25+ Finance Internships for High School Students in 2026

TL;DR

Finance internships for high school students run at banks, credit unions, accounting firms, a venture capital firm, nonprofits and government offices, and most of them pay. Location is the hard part: 14 of the 22 outside internships below only accept students from one city, county, school district or set of partner schools, and nearly all of the rest need you in an office. Most also want juniors or seniors who are 16 or older, and some summer 2027 application windows are already open. Ladder Internships is fully remote, so where you live has no bearing on whether you can apply.

Below are 28 finance opportunities: 23 internships grouped by who hosts you, from banks and credit unions to startups, nonprofit programs and government offices, followed by five selective programs and competitions from well-known business schools. Each entry lists what the program pays, who can apply, and when it runs, so you can see which deadlines are still ahead of you.

If one area of finance already stands out to you, you might enjoy our lists of investment banking internships for high school students and finance research opportunities. Want something concrete to show before you apply? These finance competitions for high school students are a good way to test your skills.

What types of companies hire high school students for finance internships?

Banks, credit unions and financial firms: Air Academy, Royal, Educators, and Marshall Community credit unions hire high schoolers as tellers, often inside a branch at their own school, while Fidelity, Brown Advisory, CLA and USLI bring students into their offices. The work ranges from member service at a branch to premium accounting at an insurer, the entry-level end of careers like the ones the Bureau of Labor Statistics profiles under accountants and auditors.

Startups and venture capital firms: 1435 Capital, the Young Entrepreneurs Program and the Junior Economic Club of Chicago put you inside smaller companies and investment firms where you might research a startup one day and sit in on a deal meeting the next. A separate roundup of startup internships for high school students covers more of these.

Nonprofit, city and government programs: CSBI, Urban Leadership Fellows, Futures and Options, NYC Ladders for Leaders and Genesys Works recruit you, train you and then place you with an employer, while Treasury, the Boston Fed, Fairfax County Public Schools and Gwinnett County hire interns directly. These routes are usually tied to where you live or go to school.

Do You Have to Live in a Certain City to Get a Finance Internship?

Not necessarily! There are programs all over the country that you can apply to, and even if travelling is a constraint, then you can opt for a remote programme as well!

Residency rules: Fourteen internships only take students from a set area: Chicago for CSBI and On the Money, New York City for Urban Leadership Fellows, Futures and Options and Ladders for Leaders, the Boston Public Schools for the Boston Fed, Fairfax County Public Schools for the ERFC role, and Gwinnett County. The rest of the fourteen are tied to partner schools or districts: Air Academy, Royal, Educators and Marshall Community credit unions, Old National Bank and Genesys Works.

Commuting rules: Most of the others have no residency test but need you on site, at 1435 Capital near Princeton, USLI in Wayne, Pennsylvania, Fidelity in Boston or Merrimack, New Hampshire, or a CLA office. Work out the daily commute before you put hours into an application.

Local roundups: If you live in one of the busier finance regions, separate roundups of finance internships in New Jersey, New York, and Charlotte, North Carolina cover more options near you.

What Do High School Finance Internships Pay, and Is an Unpaid One Worth It?

Most of them pay: Published rates run from $12 to $14 an hour at YEP KC to at least $17 an hour at USLI and Futures and Options, and Genesys Works interns earn $10,000 to $12,000 or more across senior year. Brown Advisory pays a $625 stipend for three weeks of mornings in its offices.

Unpaid is the exception: The Treasury headquarters internship is the only unpaid internship in the group, posted as a student volunteer role. For-profit employers generally have to pay interns unless the internship meets the Department of Labor's primary beneficiary test, which asks whether the intern, rather than the company, gets the main benefit.

When unpaid can still make sense: If the work is hard to find anywhere else, such as policy research in Treasury's Domestic Finance or Tax Policy offices, the experience can outweigh a summer paycheck. That only works if your family can cover 10 or more weeks in Washington, DC.

Can a High School Junior/Senior apply to Finance Internships?

Grade and age: Almost every program wants juniors or seniors who are 16 or older, though Urban Leadership Fellows takes graduating seniors only, Empower Gwinnett starts at 15 and CSBI accepts sophomores. If you're under 18, most employers will also ask for working papers, which some states require before you can start a job.

Grades and application materials: GPA minimums run from 2.0 for Treasury to 3.0 for CSBI and Urban Leadership Fellows, and most applications ask for a resume, an essay or short video, and one or two recommendations. Plan on several weeks to collect transcripts and recommendation letters.

A prior connection: Some programs recruit only from their own networks. Brown Advisory's internship requires Invest in Girls participation or a past run at the National Personal Finance Challenge, several credit unions hire only through a school's youth apprenticeship program, and a plan for landing a finance internship in high school should start a year ahead.

How We Selected These Programs

Open to high school students now: Each program's own website says high school students can apply and describes the program as running. When the next cycle's dates aren't posted, the entry gives the season the program usually runs.

Real finance work with a real host: Each internship places you with an employer or host that names finance, accounting, investing, banking or financial literacy work for its interns. The final section adds selective programs and competitions from well-known business schools, and you'll find more in roundups such as finance competitions for high school students.

Based in the United States: Every program is run in the U.S. and open to students in the U.S. school system.

Section	Top programs	Cost	Best for
Bank and Credit Union Internships	Air Academy Credit Union, Royal Credit Union, Old National Bank	Free; most pay an hourly wage	Juniors and seniors at a partner school or in a served district
Finance Internships at Investment, Accounting and Insurance Firms	Fidelity Boundless, CLA, USLI	Free; paid up to $17 an hour	Students who live near one of these offices
Startup and Venture Capital Internships	1435 Capital, YEP KC, Ladder Internships	Free to $3,190	Students who want a small team and more responsibility
Nonprofit and City Programs That Connect You With Local Finance Firms	CSBI, Urban Leadership Fellows, Futures and Options	Free; paid, at least $17 an hour at Futures and Options	Students in Chicago, New York City or a Genesys Works partner school
Government Finance Internships	Treasury, Boston Fed TIP, FCPS ERFC Investments	Free; unpaid to $16.67 an hour	Students near Washington, DC, in the Boston Public Schools or in Fairfax County
Prestigious Finance Programs and Competitions	Wharton Investment Competition, Wharton Financial Decision Making, Haslam AIM Academy	Free to $4,099	Students who want a top business school's name on their finance experience

Bank and Credit Union Internships

These five programs hire you into a bank or credit union, and four of them put you behind the counter of a branch inside a high school. Most hire through partner schools, so start by checking whether yours takes part.

1. Air Academy Credit Union High School Internship Program

Location: Air Academy Credit Union branches in Colorado, including Castle Rock, Cheyenne Mountain, Cordera, Garden Ranch, Highlands Ranch, Monument and Parker
Cost/Stipend: Free; paid hourly
Acceptance rate/cohort size: AACU offers the program to "a limited number" of students, so expect a small local cohort
Dates: The 2026 to 2027 program began with a seven-day training session (June 8 to 16 or July 13 to 21, 2026) and runs through the school year; 2027 to 2028 dates aren't posted yet
Application deadline: The 2026 to 2027 cycle closed in April 2026, with parent letters due April 6, 2026; the next deadline isn't posted yet
Eligibility: Students 16 or older who will be in 11th or 12th grade and attend school in a district AACU serves, such as Academy District 20, Colorado Springs District 11 or Douglas County RE-1

Air Academy Credit Union, a member-owned credit union based in Colorado Springs, hires juniors and seniors from the school districts it serves into a paid, year-long branch role. After a seven-day training session, you work up to 35 hours a week in summer and at least 10 hours a week during the school year, including Saturdays. The work covers processing deposits, withdrawals and transfers, balancing end-of-day reports, and helping members with checking, savings, credit cards and CDs. Interns get quarterly performance reviews and a recommendation letter when they complete the program.

Who it's best for: Colorado juniors and seniors in an AACU-served district who want a year-round, paid job inside a retail bank branch.

2. Royal Credit Union School $ense Student Teller Program

Location: Royal school sites in Wisconsin (Memorial and North High Schools in Eau Claire, and St. Croix Falls High School) and Minnesota (White Bear Lake Area High School), plus regular Royal offices
Cost/Stipend: Free; a paid student teller job that also earns high school credit
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Four student tellers hired for the new White Bear Lake site for 2026 to 2027; more than 120 high school interns since 1993
Dates: The 2026 to 2027 school year, with the White Bear Lake site opening at the start of the year; 2027 to 2028 hiring dates aren't posted yet
Application deadline: No public deadline; you're hired through your school's Business or Financial Youth Apprenticeship program, and 2027 to 2028 dates aren't posted yet
Eligibility: High school students at Royal partner schools who are in the Business Youth Apprenticeship or Financial Youth Apprenticeship program

Royal Credit Union, which serves more than 340,000 members in Minnesota and Wisconsin, has run its School $ense program since 1993 and now operates 30 student-run credit union locations in elementary, middle and high schools. High school team members are hired as paid student tellers who staff the in-school branch, can also work at regular Royal offices, and help run promotions and financial education materials for classmates. Royal staff coach interns on customer service, communication, teamwork and time management throughout the year. You can't apply to Royal directly, since hiring runs through your school's youth apprenticeship program, so start with your school counselor.

Who it's best for: Wisconsin or Minnesota students at a Royal partner high school who want a paid teller job that also earns school credit.

3. Educators Credit Union Youth Apprentice Program

Location: South Milwaukee High School branch and Educators' South Milwaukee branch, WI; Educators also runs high school branches in Milwaukee, Kenosha and Racine
Cost/Stipend: Free; paid internship
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Two Youth Apprentice interns at the South Milwaukee High School branch; numbers at the other five high school branches aren't published
Dates: The South Milwaukee branch opened with its apprentices in fall 2025, announced October 6, 2025; 2026 to 2027 dates aren't posted yet
Application deadline: Not published; 2026 to 2027 hiring dates aren't posted yet
Eligibility: South Milwaukee students in their junior or senior year

Educators Credit Union runs six high school branches across Milwaukee, Kenosha, Racine and South Milwaukee, and its Youth Apprentice program hires students as paid interns to staff them. With guidance from an Educators staff member, apprentices run the in-school branch during lunch hours, serving members and handling teller transactions like deposits and withdrawals. They also work at Educators' regular South Milwaukee branch and attend monthly career development workshops with their cohort after a summer of new employee orientation. The South Milwaukee branch takes only two apprentices, so ask your school about the program early in junior year.

Who it's best for: Southeastern Wisconsin juniors and seniors who want a paid teller apprenticeship inside their own high school.

4. Marshall Community Credit Union CU in School Student Tellers

Location: CU in School branches at Marshall High School and Battle Creek Central High School, plus local MCCU branches, in Marshall and Battle Creek, MI
Cost/Stipend: Free; students are hired as student tellers
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Three student tellers hired for 2026 to 2027
Dates: The 2026 to 2027 tellers worked at local branches in summer 2026, and the school branches opened September 10 and 11, 2026; 2027 to 2028 dates aren't posted yet
Application deadline: Not published; 2027 to 2028 hiring dates aren't posted yet
Eligibility: Students at Marshall High School or Battle Creek Central High School

Marshall Community Credit Union has run in-school branches with Marshall Public Schools since 2001 and added Battle Creek Central High School in 2025. Student tellers spend the summer at a local MCCU branch learning credit union operations, member service and financial education, then handle transactions at their school's branch during the year. They also run peer events on personal finance and complete an independent study guided by MCCU's Community and Youth Engagement Manager. Only three students were hired for 2026 to 2027, so the seats are few even at the two partner schools.

Who it's best for: Marshall or Battle Creek Central students who want a school-year teller job that starts with a summer at a full credit union branch.

5. Old National Bank High School Apprenticeship Program

Location: Old National Bank in the Evansville, IN area
Cost/Stipend: Free; pay isn't listed on Old National's page
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Seven students in the first official cohort, after a five-student pilot
Dates: Two-year apprenticeship; the first official cohort started in 2026, and dates for the next cohort aren't posted yet
Application deadline: Not published; the next cohort's deadline isn't posted yet
Eligibility: Evansville Vanderburgh School Corporation high school students who can work about 15 to 20 hours a week alongside their coursework

Old National Bank runs this two-year work-based apprenticeship with the Evansville Vanderburgh School Corporation in Indiana. Apprentices work about 15 to 20 hours a week at the bank while finishing high school, shadowing different lines of business and completing real projects. The program adds resume and interview coaching and professional communication training, and apprentices can earn state-recognized credentials and college credit. One pilot participant now works as a client service representative at an Old National banking center.

Who it's best for: Evansville high schoolers who want a two-year, part-time banking apprenticeship that comes with credentials and college credit.

Finance Internships at Investment, Accounting and Insurance Firms

These four programs put you inside an established financial company, from an asset manager to a national accounting firm. Each one wants you on site, so start with the office you can actually reach.

6. Fidelity Boundless High School Internship

Location: In person at Fidelity offices in Boston, MA and Merrimack, NH
Cost/Stipend: No cost to apply; pay isn't published, so ask your community partner contact before you commit
Acceptance rate/cohort size: A small cohort drawn from Fidelity's community partners and Boundless network
Dates: Five weeks in summer; the 2026 cycle has run and 2027 dates aren't posted yet
Application deadline: Applications for 2026 had closed by October 1, 2026; the 2027 deadline isn't posted yet
Eligibility: High school upperclassmen applying through a Fidelity community partner or the Boundless network; Fidelity describes Boundless as a program for female students

Fidelity Investments runs the Boundless high school internship as a five-week summer program for upperclassmen interested in financial services, based at its Boston and Merrimack, New Hampshire offices. It sits inside Fidelity's Boundless career discovery initiative, which also runs a Boston job shadow program and one-day summits for high school students, including a Boston summit on October 12, 2026. Applications come through community partners and the Boundless network rather than an open call, so the most direct first step is attending a summit or asking your counselor whether your school works with a Fidelity partner. Pay, exact dates and cohort size aren't published.

Who it's best for: Upperclass students near Boston or southern New Hampshire who can get into Fidelity's Boundless network through a summit or a community partner.

7. Invest in Girls and Brown Advisory Summer Internship

Location: In person at Brown Advisory offices in Baltimore, MD, Boston, MA and New York, NY
Cost/Stipend: Free; $625 stipend paid after you complete the internship
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Each office opens "multiple positions," so expect a handful of interns per office
Dates: Three weeks in July, Monday to Thursday from 8:00 to 11:00 a.m.; summer 2027 dates aren't posted yet
Application deadline: Applications open in spring 2027; the most recent cycle's final deadline fell in early May
Eligibility: Rising 11th and 12th graders who are current or past Invest in Girls participants, or past National Personal Finance Challenge or National Economics Challenge competitors

Invest in Girls, a nonprofit that teaches financial literacy to high school girls, partners with Brown Advisory, an independent investment management and strategic advisory firm, to run this short in-office internship. Interns learn from Brown Advisory staff across the firm, shadow individual professionals through their working mornings, and complete a project connecting investments to current events. The schedule works out to about 12 hours a week for three weeks, so it fits around a summer job or another program. You need a prior connection to apply, and taking one of Invest in Girls' free courses first is the most direct route.

Who it's best for: Rising juniors and seniors who have already taken an Invest in Girls course or competed in a national personal finance or economics challenge.

8. CLA High School Internship Program

Location: In person at select CLA offices nationwide (14 offices hosted interns in 2024)
Cost/Stipend: Free; paid hourly, with a laptop provided for the program
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 69 interns from nearly 500 applications in 2024, about 14%
Dates: Summer 2026 ran June 15 to July 16, 2026, Monday to Thursday; 2027 dates aren't posted yet
Application deadline: The 2027 window isn't posted yet; CLA asks interested students to join its talent community for updates
Eligibility: High school students 16 or older at the start of the internship, authorized to work in the U.S. without visa sponsorship, with working papers if under 18

CliftonLarsonAllen, a national accounting and advisory firm, launched its high school internship in 2023 with FBLA and now runs it as a four-week paid program in select offices. Interns learn how an accounting firm operates by working through client case studies, shadowing professionals at different levels and completing team projects. The 2024 class worked across accounting, tax, wealth management, digital and consulting. Attendance is in person four days a week from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., so you need reliable transportation to a participating office.

Who it's best for: Students 16 or older who live near a CLA office and want to see public accounting from the inside before choosing a college major.

9. USLI High School Student Program

Location: On site at USLI's office in Wayne, PA, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET
Cost/Stipend: Free; $17 an hour
Acceptance rate/cohort size: High school cohort size isn't published; USLI's whole student program, mostly college students, grows to about 225 students each summer
Dates: The summer 2026 cycle has run; summer 2027 dates aren't posted yet
Application deadline: Summer 2027 applications open November 1, 2026 and close January 31, 2027
Eligibility: Current high school juniors who plan to enter the workforce directly after graduating high school

United States Liability Insurance Group runs a student program in Wayne, Pennsylvania, with a separate high school track that places juniors in departments across the company. In the Accounting department role, you enter premium information including amounts and customer commissions, investigate discrepancies in premium data and make corrections requested by Accounts Receivable or the Controller. USLI says the role suits students with good math, problem-solving and typing skills who are comfortable with repetitive tasks. Only juniors who plan to go straight into the workforce after graduation are eligible, so it is built for students who aren't heading to college right away.

Who it's best for: Juniors near Wayne, PA who plan to work after graduation and want paid accounting experience at an insurance company.

Startup and Venture Capital Internships

These four programs put you on small, fast-moving teams where interns often see how money gets raised and invested. Three are in person or club-based, and one runs fully online.

10. 1435 Capital Management Venture Analyst Program

Location: In person at 1435 Capital's offices in Skillman (Princeton), NJ; no housing or transportation provided
Cost/Stipend: No program fee; pay isn't published on the firm's pages
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 5 students chosen from over 370 applications for summer 2026, roughly 1%
Dates: Summer 2026 ran 10 weeks, full-time, from June through August 2026; summer 2027 dates aren't posted yet
Application deadline: The summer 2027 portal is open as of October 1, 2026, with rolling review; summer 2026 applications closed April 5, 2026
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors and rising college freshmen, generally ages 16 to 18, based in the U.S. and authorized to work here

1435 Capital Management is a venture capital firm, and its Venture Analyst Program puts high school students to work directly alongside its investment professionals. Analysts research startups, their markets and their competitors, monitor portfolio companies, source new deals and sit in on deal meetings. The program is full-time and fully in person for 10 weeks, and the firm runs open houses for students and parents during each application season. Review is rolling, so applying early in the fall matters, and the application asks for a short video response and a one-page resume.

Who it's best for: Students set on venture capital who can get to the Princeton area every day for a full summer.

11. Young Entrepreneurs Program (YEP KC)

Location: Kansas City metro area; most internships are in person at local companies, with some remote options
Cost/Stipend: Free; $12 to $14 an hour plus a $2,500 completion scholarship ($1,250 per session)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Over 150 scholars from 26 Kansas City-area high schools since 2017, roughly 15 to 20 a year
Dates: Two summer sessions of about four weeks each in June and July; summer 2027 dates aren't posted yet
Application deadline: February 1, 2027; the 2027 application window opened October 1, 2026
Eligibility: Students completing their junior or senior year of high school, in practice from the Kansas City area

The Young Entrepreneurs Program places Kansas City high schoolers in paid summer internships at local high-growth companies, in fields that include finance and analytics alongside engineering, marketing and sales. Partner companies include fintech and investment firms such as C2FO, TreviPay, AltCap and Flyover Capital. Interns work about 30 hours a week, and every Friday the cohort visits a different company to see how founders fund and grow their businesses. A finance placement isn't guaranteed, so say clearly in your essays and interviews that finance is the work you want.

Who it's best for: Kansas City juniors and seniors who want paid work at a local startup or fintech plus a $2,500 scholarship.

12. Junior Economic Club of Chicago Careers in Business Internship Program

Location: Chicago-area club; host partners include Dekos Capital, FinLit and the Zell Fellows Program at Northwestern's Kellogg School of Management
Cost/Stipend: Free club membership; pay isn't published and depends on the host
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Internships are a members-only benefit, and each host chooses its own interns
Dates: Usually summer and school-year placements, set by each host; the club's 2026 to 2027 board and events are running now
Application deadline: Usually set by each host organization once you're a member
Eligibility: High school members of the Junior Economic Club of Chicago who meet the club's attendance expectations

The Junior Economic Club of Chicago is a student-led nonprofit, independent of the Economic Club of Chicago, whose Careers in Business program connects high school members with startups and other businesses. At Dekos Capital, an investment firm, interns lead industry and company research and help the managing partners with investment underwriting and new opportunity evaluation. Other partners include FinLit, where interns support curriculum development, marketing and sales, and startups connected to Northwestern's Kellogg School of Management. Membership is free, but internships are open only to members, so join the club before you look for a placement.

Who it's best for: Chicago-area high schoolers who want investment research experience through a student-run club rather than a formal application cycle.

13. Ladder Internships

Location: Remote, fully online
Cost/Stipend: $3,190 for the basic startup internship program, paid in two installments starting with a $200 deposit; full and partial financial aid available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 10% for the Summer 2023 cohort, with 700 applicants for 70 spots
Dates: Four 8-week cohorts a year (spring, summer, fall and winter); the next winter cohort starts December 7, 2026
Application deadline: November 15, 2026 for the winter cohort
Eligibility: High school students who can commit about 5 to 10 hours a week; a separate program serves university and gap year students

Ladder Internships was founded by Harvard entrepreneurs and places high school students with startups for an 8-week remote project, in fields that include finance, consulting, machine learning and AI, software engineering, health tech, and media and journalism. Ladder suggests a project based on each applicant's interests and interview, and the student has the final say on the match. The internship follows a set timeline: you define the project with a company coach in week one, present a first deliverable to the company in week four, and present the finished project in week eight. Interns leave with a letter of completion from the host company, and students from families earning $50,000 or less a year can apply for full or partial financial aid.

Who it's best for: A student who wants startup work experience rather than a classroom program and is comfortable being embedded on a real team.

Nonprofit and City Programs That Connect You With Local Finance Firms

These six programs recruit students, train them and then match them with employers or run the work themselves. Most are free to join, paid and limited to students from one city or a set of partner schools.

14. Chicago Summer Business Institute (CSBI)

Location: Chicago, IL; host sites have included Siebert Brandford Shank, Cabrera Capital Markets and the City of Chicago Department of Finance
Cost/Stipend: Free; paid summer internship
Acceptance rate/cohort size: A selective, need-based cohort of Chicago students
Dates: Six-week summer internship; the 2026 cycle's applications ran February 1 to March 31, 2026, and 2027 dates aren't posted yet
Application deadline: March 31, 2026 for the 2026 cycle; the 2027 deadline isn't posted yet
Eligibility: City of Chicago residents in high school (sophomore, junior or senior) with a B or 3.0 average and a family household income below $80,000 a year

Founded in 1991, the Chicago Summer Business Institute gives Chicago high schoolers paid summer internships and introduces them to the financial services sector. Sponsor companies host each intern for six weeks, help set goals and evaluate the work, while volunteers lead Friday afternoon workshops for the whole class. Past interns have worked at municipal finance firms and in the City of Chicago Department of Finance, including in accounting roles. Your household income must be below $80,000 a year, verified with a parent-signed income certificate, and you'll also need a transcript, an essay and two recommendations.

Who it's best for: Chicago students from households earning under $80,000 a year who want a paid placement at a Chicago finance firm or city finance office.

15. Urban Leadership Fellows Program

Location: In person at municipal finance firms in New York City
Cost/Stipend: Free; paid summer internship, plus a $500 book grant from the Municipal Forum of New York
Acceptance rate/cohort size: About 30 students selected each year
Dates: Six weeks, full-time, starting after July 4, with required trainings in May and June; summer 2026 dates weren't posted on the application page, and 2027 dates aren't posted yet
Application deadline: February 25, 2026 for the 2026 cycle; the 2027 deadline isn't posted yet, and an interest form is open
Eligibility: Graduating NYC high school seniors who live in New York City, with a 3.0 GPA or higher and working papers if under 18

The Municipal Forum of New York created the Urban Leadership Fellows Program in 1992, and the nonprofit Futures and Options runs it with the Forum. Fellows spend six weeks working 40 hours a week at financial firms in municipal finance, the market for the bonds that cities and states use to pay for schools, transit and other public projects. Placements cover areas such as trading, underwriting and credit analysis, alongside a "Bond School" curriculum, a public speaking seminar and mentorship sessions. Alumni can receive college scholarships through all four years, and the Forum reports more than $1.5 million awarded.

Who it's best for: NYC graduating seniors with a 3.0 or higher who want a full-time summer job in public finance before college.

16. Futures and Options Internship Program

Location: Employers across New York City, including small businesses, nonprofits, government agencies and multinational companies
Cost/Stipend: Free; at least $17.00 an hour
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive, and a placement isn't guaranteed
Dates: Usually six weeks in July and August at 20 to 30 hours a week, with an after-school option from September to June; 2027 dates aren't posted yet
Application deadline: Usually winter, with recommendation letters due in early February; the application is closed now and an interest form is open
Eligibility: Juniors and seniors attending a New York City high school

Futures and Options is a New York City nonprofit that places high school juniors and seniors in paid, mentored internships with small businesses, nonprofits, government agencies and multinational companies. Finance partners named on its site include BlackRock and JPMorgan Chase. Alongside the job, you attend two orientations, career readiness workshops on communication, interviewing, financial literacy and resumes, and field trips with employer partners, with a program coordinator assigned to you. A finance placement isn't guaranteed, so say clearly in your application that finance is the work you want.

Who it's best for: NYC juniors and seniors who want a paid, mentored internship with a chance at a major finance employer.

17. NYC Ladders for Leaders

Location: In person at employers across New York City
Cost/Stipend: Free; at least $16.50 an hour per the 2026 FAQ, though the 2026 employer guide lets employers set pay at or above state minimum wage
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive, with selection through an application, pre-employment workshops and employer interviews
Dates: Summer 2026 internships ran at least six weeks and 150 hours, starting in July 2026; summer 2027 dates aren't posted yet
Application deadline: January 16, 2026 for summer 2026, after an extension; the 2027 deadline isn't posted yet
Eligibility: NYC residents ages 16 to 24 who are rising high school seniors or college students, legally able to work in the U.S., with prior paid or volunteer experience

NYC Ladders for Leaders is run by the city's Department of Youth and Community Development and places high-achieving students in paid summer internships with corporations, nonprofits and government agencies. The 2026 employer guide lists Bloomberg, BNY Mellon Pershing and BlackRock under business and finance, alongside employers in technology, real estate and health care. Before you're matched, you complete up to 30 hours of pre-employment training on resumes, interviewing and workplace etiquette, then interview with potential employers. A finance placement depends on which employers pick you, so tailor your resume toward the finance firms on the list.

Who it's best for: NYC rising seniors with some work or volunteer experience who want a city-backed route into a finance firm.

18. Genesys Works

Location: Partner company sites in nine metro areas: Bay Area, Chicago, Houston, Jacksonville, Nashville, National Capital Region, New York City, Tulsa and the Twin Cities
Cost/Stipend: Free; paid hourly, $10,000 to $12,000 over the internship year on the national page and up to $16,500 in the Twin Cities
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 828 students completed internships nationally in 2025; the Twin Cities placed about 147 rising seniors for 2026 to 2027
Dates: The Class of 2027 trained in summer 2026 and began year-long internships after Draft Day events in August 2026; 2027 training dates aren't posted yet
Application deadline: Varies by region; students apply in the fall or winter of junior year and finish the process in spring
Eligibility: High school juniors at Genesys Works partner schools who are on track to graduate, can work in the U.S. and can adjust their senior-year schedule

Genesys Works trains high school juniors through eight weeks of summer business technology training, then places them in a paid corporate internship for their entire senior year. You work about 20 hours a week, usually four hours each afternoon, in roles that span IT, business operations, finance and marketing, and Twin Cities interns have worked at employers such as Thrivent Financial. College and career coaching runs alongside the job, including help with financial aid. It runs only through partner high schools, so check whether your school participates before you plan around it.

Who it's best for: Juniors at a partner school in one of nine metros who can rework their senior schedule around a year-long paid job.

19. On the Money Internship, Economic Awareness Council

Location: Chicago, IL, run in association with DePaul University's Writing Center
Cost/Stipend: Free; paid internship
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 17 interns on the 2025 to 2026 team across leadership, entrepreneurship and journalism roles
Dates: The fall 2026 internship runs part-time through the end of December 2026; spring 2027 dates aren't posted yet
Application deadline: Fall 2026 applications were still open on October 1, 2026, with interviews in September; no fixed date is published
Eligibility: Chicago high school students who live in the City of Chicago, applying with a resume and a writing sample

On the Money is a by-teens, for-teens magazine about finance and entrepreneurship published since 2007 by the Economic Awareness Council, a Chicago nonprofit. Each semester, high school interns from across the city research and publish articles on personal finance, economics and business, working on a leadership team or in entrepreneurship and journalism roles. You build financial literacy, writing, public speaking and interviewing skills while producing published work you can show to colleges and employers. It's a paid writing role, not a job at a financial firm, so it suits students who like explaining money as much as working with it.

Who it's best for: Chicago high schoolers who like writing and want a paid, part-time role covering finance during the school year.

Government Finance Internships

These four programs place you inside a government office or central bank that manages public money. Each one hires interns directly, and three of them pay.

20. U.S. Department of the Treasury Headquarters Student Internship Program

Location: In person at Treasury's Departmental Offices in Washington, DC; relocation is at your own expense
Cost/Stipend: Unpaid
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Each posting lists "few" openings, so expect a very small number of high school interns
Dates: The fall 2026 term started in September 2026 (at least 10 weeks at 20 or more hours a week); the summer 2026 term started in May 2026
Application deadline: Fall 2026 applications closed May 31, 2026, and summer 2026 closed February 7, 2026; watch USAJOBS for the spring and summer 2027 postings
Eligibility: U.S. citizens enrolled at least half-time at an accredited high school, college or graduate school, with a 2.0 GPA or higher, who can pass a background investigation

Treasury's Departmental Offices take student volunteers, including high schoolers, into offices such as Domestic Finance, Tax Policy, Economic Policy and International Affairs. Interns collect and analyze data for policy priorities, research literature, draft briefing materials and attend Congressional hearings and official meetings. Every opening is posted on USAJOBS under the title "Student Volunteer," and the 2026 application windows didn't match the months listed on Treasury's own program page. It's unpaid and requires U.S. citizenship, so it fits students who can live in or near Washington, DC for at least 10 weeks.

Who it's best for: U.S. citizens near Washington, DC who want federal finance policy experience and can work unpaid.

21. Today's Interns, Tomorrow's Professionals (TIP), Federal Reserve Bank of Boston

Location: Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, Boston, MA
Cost/Stipend: Free; paid internship
Acceptance rate/cohort size: A small cohort, open only to eligible Boston Public Schools students
Dates: Usually a summer work experience, with strong interns invited into a year-round internship that can last up to three years; 2027 dates aren't posted yet
Application deadline: Usually late winter, through the Boston Private Industry Council
Eligibility: Income-eligible high school students who have completed their sophomore year in the Boston Public Schools

Today's Interns, Tomorrow's Professionals is the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston's paid work and learning internship, run with the Boston Private Industry Council for students in the Boston Public Schools. It starts with a summer work experience inside the Bank, combined with job coaching and skill-building workshops in areas such as complex problem solving and conflict resolution. Strong interns can stay on year-round for up to three years, so one application can turn into several years of paid work at a central bank. Apply through the Boston PIC, and check its youth jobs page in late winter for the next opening.

Who it's best for: Boston Public Schools students who want a paid role at a Federal Reserve bank that can continue through the rest of high school.

22. Fairfax County Public Schools ERFC Investments Internship

Location: In person at the ERFC office, 3110 Fairview Park Drive, Falls Church, VA
Cost/Stipend: Free; $16.67 an hour for current high school students, 20 hours a week
Acceptance rate/cohort size: The 2025 FCPS program drew nearly 950 applicants for 20 internships, about 2%
Dates: Summer 2026 ran July 6 to August 14, 2026; 2027 dates aren't posted yet
Application deadline: The 2026 interest form closed April 10, 2026; the 2027 deadline isn't posted yet
Eligibility: Current Fairfax County Public Schools high school students who are 16 by the program start and authorized to work in the U.S.

Fairfax County Public Schools runs a paid, six-week summer internship inside its own central offices, and the 2026 program included roles at ERFC, the supplementary retirement system that manages pension assets for FCPS employees. The ERFC Investments intern gets exposure to institutional investing across public equities, fixed income and private markets, working alongside investment professionals. A separate ERFC Finance role covers government budgeting, basic accounting and financial reporting. Both ERFC roles are reserved for current high school students, and ERFC wasn't listed among the 2025 host offices, so check the 2027 role list before you apply.

Who it's best for: Fairfax County high schoolers who want paid exposure to how a pension fund invests, close to home.

23. Empower Gwinnett Government Internship Program

Location: Gwinnett County Government departments in Gwinnett County, GA
Cost/Stipend: Free; $15 an hour, including two Saturday workshops
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; the county says paid positions are limited
Dates: Summer 2026 ran June 1 to June 26, 2026, after workshops on May 9 and 16; 2027 dates aren't posted yet
Application deadline: The 2026 window ran February 9 to March 16, 2026; the 2027 window will be announced on the program page
Eligibility: Ages 15 to 21 who live in or attend school in Gwinnett County, first-time participants only; the Transportation Finance Intern role has no age minimum, while other budget roles require 18 or older

Empower Gwinnett is the county government's four-week paid summer internship for youth ages 15 to 21, with placements across county departments. The 2026 job list included a Transportation Department Finance Intern who worked with finance staff on budgets and invoice processing, including data entry, contract and bid analysis, and tracking cost centers. That finance role had no age requirement, while the county's grants, purchasing and budget office roles were limited to interns 18 and older. Human Resources assigns placements by interest and department need, so name the finance role clearly when you apply.

Who it's best for: Gwinnett County students as young as 15 who want a month of paid local government budget work.

Prestigious Finance Programs and Competitions

These five aren't internships, but each comes from a well-known business school or university and builds the analysis skills finance employers look for. Four of them run online.

24. Wharton Global High School Investment Competition

Location: Online through the Wharton Investment Simulator; the top 10 teams travel to the Global Finale at Wharton in Philadelphia
Cost/Stipend: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Teams of four to six; judges pick 50 semifinalist teams and 10 finalists each year
Dates: The 2026 to 2027 competition runs September 28 to December 4, 2026, with the Global Finale on April 29 and 30, 2027
Application deadline: Registration for 2026 to 2027 ran August 10 to September 11, 2026; registration usually opens again in August
Eligibility: Students in grades 9 to 12 on a team of four to six with a teacher advisor; the team leader must be at least 16 by the competition start

Wharton Global Youth runs this free investment challenge for high school teams around the world. Teams manage a virtual portfolio on the Wharton Investment Simulator around a new case study featuring a Wharton alum, then submit written deliverables that include an investment policy statement, trading notes and a final report. Judges weigh strategy and reasoning far more than simulator rankings. Only 10 teams reach the Global Finale in Philadelphia, where they present to judges for the title of Global Champion.

Who it's best for: Students who can form a team with a teacher advisor and want a free, globally known investing credential.

25. Wharton Global Youth Program: Financial Decision Making

Location: Online, with live sessions
Cost/Stipend: $4,099; financial aid available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective, with rolling review
Dates: Two-week sessions June 14 to 25 or July 5 to 16, 2027
Application deadline: Rolling admission, with a priority deadline usually in late January; the 2026 priority deadline was January 28, 2026
Eligibility: High school students in grades 9 to 12 with a demonstrated interest in economics and finance

Financial Decision Making is a two-week live online course from the Wharton Global Youth Program, built around two hours of daily lecture from Wharton instructors and an hour of TA-led recitation. Topics run from budgeting, credit and debt to stocks, bonds, monetary policy and compound interest, with Excel used throughout and real financial datasets for analysis. The course also covers financial ethics, including trade-offs between profit and social impact. Students who finish earn a Wharton Global Youth Certificate of Completion.

Who it's best for: Students who want Wharton-taught finance fundamentals in two weeks and can cover the tuition or qualify for aid.

26. Haslam College of Business Accounting and Information Management (AIM) Academy

Location: University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN (residential)
Cost/Stipend: Not listed on the AIM page; Haslam's pre-collegiate programs page describes free transportation, lodging and activities, so confirm with the Office of Access before you apply
Acceptance rate/cohort size: A small, selective cohort; applicants need a 3.0 GPA and leadership potential
Dates: Six days, July 11 to 16, 2027
Application deadline: March 31, 2027
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors with at least a 3.0 GPA, leadership potential and an interest in studying business

The Accounting and Information Management Academy is a six-day residential summer program at the University of Tennessee's Haslam College of Business, with Crowe LLP as its signature sponsor. Students attend workshops in accounting, finance, entrepreneurship and professional development taught by university faculty and staff, plus team-building and college readiness sessions. Business professionals meet with the group during the week. Every student must live on campus for all six days, so check the full schedule before you apply.

Who it's best for: Rising juniors with a 3.0 or higher who want a short, residential introduction to accounting backed by a national accounting firm.

27. Stevens Institute of Technology Quantitative Finance Virtual Summer Research Experience

Location: Online, with live sessions Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Cost/Stipend: $2,500
Acceptance rate/cohort size: A small online cohort
Dates: Summer 2026 ran July 6 to July 31, 2026; 2027 dates aren't posted yet
Application deadline: Not posted on the program page; contact the Stevens School of Business for 2027 dates
Eligibility: Rising juniors and seniors, with Microsoft Excel familiarity required and coding experience preferred

The Stevens School of Business runs this four-week virtual research experience focused on quantitative finance and data-driven decision-making. Sessions combine interactive lectures, practical exercises and case studies with self-paced modules, and students build coding skills in R. Along the way, students work toward Bloomberg Market Concepts and Capital IQ certifications, two tools used across investment research. Expect a math-heavy program rather than a general finance overview, since Excel familiarity is required and coding experience is preferred.

Who it's best for: Rising juniors and seniors comfortable with Excel who want quantitative finance plus recognized data-tool certifications.

28. Dartmouth Precollege Online: Finance, Investing and Market Insights

Location: Online, self-paced
Cost/Stipend: $1,895; need-based scholarships available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Open enrollment; no transcripts or recommendation letters required
Dates: Sessions start throughout the year; the next start date is November 8, 2026
Application deadline: Rolling, before your chosen start date; the next start is November 8, 2026
Eligibility: Students ages 13 and up

Dartmouth Precollege Online's finance course covers financial markets, key instruments, risk and return, IPO mechanics, financial statements and discounted cash flow valuation over 20 to 30 hours of instruction. Patroklos Karantinos, who holds an MBA from Dartmouth's Tuck School of Business, designed the course. In the capstone you play a private equity analyst and evaluate whether a public company would be a good investment. Students who complete it earn a Certificate of Completion from Dartmouth.

Who it's best for: Younger students, from age 13, who want a self-paced valuation course they can start this fall.

Commonly Asked Questions About Finance Internships for High School Students

1. Can you get a finance internship in high school?

Yes, though most programs want juniors or seniors who are at least 16. Credit unions, accounting firms, a venture capital firm, city programs and federal and county governments all take high school interns, and most of them pay.

2. How do you get into finance as a high schooler?

Start with something open to beginners, such as a free Invest in Girls course or the National Personal Finance Challenge, then apply to paid internships as a junior. Some summer 2027 application windows opened in October 2026, and USLI's opens November 1.

3. Which internship is best for finance students?

It depends on the part of finance you want to try. 1435 Capital is the closest to venture investing, CLA covers public accounting, Urban Leadership Fellows covers municipal bonds, and Treasury covers federal finance policy.

4. Are there virtual finance internships for high school students?

Very few, since most finance hosts want interns in the office at least part of the time. Ladder Internships runs 8-week online internships with startups, including finance projects, and Wharton's free investment competition also runs online.