15 Internships for High School Juniors in 2026

Junior year in high school is when you’d typically start thinking more seriously about potential college majors, career paths, and academic interests. Participating in an internship during this stage can help you explore your fields of interest through research, project-based work, mentorship, or professional exposure. They also make a solid addition to your resume and college applications.

For other healthcare-related internships, check out a list of summer-specific internships here, and find a list of virtual healthcare internships here.

Why do an internship as a high school junior?

Many prestigious institutions or colleges across the U.S. host high school internships, giving you the opportunity to work with researchers, professors, industry professionals, or organizational teams and allowing you to understand how different academic and career fields operate. They also tend to be relatively selective and specifically recruit current juniors or rising seniors. This makes junior year a good time to pursue opportunities across areas such as STEM, journalism, medicine, business, public policy, and the arts. 

With that, here are 15 internships for high school juniors in 2026.

Key takeaways

• This list gathers 15 internships and research programs aimed largely at high school juniors, spanning journalism, government, and STEM research, with standout hosts including MIT, Stanford, NASA, and UT Austin, and multiple federal research labs.

• A good number of these are entirely free, and several offer strong stipends, including one Navy research program paying up to $4,500 and a couple of NYU and NASA-affiliated programs offering $2,000, while a few of the most selective university programs charge modest application fees with waivers available.

• Several New York City-based programs on this list require NYC residency or school attendance specifically, and one federal lab program is limited to students within 50 miles of its two host campuses, so location matters more here than the "juniors" framing might suggest.

• Most of these require an on-site presence at a specific university or lab, while Ladder and one policy-focused research program are the only fully virtual options that don't require relocation or local residency.

• One MIT-affiliated program's deadline falls on December 10, followed by a February 1 deadline for another selective residential program, with several more clustering into February, so it's worth starting applications well before winter break.

1. Princeton Summer Journalism Internship Program

Location: Princeton University, Princeton, NJ (hybrid)
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance Rate: Competitive
Dates: Late June – early August
Application Deadline: November – January
Eligibility: U.S. high school juniors with a minimum unweighted GPA of 3.5 and an interest in journalism; More info here

The Princeton Summer Journalism Program is a competitive journalism-focused internship program where you will learn about reporting, news writing, and media analysis through a combination of workshops, assignments, and collaborative newsroom-style activities. Over the course of the program, you will work on reporting projects, participate in discussions about politics and social issues, and learn how journalists research, interview, and develop stories. The experience begins with virtual programming and independent assignments before transitioning into a residential session at Princeton University, where you will produce journalistic content alongside other high school students. You will also get to attend lectures led by professional journalists, faculty members, and media professionals while receiving feedback on your writing and reporting work. 

2. Ladder Internship Program

Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: Varies (financial aid is available); No stipend
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Approximately 25%; Around 100 students per cohort
Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year
Application Deadline: Varies depending on the cohort
Eligibility: High school students who can work for 10-20 hours/week, for 8-12 weeks

The Ladder Internship Program is a selective remote internship program where you will work with high-growth startups on projects across fields such as journalism, marketing, AI, health tech, consulting, and media. Throughout the internship, you will collaborate with startup teams on assignments that may include writing editorial content, conducting market research, analyzing audience engagement, developing newsletters, or contributing to digital communication strategies. You will be paired with both a company manager and a dedicated Ladder Coach who provides mentorship, feedback, and professional guidance throughout the program. The internship typically runs for 8-12 weeks and requires a commitment of around 10-20 hours per week, allowing you to balance the experience alongside schoolwork. 

3. NASA and UT Austin’s SEES Summer Intern Program

Location: UT Austin, Austin, TX
Cost/Stipend: Free (virtual), $2,000 (on-site), (scholarships available); Unpaid
Acceptance Rate: ~10.75
Dates: On-site internship: July 5 – 18; Virtual project: June – July 21; Virtual Science Symposium: July 20 – 21
Application Deadline: February 22
Eligibility: 10th-11th graders (16+); U.S. citizens only

Hosted by the University of Texas Center for Space Research, the program combines online coursework, collaborative investigations, and a summer research experience centered on NASA mission data. During the internship, you will be placed into a research team focused on topics such as environmental monitoring, planetary science, geospatial analysis, or astronaut photography. You will attend lectures and workshops led by scientists, engineers, and researchers while completing assignments connected to your team’s project area. You will also use scientific tools and datasets to analyze research questions and prepare presentations based on your findings. The program concludes with a virtual science symposium where you will present your work to peers, educators, and STEM professionals.

4. New York City Office of the Mayor Internship

Location: NYC Office of the Mayor, New York City, NY
Cost/Stipend: Free; Paid $16.50/hour for high school students
Acceptance Rate: Competitive
Dates: Summer Term: June – August; Fall/Spring Term: October – April
Application Deadline: Varies by term; August 3 – 23 (Fall/Spring Term)
Eligibility: High school students (16+) who are New York City residents with current working papers

The NYC Mayor’s Office Internship Program places students within New York City government agencies and administrative offices, where they will contribute to projects connected to public policy, communications, research, operations, and community outreach. Depending on your placement, you may assist with drafting documents, organizing events, responding to constituent concerns, conducting policy research, or supporting agency initiatives tied to housing, education, transportation, public safety, and other civic issues. The internship provides exposure to how city departments coordinate programs and make administrative decisions across one of the largest municipal governments in the United States. Throughout the program, you will attend professional development sessions and interact with staff members working in public administration and government leadership roles. 

5. NIST Summer High School Internship Program (SHIP)

Location: NIST, Boulder, CO, or Gaithersburg, MD
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance Rate: 4% (Boulder, CO); 10.6% (Gaithersburg, MD)
Dates: June 22 – August 7
Application Deadline: November 1 – January 26
Eligibility: Current high school juniors and seniors with a 3.0 GPA or higher; Must be U.S. citizens who live within 50 miles of either the Gaithersburg, MD, or Boulder, CO NIST campus

The NIST Summer High School Internship Program (SHIP) is a competitive research internship where you will work alongside scientists and engineers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology on projects related to physics, chemistry, computer science, engineering, mathematics, and materials research. During the seven-week program, you will be matched with a NIST laboratory and contribute to ongoing research projects while learning how scientific investigations are conducted in professional lab environments. You may assist with data analysis, coding, experimentation, computational modeling, or technical problem-solving depending on your assigned research group.

6. MIT Research Science Institute (RSI)

Location: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA
Cost/Stipend: $75 non-refundable application fee (waivers available); No stipend
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: ~2.5% acceptance rate; 100 students/year
Dates: June 28 – August 8
Application Deadline: December 10
Eligibility: High school juniors (16+) from around the world who meet academic requirements; More info here

The Research Science Institute (RSI) is a highly selective STEM research internship hosted by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and administered by the Center for Excellence in Education. As part of the six-week program, you will participate in advanced coursework, attend lectures by researchers and professors, and work on an individual research project under the guidance of scientists and engineers. After an initial period of classroom instruction in topics across mathematics, engineering, biology, physics, and computer science, you will be matched with research mentors at universities, laboratories, or research institutions in the Cambridge area. You will be required to read scientific literature, conduct experiments or computational research, analyze findings, and prepare technical papers and presentations based on your work. The program concludes with conference-style oral and written presentations in which you share your research with peers, mentors, and faculty members.

7. Department of the Navy (DoN): Science and Engineering Apprenticeship Program (SEAP) 

Location: Multiple DoN labs across the U.S.
Cost/Stipend: Free; New participant stipend: $4,000, Returning participant stipend: $4,500
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Competitive; ~300 students/year
Dates: 8 weeks in the summer
Application Deadline: August 1 – November 1
Eligibility: High school students (16+) who have completed at least 9th grade and who are U.S. citizens

The Science and Engineering Apprenticeship Program (SEAP) is a paid STEM research internship in which you will work in Department of Navy laboratories alongside scientists, engineers, and research personnel during the summer. You will contribute to ongoing projects in areas such as engineering, computer science, physics, cybersecurity, aerospace, oceanography, mathematics, and environmental science depending on your assigned lab placement. You will also be matched with a mentor who will guide you through laboratory work, technical assignments, and research activities while introducing you to scientific and engineering practices used in federal research environments. The program takes place across more than 25 Navy-affiliated laboratories in the United States, giving you access to specialized facilities and active defense-related research settings. 

8. Applied Research Innovations in Science and Engineering (ARISE) @ NYU

Location: NYU Tandon School of Engineering, Brooklyn, NY
Cost/Stipend: No cost; $2,000 stipend
Acceptance Rate: Selective
Dates: June 1 – August 14
Application Deadline: February 27
Eligibility: Rising juniors and seniors who are full-time NYC residents attending NYC schools

During the Applied Research Innovations in Science and Engineering (ARISE) Program, you will complete workshops in research methods, lab safety, scientific writing, and presentation skills before working in an NYU research lab alongside faculty members, graduate students, and researchers. Internship placements span a wide range of fields, including biomedical engineering, artificial intelligence, robotics, cybersecurity, environmental science, computer science, and materials engineering. You will contribute to ongoing research projects by assisting with experimentation, coding, data analysis, or laboratory investigations depending on your assigned lab. You can also attend seminars and professional development sessions focused on public speaking, college readiness, and STEM communication. The internship concludes with a research colloquium and poster presentation where you will present your work to the NYU community and other researchers.

9. Stanford Institutes of Medicine Summer Research (SIMR)

Location: Stanford University, Stanford, CA
Cost/Stipend: $50 application fee (waivers available); Limited need-based stipends
Cohort Size: ~50 students/year
Dates: June 8 – July 30
Application Deadline: February 21
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors (16+) who are U.S. citizens/permanent residents; Preference given to Bay Area students

The Stanford Institutes of Medicine Summer Research Program (SIMR) is an eight-week biomedical research internship where you will work in Stanford research laboratories alongside scientists, graduate students, and faculty mentors. As an intern, you will be placed into one of several research areas, including immunology, neurobiology, cancer biology, bioengineering, genetics, stem cell research, bioinformatics, or cardiovascular biology. You will be able to contribute to ongoing research projects by assisting with laboratory work, data analysis, coding, experimentation, and scientific investigations depending on your assigned lab. The program also includes lectures, workshops, research discussions, and presentations led by Stanford researchers and medical professionals throughout the summer. In addition to the lab-based track, SIMR offers a bioengineering internship where you will collaborate in teams to design and build biomedical prototypes related to healthcare and medical technology.

10. Stony Brook University’s Simons Summer Research Program

Location: Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY
Cost/Stipend: Free (optional residential fee of $2,360.25); Stipend offered
Acceptance Rate: <5%
Dates: June 29 – August 7
Application Deadline: February 5
Eligibility: High school juniors (16+) who are U.S. citizens/permanent residents 

The Simons Summer Research Program is a competitive STEM research internship where you will work directly with faculty mentors on projects in science, mathematics, or engineering. This six-week program allows you to join an active university research group and contribute to ongoing investigations while learning laboratory methods, research techniques, and scientific analysis. Internship placements vary by mentor and may involve experimental work, coding, data analysis, computational research, or engineering-based projects. You can also attend faculty research talks, workshops, tours, and campus events throughout the summer while interacting with university researchers and other student interns.

11. New York Historical’s Student Historian Internship Program

Location: New York Historical, New York, NY
Cost/Stipend: Free; $1,200 stipend
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: 6.25% (summer), 12.5 – 16.6% (academic year); 25 students per cohort
Dates: July 7 – August 13 (summer); October 28 – June 16 (academic year)
Application Deadline: Summer applications open in February; Academic year applications: Late May – August 23
Eligibility: Rising 10th-12th graders living and attending school in the New York City metropolitan area; More info here 

The Student Historian Internship Program at the New-York Historical Society allows you to work with archival collections, museum resources, and historical documents while developing research projects tied to an annual theme. The internship centers on historical inquiry and public-facing research, meaning you will have opportunities to examine primary sources and create digital exhibits, essays, and other interpretive work based on your findings. Throughout the program, you will collaborate with museum educators, historians, and archivists while learning how institutions preserve, organize, and present historical material to the public. Workshops and discussions will introduce you to topics like archival research, digital humanities, museum studies, and American history.

12. MIT’s MITES Summer

Location: Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Cambridge, MA
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance Rate: Selective
Dates: Late June – early August (6 weeks)
Application Deadline: November – February 1
Eligibility: High school juniors who are U.S citizens or permanent residents

MITES Summer is a six-week residential STEM program for high school juniors interested in mathematics, science, engineering, and technology-related fields. As a participant, you will take courses in subjects such as physics, life sciences, humanities, mathematics, and engineering while managing assignments, projects, presentations, and assessments throughout the summer. The curriculum also includes elective courses that have previously covered topics like genomics, machine learning, architecture, and engineering design. Outside class, you will attend lab tours, mentorship sessions, workshops, and college advising programs led by MIT faculty members, researchers, alumni, and STEM professionals.

13. Santa Clara Summer Engineering Seminar (SES)

Location: Santa Clara University, Santa Clara, CA
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not publicly disclosed
Dates: Session 1: July 12 – 16; Session 2: July 19 – 23; Session 3 (for students returning in year 2): July 26 – 30
Application Deadline: March 31
Eligibility: Current high school sophomores and juniors who may have had limited access to engineering through school courses, extracurricular programs, mentorship opportunities, or personal connections in the field

The Summer Engineering Seminar (SES) at Santa Clara University is a residential engineering exploration program where you will participate in workshops, design activities, and introductory coursework across multiple engineering disciplines. As part of the program, you will attend introductory workshops in areas including bioengineering, mechanical engineering, computer science, electrical engineering, and civil and environmental engineering while working on small engineering projects. Faculty members and undergraduate students will lead sessions that combine technical instruction with collaborative problem-solving and design-based work.

14. Idaho National Laboratory (INL) Internship

Location: Idaho National Laboratory, Idaho Falls, Idaho
Cost/Stipend: Free; Paid (exact amount varies by specific internship)
Acceptance Rate: Selective
Dates: Varies depending on specific internship
Application Deadline: Varies depending on specific internship
Eligibility: Full-time students attending an accredited high school or college the semester before and after an internship award with a minimum cumulative 3.0 GPA

Idaho National Laboratory’s High School Internship Program places students into paid STEM research internships connected to fields like nuclear energy, cybersecurity, environmental science, engineering, computer science, and advanced technology research. Depending on your placement, your work may involve coding, data analysis, experimentation, engineering support, or research tied to energy systems and scientific innovation. You will work alongside scientists, engineers, and laboratory professionals on active research and technical projects while learning how large-scale national laboratories operate.

15. USC Dornsife Center for the Political Future: High School Summer Internship Program

Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not publicly disclosed
Dates: May 26 – August 14
Application Deadline: April 24
Eligibility: Rising high school sophomores, juniors, or seniors with a minimum GPA of 3.5; Graduating seniors not eligible

The USC Center for the Political Future High School Summer Internship Program explores public policy through legislative analysis and independent research. As an intern, you will investigate a local, state, or federal environmental policy or sustainability bill while producing a legislative policy memo and a legislative process analysis. Faculty guidance, structured feedback, guest speaker sessions, and regular check-ins support the research and writing process. If you complete all program requirements, you can have one of your research papers published by the USC Center for the Political Future and receive recognition as a Summer Research Intern. You can find more info here.

Questions students often ask about these internships

1. Do I need prior research experience to apply to these internships?

It depends on the program. Several of the university and lab-based research programs do favor students with some relevant coursework, though not necessarily hands-on lab experience. The government and virtual options tend to be more open to students building that background for the first time.

2. Several of these programs are limited to students in specific cities or regions. How do I know if I qualify?

Check the eligibility and location fields closely, since a few programs here are restricted to a particular metro area or a set radius around a specific lab. Everything else on the list is open more broadly, so don't rule a program out until you've confirmed the details.

3. I'm a sophomore, not a junior yet. Can I still apply to any of these?

Yes, several programs on this list are open to rising sophomores or juniors, not juniors exclusively, so it's worth checking grade eligibility program by program. A few are strictly limited to current juniors, so those would need to wait.