12 Biotech Internships for High School Students
Biotechnology is a vast and rich field that that functions at the intersection of biology and technology. It offers a chance to explore those intersections with subjects such as environmental science, healthcare, agriculture and botany, animal health, genetics, food development, and more. With growing advancements in technology, the field of biotechnology is a thriving space to study and build a career in.
If you are a high school student interested in pursuing biotechnology, doing an internship at this stage will give you practical insight into the field and its areas. It can help you figure out if it fits well with your career goals. Moreover, the experience will enhance your college applications and improve your future job prospects.
Given the competitiveness of the field, however, getting an internship in high school is no easy task — you will need to prove your motivation, dedication, knowledge, and skill to be able to take on such a role. Nevertheless, there are multiple options available to choose from, with the following list comprising 12 of the best biotech internships for high school students.
Location: Virtual
Eligibility: High school students who can work for 5-15 hours per week for 8-16 weeks
Application Deadline: Spring cohort - February 18, 2024 | Summer cohort (early admission) - February 18, 2024 | Summer cohort (regular admission) - April 14, 2024. Fall and winter cohorts are available too.
Dates: Varies for each cohort. Summer cohorts run in June-August.
Cost: Starts at $1,990
Financial Aid: Full and partial need-based financial aid is available.
Founded by Harvard alumni, Ladder Internships allows high school students to work with startups and nonprofits across the world in an entirely virtual setup. You will work on real-world projects, in a field of your choice! The organizations you can intern with range across a number of industries, including media, journalism, business, finance, biotechnology, health, environmental science, health tech and more.
As an intern, you will be mentored by your manager and a Ladder coach, who will guide you through the internship. This program offers a work-learning experience, as you will also receive professional skill development training. Some of the work interns have done in the past covers AI research, aimed at developing algorithms for diagnosing illnesses from medical histories; data collection for an AI-powered digital health product; and scientific research into nutrient-disease interactions for a number of illnesses.
2. Stanford Institute of Medicine Summer Research (SIMR) Program
Location: Stanford School of Medicine (Stanford University), Stanford, CA
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors who are at least 16 years old and are U.S. citizens or permanent residents can apply.
Application Deadline: February 24, 2024
Dates: June 10, 2024 - August 1, 2024 (8 weeks)
Stipend: All students receive a minimum of $500. However, students from underrepresented groups will be paid at least $1,500. Housing, transportation, and meals are not provided.
This is a prestigious program that invites high school students to work with Stanford faculty, postdoctoral fellows, researchers, and students on a medical research project. The highly selective program accepts around 50 students, and encourages networking and collaborative work. For most of the internship, students will conduct one-on-one laboratory research with mentors using state-of-the-art technology.
For the internship, you will have to choose one of the following fields: immunology, neurobiology, cancer biology, bioengineering, stem cell and regenerative medicine, cardiovascular biology, bioinformatics, and genetics and genomics.
Location: Stanford University, Stanford, CA
Eligibility: High school students who are at least 16 years old, and are considering a career in biological and biomedical sciences or healthcare
Application Deadline: Applications for 2024 closed on November 3, 2023. Applications for 2025 will reopen in fall of 2024.
Dates: June 17, 2024 - August 2, 2024
Stipend: This is an unpaid internship.
The Stanford Science, Technology, and Reconstructive Surgery (STaRS) Internship Program is a prestigious, valuable opportunity for students interested in biotechnology to explore the intersection of medical innovation and advanced biotech applications. This selective internship only accepts about 20 students each year. The program is focused in the field of reconstructive surgery, which relies on biotechnological advances to improve patient outcomes.
You will gain hands-on experience working alongside leading reconstructive surgeons and researchers in the laboratory. The program focuses on using innovative solutions and state-of-the-art technology in projects and applications in reconstructive surgery and regenerative medicine. Interns are also taught to use software like CT Analyzer, Avizo, Drishti, and 3D modeling software.
4. Stanford SHTEM Summer Internship
Location: Virtual
Eligibility: Current high school juniors or seniors in the 2023-2024 school year
Application Deadline: February 23, 2024
Dates: June 17, 2024 - August 9, 2024
Stipend: This is an unpaid internship.
Stanford’s SHTEM: Summer Internship combines STEM fields with the humanities, where you can work on interdisciplinary projects and seek novel solutions in fields like biotechnology, the science of information and communication, neuroscience, computer science, technology, and psychology. Under the guidance of distinguished faculty and researchers, you will conduct your research, contributing to scientific advancements in your chosen field. This program fosters critical skills in experimental techniques, data analysis, and problem-solving, while also providing exposure to state-of-the-art laboratory facilities and cutting-edge technologies.
Students are divided into groups with fellow peers and mentors in the form of Stanford faculty and researchers. Interns will develop their projects throughout the internship, participate in seminars and activities, and present their work at the end.
5. Biorocket Research Internship Program at Genspace
Location: Genspace, Brooklyn, NY
Eligibility: Students at least 16 years old attending an NYC public or charter school within 45 minutes of Genspace
Application deadline: Applications typically open in the fall and close in February.
Program dates: February 28, 2024 - May 23, 2024 (spring session) | July 1, 2024 - August 16, 2024 (summer session). Students must attend both sessions.
Stipend: $2,000
The Biorocket Research Internship, hosted by Genspace, a community biotech lab in New York City, is a 6-month long program that offers high school students a chance to develop science communication skills while also understanding and working with developments in genetic engineering. You will get the chance to work on your laboratory skills, with ample practical exposure to lab technologies and techniques. You will conduct real experiments in a fully-equipped laboratory, working alongside professionals in the field, on projects that cover gene editing, genetic engineering, and bioprocessing. You will be paired with a mentor, and receive plenty of valuable insight into the field and a chance to go on lab tours and field trips.
6. Hutton Junior Fisheries Biology Program
Location: Varies according to students’ locations. Hutton’s vast network of mentors allows it to place students within a 45-minute commute of their homes.
Eligibility: Current high school students who are at least 16 and are residents of the US, Canada, Puerto Rico, and Mexico
Application Deadline: Applications for 2024 closed on January 16, 2024. Applications for 2025 will open in November 2024.
Dates: June-August (8 weeks)
Stipend: $3,000 and an all-expenses paid trip to the Hutton Scholars Summit
Sponsored by the American Fisheries Society, the Hutton Junior Fisheries Biology Program is a prestigious program designed to encourage students interested in fisheries and aquatic science. Depending on the internship location and mentorship structure, students may work in the field, in a lab, in an office, on a boat, or any combination of these. This immersive experience combines biology, technology, and environmental stewardship.
Activities required may also differ, but generally, interns will get a chance to participate in activities like electrofishing, snorkeling, surveying fish populations, examining specimens, testing water quality, processing data, and more.
7. MIT Research Science Institute
Location: MIT, Cambridge, MA
Eligibility: High school juniors with credible test scores
Application deadline: Applications are closed for 2024. Keep checking the page later in the year for 2025 applications.
Program dates: July-August (7 weeks)
Stipend: This is an unpaid internship. Students will need to arrange for housing, transportation, and meals.
The prestigious, selective Research Science Institute (RSI) program accepts 100 students a year, and exposes them to on-campus coursework in scientific theory and off-campus research in science and technology. Interns will take STEM classes (that they can tailor to biotechnology) in the first week, following which they will develop a research plan and work on their projects during the next five weeks. Accomplished researchers and scientists will serve as mentors. You will work on real-world projects, exploring areas such as molecular biology, genetics, and bioinformatics. What sets RSI apart is the depth of scientific exploration it encourages, fostering not only technical expertise but also critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
At the end of the internship, students will give oral and written presentations on their research projects. Field trips and social activities are also part of the programming.
8. University of Arizona KEYS Research Internship
Location: University of Arizona campus, Tucson, AZ
Eligibility: High school students who are at least 16 years old, are U.S. citizens/legal residents, and have been residents of Arizona for at least one year
Application Deadline: Applications are now closed for 2024. Applications for 2025 will reopen in fall 2024.
Dates: June 3, 2024 - July 19, 2024 (7 weeks)
Stipend: This is an unpaid internship, although financial aid is available for some associated costs.
Through the KEYS Research Internship, selected interns will gain valuable research experience in interdisciplinary bioscience, biotechnology, biomedical science, biostatistics, biomedical engineering, environmental health research, and data science, while simultaneously also receiving training in science communication, literacy, and ethics.
You will initially engage in a week-long course in data science and bioscience, lab safety training, and science literacy. In the following weeks, you will work in assigned laboratories with researchers and lab staff/students. At the end of the program, you will present your research at the final showcase.
9. Rockefeller University Summer Science Research Program
Location: Rockefeller University, New York, NY
Eligibility: Current high school juniors and seniors who are at least 16 years old
Application Deadline: Applications for 2024 are now closed and will reopen for 2025 in fall 2024.
Dates: June 24, 2024 - August 8, 2024 (35 hours a week)
Stipend: Stipends may be awarded to students facing financial difficulties and those who meet all the attendance and research requirements. Interns are also provided with a MetroCard/OMNI card to cover transportation expenses.
Rockefeller University’s Summer Science Research Program is a biomedical research program, wherein students will work in teams, with a team lead and alongside several scientists and researchers. You will attend lab sessions, elective scientific courses, guest lectures, and social events. What sets this program apart is its emphasis on interdisciplinary collaboration, exposing students to a wide range of biotechnological approaches in biomedical research.
The competitive program accepts 32 students, and divides them into 8 teams of 4. Topics vary, but each team goes through the same program structure—introduction to the topic and laboratory (week 1), selection of the research question (week 2), exploring research questions (weeks 3-5), and analysis of data and poster presentation (week 7).
10. Urban Barcode Research Program
Location: DNA Learning Center at City Tech, Brooklyn, NY
Eligibility: NYC high school students in grades 9-12 can apply. Before applying, Students must complete Conservation Genetics and DNA Barcoding and Bioinformatics courses.
Application Deadline: Applications are closed for 2024 and will reopen in the summer/fall for the next round.
Dates: January-May with a symposium in late May/early June
Stipend: $500
Supported by the Pinkerton Foundation, the Urban Barcode Research Program (UBRP) is designed to engage 40 students in biodiversity studies with the use of DNA technology. You will first take two training courses to learn about biodiversity, science research, and conservation biology. Each course allows students to engage in firsthand laboratory research projects.
Next, you will work with mentors to plan and carry out a DNA barcoding project. This includes writing a research proposal, fieldwork and sample collection, DNA isolation, amplification of DNA barcoding regions, analysis, and a final presentation. You collect samples from the urban environment, extract and analyze DNA, and use bioinformatics tools to decipher the genetic diversity of species in their surroundings. This hands-on experience will help enhance your practical skills, and hopefully, encourage you to apply this knowledge and skill to address urgent ecological issues.
11. Brown University’s PLM Summer Internship
Location: Brown University campus, Providence, RI
Eligibility: Rhode Island high school students from marginalized communities or economically disadvantaged backgrounds
Application Deadline: Applications are not yet open for 2024, but the deadline for 2023 was in April.
Dates: TBA. The 2023 program was held late June to early August.
Stipend: $15 per hour
Brown University’s Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine (PLM) organizes an annual summer research internship in translational scientific research in the medical field of pathology. Interns will work in individual research labs with support from junior and senior scientists.
Research areas include vaccine development, neural and cardiac development, malaria pathobiology, and neurodegenerative disease. Apart from lab work, you will also shadow pathologists in local affiliated hospitals and participate in career development meetings to explore various biomedical and biotechnological career paths.
Note that this is an extremely selective program that accepts only 6 students.
12. SPARK Summer Internship Program
Location: Greater Seattle Area, WA
Eligibility: High school students who can work for 40 hours per week for 8-12 weeks
Application deadline: Applications will open in March-April 2024. Deadline TBA
Program dates: June-August (6-8 weeks)
Stipend: Up to $500, with some internships being unpaid.
The SPARK Summer Internship Program is a mentor-focused program in which motivated and talented high school students are paired with company experts and educators who act as mentors. This is a great option for students interested in biotechnology as it can provide them with experience in biomedical research, entrepreneurship, shadowing professionals, and exposure to a healthcare and laboratory setting.
Some past relevant projects have included R&D of detection tools for cancer and tick infections, DNA sequence classifications, and understanding spike timing on Spiking Neural Network (SNN).
Looking for an immersive internship experience?
Check out Ladder Internships!
Ladder Internships is a selective, virtual internship program where students work with startups and nonprofits from around the world! The startups range across a variety of industries, with a large number of them in tech. As part of their internship, each student will work on a real-world project that is of genuine need to the startup they are working with, and present their work at the end of their internship. In addition to working closely with their manager from the startup, each intern will also work with a Ladder Coach throughout their internship. Apply now!
Stephen is one of the founders of Ladder Internships and a Harvard College graduate.