Summer is a great time for high school students to join programs that offer exposure to workplaces and leadership opportunities, along with mentorship. The Bank of America Student Leaders Program is one such program for high school students interested in business, community service, and the non-profit industry. This is an internship as well as a leadership program that places you with a local organization and brings you to a summit in Washington, D.C.
While there are many summer opportunities and pre-college programs to consider, the Student Leaders Program is a strong option if you are looking to gain hands-on experience in community service, civic engagement, and leadership development. This can be a solid option to add to your resume, as it is a competitive program, acceptance into which can highlight your abilities and willingness to challenge yourself.
With students from across the U.S. applying for the program each year, it can be hard to make your application stand out. After all, a successful application is about more than just grades and academics. In this article, we offer 10 tips that can help you put together a compelling application. Here, you will also find key details about the program, including dates, cost, and features, to help you make an informed decision and strengthen your application.
If you are looking for more prestigious opportunities, check out our list here. You can also find our curated selection of leadership programs here.
What is Bank of America’s Student Leaders Program?
The Bank of America, a leading multinational bank, runs the Student Leaders Program each year, offering high schoolers paid summer experiences focused on civic engagement, leadership, and professional development. Each summer, the program connects over 300 high school students with work opportunities at local non-profit organizations. The program often partners with non-profits like Habitat for Humanity. As a participant, you will work for 35 hours per week and learn about civic, social, and business leadership in the process.
The program ends with an all-expenses-paid Student Leaders Summit in Washington, D.C., where you will get to connect with other Student Leaders and learn how business, non-profits, and the government work together to meet various needs of the community. The program is designed to offer you a better understanding of community service and social impact while also providing opportunities to develop workplace skills like communication, teamwork, and problem-solving. The program can be your chance to get a firsthand look at how different units come together to ensure community well-being and pick up skills to drive change in your own community!
Quick facts for applicants
Location: A local non-profit in your area + a week-long summit in Washington, D.C.; you can check out eligible areas here.
Cost and stipend: This program is free! You will receive a stipend for your work. While the official website does not specify an amount, students typically report receiving $11 – $20/hour, depending on the site.
Program dates: Eight weeks in the summer, including the D.C. Summit (July 21 – 26); specific dates vary by internship.
Application deadline: January 15; applications open in the fall/spring
Eligibility: Current high school juniors and seniors who are authorized to work in the U.S., who permanently reside in one of the eligible locations, are able to commit 35 hours/week for eight weeks, and who have not been previously selected for the program
Acceptance rate: Not officially disclosed; however, the program is known to be selective, with many reporting a rate under 10%. Overall, each year, about 300 students are selected across the U.S.
What to expect?
The Bank of America Student Leaders Program is designed to help you develop leadership and community service skills. Here is what you can expect to learn by the end of the program:
Community service and social impact awareness: You will find opportunities to build a deeper understanding of local and national social issues, including their root causes, and how to design effective community-based solutions.
Civic engagement: The program can offer exposure to civic processes and how institutions and individuals can work together to create change.
Policy awareness: As a participant, you will find opportunities to build awareness about public policies and how they shape economic mobility, education, and community development
Ethical decision-making: You will learn how to navigate complex social challenges with equity and accountability.
Project management and problem-solving: The program can help you build the skills required to see a project through, including experience in planning initiatives, collaborating in teams, and managing timelines.
Outreach and networking: You can strengthen your professional communication skills while making lasting connections with peers through the program.
Personal growth: The program offers opportunities to help you build the confidence, knowledge, skills, and real-world experience to make real change and significant impact in the community.
Student experience with testimonials
Students who attend the Student Leaders Program generally have positive things to say about their experience. Most participants appreciate the opportunity to observe the inner workings of a non-profit and grassroots businesses in general.
Here are a few snippets from articles featuring participant testimonials:
“‘It was super interesting to have the dual dynamic of working both in the administration office but also being in the grassroots and working with the kids as well,” said Steven Sanchez about his placement at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Fresno County through the Bank of America Student Leaders Program. He was 18 and an incoming freshman at Columbia University in New York City, studying computational biology at the time. He also said that exposure to management team meetings gave him insight into how nonprofit finances and grants are managed. You can read the full piece here.
Another participant, Ella Lee (17 and a high school senior at the time), was also placed at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Fresno County. She said the experience helped her better understand the inner workings of a non-profit and its outward mission. “Getting to work with the kids has just been an amazing experience,” she said. “I gained … invaluable experience, learning what goes on behind the scenes at a non-profit.” You can check out the full piece here.
Isabella, a rising senior at Carver High School, said, “It (Student Leaders Program) has made me more interested in mission-driven work. Whether I go into finance or tech, I want to stay connected to projects that create real social value.” You can find the full article here.
10 tips for applicants
1. Understand the goal of the program
The Bank of America Student Leaders Program looks beyond grades and test scores, emphasizing leadership, community service, and civic engagement. Frame your application around impact, initiative, and service rather than relying solely on academics.
2. Highlight leadership activities
In your application, list all the experiences in which you took on the role of a leader, whether that involved serving as a club officer, leading a project, mentoring younger students, or taking initiative in group settings at school or in your community.
3. Highlight community service
Focus on meaningful service experiences such as volunteering with local nonprofits, organizing donation drives, or working with community-based organizations addressing local needs.
4. Prioritize quantifiable achievements
Whenever possible, include numbers, such as hours volunteered, funds raised, events organized, or people served, to highlight the real impact of your involvement, not just participation.
5. Connect your experiences to civic engagement
Link your activities to broader social themes such as economic mobility, educational access, racial equity, public health, and environmental justice to demonstrate your awareness of larger community issues.
6. Demonstrate passion
While describing your experiences and achievements in your application, do not forget to explain why these causes matter to you personally. Showing that you genuinely care about social issues can go a long way.
7. Describe how you will benefit from the program
Explain how this program will benefit you more than other pre-college opportunities. Be specific about what you hope to gain, such as learning about non-profit institutions, developing leadership skills, or gaining exposure to civic institutions.
8. Explain how the program fits into your future goals
Whether you’re interested in public service, business, law, social impact, or non-profit work, clearly explain how this experience will support your long-term goals and career aspirations.
9. Secure a strong recommendation
Go with a recommender who knows you well and can speak to the relevant skills required for the program, such as leadership, commitment to service, initiative, and ability to work with others.
10. Write authentically
Avoid overly formal or flowery language in your application. Be honest, clear, and let your unique voice, perspective, and experiences make your application stand out.
One more option—Horizon Academic Research Program
If you are looking for a competitive mentored research program in an area of your choice, you can consider applying to Horizon’s Research Seminars and Labs! It is a selective virtual research program that allows you to engage in advanced research and come up with a research paper on a subject of your choosing. Horizon has worked with 1,000+ high school students so far, offering 600+ research specializations to choose from. You can find the application link here!