9 Business Internships for High School Students in Houston
For high school students interested in business, internships provide a valuable way to gain hands-on experience, develop essential skills, and explore different career paths. Whether you're curious about entrepreneurship, finance, marketing, or management, these opportunities allow you to work on real-world projects while learning from industry professionals.
Internships offer networking opportunities, mentorship, and exposure to the inner workings of the business world—key advantages for students looking to get a head start in the field.
To help you find the right opportunity, we’ve compiled a list of 9 business internships for high school students in Houston eager to gain real-world experience and professional skills.
1. Bank of America Student Leaders Program
Stipend: A stipend is offered
Location: Will connect you to a local nonprofit wherever you are, including Houston
Application Deadline: January 15
Program Dates: 8 weeks in the summer
Eligibility: Open to juniors and seniors in high school
The Bank of America Student Leaders Program is a specialized opportunity for high school students interested in community service. A total of approximately 300 students are selected every year by the bank to participate in an eight-week, paid internship that comprises on-the-job exposure with non-profit organizations such as the Boys and Girls Clubs of America and Habitat for Humanity. The program serves to help students engage in meaningful work to complement related initiatives that promote needs at the community level.
A high point of the program is the Student Leadership Summit in Washington, DC. The bank covers all travel, lodging, and meals. In this week-long event, students learn how businesses, nonprofits, and government entities work together to help address societal challenges. This is a unique combination, allowing students to receive leadership development and nonprofit experiences that give an inside look into the inner workings of community organizations.
Cost: Starting at $2,490 (financial aid available)
Location: Remote! You can work from anywhere in the world
Application Deadline: Deadlines vary depending on the cohort. Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September) and Winter (November).
Program Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year, including Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter.
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. You can explore all the options here on their application form. Ladder’s start-ups are high-growth companies on average raising over a million dollars. In the program, interns work closely with their managers and a Ladder Coach on real-world projects and present their work to the company. Here is the application form.
The virtual internship is usually 8 weeks long.
Stipend: A stipend is offered
Location: Multiple locations across the U.S., including 1 in Houston, Texas
Application Deadline: Applications have not been posted yet
Program Dates: June 17 - July 19
Eligibility: Open to high school students above 16
The CLA High School Internship Program is a great opportunity for any student who expresses interest in either the accounting or finance field. As a participant, you’ll get to learn about important areas in the business sector, such as financial analysis, auditing, and tax preparation.
Interns work on practical projects where class concepts are applied to real-world challenges. Mentored by professionals, they firm up problem-solving and analytics while gaining industry-relevant skills. The program focuses on networking and career building by allowing participants to connect with mentors, peers, and industry leaders. The combination of skill-building and professional exposure makes the program highly suitable for high school students with interests in finance and accounting.
4. Veritas AI
Cost: $2,290 for the 10-week AI Scholars program | $5,400 for the 15-week AI Fellowship with Publication & Showcase | $6,900 for both. Need-based financial aid is available for AI Scholars. You can apply here.
Location: Virtual
Application Deadline: On a rolling basis. Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September) and Winter (November).
Program Dates: Multiple 12-15-week cohorts throughout the year, including spring, summer, fall, and winter.
Eligibility: Ambitious high school students located anywhere in the world. AI Fellowship applicants should either have completed the AI Scholars program or exhibit experience with AI concepts or Python.
Veritas AI, founded and run by Harvard graduate students, offers programs for high school students who are passionate about artificial intelligence. Students who are looking to get started with AI, ML, and data science would benefit from the AI Scholars program. Through this 10-session boot camp, students are introduced to the fundamentals of AI & data science and get a chance to work on real-world projects.
Another option for more advanced students is the AI Fellowship with Publication & Showcase. Through this program, students get a chance to work 1:1 with mentors from top universities on a unique, individual project. A bonus of this program is that students have access to the in-house publication team to help them secure publications in high school research journals. You can also check out some examples of past projects here.
5. KPMG Future Leaders Program
Stipend: Annual college scholarships are offered ($10,000 per year)
Location: You will be paired with an executive mentor convenient to your location
Application Deadline: February 1
Program Dates: Takes place in the summer (time is not specified)
Eligibility: Open to female high school seniors who meet this criteria
The KPMG Future Leaders Scholarship is a unique program specifically aimed at increasing the number of women in STEM and business-related fields. While it is not traditionally considered an internship, it is a great blend of learning and career preparation. Out of hundreds of applicants, only 22 high school seniors are chosen each year; thus, it is quite a popular opportunity.
Each participant is matched with an accomplished business leader, or mentor, who will provide personal guidance and insight throughout the program. Many of these mentors have previously participated in the KPMG Women's Leadership Summit, which provides a great opportunity to network with influential professionals.
The program also includes leadership workshops, career training, and annual college scholarships to better prepare recipients for the challenges they will face in higher education and beyond.
Cost: None
Location: Virtual
Application Deadline: Rolling deadlines
Program Dates: 3 months spanning from June to August, but options are available year-round
Eligibility: Open to high school students
Building-U is a nonprofit in support of high schoolers through a virtual internship that usually lasts for three months. This virtual internship means different things depending on a student's role within the team. Possible teams include Research and Development, Student Ambassadors, and Business Development, among others, whose responsibilities will be elaborated on their platform more clearly.
For those joining the business development team, activities will include cultivating new partnerships, data management for existing and future projects, and researching ways to diversify and stabilize funding streams. As an intern, you’ll get an inside look at the operations of a nonprofit organization and hands-on experience in a dynamic virtual environment.
7. Emma Bowen Foundation Internship
Cost: None, but it is not specified if interns are paid
Location: Matched to your location, including Houston
Application Deadline: Rolling deadlines as they review different internship requests and hiring timelines; this will end in April
Program Dates: Various dates throughout the summer
Eligibility: Open to POC high school seniors who have a GPA of at least 3.0
The Emma Bowen Foundation has been supporting students of color pursuing careers in media, entertainment, and technology for more than three decades. By focusing on the professional development of its young trainees, EBF has been able to provide almost 2,000 aspiring media professionals with resources, mentorship, and opportunities.
The program prepares students for careers such as journalism, web development, engineering, business management, public relations, sales, and production. Every summer, EBF accepts a class of 150 new and returning fellows who intern at the foundation's corporate partners to build work experience in their field. This helps better prepare the participants with the relevant skills and connections to be successful in the media and technology industries.
8. Interns4Good
Stipend: None
Location: Virtual
Application Deadline: Rolling deadlines
Program Dates: Dependent on the internship
Eligibility: Open
Interns4Good is a virtual platform focused on connecting high school students with internship opportunities in nonprofit organizations. The program regularly updates its list of available positions, which spans a variety of fields. Among the most popular options are roles centered on marketing and outreach, offered both through Interns4Good itself and in collaboration with partner nonprofits.
Participants can choose between remote and in-person internship options, depending on their preferences and needs. As an intern, you’ll be required to submit weekly summaries of your work hours along with a short report, helping the program maintain thorough records for future use. Additionally, participants can request verified hour reports, which can be shared with institutions or programs of their choice.
9. Department of Education Internship Opportunities
Stipend: Stipends vary based on the internship
Location: Locations in Houston, Texas
Application Deadline: March 31 (for summer opportunities)
Program Dates: May/June - July/August
Eligibility: Open to high school students older than 16
The Department of Education (ED) offers internships designed for students and recent graduates seeking hands-on experience in federal education, government operations, policy development, and business administration. These roles allow you to contribute directly to the Department’s efforts to enhance educational quality, ensure equal access, and support student success on a global scale. As an intern, you’ll play an integral role in advancing the mission of fostering excellence in education and promoting competitiveness by engaging in impactful projects and initiatives.
For example, here are two business opportunities where you can work as an auditor with the Office of the Secretary of the Interior! (1) (2)