15 Summer Finance Internships for High School Students in 2026
For students interested in finance, internships are especially valuable because they introduce you to key areas like investment banking, financial analysis, markets, accounting, fintech, and economic research. You will also get a clearer understanding of how financial systems work in real business environments, helping you decide whether this is a field you want to pursue further. This hands-on exposure not only naturally enhances your college profile and resume, but it also improves your long-term employability by proving to future universities and employers that you have the drive and initiative to succeed in a professional environment.
If you want to see what other finance internships are available, find a list of summer-specific internships here & paid internships here.
What summer finance internships are available for high school students in 2026?
Summer finance internships in 2026 are available through a mix of universities, institutions, and companies that focus on building early exposure to finance, economics, and business. These programs allow you to explore areas like investment banking, financial analysis, fintech, and markets through structured learning, projects, and mentorship. For example, programs like the Wharton Global Youth Finance Academy, Harvard Pre-College Finance programs, and NYU summer business courses are hosted by leading universities. In contrast, others like JPMorgan Chase, Goldman Sachs, and Deloitte offer virtual or in-person experiences through major financial firms and tech-driven platforms. Together, they give you a strong mix of academic learning and industry exposure.
To help you get the best options, we have gathered 15 summer finance internships for high school students in 2026 that offer strong academic structure, industry exposure, mentorship, and recognition from top institutions and companies.
Quick Look
15 programs total spanning investment research, banking, venture capital, insurance, public finance, and financial literacy education, hosted by organizations including the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, U.S. Department of the Treasury, 1435 Capital Management, Fidelity, and CLA
Several programs are primarily for local residents: Chicago Summer Business Institute (Chicago residents under $80,000 household income), Economic Awareness Council (Chicago residents only), YEP KC (Kansas City metro), and Brooklyn Navy Yard (Brooklyn residents or students)
The Federal Reserve Bank of Boston's TIP program stands out for offering a multi-year track of up to three years for strong performers, extending well beyond a single summer
Application deadlines cluster heavily in January through March, with the U.S. Treasury's program closing in December, making it the earliest deadline on this list
1. Chicago Summer Business Institute (CSBI)
Location: Chicago, IL
Stipend: Paid, amount not specified
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective; ~125 students
Dates: 6 weeks between June and August
Application Deadline: March 31
Eligibility: High school sophomores or juniors residing in Chicago, who have a “B” or 3.0 average, and belong to families whose income is below $80,000/year
The Chicago Summer Business Institute (CSBI) is a structured program that introduces you to finance and business through a mix of classroom learning and hands-on projects. In this program, you will explore investment research, financial analysis, and market simulations while working with real-world case studies. You will also take part in expert-led workshops on banking, corporate finance, and capital markets, along with mentorship from finance professionals. Alongside technical skills, you will develop career readiness abilities such as networking, resume building, professional communication, and reporting, helping you build a strong foundation for future studies in business or economics.
2. Ladder Internship Program
Location: Remote (work from anywhere in the world)
Cost/Stipend: Cost varies depending on the program type; financial aid is available / No stipend
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Around 10%; 70–100 students
Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year, including Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter
Application Deadline: Varies depending on the cohort; Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September), and Winter (November)
Eligibility: High school, undergraduate, and gap year students who can work for 8–12 weeks, devoting 10–20 hours/week
Ladder Internships is a selective start-up internship program for ambitious high school students interested in gaining experience with fast-growing start-ups. Start-ups that offer internships span across fields such as finance, tech/deep tech, AI/ML, health tech, marketing, journalism, consulting, and more. Ladder’s start-ups are high-growth companies that have raised over a million dollars on average, backed by Y Combinator. The program includes one-on-one training in communication and time management, plus group sessions with other interns. Startups in the program often have raised over $1 million and are led by founders with experience at places like Google, Facebook, and Microsoft. Apply now!
3. NYC Dept. of Youth & Community Development (DYCD) – NYC Ladders for Leaders
Location: New York City, across all five boroughs, with internship placements citywide
Stipend: At least $16.50 per hour
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive; cohort size not specified
Dates: Six weeks in the summer plus up to 30 hours of pre-employment workshops and trainings; exact dates set by each individual employer
Application Deadline: January 16
Eligibility: Students ages 16–24 enrolled in high school or college; resident of one of the five New York City boroughs; prior paid or volunteer work experience; legally allowed to work in the U.S.
As a Ladders for Leaders intern, you step into a paid professional summer internship at a New York City employer, with the program's partner network placing students at major finance and business firms such as Amalgamated Bank, KPMG, Morgan Stanley, Bloomberg, and Neuberger Berman. Before placement, you complete pre-employment training that builds résumé and cover letter writing, interviewing skills, essential workplace readiness, and business etiquette. In a finance-focused role, you can support work like bank operations, customer relationships, and cash-handling procedures alongside professional staff, while sharpening financial workflows, professional communication, and office software skills. You move through a structured process of application and selection, pre-employment workshops and mock interviews, then interviews with potential employers.
4. 1435 Capital Management – Venture Analyst Internship
Location: Princeton, New Jersey (Hybrid format with limited in-person attendance required)
Stipend: Paid, amount not disclosed
Acceptance rate/cohort size/cohort size: Highly selective; ~3–4 students
Dates: 10 weeks in the summer (June – August)
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions till early April
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors aged 16+; authorized to work in the U.S.
The 1435 Capital Management Venture Analyst Internship is a competitive, 10-week hybrid summer program in Princeton, New Jersey, where you will explore the fast-paced worlds of venture capital, business, and entrepreneurship. During the internship, you will actively research emerging startups, assist with real-world due diligence, and test new products. You will also directly network with ambitious founders and seasoned investors to understand exactly how high-stakes investment decisions are made. A uniquely defining feature of this role is the potential to later join the Homeroom Fund, a high school student-led venture fund officially overseen by the firm. Ultimately, you will build critical, career-ready skills in financial analysis, investment evaluation, and professional communication.
5. Economic Awareness Council (Chicago) – On the Money Summer Internship
Location: Chicago, Illinois (hybrid format with some in-person and some online components)
Stipend: $17.05 per hour
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; small peer money-mentor cohort
Dates: June 15 – July 31
Application Deadline: May 29
Eligibility: Graduating high school seniors and college students; City of Chicago residents only; U.S. work authorization required to work through Chicago Youth Works
In this internship, you work as a paid money mentor who teaches other Chicago teens core personal finance skills. You get trained to plan and lead hybrid financial education presentations on topics such as budgeting, saving, and money management for youth employees served through Chicago Youth Works. You earn a financial literacy certification, meet professionals in a finance or career field of your interest, and strengthen communication and workplace skills throughout the term. Working a structured 20-hour week, you gain real experience translating financial concepts into clear, peer-friendly lessons. The position blends finance content knowledge with hands-on teaching and professional development.
6. Headquarters Student Internship Program at U.S. Department of the Treasury
Location: U.S. Department of the Treasury, Washington, D.C.
Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size/cohort size: Highly selective; limited placements
Dates: May–August
Application Deadline: December
Eligibility: High school students enrolled in or accepted at a U.S.-accredited institution
In the U.S. Department of the Treasury Headquarters Student Internship Program, you will gain insight into how finance and public policy shape the national economy. You will support the Treasury’s work in areas such as economic growth, financial stability, and national security. You will take on tasks like policy research, data analysis, and preparing briefing materials, while also observing Congressional hearings and high-level meetings. You will explore different divisions such as Domestic Finance, Tax Policy, and International Affairs, building practical skills and understanding how financial decisions are made at the government level.
7. Young Entrepreneurs Program (YEP KC)
Location: Kansas City startups
Stipend: $12–14 per hour plus a $2,500 scholarship ($1,250 per session)
Acceptance rate/cohort size/cohort size: Highly selective; 14–20 students
Dates: Session 1: June 1–26; Session 2: July 6–31
Application Deadline: February 1
Eligibility: Students completing junior or senior year of high school; based in the Kansas City metro area
The program lets you gain paid, hands-on experience working with high-growth startups in Kansas City, where financial decisions directly influence how businesses grow and operate. You will be matched with a startup based on your interests and collaborate with teams in finance, analytics, marketing, and product, learning how budgeting, pricing, and investment choices shape daily operations. You will also visit different companies each week to see how founders secure funding, manage resources, and scale their businesses. Along the way, you will build practical workplace skills and become part of a long-term alumni network that continues to provide connections and opportunities beyond the program.
8. Air Academy Credit Union (AACU) High School Internship Program
Location: Multiple locations across CO with initial training at HQs, Colorado Springs, CO
Stipend: Paid hourly, rate not disclosed
Acceptance rate/cohort size/cohort size: Competitive; cohort size not specified
Dates: June 8–16 or July 13–21 (7-day initial training, up to 35 hrs/week in summer); work continues through the school year
Application Deadline: April 12
Eligibility: High school students who will be in the 11th or 12th grade during the upcoming school year in an AACU-serviced school (here is the list of qualifying school districts); aged 16 or older
The Air Academy Credit Union (AACU) High School Internship Program is a paid, structured opportunity designed to immerse you in the realities of the financial industry. Throughout your time, you will cover essential topics including financial products, business operations, personal budgeting, and member services. You will gain hands-on experience through activities like shadowing diverse departments, being mentored by organizational leaders, and managing real-world member interactions. What makes this program unique is the quarterly performance reviews, an end-of-program recommendation letter, and direct consideration for full- or part-time employment after you graduate. Ultimately, you will learn how to navigate a professional banking environment.
9. United States Liability Insurance (USLI) Company High School Student Program
Location: Wayne, PA
Stipend: $17/hour
Acceptance rate/cohort size/cohort size: Selective; part of the bigger ~150–175 student cohort
Dates: Year–round or Summer (typically June – August)
Application Deadline: January 31
Eligibility: Current high school juniors planning to enter the workforce after graduating high school; should have good math and typing skills for the accounting track; open to international students
The USLI High School Student Program offers you a meaningful, paid work experience to help build a strong foundation for your future career. You will explore diverse business topics, including data management, software testing, sales prospecting, and corporate wellness. During the program, you will complete hands-on activities like executing system test plans, generating new sales leads, maintaining databases, and designing promotional materials. A unique feature of this year-round initiative is that you actually perform valuable, impactful work identical to full-time employees rather than just shadowing them. Finally, you will develop essential skills such as efficient time management, effective communication, goal setting, and a professional executive presence.
10. Brooklyn Navy Yard – Internship Program
Location: Brooklyn Navy Yard, Brooklyn, New York; in-person, with interns placed at Yard-based businesses and BNYDC departments
Stipend: $16.50 per hour
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; limited cohort sizes
Dates: 8 weeks in the summer
Application Deadline: Rolling basis till February 28
Eligibility: Brooklyn resident or enrolled at a Brooklyn-based school; college-bound high school senior; first-time or once-returning participant in the program; working papers required for applicants under 18
In this program, you apply to be matched with a Brooklyn Navy Yard business or BNYDC department based on your future career interests, skill set, and educational background, and a business administration or management placement is where your work can take on a finance-related lens. Across an eight-week session at roughly 40 hours per week, you contribute to real workplace tasks alongside professionals while demonstrating the strong communication skills and work ethic the program selects for. You also complete mandatory professional development activities that strengthen career readiness and networking. Because placements are tailored rather than fixed, your exposure to budgeting, operations, or administrative finance depends on the host business you join.
11. OneAmerica Financial – Pathways Junior Fellows
Location: Primarily Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
Stipend: Paid, amount not specified
Acceptance rate/cohort size/cohort size: Selective; small local cohort
Dates: 5-week program from mid-June to mid-July
Application Deadline: Typically, January
Eligibility: High school students and recent high school graduates
In this fellowship, you will dive into core topics like financial wellness, corporate business operations, and community awareness. You will participate in intensive job shadowing, meet weekly with a dedicated corporate mentor, engage with local community partners, and collaborate with peers on a final capstone project. What makes this program unique is its deep commitment to empowering local youth by providing a supportive cohort model and a direct pathway to sustainable income. Through these real-world experiences, you will ultimately develop essential skills such as workplace accountability, financial literacy, professional communication, and foundational leadership.
12. Today’s Interns, Tomorrow’s Professionals (TIP) Internship
Location: Boston, Massachusetts
Stipend: Paid, amount not disclosed
Acceptance rate/cohort size/cohort size: Highly selective; approximately 20–30 interns per year
Dates: July – August
Application Deadline: Typically, early Spring
Eligibility: High school students who have completed sophomore year in Boston Public Schools and meet income eligibility requirements
The Today’s Interns, Tomorrow’s Professionals (TIP) program by the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston is a paid internship that combines real workplace experience with structured learning to help high school students build strong career foundations. You will take part in a summer internship where you work in different departments such as finance, research, or operations, while also attending workshops focused on skills like problem-solving, communication, and financial literacy. The program goes beyond a typical internship by offering mentorship, job coaching, and the opportunity to continue in a year-round role for up to three years based on your performance. Overall, it helps you build a pathway toward long-term career and financial stability.
13. CLA High School Internship Program
Location: Multiple CliftonLarsonAllen (CLA) offices across the United States (in-person)
Stipend: Paid, amount not disclosed
Acceptance rate/cohort size/cohort size: Selective; ~69 students per summer
Dates: 4–5 weeks from mid-June to mid-July
Application Deadline: Typically, early spring
Eligibility: Current high school juniors or seniors; aged 16–18 years old; authorized to work in the U.S.; able to commute to the local office
The CLA High School Internship Program is a four-week paid experience that introduces you to careers in accounting, finance, and professional services through hands-on work and mentorship. You will take part in real-world projects, case studies, and team activities while shadowing professionals and learning how businesses and clients are supported across industries. The program also helps you build practical workplace skills, understand financial services, and gain early exposure to career paths in accounting, consulting, and business. A unique feature of this program is its strategic partnership with Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA), placing you directly inside a top national firm to do meaningful, real-world work before college.
14. Fidelity Boundless High School Internship
Location: Boston, MA; Merrimack, NH
Stipend: Paid hourly, rate not disclosed
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective; cohort size not specified
Dates: 5 weeks in Summer
Application Deadline: Early March or on a rolling basis until spots are filled
Eligibility: Female high school students who can commute to the respective program locations
The Fidelity Boundless program is one of the finance internships for high school students designed specifically to support young women exploring careers in financial services. It combines mentorship, networking, and guided career discovery to help you identify your strengths and interests. Throughout the program, you will be guided at every stage in finding opportunities and developing skills to create your own unique path. It emphasizes your curiosity and a desire to explore the subject while developing hands-on experience. You will gain networking opportunities while being guided at every stage to identify your strengths and passions, exploring career paths in financial services.
15. Futures and Options Internship Program
Location: Multiple locations across NYC with hybrid/remote options available
Stipend: Paid, amount not disclosed
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; ~400–600 interns every year
Dates: 6 weeks in July–August
Application Deadline: Typically, January/February
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors attending a NYC high school; should be between 16- 19; must be eligible to work in the U.S.; those under 18 should have a valid work permit
In this program, you will work 20 to 30 hours per week while receiving support from a program coordinator who helps you stay on track and make the most of your experience. Alongside the internship, you will attend workshops on financial literacy, resume building, and workplace readiness, while some host sites also offer field trips to show how organizations operate and make decisions. Overall, the program helps you understand how employers evaluate skills and how the job market works in practice, giving you a clearer sense of future career pathways.
Questions Students Often Ask About These Programs
1. I don't live in New York, Chicago, or another major financial hub. What options are open to me?
Ladder Internships is fully remote and open to students anywhere in the world. The U.S. Treasury Headquarters Internship in Washington, D.C., and the 1435 Capital Management Internship in Princeton are both worth applying to regardless of where you're based, since they're structured programs with defined applications rather than local placement services. The CLA High School Internship Program has offices across the United States, so it's worth checking whether a location is accessible near you. For students without access to a major city, the remote and nationally accessible programs on this list are your strongest starting points.
2. Some programs here are specifically for students from low-income backgrounds. Does that affect how competitive they are compared to the open programs?
Targeted programs like CSBI and Futures and Options are designed to remove barriers rather than lower standards, so they're still competitive and often highly selective within their eligible pool. Being income-eligible doesn't make your application less meaningful; these programs specifically value students who demonstrate initiative and interest despite having fewer resources. If you qualify for one of these programs, apply with the same seriousness you'd bring to any selective opportunity, since they often lead to the same quality of mentorship and industry exposure as the open programs.
3. How do programs at financial firms like Ladders for Leaders or CLA compare to more academic programs like the U.S. Treasury internship?
Firm-based programs place you inside a real business doing tasks that support actual operations, whether that's bank procedures at Amalgamated Bank, client work at KPMG, or audit preparation at CLA. Academic or government programs like the Treasury internship focus more on policy research, economic analysis, and understanding how financial decisions are made at the national level. Both are valuable but serve different goals: firm-based programs are stronger if you want corporate finance career exposure, while the Treasury internship is a better fit if you're drawn to economics, public policy, or government service.