder Internships connects you with high-growth startups where you can contribute to real projects across fields like health tech, deep tech, and AI/ML. Depending on your placement, you might conduct literature reviews, analyze datasets using Python or R, or assist in developing product prototypes. You’ll also receive structured support from a Ladder Coach, ensuring that your work aligns with professional standards. The program emphasizes technical project experience and communication skills, culminating in a final presentation to your host company.
4. AFRL Scholars Program
Stipend: $501.60 per week
Program Dates: Summer session, 8–12 weeks
Application Deadline: January 10
Cost: Free
Location: Multiple AFRL sites across the United States
Eligibility: Open to U.S. citizens age 16+ with a minimum 3.0 GPA; available to upper-level high school students, undergraduates, graduates, and K–12 educators
This stipend-based internship places you in Department of Defense research labs, where you contribute to computational and experimental projects alongside AFRL scientists and engineers. Depending on your assignment, you may engage in radar modeling, spacecraft anomaly simulations, or high-performance computing for microwave systems. Projects often involve the use of DoD simulation codes, specialized modeling software, and access to high-performance computing resources. Deliverables can include prototype designs, refinement of computational methods, or technical analyses for ongoing aerospace and defense research.
5. NIST Summer High School Intern Program (SHIP)
Stipend: Unpaid
Program Dates: June 23 – August 8
Application Deadline: Last week of January
Cost: Free
Location: NIST campuses in Boulder, CO, and Gaithersburg, MD
Eligibility: Open to U.S. citizens who are rising juniors or seniors with a minimum 3.0 GPA and who live near a NIST campus. Skills in Python, electronics, LabView, AutoDesk Inventor, chemistry, or physics are helpful but not required
SHIP is an eight-week educational internship where you work directly with NIST researchers on defined projects in chemistry, physics, engineering, or computer science. You’ll be paired with staff mentors in one of NIST’s six labs, contributing to tasks like coding in Python, analyzing data, or using lab instrumentation. Projects vary by placement but emphasize problem-solving and technical skill development in a federal research setting. Although unpaid, the program is highly competitive and provides direct exposure to the research that underpins national standards in science and technology.
6. Johns Hopkins Internship in Brain Sciences (JHIBS)
Stipend: In-person: hourly wages + transportation support; Virtual: $500 stipend
Program Dates: In-person: June – August (8 weeks); Virtual: July – August (5 weeks)
Application Deadline: March 1
Cost: Free
Location: Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD (in-person) and virtual
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors; in-person applicants must live in Baltimore City or attend a local high school.
JHIBS is a selective neuroscience research internship offering mentored experience in brain science at Johns Hopkins. In-person students join campus labs, where they work with techniques in neurobiology and data analysis, while virtual participants complete structured research remotely. Both tracks include seminars led by faculty and workshops on professional communication. The program concludes with a symposium, where you present findings to peers and mentors, mirroring the format of professional scientific conferences.
7. Stanford Clinical Summer Internship (CSI)
Stipend: None
Program Dates: Session 1 (In-person): July 14 – 25; Session 2 (Virtual): July 28 – August 8; Fall Intensive (Virtual): September 10 – November 12
Application Deadline: February 24
Cost: In-person: $6,380; Virtual: $4,380. Financial aid is available
Location: Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA (in-person) and virtual
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors, seniors, and undergraduate pre-medical students
The Stanford CSI program provides structured exposure to clinical medicine through lab activities, simulations, and case-based learning. In-person students participate in guided dissections, clinical skills labs, and site visits, including emergency response facilities such as Life Flight. Virtual participants explore the same core concepts through interactive online modules and small-group sessions. Across both formats, you will learn medical reasoning, communication in clinical contexts, and technical procedures under the mentorship of Stanford faculty, residents, and medical students.
8. Emma Bowen Foundation (EBF) Summer Internship
Stipend: Paid
Program Dates: May – August
Application Deadline: Applications reviewed September – April; placements finalized by May 1
Cost: Free
Location: Partner companies across the U.S. (media, entertainment, and tech industries)
Eligibility: High school seniors and undergraduates with a 3.0+ GPA; U.S. citizens or permanent residents; must be 18 before the internship start date
The EBF Summer Internship places you at media and tech companies where you gain hands-on experience with applied computer science and digital systems. Depending on placement, you may work on software development, IT infrastructure, data analytics, or digital media platforms. The program emphasizes technical skills and professional readiness, pairing you with industry mentors and exposing you to large-scale technology operations. With ~150 Fellows chosen annually, it offers competitive entry into industries where mathematics, computing, and media intersect.
9. Aspiring Scientists Summer Internship Program (ASSIP)
Stipend: Unpaid
Program Dates: June 18 – August 8
Application Deadline: February 2
Cost: Free (excluding application fee)
Location: George Mason University, Fairfax, VA (remote, hybrid, or in-person)
Eligibility: Students at least 15 years old for computer/remote labs; at least 16 for wet lab placements.
ASSIP provides a seven-week research experience where you work with George Mason faculty on projects spanning engineering, life sciences, and computational fields. You will gain exposure to scientific research methods, lab instrumentation, and analytical tools, with opportunities to work remotely or in wet labs, depending on your placement. Workshops cover STEM careers, science communication, and technical resume development. The program concludes with a formal symposium, where you present your findings to peers and faculty, providing you with practice in professional-level scientific communication.
10. Stanford AIMI Summer Research Internship
Stipend: None
Program Dates: June 16 – June 27
Application Deadline: February 28
Cost: $850 tuition + $40 application fee
Location: Virtual
Eligibility: U.S.-based high school students aged 14+ who are California residents.
This two-week virtual program explores the technical overlap between artificial intelligence, healthcare, and computer science. You will participate in coding workshops, lectures, and applied research projects, learning how algorithms are developed and evaluated in the context of medical imaging. Sessions also include professional “Career Lunch & Learns” with researchers and clinicians, giving you context on career pathways. The program concludes with a research symposium, where you present project findings that integrate computational methods with real-world medical data.
11. New York Bioforce
Stipend: Paid summer internship
Program Dates: Spring training (~100 hours on Saturdays) + six-week summer internship
Application Deadline: Typically in March
Cost: Free
Location: Columbia Engineering, Weill Cornell, NY Proton Center, and partner industry labs (New York City)
Eligibility: Open to 11th–12th grade students from NYC public or charter schools who demonstrate educational or economic disadvantage
NY Bioforce prepares students through a hybrid model that combines structured training with a paid internship. The spring semester includes ~100 hours of Saturday coursework covering lab methods, data handling, and professional communication. In the summer, you will complete six-week placements in academic or industry labs, working on projects in computational biology, medical imaging, or engineering systems. The program emphasizes exposure to advanced STEM research environments while also developing workforce readiness skills, making it a strong pipeline for underrepresented students to enter scientific careers.
12. Barrow Neurological Institute Summer High School Internship Program
Stipend: Not specified
Program Dates: May 30 – July 3
Application Deadline: February 14
Cost: Free
Location: Barrow Neurological Institute, Phoenix, AZ
Eligibility: High school students aged 16 or older
This five-week internship provides exposure to neuroscience and neurology through lab projects and structured mentorship. You will work with researchers on biomedical investigations related to neurological disorders and treatments, developing skills in experimental design and literature analysis. Training emphasizes both technical research methods and communication of scientific findings. The program also integrates professional development sessions, preparing students interested in biomedical science, medicine, or neuroscience for future academic pathways.
13. Boston Private Industry Council Tech Apprentice
Stipend: Paid
Program Dates: 6–7 weeks, June – August
Application Deadline: Spring typically March–April
Cost: Free
Location: Boston, MA
Eligibility: Open to Boston Public Schools high school students interested in technology and IT
Tech Apprentice places students in paid summer roles at Boston-area companies, where you work directly with IT teams and software developers. Depending on placement, tasks may include troubleshooting in helpdesk environments, coding for web design, or performing quality control testing for applications. Some positions extend into digital media, giving you exposure to technical production tools. The program emphasizes workplace-based computing skills, providing a structured introduction to IT systems and applied programming.
14. Yale Social Robotics Lab High School Internship
Stipend: Unpaid
Program Dates: 6 weeks, June – August
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions
Cost: Free
Location: Yale University, New Haven, CT
Eligibility: High school students entering grades 11 or 12 who are at least 16 years old
This six-week internship immerses you in research at the intersection of robotics, AI, and human-robot interaction. You will contribute to projects involving machine learning, behavioral modeling, and sensor integration, working alongside Yale faculty and graduate researchers. This internship focuses on practical research methods in engineering and cognitive science, specifically exploring how robots function in social environments. You’ll gain experience in technical design and the evaluation of robotic systems through collaborative experimentation.
15. MITRE Student Internships
Stipend: Paid
Program Dates: Exact dates vary
Application Deadline: Rolling
Cost: Free
Location: Multiple sites nationwide, including Bedford, MA, and McLean, VA; some remote options available
Eligibility: Open to high school, undergraduate, and graduate students; U.S. citizenship
required for many roles
MITRE offers structured summer internships across various research areas, including cybersecurity, robotics, AI, health systems engineering, and data science. High school students are placed in supervised roles where they may assist with Python scripting, applied machine learning, or computational modeling. Projects often involve exposure to federally oriented research and engineering environments. You will also receive mentorship and networking opportunities, making the program a direct introduction to professional workflows in technical research and systems engineering.
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 – Max Planck Florida Institute