15 Cognitive Science Internships for High School Students
Internships provide high school students with early exposure to professional environments, helping them develop practical skills, build strong resumes, and explore potential career paths. For students applying to top colleges, internships demonstrate initiative and real-world experience. Cognitive science is a unique field that combines psychology, neuroscience, computer science, and philosophy, and internships in the field typically allow you to apply theoretical knowledge in applied research or lab settings.
Exploring internships in this interdisciplinary domain can help you refine your academic interests and gain valuable technical and analytical experience. We've curated a list of the top 15 cognitive science internships for high school students. Although not all of them are internships in the traditional sense, each program offers structured learning and exposure to core areas within the subject.
1. Inspiring Careers in Mental Health Internship for High School Students
Location: UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX
Cost/Stipend: Free
Acceptance rate: Selective
Dates: 2 weeks in June
Application Deadline: End of February
Eligibility: Rising 10th, 11th, and 12th grade students
This internship introduces you to diverse careers in the mental health field using live sessions led by practicing clinicians. Participants hear directly from licensed clinical social workers, psychiatrists, physician assistants, and neuropsychologists. Before the session, you’ll review assigned readings from mainstream articles and peer-reviewed journals. The clinicians explain their day-to-day responsibilities and discuss how they pursued and funded their education. You’ll examine subfields like neuroscience, interventional psychiatry, and psychotherapy using their practical implementation. The program gives a structured view of the career landscape in mental health without requiring any prior experience.
2. Ladder Internship Program
Location: Remote
Cost/Stipend: Varies according to program (financial aid available)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: None
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: High school students, undergraduates, and gap year students who can work 8-12 weeks for 10-20 hours/week.
Ladder Internships is a competitive program for ambitious high school students looking to gain hands-on experience. Participants intern with fast-growing start-ups across a wide range of industries, including technology, AI/ML, health tech, marketing, journalism, consulting, and more. These start-ups have raised over a million dollars in funding and offer meaningful real-world projects. Interns collaborate closely with both a company Manager and a Ladder Coach throughout the experience. At the end of the internship, students present their work to the company.
3. Internships at the American Psychological Association (APA)
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: Paid opportunities available.
Acceptance rate: Selective
Dates: Opportunities are available year-round (spring, summer, fall, and winter)
Application Deadline: Depends on the internship you apply for
Eligibility: High school students
The APA Internal Internship Program (IIP) places you in departments such as the Education Directorate, where you contribute to projects focused on diversity, education, and policy. You’ll engage in research-oriented tasks designed to develop your critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Supervision is provided for daily work, ensuring structured guidance during your assignments. In addition to your core responsibilities, you can contribute to workshops that offer broad perspectives on careers in psychology. You’ll be encouraged to collaborate across teams and connect with APA professionals.
4. Child Mind Institute Youth Mental Health Academy
Location: Child Mind Institute, New York, NY
Cost/Stipend: Up to $2,000
Acceptance rate: Highly selective
Dates: 14 months from June to August
Application Deadline: March 31
Eligibility: High school students in California with an overall GPA of 2.5+
The Youth Mental Health Academy is a 14-month program for California high school students interested in mental health careers. The program starts with a 5-week paid summer academy covering mental health disorders, treatment, and career paths. You’ll complete a capstone project that includes a research paper, creative work, and presentation under the guidance of a mentor from a health-related field. During the school year, you’ll attend monthly workshops on college prep, career paths, and mental health topics. The second summer includes an internship of around 100 hours at a mental health or research organization.
5. Barrow Neurological Institute Summer High School Internship Program
Location: Barrow Neurological Institute, Phoenix, AZ
Cost/Stipend: Free
Acceptance rate: Moderately selective
Dates: May 30 - July 3
Application Deadline: February 14
Eligibility: Students must be 16 years or above
At the Barrow Neurological Institute internship program, you’ll participate in research that involves neuroscience and biomedical science throughout the year. You’ll learn to use lab equipment, review scientific papers, and apply critical thinking to experimental questions. The program is designed to strengthen your knowledge of disease biology and research design. Mentorship plays a central role, as you will be provided guidance on communication skills and scientific exploration. In addition to lab work, you’ll explore support roles like data analysis or research administration. Final projects may be submitted to competitions or considered for publication, giving students the opportunity to showcase their work.
6. Psychological Science & Society
Location: University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
Cost/Stipend: $7,812 - $11,347
Acceptance rate: Highly selective
Dates: June 15 – July 12
Application Deadline: May 2 (For domestic students); March 14 (For international students)
Eligibility: Students who have completed at least the 9th grade by June 15
In Psychological Science & Society, you’ll learn how classic and modern psychological ideas relate to everyday life. The course introduces you to research design, encouraging you to conduct your own psychological investigation. Topics include personality, mindset, cognition, and the impact of digital media on mental health. Daily sessions combine discussion with hands-on activities such as team-based experiments and reflection exercises. The curriculum also includes mindfulness practices to connect theory with personal development. You’ll understand how psychological knowledge shapes communities and builds future careers.
7. Psychology Institute at Wake Forest University
Location: Wake Forest University Reynolda Campus, Winston-Salem, NC
Cost/Stipend: $3,400
Acceptance rate: Selective
Dates: Week of June 1 – June 6 or week of June 8 – June 13
Application Deadline: Rolling basis, depending on availability
Eligibility: Current students from 9th – 12th grade
In this program, you’ll study how the brain structure relates to mental processes and behavior. Key activities include sheep brain dissection, labs on sensory perception, and activities on brain training. Topics such as the psychology of addiction, emotional influence, and perception biases are covered throughout the course. You’ll conduct an observational research project to investigate psychological patterns in real life. The curriculum also highlights the disordered brain and how neurobiology can shape human experience. The week concludes with team presentations.
8. Camp Psych at Gettysburg College
Location: Gettysburg College, Gettysburg, PA
Cost/Stipend: $1,395
Acceptance rate: Low selectivity
Dates: July 13 - July 18
Application Deadline: Rolling basis till the camp is full
Eligibility: Rising high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors
Camp Psych at Gettysburg College allows you to experience how psychological science is practiced. You’ll focus on foundational topics such as the psychology of helping, including discussion groups and research case studies. In the afternoon, you’ll design experiments, collect data, and interpret results under faculty supervision. You’ll engage in peer collaboration while exploring real research questions, such as whether people are more likely to help when they’re alone. Findings are presented to the group, allowing you to develop both research and communication skills.
9. Clinical Neuroscience Immersion Experience (CNI-X) at Stanford University
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: $1,595
Acceptance Rate: Highly selective
Dates: June 16 – June 27
Application Deadline: December 15 – March 1
Eligibility: High school students aged 14-18 years
Stanford’s CNI-X introduces you to interdisciplinary topics in clinical neuroscience over a two-week intensive program. Faculty-led seminars cover subjects such as brain imaging, behavioral science, mindfulness, and the genetics of mental illness. You’ll work in small teams to design and present a capstone project addressing a current mental health issue. In addition to academic content, the program includes discussions on career paths in healthcare and science fields. Self-care is also emphasized as part of the curriculum for young adults. The experience combines scientific exploration with real-world problem-solving in a collaborative environment.
10. National Student Leadership Conference on Psychology and Neuroscience
Location: Multiple locations: American University, Duke University, University of California, Berkeley, and University of Michigan
Cost/Stipend: $4,295
Acceptance Rate: Moderately selective
Dates: Depends on the session and the campus you wish to apply to
Application Deadline: Applications remain open till spots fill up
Eligibility: Students must be between the ages of 14-18 and have completed at least one year of high school
This program offers a deep dive into psychological science, allowing you to explore diagnostics, neuroanatomy, and mental health advocacy. You’ll begin by studying brain structure using dissections and guided workshops on eyes, hearts, and spinal cords. Clinical diagnostics simulations provide experience in interviewing, testing, and treating mock patients. In the scans and imaging module, you’ll learn how brain activity and soft tissue structures are analyzed in medicine. You’ll also collaborate on a mental health campaign targeting stigma and promoting community interventions. The program emphasizes both technical and social dimensions of psychology and neuroscience.
11. Social Psychology: Understanding Human Behavior
Location: Columbia University, New York, NY/ Virtual
Cost/Stipend: Depends on the session you wish to apply for
Acceptance Rate: Highly selective
Dates: Depends on the session you apply for
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: Students who will be enrolled in grades 9–12 in the fall, and students currently enrolled in grade 12
In this course, you’ll explore how psychology explains the complexities of social interaction. Topics covered include the psychological roots of empathy, aggression, prejudice, and conformity. You’ll study how scientists develop and test theories of social behavior using controlled experiments. Emphasis is placed on developing your ability to evaluate research claims and question widespread assumptions. You’ll also examine how experimental data informs strategies for promoting pro-social behavior and reducing harm. Participants are expected to complete coursework between class meetings to improve their learning.
12. Understanding the Human Mind @Illinois Institute of Technology
Location: Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, IL
Cost/Stipend: $650 - $1,500
Acceptance Rate: Selective
Dates: July 21 – July 25
Application Deadline: May 1
Eligibility: Rising 9th - 12th graders (ages from 14 - 17 years)
Understanding the Human Mind introduces you to the study of psychology using active learning and real-world application. You’ll explore how the brain interprets information, manages emotions, and responds to social influences. Activities and discussions guide you in connecting theory with real-world experiences. You’ll examine concepts such as perception and cognition in ways that make them relevant to your daily life. Social psychology is also included, helping you understand how group dynamics shape your behavior. The program offers a comprehensive introduction to how psychological science explains human thought and action.
13. New York University—Exploring Psychology: Building an Understanding of Human Behavior
Location: New York University, New York, NY
Cost: $850
Acceptance Rate: Moderately selective
Dates: March 1 - May 3
Application Deadline: February 14; rolling admission where courses are filled on a first-come, first-served basis
Eligibility: High school students in grades 10-12
This NYU psychology program introduces three foundational principles of psychology with a focus on applying them to your life and future career. It begins with an overview of the biological influences on behavior and progresses into emotional and social dimensions. Interactive sessions include case studies, peer discussions, and lectures from professionals in related fields. A strong importance is placed on collaborative learning and problem-solving as practical tools. You’ll reflect on personal experiences and build connections between scientific theories and workplace skills. The course also fosters awareness on emotional intelligence and its importance in leadership.
14. Mary S. Easton Center UCLA Neuroscience High School Scholars Summer Program
Location: UCLA, Los Angeles, CA/ Virtual
Cost/Stipend: Free
Acceptance Rate: Selective
Dates: June 16 - July 24
Application Deadline: March 3
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors (aged 16 to 18 years)
The UCLA Neuroscience High School Scholars Summer Program is a 6-week opportunity for high school juniors and seniors to explore neuroscience, with a focus on Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. The program emphasizes representation from minority communities and highlights health disparities in neurological research. Students engage in seminars, brain-cutting sessions, journal clubs, and mentorship. Both in-person and remote options are available, each running three days per week for three hours everyday. Participants work on research projects and are introduced to community engagement and scientific outreach.
15. Columbia University Summer Immersion in the Science of Psychology
Location: Columbia University, New York, NY/ Virtual
Cost/Stipend: Depends on the session you wish to apply for
Acceptance Rate: Highly selective
Dates: Depends on the session you wish to apply for
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: Students enrolled in grades 9–12 in the fall and students currently enrolled in grade 12
The Summer Immersion course at Columbia introduces you to major psychological concepts and the methods used to study them. You’ll learn about biological influences on behavior, how people learn, and how memory functions. Other topics include sensation and perception, social behavior, and cognitive development. You’ll also study personality and language development using theoretical and research-based approaches. Scientific inquiry is emphasized as a foundation for understanding psychological principles.
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