15 Technology Internships for High School Students in California
If you’re a high school student interested in technology, applying for an internship can help you explore different career paths, build technical skills, and gain hands-on experience. You will have the chance to work at universities, research centers, and tech organizations where you can contribute to projects in areas like artificial intelligence, data science, and software development.
If you want to see what other technology internships are available in other states, find a list of technology internships in North Carolina here & Washington here.
Why should I do a technology internship in high school?
Technology internships allow you to explore specialized areas such as machine learning, high-performance computing, computational research, and data analysis. You may learn how to write code, work with tools like Python or Jupyter Notebooks, analyze datasets, and collaborate on technical projects with mentors and peers. Many internships also include opportunities to present your work via research posters or project demonstrations, helping you build communication skills alongside technical expertise.
Which programs should I look at?
In this blog, you’ll find 15 internships for high school students in California that involve hands-on research, collaborative projects, and mentorship from scientists and industry professionals.
1.Meta Summer Academy (MSA)
Location: Meta Headquarters, Menlo Park, CA
Cost | Stipend: Free | Paid; exact amount varies from year to year
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Competitive
Program Dates: June 15 – July 24
Application Deadline: December 1 – February 14
Eligibility: Current high school sophomores with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 | Must be full-year residents of East Palo Alto, Belle Haven, North Fair Oaks, or Redwood City
MSA is a six-week program for high school sophomores interested in exploring careers in technology and related fields. You will engage in structured learning activities that include coding, financial literacy, art, and media. Throughout the program, you’ll collaborate with peers on group-based projects that build both technical understanding and workplace readiness. Along the way, you will also develop soft skills such as teamwork, self-reflection, and communication. You will also attend regular guest speaker sessions and networking events with Meta employees, gaining insight into different career pathways in the company. You will receive mentorship and guidance from instructors and program staff who will support your progress and skill development.
2.Ladder Internship Program
Location: Remote! You can work from anywhere in the world.
Cost: Varies depending on program type. Full financial aid available.
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Around 10%
Program 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 selective start-up internship program for ambitious high school students! In the program, you work with a high-growth start-up on an internship. Start-ups that offer internships range across a variety of industries, from tech/deep tech and AI/ML to health tech, marketing, journalism, consulting, and more. Ladder’s start-ups are high-growth companies on average, raising over a million dollars. Interns work closely with their manager at the startup on real-world projects and present their work to the company. The virtual internship is usually 8 weeks long. Apply now!
3.Berkeley Lab Director’s Apprenticeship Program: Interdisciplinary Pathways to Machine Learning and Data Science (BLDAP:IPMLDS)
Location: Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA
Cost | Stipend: Free | $500/week, totaling to $3,000 for the entire program
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: 20 students
Program Dates: June 16 – July 24
Application Deadline: February 2 – March 22 (recommended final submission date is March 20)
Eligibility: Public school students currently enrolled in grades 10 and 11 | Must be full-time residents of and enrolled in a school in Alameda, San Francisco, and Contra Costa counties in Northern California | Must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents | Must be at least 16 years old | Required minimum GPA is 2.5 | Must reside within 20 miles of Berkeley Lab
BLDAP:IPMLDS is a six-week, in-person summer program for high school sophomores and juniors interested in data science and research. As part of this program, you’ll learn Python and foundational data science concepts while working with real datasets from ongoing Berkeley Lab research. You will complete hands-on projects that may include bioscience experiments, environmental data collection using sensors, and engineering tasks with tools like laser cutters and 3D printers. You’ll also engage in weekly discussions and interactive sessions with scientists and engineers, gaining exposure to research areas such as energy technologies, materials science, and biosciences. You will present a final project at the end of the program, demonstrating your ability to apply technical and research skills. Students who complete the program may continue the experience through academic-year sessions and may even be considered for a future laboratory internship.
4.Science and Engineering Apprenticeship Program (SEAP)
Location: Department of the Navy (DoN) laboratories across the U.S., including California
Cost | Stipend: Free | $4,000 for new participants and $4,500 for returning participants
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Competitive, with around 300 placements in more than 38 DoN laboratories around the U.S.
Program Dates: 8 weeks in the summer, with the possibility of extending up to two more weeks
Application Deadline: August 1 – November 1
Eligibility: Rising high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors, as well as graduating high school seniors | Must be at least 16 years old | Must be U.S. citizens | Some labs might make exceptions for these criteria; so check individual lab pages here for exceptions and/or additional requirements
SEAP is an eight-week summer internship where you’ll be placed in a DoN laboratory to participate in ongoing scientific and engineering research. During the internship, you’ll assist mentors with projects that may involve computer science, programming, data analysis, engineering systems, or environmental technologies, depending on the lab’s focus. You’ll also engage in activities such as job shadowing, technical meetings, lab tours, and seminars, providing insight into how research is conducted in a government lab. The experience emphasizes collaboration with scientists and engineers while building practical research and problem-solving skills. You’ll also interact with other interns and professionals through networking and group mentoring sessions. A key feature of SEAP is its combination of structured mentorship and hands-on involvement in real defense-related research projects.
5.Sandia National Laboratories Internships
Location: Sandia National Laboratories across the U.S., including Livermore, CA
Cost | Stipend: Free | $19/hour
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Competitive
Program Dates: Internships are available throughout the year, both during the academic year and in the summer
Application Deadline: Varies by internship
Eligibility: Open to current high school students who are at least 16 years old | Required minimum cumulative GPA is 3.0/4.0 | U.S. citizenship is mandatory for positions that require security clearance
The Sandia National Laboratories Internships offer summer and year-round opportunities for high school students interested in working on applied technology and engineering projects. During the internship, you’ll work with an SNL team and contribute to projects in areas such as cybersecurity, software development, engineering design, computational science, and energy systems. You may work on tasks like building simulation models, assisting with prototype systems, or using advanced lab equipment to support ongoing research. The internship includes mentorship from scientists and engineers, along with technical seminars, workshops, and site tours that provide context for the work being done. You’ll also collaborate with other interns and professionals while gaining exposure to large-scale research tied to national security and technology development.
6.UCSF’s Radiology Initiative for Scholarly Engagement (RISE Program)
Location: University of California, San Francisco
Cost | Stipend: Free | $3,000
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Competitive
Program Dates: June 1 – July 1 (the program has a flexible start date, and you may begin the program at any time during this period)
Application Deadline: TBA; applications open in December
Eligibility: Open to high school students who are from medically, economically, or educationally disadvantaged populations (if you’ve received funding through the RISE Program in a previous year, you are no longer eligible to reapply)
The RISE Program at UCSF offers an eight-week summer research program for students interested in medical imaging and technology-driven healthcare research. During the program, you’ll work under the mentorship of a faculty researcher on a project in areas such as neuroimaging, intelligent imaging, or advanced imaging technologies. You may contribute to research involving machine learning, bioengineering, or imaging data analysis, depending on your assigned group. The experience emphasizes collaboration with clinicians, engineers, and researchers in the radiology department. You will complete a research project and prepare an abstract for presentation at the department’s Summer Student Symposium.
7.Stanford Institutes of Medicine Summer Research Program (SIMR)
Location: Stanford University, Stanford, CA
Cost | Stipend: Free, except for a $50 application fee (fee waivers available) | Typically unpaid, but a limited number of need-based stipends are given out
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Around 50 students (exact number may vary based on funding and number of participating labs)
Program Dates: June 8 – July 30
Application Deadline: December 19 – February 21
Eligibility: Current high school juniors or seniors who are at least 16 years old | Must currently be living in and attending school in the U.S. | Must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents (preference given to students from the Bay Area)
SIMR is an eight-week internship where high school juniors and seniors conduct biomedical research under the guidance of graduate students or postdoctoral mentors in active research labs. During the program, you’ll work on projects in areas such as bioinformatics, bioengineering, neuroscience, or genetics, gaining exposure to computational tools, data analysis, and laboratory techniques used in medical research. You’ll spend most of your time on lab work, culminating in a research poster that you’ll present to the Stanford community at the end of the program. The internship emphasizes one-on-one mentorship and collaboration with researchers while building technical and scientific communication skills. You can also apply to the Bioengineering Team Internship, where you’ll work in teams to design and prototype solutions to real medical problems using CAD, computer programming, machine learning, and 3D printing. This track will focus on the engineering design process and conclude with a team-based prototype presentation at the end of the internship.
8.Stanford’s Science, Humanities, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (SHTEM) Summer Internship Program
Location: Stanford University, Stanford, CA
Cost | Stipend: Free, except for the $95 application fee (fee waivers available) | Unpaid, but need-based financial assistance may be available for some students.
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size:Program Dates: June 22 – August 14 (tentative; subject to change)
Application Deadline: February 1
Eligibility: Current high school juniors or seniors who are at least 14 years old | Must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents
The SHTEM Summer Internship Program at Stanford University offers an eight-week, in-person research experience for high school juniors and seniors interested in interdisciplinary research. You’ll work in small groups on research projects that combine areas such as computer science, technology, neuroscience, philosophy, linguistics, and design. You’ll spend 20–30 hours per week conducting research under the guidance of mentors, including Stanford students, faculty, and staff. The projects are designed to integrate both technical and human-centered perspectives, exposing you to how fields like communication systems, psychology, and technology intersect.
9.SFUSD Summer Internships with Industry Partners
Location: Various locations across San Francisco, CA, depending on the internship placement
Cost | Stipend: Free | Paid, but the exact amount is not specified
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified
Program Dates: 6 weeks in the summer
Application Deadline: TBA
Eligibility: Current high school sophomores and juniors (priority given to current juniors)
The SFUSD Summer Internships with Industry Partners provide paid, six-week work opportunities for high school sophomores and juniors to gain experience in professional environments, including Information Technology placements. You’ll work at least 20 hours per week alongside industry mentors, contributing to workplace tasks while learning how different organizations operate. The program also includes a weekly Work-Based Learning seminar where you’ll reflect on your experience and build skills related to communication, collaboration, and career readiness. You will interact with professionals and peers, gaining exposure to workplace expectations and career pathways.
10.Stanford Center for Artificial Intelligence in Medicine & Imaging (AIMI) Summer Research Internship
Location: Virtual
Cost: $2,400 + $45 application fee (need-based financial aid available)
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Around 50 students per session (exact number of students may vary year to year)
Program Dates: June 15 – 26 (Session A) | July 6 – 17 (Session B)
Application Deadline: December 15 – February 21 (apply by February 13 if you require financial aid)
Eligibility: Rising high school freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and seniors who are at least 14 years old | Must currently reside and attend school in the U.S. | Preference given to students with strong math and/or computer programming skills and/or experience with a healthcare project
The AIMI Summer Research Internship offers a two-week virtual program for high school students interested in applying artificial intelligence to healthcare. You’ll attend lectures on topics such as machine learning, medical imaging, and clinical AI applications while working in small teams on a guided research project using real clinical datasets. You will collaborate with Stanford mentors and student leads to develop an AI-based project, learning how to analyze data, evaluate models, and communicate your findings. The program will include a speaker series with professionals from academia, healthcare, and industry, providing insight into real-world applications of AI in medicine. You will build technical and research skills through structured project sessions and teamwork. The internship will conclude with a final project presentation and offer a certificate of completion for full participation.
11.Medical Intelligence and Innovation Institute (Mi4) Summer Internship Program
Location: Children’s Hospital of Orange County (CHOC), Orange, CA
Cost | Stipend: None
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Varies year to year
Program Dates: June 15 – August 7
Application Deadline: February 1 – 28
Eligibility: Open to current high school students
The Mi4 Summer Internship Program at Children’s Hospital of Orange County offers a structured experience for students interested in the intersection of healthcare and technology. During the internship, you’ll explore topics such as artificial intelligence in medicine, robotics, medical devices, and data-driven healthcare through lectures, workshops, and clinical discussions. You’ll participate in activities like AI journal clubs, case study debriefs, and hands-on workshops while developing a project focused on improving healthcare delivery. The program includes mentorship from physicians, researchers, executives, and data scientists, providing insight into different roles within the healthcare system. You’ll also take part in field trips to research labs, healthcare organizations, and innovation centers to observe real-world applications. The experience concludes with a presentation of your project or abstract, focused on a proposed healthcare innovation.
12.America On Tech (AOT)’s Tech Flex Leaders (TFL) Program
Location: Hybrid, with both virtual and in-person sessions at several cities, including Los Angeles, CA
Cost | Stipend: Free | Yes, but the exact amount is not specified
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Selective
Program Dates: Fall semester: week of September 8th - week of December 8th, along with a fall demo day competition on December 16 | Spring semester: week of January 19th - week of May 4th, along with an in-person graduation session on May 14 | Select internship roles might be available in July – August
Application Deadline: May – August 17 (applications received after August 3 will be reviewed on a rolling basis)
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors attending a Los Angeles County public or charter school
AOT’s TFL Program is a 9-month, hybrid program designed for high school juniors and seniors interested in building foundational and advanced skills in technology and AI. You’ll participate in weekly technical training sessions where you’ll learn web development (HTML, CSS, Bootstrap) and will be introduced to core AI concepts and tools, followed by a second semester where you can choose to specialize in areas like data science, UX design, product management, or digital marketing. You’ll work on team-based projects and present your work at a Demo Day competition, where selected teams showcase their web projects to a panel of judges. The program also includes mentorship from industry professionals, career exploration sessions, and workshops focused on leadership and navigating tech careers. You’ll collaborate with peers across different schools while gaining exposure to real-world applications of technology through guided projects.
13.The Intern Project (TIP) Summer Internship Program
Location: Mostly virtual, with some in-person sessions in LA County
Cost | Stipend: Free | Paid
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified
Program Dates: June 17 – August 9 (internships are also offered in the Fall and Spring semesters)
Application Deadline: March 15
Eligibility: LA County high school sophomores, juniors, or seniors
The TIP Summer Internship Program offers high school students in Los Angeles County the opportunity to take part in paid internships across industries such as engineering, technology, and media. As an intern, you’ll be matched with a company based on your interests and may contribute to projects, assist with day-to-day tasks, and gain exposure to tools and workflows used in professional settings. You’ll also participate in virtual training sessions focused on workplace skills such as communication, project planning, and understanding office culture. The program includes mentorship and ongoing coaching to support your experience, along with activities like informational interviews and skill-based workshops. You may also attend field trips to companies, where you can learn about different roles and network with professionals.
14.The Science Internship Program (SIP) at UC Santa Cruz
Location: Hybrid, with a one-week virtual session and a 7-week in-person research session at the University of California, Santa Cruz
Cost | Stipend: $4,250 + $68 application fee; additional costs may apply based on housing type and optional commuter fees (financial aid available)
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Selective; 3–5 interns are placed under each available mentor
Program Dates: June 15 – August 8
Application Deadline: January 16 – February 27
Eligibility: High school students aged 14 - 17 years (some projects may require participants to be at least 16 years old)
SIP at UC Santa Cruz offers a research-focused internship for students interested in exploring fields such as computer science, artificial intelligence, engineering, and data science through hands-on projects. You will work alongside university researchers on active research teams, contributing to ongoing projects that may involve coding, data analysis, simulations, or evaluating computational systems. You will gain experience in research methodologies, reading academic literature, designing experiments, and analyzing real datasets using tools commonly used in technical fields. Throughout the program, you will collaborate with mentors and peers while developing skills in scientific communication, problem-solving, and technical documentation. The program will conclude with a research presentation, where you’ll share your findings with mentors, peers, and the broader community.
15.UCSD Research Experience for High School Students
Location: Virtual or hybrid, with in-person sessions at the UC San Diego, CA
Cost: $2,000 (full and partial scholarships available)
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Varies by project
Program Dates: June 8 – July 31
Application Deadline: February 15 – March 15
Eligibility: Southern California residents currently enrolled in grades 10, 11, or 12 at a public or private high school or in a home school setting within the area | Must be at least 16 years old | Must have a required minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 and be college-bound | Check individual project descriptions here for project-specific prerequisites
The UCSD Research Experience for High School Students offers you the opportunity to gain hands-on experience in computational science and technology research. You will work alongside scientists and mentors at the San Diego Supercomputer Center, contributing to projects in areas such as artificial intelligence, high-performance computing, neuroscience, and data analysis. Your experience will involve participating in an established research project, where you will help develop technical tools, analyze data, and explore real-world applications of AI and ML. Throughout the program, you will collaborate with peers in small teams, attend lab meetings, and build skills in programming, scientific thinking, and research communication. At the end of the internship, you will create and present a scientific poster highlighting your work and key takeaways from the experience.
Frequently Asked Questions
1.Meta Summer Academy and BLDAP:IPMLDS both have very specific residency requirements tied to particular cities or counties. What if I live in California but outside those areas?
Both of these programs are intentionally hyperlocal, designed to serve specific communities near their host institutions rather than California broadly. Meta Summer Academy is restricted to full-year residents of East Palo Alto, Belle Haven, North Fair Oaks, or Redwood City, while BLDAP:IPMLDS requires residency within 20 miles of Berkeley Lab and enrollment in a school in Alameda, San Francisco, or Contra Costa counties specifically. If you live elsewhere in California, you have plenty of strong alternatives on this list with broader eligibility, including SEAP, Sandia National Laboratories, and the UCSD Research Experience, none of which carry this kind of narrow geographic restriction.
2.Stanford alone has three different programs on this list (SIMR, SHTEM, AIMI). How do I tell these apart and pick the right one?
Each Stanford program differs meaningfully in format, subject focus, and time commitment. SIMR is the most lab-intensive, an eight-week, in-person biomedical research placement working directly with graduate students or postdocs on projects in bioinformatics, bioengineering, or genetics, and even offers a separate engineering-focused track using CAD and 3D printing. SHTEM is broader and more interdisciplinary, blending computer science with humanities subjects like philosophy and linguistics over an eight-week in-person program. AIMI is the shortest and only fully virtual option of the three, a focused two-week program specifically on AI applications in healthcare and medical imaging. If you want deep, hands-on lab research, choose SIMR; if you're drawn to interdisciplinary thinking, choose SHTEM; if you want a shorter, remote introduction to AI in medicine specifically, AIMI is the better fit.
3.The cost range on this list goes from completely free programs like SEAP and Sandia to over $4,000 for UC Santa Cruz's SIP. What explains that gap, and is the paid experience meaningfully better?
The free programs are largely funded directly by government agencies and national laboratories, like SEAP through the Department of the Navy and Sandia through the Department of Energy, which cover the cost of running the program as part of their broader workforce development mission, and several even pay you a stipend on top. UC Santa Cruz's SIP, in contrast, is a university-run research program where the fee covers housing, meals, and the cost of placing 3 to 5 students under each individual faculty mentor, which is a more resource-intensive, smaller-group model. The paid programs tend to offer a more individualized mentorship ratio and guaranteed lab placement, while the free government and national lab programs offer broader project variety and the added benefit of a stipend, so the right choice depends on whether you prioritise mentorship intensity or zero cost with pay included.
Key Takeaways
This list covers 15 technology internships for high school students in California, ranging from federally funded, stipend-paying programs like SEAP and Sandia National Laboratories to highly specific, geographically restricted programs like Meta Summer Academy and BLDAP:IPMLDS, alongside three distinct Stanford research programs spanning biomedical research, interdisciplinary studies, and AI in healthcare. Cost varies enormously depending on funding source, with government and national lab programs offering free participation plus a stipend, while university-run research programs like UC Santa Cruz's SIP and UCSD's Research Experience charge $2,000 to over $4,000 to cover housing, meals, and individualized faculty mentorship. For students outside the narrow residency zones required by Meta Summer Academy or BLDAP:IPMLDS, Ladder Internships remains the most broadly accessible option on this list, offering a fully remote, startup-based alternative with no California residency requirement at all.