13 Environmental Science Internships for High School Students
If you're interested in environmental science or conservation, a high school internship with organizations such as leading environmental research centers, conservation organizations, or sustainability initiatives, could help give you an advantage when it comes to your education, college admissions, and future career.
Environmental science internships will allow you to directly work in your community, learn how to conduct research in labs and the field, and spend time outdoors. Additionally, an internship can demonstrate your dedication to both academic and hands-on learning, while also helping you network with researchers and experts who are at the top of their field.
You can consider conservation and environmental science internships offered by a number of organizations, such as national, regional, and state forest and park departments, scientific research facilities, environmental conservation groups, wild animal care and rescue facilities, and more.
To help you get started in the world of environmental science, we have curated this list of 13 internships that you can explore.
1. Student Conservation Association (SCA) Internships
Location: Various SCA agencies around the world.
Eligibility: For the paid internship, you have to be at least 18 years old. There are youth programs (for 18 and younger) available as well.
Application Deadline: Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.
Program Dates: Varies depending on the internship opportunity.
Cost/Stipend: Expenses covered (Typical positions include a one-time travel allowance and weekly living allowance. Many positions also include some sort of housing or housing stipend).
The Student Conservation Association (SCA) offers an internship experience for high school students passionate about conservation and the environment. SCA's high school programs provide a unique opportunity to immerse oneself in hands-on conservation work, whether it's preserving national parks, restoring wildlife habitats, or addressing environmental challenges through public outreach.
These programs not only offer practical skills and knowledge but also instill a deep appreciation for the natural world and a sense of responsibility toward its protection. You can check all the available opportunities here.
Location: Virtual! You can work from anywhere in the world.
Eligibility: Open to all high school students, who can work for 10-20 hours/week, for 8-12 weeks. These internships are also open to undergraduates and gap-year students!
Application Deadline: Multiple deadlines throughout the year.
Spring cohort: February 18, 2024
Summer cohort: February 18, 2024 (Early Admission) | April 14, 2024 (Regular Admission 1)
Program Dates: 8-week programs with multiple cohorts throughout the year, including summer.
Cost/Stipend: Starting at $1,990. (Financial assistance is available.)
Ladder Internships, founded by Harvard alumni, is a selective program that allows high school students to work with startups and nonprofits across the world, in an entirely virtual setup.
The organizations you can intern with function in a number of industries, including healthcare and medicine, technology, machine learning and AI, finance, environmental science and sustainability, business and marketing, media and journalism, and more. During the internship, you will work on a real-world project, and present your work at the end of the program. You will be mentored and guided by a manager at the startup and a Ladder coach. You will also attend 1-on-1 sessions with your mentors, and group training sessions for professional skill development!
Among some of the organizations interns can choose to work with are those that help businesses reduce their carbon footprint, restore natural resources, support communities impacted by climate change; nonprofits that work to reduce food waste and food insecurity in California communities; and startups that are developing, financing, constructing, owning, and operating solar and wind energy generation facilities.
3. Hutton Junior Fisheries Biology Program
Location: The 2024 Hutton Program is available to students in all 50 states, Puerto Rico, Canada, Mexico, and the Pacific Islands. (The program aims to match students within a 45-minute commute of their home).
Eligibility: Eligible students must be rising high school juniors, seniors, or rising college freshmen. Students must be 16 years old by application closing, on January 16th, 2024.
Application Deadline: January 16, 2024.
Program Dates: June to August (It depends on the Scholar's schedule).
Cost/Stipend: No cost; Participating students receive a $3,000 stipend and an all-expense paid trip to the Hutton Scholars Summit.
The Hutton Junior Fisheries Biology Program is an 8-week paid summer internship and mentoring program sponsored by the American Fisheries Society to help inspire students to consider pursuing careers related to fisheries and aquatic sciences.
Mentored by fisheries professionals, Hutton Scholars gain an awareness of conservation issues and the importance of healthy aquatic systems; participate in projects that benefit habitat restoration, protection, and management; and gain an understanding of what is involved in being a fisheries biologist and of the career opportunities available in the field.
Hutton mentors are located all over the country and work with a wide variety of organizations, resulting in a unique internship opportunity at each location.
4. Conservation Corps North Carolina Youth Conservation Crews
Location: Various sites across North Carolina.
Eligibility: Applicants must:
- Be aged between 15-18 years.
- Be residents of North Carolina.
Application Deadline: Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.
Program Dates: 3-5 weeks during June, July, and August depending on the crew.
Cost/Stipend: No cost; Stipend is provided to the students (Starting salary is $15 per hour).
The Conservation Corps North Carolina (CCNC) Youth Conservation Crews is a commendable initiative that offers young individuals a chance to engage actively in environmental conservation efforts. These crews comprise high school students who work together on diverse conservation projects throughout North Carolina's natural landscapes. Participants gain hands-on experience in trail maintenance, habitat restoration, and various environmental stewardship activities.
The available crew options include - Raleigh Youth Day Crew, Durham Youth Day Crew, Old Fort Day Crew, and Uwharrie Youth Camping Crew. Camping crews spend the entire session working and camping together in the Uwharrie National Forest while day crews get picked up from the worksite each day and spend the night at home.
Note: Day crews spend each night at home, so applicants are only accepted from the local area to fill these crews. However, applicants from across the state are accepted for the camping crew.
All crews consist of 4-6 Members and 2 Crew Leaders. You will be required to work Monday-Friday, 40 hours a week. You can check all the available positions here.
5. Rockaway Initiative for Sustainability and Equity (RISE) Research Mentorship Program| Environmentor
Location: RISE, 58-03 Rockaway Beach Boulevard, Far Rockaway, NY.
Eligibility: Students in grades 9-11 who live or attend school in or near the Rockaway peninsula are eligible to apply to Environmentor.
Application Deadline: The application portal opens on March 1, 2024, and typically closes in May.
Program Dates: June 5 - August 15, 2024.
Cost/Stipend: No cost; Students receive up to a $1,200 stipend for their research work and participation.
Environmentor is a science research mentorship program for high school students to conduct authentic research, under the mentorship of scientists from local universities and research institutions, on projects focused on the Rockaway shoreline.
You get an opportunity to engage in water safety, CPR training, kayaking, biking, and surfing throughout the summer. You also participate in RISE community service weekend events and will receive community service hours for those events. Interns are encouraged to commit to a 4-day work week for 6 weeks, from July 1 to August 15, 2024, and can receive a stipend of up to $1,200 for their dedication and contributions. You can view the research projects Environmentor students worked on last summer here.
6. Mountains to Sound Greenway National Heritage Area | Clean Water Ambassadors Internships
Location: Seattle, WA.
Eligibility: Applicants must:
- Be high school-aged youth who are at least 16 years old when the program begins.
- Have current and valid identification and proof of eligibility for employment in the U.S.
Application Deadline: Applications typically close in May.
Program Dates: July-August (2024 Dates TBA)
Cost/Stipend: No cost; Interns are paid $18.43 on an hourly basis.
The Wastewater Treatment Division (WTD) partners with the Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust to provide a high school summer internship program, where 12 interns get an opportunity to learn how government agencies, nonprofit organizations, and local communities influence the health of the waterways in the Puget Sound region. Under the mentorship of experts, participants engage in critical research, restoration projects, and community outreach initiatives to protect and enhance the area's water resources.
Under this program, you will gain a deep understanding of the role we all play in this issue, and the careers that contribute to improving water quality and protecting the environment. You will also learn about environmental and social justice issues through field trips and workshops. Interns are required to work approximately 28 hours per week for 5 weeks.
7. NASA’s Office of STEM Engagement (OSTEM) Internship Programs
Location: These internships are offered across NASA facilities. Depending on the project, interns will work either remotely or on-site at any of NASA’s 10 field centers across the country.
Eligibility: Applicants must:
- Be a U.S. citizen.
- Have a cumulative 3.0 GPA (on a 4.0 scale).
- Be a full-time student (high school through graduate level) or a part-time college-level student enrolled in a minimum of 6 semester hours.
- Be a minimum of 16 years of age at the time of application (no exceptions).
Application Deadline: January (Fall session) | August (Spring session) | October (Summer session)
Program Dates: These internships are offered in 3 sessions – Fall (16-week program, from late August or early September to mid-December) | Spring (16-week program, from mid-January to early May) | Summer (10-week program, from late May or early June to August).
Cost/Stipend: No cost; Interns may receive a stipend based on academic level and session duration.
NASA’s Office of STEM Engagement (OSTEM) offers paid internships to high school and college-level students based in its various sites across the country. NASA’s internship programs provide training, mentoring, and career development opportunities while working with the top science, engineering, financial, information technology, and business minds in the world.
The internships are offered in a range of subjects and disciplines, including space science, engineering, aeronautics, technology, space microbiology, ecology, environmental design, natural resources, and even outreach and communications.
If you envision a future in environmental science and/or conservation, an internship with NASA is one of the most prestigious experiences you can have on your college application. You could participate in various internship opportunities offered by NASA Science Mission Directorate's Climate Change Research Initiative (CCRI): Climate Change in the Hudson Estuary; SnowEx and Understanding the Role of Snow and Measurements; Monitoring and Studying Lakes from Space in a Changing Climate, and more.
You can explore different internship opportunities here by using the ‘Filter’ option to view the options open to high school students.
8. Northwest Youth Corps – Youth Community Program
Location: Various community sites in Washington, Oregon, and Idaho.
Eligibility: Youth who are between the ages of 15 and 18.
Application Deadline: Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.
Program Dates: June-August
Cost/Stipend: $200 Tuition fee (Tuition assistance is available); The base stipend is $450 per week for participation, plus a possible $50 per week in bonuses, equaling a total benefit of up to $2,500.
Youth Community Program is a non-residential, day program for 15 to 18-year-olds. With experienced field staff guiding them, participants complete service projects in their community each day and return home afterward. Crews meet at a designated site for drop-off/pick-up, Monday through Friday. Members spend an average of 6.5 hours per day working and one hour participating in an educational lesson, for which they earn a stipend and potential high school credit.
The Northwest Youth Corps' Youth Community Program is an initiative that empowers young individuals to connect with their communities through conservation and service projects. This program provides a valuable platform for you to engage in hands-on environmental stewardship, from trail maintenance and habitat restoration to urban greening initiatives. You not only acquire essential skills in teamwork, leadership, and environmental science but also develop a profound sense of civic responsibility.
9. College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences - Young Scholars Internship Program (YSP)
Location: University of Georgia (Athens, Griffin or Tifton campus).
Eligibility:
- Completion of sophomore year in high school and it's your first time participating in the program.
- 16 years old by the program start date.
- Completion of one high school science course, including laboratory, and one semester of algebra.
Application Deadline: Applications typically close in January.
Program Dates:
- May 29 - July 9, 2024 (Internship Program)
- July 10 - July 12, 2024 (Young Scholars Pre-Collegiate Research Conference).
Cost/Stipend: No cost; Stipend is provided.
The Young Scholars Program (YSP) is a paid five-week summer internship program for high school students interested in agricultural, food, and environmental sciences. Selected students work 30 hours per week actively engaged in research under the guidance of a faculty mentor on the UGA Athens, Griffin, or Tifton campus.
During the program, you will attend workshops and visit agricultural operations to gain exposure to the various fields of study and careers in agriculture.
Upon completion of the program, you will get an opportunity to present your research during the poster session at the Young Scholars Pre-Collegiate Research Conference held during the final three days of the program on the UGA Athens campus.
Location: New York City.
Eligibility: Applicants must:
- Be enrolled in high school.
- Be 16 years old by May 1st, 2024.
- Be New York City residents eligible to work in the United States.
Application Deadline: February 23, 2024.
Program Dates: July 1 - August 16, 2024.
Cost/Stipend: No cost; Students will receive a stipend of approximately $2,275, paid through the NYC Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP).
Wave Hill (a public horticulture garden and cultural center) conducts a Forest Project to engage New York City youth in ecological restoration and urban ecology. Through the program, interns will form small crews and develop restoration plans for their assigned woodland sites.
In the program, you will be assigned to a team under an experienced crew leader to participate in woodland restoration and research. Previous work conducted by interns includes removing invasive species, shorting up eroded slopes, and documenting the restoration process of disturbed woodland.
As an intern, you will also take a college course on restoring New York City’s Natural Areas and work on group projects involving data collection and field research contributing to their coursework. An additional benefit is attending guest lectures to gain exposure to various careers in conservation sciences!
11. Teen Research and Education in Environmental Science (TREES)
Location: University of Pennsylvania.
Eligibility:
- Students must have completed grades 9, 10, or 11 by the summer.
- GPA must be at least 3.0/4.0.
- Students must live in Philadelphia or the surrounding area.
Application Deadline: February 5, 2024.
Program Dates: July 8 - August 5, 2024.
Cost/Stipend: No cost; No information about stipend availability.
The TREES is a summer research and mentorship program offering hands-on environmental research opportunities to motivated high school students. Each summer, approximately 8 high school students work one-on-one with mentors on projects that they choose and design.
During the first two weeks of the program, you will receive hands-on instruction in basic laboratory skills, skills that you will use later in your projects. The remainder of the program is an independent research project. Through your projects, you will learn to take a scientific approach towards an environmental problem, conducting in-depth library research, training in scientific methodology, carrying out hands-on bench science, and where possible, fieldwork.
Some projects are carried out as team projects involving multiple students. At the end of the program, you write a research report and present your projects to guests for a public presentation.
12. SUNY Oneonta Biological Field Station Internships
Location: SUNY Oneonta campus, Buffalo, NY.
Eligibility:
- Open to all high school students.
- Must have a solid academic background in environmental or natural sciences.
Application Deadline: April 12, 2024.
Program Dates: Late May-August (9 weeks).
Cost/Stipend: No cost; Upon successful completion of the internship, interns receive $3,000.
SUNY Oneonta offers 9-week summer research internships for New York State residents. SUNY Oneonta internships are highly selective, with only 1-3 positions available for high school students (with one place awarded to a resident of Otsego County, NY).
In the internship, you will aid faculty and staff at the BFS central lab with their research projects or work on your research projects. Through the summer, you will engage in a mix of fieldwork, laboratory analyses, data analysis, and writing. You can view previous publications here! Previous fieldwork and laboratory analysis experiences include fisheries and plant surveys, water sampling, water chemistry, zooplankton ID, and fish dissection. The program concludes with you producing a poster to display your research findings to your mentor, BSF faculty, and other interns!
13. Wildlife Conservation Society | Bronx Zoo Project TRUE
Location: WCS Headquarters, Bronx, New York.
Eligibility: Applicants must:
- Be a high school sophomore or junior in good standing.
- Be comfortable in both indoor and outdoor settings.
- Live in the Bronx.
Application Deadline: February 24, 2024 (applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis).
Program Dates:
- Summer Program (Late June - August) (2024 Dates TBA)
- Fall Program (September - December) (2024 Dates TBA)
Stipend:
- For the summer, interns either receive a $750 stipend + MetroCard to cover travel OR are paid $16/hour through SYEP if eligible and work with WCS's authorized providers.
- For the fall, interns will receive a stipend of about $350.
Project TRUE (Teens Researching Urban Ecology) is an urban ecology research and youth development program for high school sophomores and juniors who live in the Bronx. The program is run by the Wildlife Conservation Society's Bronx Zoo Education team in partnership with Fordham University.
During Project TRUE, you will conduct field research on topics ranging from mammal species distribution and bird community composition to water quality and invasive species management. Learning through doing, you will have an opportunity to utilize various data collection and analysis methods and develop your science communication skills. You will acquire the tools to work through the scientific process on an authentic field research project and ultimately get a chance to present your findings to peers, scientists, and the general public.
You will also be provided with in-depth training in scientific research, a chance to bolster your professional networks, and assistance preparing for college.
Bonus!
Here are a few more internship opportunities for you to consider:
Shaw Institute for Field Training (SIFT) at Shaw Nature Reserve
Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory Secondary School Field Research Program (SSFRP)
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.