13 Free Online Computer Science Internships for High School Students
If you’re a high school student interested in computer science, an internship is one of the best ways to build skills and stand out. Internships let you apply what you have learned, gain experience with practical tools, and connect with professionals in tech. There are plenty of online computer science internships designed for high school students. These programs let you work remotely, learn from professionals, and show colleges that you’re serious about your future in the field.
We’ve pulled together a list of 13 free online computer science internships for high school students, so you can find one that fits your interests and schedule. These programs cover computer science and related areas such as AI, data science, and software engineering, helping you explore new paths.
1. Ladder Internship Program
Location: Remote (Worldwide)
Cost/Stipend: 100% financial aid available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter cohorts
Application Deadline: Deadlines vary
Eligibility: High school, gap-year students, and undergraduates; 10–20 hours/week
Ladder Internships connect high school students with real startup teams working in exciting areas such as deep tech, AI/ML, marketing, and software engineering. The experience includes working in a professional workplace environment, communicating directly with founders, collaborating on meaningful projects, and receiving personalized feedback from industry coaches. Students work on projects that contribute to the company, which may include data analysis, interface design, or product development. By the end of the program, every intern completes a portfolio or company presentation to showcase their work. This internship is a popular option for students looking to gain tech industry experience and a deeper understanding of the startup world before college. You can find more details and apply through their application form.
2. NASA & UT Austin SEES Internship
Location: Virtual or in-person (Austin, TX)
Cost/Stipend: None (free, unpaid)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective
Dates: May 1 – July 1 (Distance Learning Modules) / June – July 5 (Remote Projects) / June – July 19 (Virtual Projects) / July 21-22 (Symposium) (tentative)
Application Deadline: February 22
Eligibility: U.S. high school sophomores and juniors; must be at least 16 by start date; first-time SEES participants only
NASA & UT Austin SEES Internship, run by NASA’s STEM Engagement Office and the University of Texas at Austin, offers a multi-phase learning experience for high school students: You’ll begin with online modules focused on Earth and Space science and then join a research team guided by NASA scientists to work with satellite data. Projects may cover areas such as satellite imagery, mission design, and the use of AI in space science. Along the way, you’ll strengthen your coding and data-analysis skills and learn how computer science powers space exploration and earth observation. The program ends with a virtual symposium, where you present your work. If you’re interested in how computer science intersects with space or Earth science, this could be a strong option to explore it firsthand.
3. Lumiere Research Inclusion Foundation
Location: Remote – participate from anywhere in the world
Cost/Stipend: None (100% financial aid available)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Multiple cohorts
Dates: June–August (summer cohort) / September–December (fall) / December–February (winter) / March–June (spring)
Application Deadline: Varies by cohort; e.g., May 20 for Summer Cohort
Eligibility: High school students with a minimum unweighted GPA of 3.3
This research internship offered by Lumiere gives high school students the opportunity to work one-on-one with a PhD mentor for 12 weeks and write their own research paper. You’ll pick a topic that interests you – whether it is computer science, data science, AI/ML, cybersecurity, or another tech-related field – and carry out research with expert guidance every step of the way. Because the program is remote and designed for high-school students, it is open to learners from anywhere in the world. It’s also a great option for students from low-income backgrounds, offering valuable mentorship and academic support. By the end of the program, you’ll have a polished research paper that will strengthen your college applications and showcase your passion for learning.
4. NASA GeneLab for High Schools (GL4HS)
Location: Online
Cost/Stipend: None (free; small stipend for participants)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: A few dozen spots (highly selective)
Dates: June 2 – August 29 (tentative)
Application Deadline: April 9
Eligibility: U.S. students entering 11th or 12th grade; GPA ≥ 3.0; must be at least 16 by December 31; must have taken a high school biology course
The program introduces students to the fascinating world of “omics” research and bioinformatics using the NASA GeneLab Data System. You’ll explore how biology, space research, and data science intersect through virtual labs, lectures, and field-trips with NASA experts. You’ll also work in teams on a research project that connects coding with biology. The best part: the top-performing team even gets a chance to present their findings at a national space science conference. If you’re excited about how computer science can be applied to life sciences and space exploration, this free online internship is an opportunity to learn and make your mark in this emerging field.
5. SHTEM: Summer Internships for High Schoolers at Stanford University
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: None (free, unpaid; need-based aid may be available)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Approximately 60 students selected per year
Dates: June 17 – August 9 (tentative)
Application Deadline: Usually in March (extended deadline sometimes)
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors aged 14+
Offered by Stanford Compression Forum, this eight-week remote research internship allowed you to explore how computer science connects with other fields such as science, engineering, humanities, and design. You’ll work in small teams, guided by mentors, on interdisciplinary research projects that challenge you to think creatively and solve real-world issues. You’ll spend about 30-40 hours a week collaborating online with Stanford faculty, grad students, and staff. At the end of the program, you present your project to the public – an exciting chance to share your work and gain recognition for your research.
6. Aspiring Scientists Summer Internship Program (ASSIP) by George Mason University
Location: Virtual, hybrid, or in-person (Fairfax, VA)
Cost/Stipend: None (free; except a $25 application fee, which can be waived)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not publicly specified
Dates: June 18 – August 8 (tentative)
Application Deadline: Typically in February
Eligibility: Remote: Must be at least 15 years old; In-person wet labs: must be at least 16 years old
ASSIP offers high school students eight weeks of research experience in areas such as cybersecurity, digital innovation, and natural language processing. You’ll work closely with faculty mentors, use professional tools, improve your technical writing, and attend panels and career development sessions. Past student projects have explored topics such as user interface design, bias in machine learning, and dark-pattern detection in technology. If you’re interested in combining computer science with real-world research, ASSIP is worth exploring.
7. NASA Office of STEM Engagement (OSTEM) Internships
Location: Remote or in-person at NASA centers across the U.S.
Cost/Stipend: None (free; paid internships available depending on site/project)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective
Dates: Spring/Fall: 16 weeks; Summer: 10 weeks (May – August) (tentative)
Application Deadlines: Summer session: February 27; Fall session: May 22
Eligibility: U.S. citizens aged 16+ with GPA 3.0+; full-time students
The NASA Office of STEM Engagement (OSTEM) Internships allow you to work with scientists and engineers on space missions, technology development, and research projects. Depending on your placement, you might dive into programming, robotics, data analysis, or environmental science. You’ll also get to collaborate with NASA centers, learn directly from mentors, and gain insights into how science and technology drive innovation in one of the most respected organizations worldwide. This free online science internship is especially valuable for high school students interested in computer science and comes with the prestige of working with NASA.
8. ASPIRE by Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Lab
Location: Virtual or in-person (Laurel, MD)
Cost/Stipend: None (free)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 15-20% acceptance rate
Dates: Starts in the last week of June
Application Deadline: Typically February 15
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors, age 15+, with a GPA of 2.8+ and residency in the Washington-Baltimore metro area
APL connects you with mentors working on STEM projects in cybersecurity and data analysis. You’ll be paired with your mentor based on your interests and can participate either virtually or in person. For students passionate about computer science and eager to contribute to real projects, ASPIRE is an excellent free online computer science internship for high school students that offers both mentorship and practical experience.
9. SPARK Summer Internship Program
Location: In-person and virtual opportunities
Cost/Stipend: None (no cost)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not publicly given
Dates: June – August (tentative); software engineering internship will run for 10 weeks in July
Application Deadline: April
Eligibility: U.S. high school students
SPARK is a free online computer science internship program for high school students who are passionate about computer science and thrive in a high-commitment environment. The program offers you the chance to spend 8-10 weeks working on computer science projects alongside industry experts, university professors, and experienced mentors. Project topics span a wide range of cutting-edge areas, including machine learning, computer vision, programming Python scripts for crossbar architecture, analyzing spiking neural networks, and even quantum technical writing. You’ll work 20-40 hours/week on real research and development tasks.
10. Girls Who Code Summer Immersion Program
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: None (free); $300 need-based grant in the U.S.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not publicly published
Dates: July 7 – 18 (U.S. only) | July 28 – August 8 (U.S. + international) (tentative)
Application Deadline: April 11
Eligibility: All high school students (girls and gender-expansive students) can apply
While not officially called an internship, the Girls Who Code two-week program offers a practical tech experience for high school students. Through live virtual classes with mentors from leading tech companies, you’ll learn programming languages such as Python, JavaScript, HTML/CSS, and explore UX design and web development. You’ll get to build your own websites, games, and apps, while working on real-world issues such as climate change and cyberbullying. For anyone curious about computer science and tech innovation, Girls Who Code is among the free online computer science opportunities to jumpstart your career in STEM.
11. MIT Beaver Works Summer Institute (BWSI)
Location: Virtual or in-person at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA
Cost/Stipend: Free for families earning under $150,000; otherwise, $1,750
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not publicly published
Dates: July – August (tentative)
Application Deadline: March 31
Eligibility: U.S. high school students in grades 9-11
The MIT Beaver Works Summer Institute offers high school students a chance to dive into advanced project-based courses in serious game development with AI, autonomous cognitive assistance (CogWorks), and quantum software. You’ll get to write algorithms, design games or intelligent systems, and work with experts from MIT Lincoln Laboratory. While the program isn’t completely free for everyone, many students qualify for full financial aid or fee waivers. For students passionate about computer science, engineering, or cutting-edge tech, MIT Beaver Works stands out as one of the best opportunities to experience MIT-level learning and mentorship.
12. Kode With Klossy Summer Camps
Location: Virtual or in-person at various locations
Cost/Stipend: None (free)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not publicly published
Dates: Multiple 2-week sessions between June 2 and August 15 (tentative)
Application Deadline: Typically late March
Eligibility: Students aged 13-18; no prior coding experience required
The Kode With Klossy camps introduce you to web development, mobile app development, machine learning, or data science. You’ll learn to code in languages such as HTML, CSS, JavaScript, Python, and Swift through hands-on projects and collaborate with teammates to build apps and websites. You’ll also hear from inspiring women in tech, participate in networking sessions, and join a supportive community. If you identify as female or gender-expansive and want to build your computer science skills in a supportive environment, Kode With Klossy is an opportunity to kickstart your career in tech.
13. Colorado School of Mines CS@Mines Internship
Location: Remote
Cost/Stipend: Scholarship available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 2-4 students
Dates: June 1 – August 6 (tentative)
Deadline: April 18
Eligibility: High school students interested in computer science
This 6-week research internship lets you work on computer science projects in areas such as AI, cybersecurity, data science, and software development. You’ll collaborate in small teams while gaining hands-on experience solving real-world computing challenges that go beyond what is covered in most high-school classes. You’ll work remotely for about 5–20 hours per week, giving you flexibility to manage your schedule while diving deep into research. Each group is led by an undergraduate mentor from Mines, so you’ll get support and guidance as you explore whether computer science research is something you want to pursue further.
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