10 Internships in Nashville, Tennessee, for High School Students
Internships are a great way to develop practical skills, connect with industry professionals, and gain real-world exposure while determining whether a certain field is right for you. Many top colleges and organizations offer internships in Nashville for high school students, helping them explore career paths in STEM, business, media, healthcare, and more. To help you find the best fit, we’ve rounded up the top 10 internships in Nashville for high school students, including both in-person and virtual options.
1. Research Experience for High School Students (REHSS) Program
Location: Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee
Stipend: Unpaid
Acceptance Rate: Highly selective
Deadline: Generally early spring
Dates: May 27 – July 3
Eligibility: Rising high school seniors from Stratford STEM, John Overton, or Hillsboro High School who are part of the Interdisciplinary Science and Research (ISR) Program
The REHSS Program is one of the top internships in Nashville for high school students. It is a six-week research internship at Vanderbilt University for rising high school seniors in the Interdisciplinary Science and Research program. As a participant, you will work in a Vanderbilt University or Medical Center lab, conducting independent research under a faculty mentor in biology, chemistry, physics, engineering, and computer science. In addition to lab work, you'll attend weekly workshops to enhance your learning. At the end of the summer, you'll present your research at a symposium open to the Vanderbilt community.
Location: Remote
Cost: Starting at $2,490 (financial aid available)
Acceptance Rate: Highly selective
Deadline: Deadlines vary depending on the cohort. April 13 for the regular admission into the summer cohort
Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year. The summer cohort starts on June 2
Eligibility: Students who can work for 10-20 hours/week
Ladder Internships is a selective internship program for ambitious high school students that gives you the chance to work with high-growth start-ups that, on average, raise over a million dollars. These internships range across a variety of industries, from tech/deep tech, and AI/ML to health tech, marketing, journalism, consulting, and more. As an intern, you will work closely with your start-up managers and a Ladder Coach on real-world projects, eventually presenting your work to the company. Here is the application form.
3. Discover Biomedical Research Summer Program
Location: Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee
Cost: Free
Acceptance Rate: Moderately selective
Deadline: April 1
Dates: June 9 – 20
Eligibility: 10th-12th graders aged 16 or older; no prior lab experience required
The Discover Biomedical Research Summer Program at Vanderbilt University is one of those internships in Nashville for high school students that gives you an introduction to biomedical research and medical science careers. It is a two-week program that combines hands-on lab training with mentorship from Vanderbilt Biomedical Graduate Students.
As a participant, you will get to explore STEM topics like evidence-based decision-making and academic science culture, while also gaining insight into graduate school experiences and the professional world of medical research. Aside from one-on-one mentoring, the program also focuses on cultural awareness and has a closing ceremony where you’ll get to present your research.
Location: Virtual
Cost: $2,490
Acceptance Rate: Highly selective
Deadline: March 23 for early admission into the summer cohort
Dates: Multiple 8-week cohorts throughout the year. The summer cohort starts in May
Eligibility: High school students who have prior experience with AI/ML or have completed a Veritas AI program
Veritas AI is founded and run by Harvard graduate students. Through an 8-week internship, you will have the opportunity to work with VC-backed startups on real-world AI/ML projects. You’ll work directly with mentors from Harvard, Wharton, Google, Microsoft, McKinsey & Company, and more.
This program is a great opportunity for you if you have prior experience with AI/ML and are looking to gain real-world exposure to a career in the field. It’ll give you the chance to network with industry professionals and work closely with company leadership. At the end of the internship, you’ll receive a letter of completion from the company. You can learn more about the program here and apply here.
5. National Summer Transportation Institute (NSTI) at Tennessee State University
Location: Tennessee State University, Nashville, Tennessee
Cost: Free
Acceptance Rate: Moderate; preference given to students who haven't attended previously
Deadline: April 30
Dates: June 9 – July 4
Eligibility: Rising 9th to 12th graders; 2 letters of recommendation from a teacher and counselor required
The NSTI program is another of the top internships in Nashville for high school students. During this program, you’ll learn about careers in transportation, improve your STEM skills, and explore transportation-related college majors. The program is run by the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) and funded by the Federal Highway Administration. It is four weeks long, with the first three weeks taking place on TSU's campus, while the final week is virtual.
As a participant, you will learn about computing, mathematics, and physics and be introduced to the discipline of engineering from a transportation perspective. Each week will focus on the different aspects of transportation: air, land, and sea. You’ll be able to attend hands-on labs, field trips, and presentations by the employees of the Tennessee Department of Transportation.
Location: Virtual
Cost: Free
Acceptance Rate: Moderately selective
Dates: Minimum commitment of 3 months, with internships available year-round
Application Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: All high school students
The Building-U High School Internship is a virtual program where high school students gain experience working in a nonprofit that creates resources for their peers. As an intern, you'll join teams in areas like Resource Research and Development, Student Ambassadorship, Multimedia, Marketing, and Blogging. You'll work on real business challenges, building skills in research, marketing, and multimedia production while contributing to the nonprofit’s mission.
The remote format makes it flexible and accessible from anywhere in the world. This internship boosts college applications and provides valuable insights into different careers. It’s a great opportunity to learn, lead, and make an impact while working with a team that understands students' needs.
7. Nashville Bar Association’s High School Intern Summer Program
Location: Nashville Bar Association, Nashville, Tennessee
Stipend: Paid ($10-$15) and unpaid
Acceptance Rate: Moderately selective
Deadline: March 28
Program Dates: June 2 – July 18
Eligibility: High school seniors and rising seniors with a minimum of a 2.0 GPA
The Nashville Bar Association offers a summer internship program for high school students in law firms, corporate legal departments, and government law offices in Metro Nashville. As an intern, you will be expected to attend the orientation program on May 30 and work approximately 8 hours every day. This program is one of the best internships in Nashville for high school students and is a great way to introduce yourself to the law office environment. You’ll get to attend these Lunch and Learn sessions, where you will learn more about what a legal profession looks like, how to apply to law school, how to be successful in law school, and so on. You can learn more about the program and apply here.
8. Army Educational Outreach Program (AEOP) High School Internships
Location: Various labs across the U.S.; virtual options are available
Stipend: Varies, depending on location and project
Acceptance Rate: Highly selective
Deadline: Rolling; applications open on December 4 and remain open throughout the year
Dates: 6-10 weeks in May – August; specific dates vary depending on location
Eligibility: Current high school students; U.S. citizens or permanent legal residents. Additional eligibility requirements vary by location; check details here.
The AEOP High School Internship Program is your chance to dive into cutting-edge STEM research at some of the country’s top labs. Sponsored by the U.S. Army, this program pairs you with university scientists and Department of Defense experts, giving you hands-on experience in solving real-world problems in engineering, cybersecurity, environmental science, biotechnology, and more. You’ll also get access to state-of-the-art lab equipment and work on projects that contribute to national security and scientific innovation. If you’re passionate about STEM, this is an amazing opportunity to learn, grow, and make an impact!
Location: Remote
Cost: $850 + $40 application fee
Acceptance Rate: Highly selective
Deadline: February 28
Program Dates: June 16 – 27
Eligibility: U.S. high school students over the age of 14 at the start of the program; students with a mathematical/computer science background or students with experience in the healthcare sector are preferred
Stanford’s AIMI Summer Health AI Bootcamp is a 2-week virtual program that introduces high school students to machine learning in healthcare. During the program, you’ll learn about ML principles, evaluation metrics, and challenges in healthcare AI, along with foundation models, generative AI, and predictive algorithms for diagnostics. The program includes live lectures, group discussions, hands-on coding workshops, and career sessions with experts from academia, industry, and government. You'll also work with healthcare datasets to see how AI is shaping patient care and medical research.
10. NASA Pathways
Location: Virtual + Various NASA centers across the country
Stipend: Paid
Acceptance Rate: Highly selective
Dates: Varies depending on the internship availability
Application Deadline: Rolling. Applications are open in February & September each year (tentatively)
Eligibility: High school students who are at least 16 years old and have a cumulative GPA of 2.9 or higher on a 4.0 scale. More info here.
NASA’s Pathways Internship Program helps high school students gain real-world experience in engineering, computer science, and IT. As a Pathways intern, you'll work with experts on groundbreaking projects, contributing to new technologies and solutions. Some intern roles include software development, systems engineering, and research, making it a great opportunity to build a strong foundation in technical fields.