15 Internships for Undergraduates in Palo Alto, California
Internships are a key part of your undergraduate journey, allowing you to apply academic knowledge in real-world settings and build practical, career-ready skills. By completing internships, you strengthen your resume, demonstrate initiative, and improve your employability after graduation. You also gain clarity about your interests by exploring different roles and industries early on.
If you’re open to considering remote/online internships, then you can check out paid programs here! And if you’re worried about having less experience, check out our blog here!
Why should I do an internship in Palo Alto?
Palo Alto stands at the center of Silicon Valley, offering you access to leading tech companies, startups, venture capital firms, and cutting-edge research institutions. The region provides unparalleled exposure to innovation-driven environments, particularly in fields like software engineering, artificial intelligence, entrepreneurship, and product development. Its dense network of industry leaders and proximity to Stanford University create a highly collaborative ecosystem, making it one of the most valuable locations for gaining high-impact internship experience.
However, with so many opportunities available, identifying the most impactful internships can be challenging. To simplify your search, below is a list of the 15 best internships for undergraduates in Palo Alto, California, focusing on programs that offer meaningful work, mentorship, and strong professional development.
Quick Look
15 internships total spanning cybersecurity, software engineering, AI, electric vehicle systems, solar energy, healthcare administration, urban planning, and arts administration, hosted at organizations including Tesla, Palo Alto Networks, Rivian, SAP, Tencent, Stanford Health Care, and the City of Palo Alto
The strongest disclosed hourly rates are Tesla's Service Engineering role ($50 to $58 per hour), Tesla's Data Platforms and Android roles ($40 to $56 per hour), and Tencent's AI Business Analyst role ($27 to $52 per hour); the City of Palo Alto internships consistently pay $25 to $30 per hour across all four tracks
Several internships run on fall or winter schedules rather than summer, including Rivian/VW (September to December), Tesla Data Platforms and Solar Hardware (August to December), and SAP (July to March), making them strong options for students who miss summer application cycles
Most technical roles require proficiency in Python, and several specify additional languages like Java, Kotlin, C/C++, or Scala — students without programming experience will find the City of Palo Alto, Art Center, and Stanford Health Care internships more accessible
Application deadlines are spread across the year with many on a rolling basis, but the City of Palo Alto's four internship tracks all share a March 20 deadline, making that a clear anchor date to work toward for students interested in government or public service roles
1. Palo Alto Networks Internship Program
Location: Palo Alto, CA (hybrid/on-site; varies by role)
Stipend: Paid hourly, rate not specified
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective; typically 100+ interns globally across all departments
Dates: Summer (10–12 weeks)
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions
Eligibility: Undergraduate students pursuing a 4-year undergraduate degree; returning to school in the fall following the internship; maintain a 3.0+ GPA; meet specific technical/non-technical role requirements
The Palo Alto Networks Internship Program is a 12-week experience designed to give you exposure to one of the world’s leading cybersecurity companies. During the program, you work on meaningful projects that directly impact real products and business operations, whether in engineering, product management, sales, or security research. You receive consistent support from managers, mentors, and the Early Talent team, ensuring structured learning and professional development throughout the internship. In addition to project work, you participate in career development sessions, networking events, and community-building activities with fellow interns. The program also provides access to executive leadership, offering insight into the cybersecurity industry and strategic decision-making.
2. Ladder University Internship Program
Location: Remote (work from anywhere)
Cost/Stipend: Cost varies depending on the program type; financial aid is available / No stipend
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 10–25%; 70–100 students per cohort
Dates: Multiple cohorts (Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter)
Application Deadline: Varies by cohort
Eligibility: Undergraduate and gap year students able to commit 10–20 hours/week for 8–12 weeks
The Ladder University Internship Program is a selective, virtual internship where you work with startups and nonprofits across the world. During the program, you take on a real-world project that addresses a genuine need within your assigned organization, gaining hands-on experience in fields such as business, technology, marketing, or operations. You collaborate closely with a startup manager, receiving structured guidance and feedback as you progress through your work. A key component of the program is the final presentation, where you showcase your project outcomes and demonstrate the impact of your contributions. This helps you build a strong portfolio that can support future internship or job applications. Apply now!
3. Palo Alto Art Center Internship Program
Location: Palo Alto, CA (on-site)
Stipend: $21/hour
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive; typically 4 positions per specific track
Dates: 10-week Summer program; typically running from early June to early August
Application Deadline: Rolling basis
Eligibility: Undergraduate students able to pass a background check and provide a negative TB test; specific skill requirements vary by the exact role
The Palo Alto Art Center Internship Program gives you hands-on experience in community arts, museum operations, and creative programming. As an intern, you work closely with Art Center staff on projects such as exhibitions, education initiatives, and marketing campaigns, depending on your role. You contribute to real programs that engage the local community while developing practical skills in arts administration and communication. The program emphasizes mentorship and professional growth, offering one-on-one guidance, networking opportunities, and structured training sessions. You also gain access to a strong peer cohort and an active alumni network, which can support future career opportunities in the arts and cultural sector.
4. City of Palo Alto Careers – City Manager’s Office Internship
Location: Palo Alto, CA (on-site)
Stipend: $25–$30/hour
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly competitive; 1–3 interns
Dates: Summer: June – August/September
Application Deadline: March 20
Eligibility: Undergraduate students (or recent graduates) interested in public policy, communications, or government
The City Manager’s Office Internship gives you direct exposure to how local government operates at a strategic level. In this role, you support projects related to public policy, communications, and community engagement, working closely with city leadership and various departments. Your responsibilities may include conducting policy research, assisting with digital communications such as website updates and social media, and supporting interdepartmental initiatives that impact city operations. This internship provides hands-on experience in governance, legislative processes, and public service, helping you develop skills in strategic planning, research, and stakeholder engagement. You also gain insight into how policies are implemented and how city governments collaborate with communities and businesses.
5. Rivian and VW Group Technology – Software Engineering Intern - Connected Systems
Location: Palo Alto, CA
Stipend: Paid a base salary plus eligibility for an annual performance bonus and equity
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; cohort size not specified
Dates: September 21 – December 18
Application Deadline: Rolling basis
Eligibility: Currently pursuing a Bachelor's or Master's in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field; basic programming experience in Python and pytest, with C/C++ or object-oriented experience as a bonus
In this internship, you join the Vehicle Controls department of the Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies joint venture, working on software-defined vehicle access and connectivity features. You develop and run automated test scripts across multiple vehicle platforms, debug both automation code and hardware issues, and build dashboards and visualizations for test results. You work in a Python and pytest-based automation environment, learn CI/CD workflows, and help set up and operate automated vehicle test benches under engineer supervision. You collaborate with cross-functional teams to streamline testing and may gain exposure to tools like Git, Grafana, or Allure. The role grounds classroom knowledge in large-scale system testing for electric, software-defined vehicles.
6. City of Palo Alto Careers – Office of Transportation Internship
Location: Palo Alto, CA (on-site)
Stipend: $25–$30/hour
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive; 1–3 interns
Dates: Summer (Typically runs from June through August for 10–12 weeks)
Application Deadline: March 20
Eligibility: Undergraduate or graduate students in city planning, civil engineering, transportation, public policy, or related fields
The Office of Transportation Internship with the City of Palo Alto gives you hands-on experience working on real transportation and mobility projects that impact the local community. You can contribute to areas such as traffic operations, parking policy, Safe Routes to School initiatives, and community outreach programs. Depending on your role, you may assist with multidisciplinary projects, support traffic calming and design processes, or work on parking and curb management strategies. This internship provides exposure to how transportation planning, engineering, and policy intersect in a municipal setting. You collaborate with planners and engineers while developing skills in research, policy implementation, communications, and process improvement.
7. City of Palo Alto Careers – Parks Asset Management Internship
Location: Palo Alto, CA (on-site; field + office work)
Stipend: $25–$30/hour
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; cohort size not specified
Dates: Summer
Application Deadline: March 20
Eligibility: Undergraduate students pursuing public administration, environmental studies, urban planning, engineering, GIS, construction management, data management, or related fields
The Parks Asset Management Internship with the City of Palo Alto gives you hands-on experience in managing and improving public infrastructure systems. In this role, you conduct field inventories of park assets such as benches, courts, and equipment, documenting their condition and specifications. You also support the development of the city’s asset management system by organizing data, ensuring accuracy, and contributing to lifecycle planning and maintenance tracking. This internship provides practical exposure to municipal operations, combining outdoor fieldwork with data management and systems implementation. You collaborate with park managers, field teams, and administrative staff, gaining insight into how infrastructure planning and maintenance decisions are made.
8. City of Palo Alto Careers – Planning Intern
Location: Palo Alto, CA (on-site)
Stipend: $25–$30/hour
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive; 20–30 interns
Dates: Typically mid-June through August (10–12 weeks)
Application Deadline: March 20
Eligibility: Undergraduate students interested in urban planning, design, or public service
In this internship, you contribute to creating a comprehensive digital archive of Architectural Review Board (ARB) award-winning projects, including researching past developments, organizing visual and written documentation, and supporting the creation of a publicly accessible online resource. You may also assist in updating the city’s Historic Resources Inventory and linking records to GIS systems. This internship provides hands-on experience in urban planning, historical preservation, and public data management. You gain exposure to city planning processes, attend board meetings, and collaborate with departments such as communications and GIS.
9. Tesla – Internship, Software Engineer, Data Platforms
Location: Palo Alto, California
Stipend: $40–$56/hour
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; cohort size not disclosed
Dates: August/September – December; minimum of 12 weeks
Application Deadline: Rolling basis
Eligibility: Currently pursuing a degree in Computer Science or a related field with a graduation date between internship year/+1 year; proficiency in Java, Python, or Scala along with experience in cloud infrastructure such as AWS
In this internship, you join a small, fast-growing engineering team that builds and operates the big data platform underpinning Tesla's cars, chargers, and batteries worldwide. You build back-end systems from scratch, capable of handling trillion-plus events daily, and help operate highly available distributed systems across multiple locations. You employ and improve open-source technologies, including Spark, Trino, Kafka, and Kubernetes, writing clean, tested code that other engineers deploy and extend. You collaborate with data engineers and data scientists to drive efficient, multi-tenant, self-service solutions from the platform. Throughout, you strengthen practical skills in Java, Python, or Scala, AWS, concurrency, and large-scale distributed-systems design.
10. Tesla - Internship, Software Engineer, Service Engineering
Location: Palo Alto, California
Stipend: $50.48–$58.89/hour
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive; exact cohort size not specified
Dates: August – November/December; minimum of 12 weeks (a parallel Summer cycle starts around May)
Application Deadline: Rolling basis until the role is filled
Eligibility: Currently pursuing a degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Mechatronics Engineering, Computer Science, or a related field with a graduation date between December of internship year and next December
In this program, you join Tesla's Service Engineering group within Vehicle Software, building the diagnostic and repair software that keeps the global service network running. Working across teams such as Automated Diagnostics, Onboard Diagnostics, and Toolbox, you develop tools that remotely identify vehicle issues, write diagnostic and repair firmware that runs on the vehicle, and improve the technician-facing platform used in Tesla Service Centers, independent shops, and by owners at home. You code primarily in Python and JavaScript, work in Linux environments, and write testing and automation scripts. You also analyze real-world field data to find root causes and feed top issues back to development teams.
11. SAP iXp Intern – Communications & Events Specialist
Location: Palo Alto, California
Stipend: $15–$58/hour
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; individual hire, not a fixed cohort
Dates: July – March
Application Deadline: Open till the position is filled
Eligibility: Currently enrolled in a bachelor's, master's, or PhD program; U.S. work authorization required
In this program, you join the SAP SuccessFactors Brand & Events team within the HCM CMO organization, supporting communications for the online HCM Customer Community and project management for HCM events and advisory boards. You help build content marketing plans and editorial calendars, create newsletters, homepage videos, and community content, and respond to customer queries on the portal. You gather and interpret web-traffic data through key performance indicators, relay community feedback to management, and run competitive analysis of competitors' event presence. You also maintain internal and external event websites, manage financial processes such as raising purchase orders and tracking budgets, and consolidate event reporting for executives.
12. Tencent – AI Business Analyst Intern
Location: Palo Alto, California (in-office)
Stipend: $27.12–$51.93/hour
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; cohort size not disclosed
Dates: Start and end dates are arranged with the hiring team
Application Deadline: Typically, early November
Eligibility: Enrolled degree-seeking students with a strong interest in gaming and AI and good at information acquisition and analysis; U.S. work authorization required
In this internship, you work onsite to track how emerging artificial intelligence is reshaping the gaming industry. You monitor and analyze cutting-edge AI technology trends and their applications in the gaming industry, such as AI animation generation, AI 3D generation, AI NPC, and AI gameplay generation. You then integrate insights from internal and external experts, combine them with logical understanding, and deliver insights on AI technology development trends and implementation recommendations. You apply analytical reasoning and a STEM-grounded view of Game AI to judge which technologies matter for product teams. The role centers on analyzing Game AI scenarios, gathering data, drafting reports, and supporting research efforts within Tencent Games.
13. Tesla – Internship, Android Engineer, Mobile Software
Location: Palo Alto, California (on-site)
Stipend: $40–$56/hour
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective; cohort size not disclosed
Dates: Winter/spring, summer, and fall terms
Application Deadline: Rolling, year-round basis
Eligibility: Currently pursuing a degree in Computer Science or a related field with a graduation date between internship year and +1 year; familiar with Swift, Kotlin, or TypeScript and Android and/or iOS development; strong grasp of fundamental computer science concepts
In this internship, you help build the company's mobile app, which powers features such as smart summon, climate controls, keyless entry, and Sentry mode. You design, code, and maintain mobile user experiences while optimizing code for performance, stability, and maintainability. Working primarily in Kotlin and Android alongside Swift, TypeScript, and React Native, you apply core computer science fundamentals and common design patterns to real product problems. You collaborate with a cross-functional team of hardware engineers, application and UI software engineers, QA and validation staff, and designers. The on-site role gives interns ownership over projects critical to the team's success.
14. Stanford Health Care Administrative Internship
Location: Palo Alto, CA (hybrid)
Stipend: $26.12/hour
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive; cohort size depends entirely on which departments have special projects each year
Dates: 8–12 weeks during the summer (typically running between June and August)
Application Deadline: Varies by year; ranging from late February to late May depending on the cycle
Eligibility: Undergraduate students (must be 18+ and enrolled for the upcoming academic term); entering or returning to undergraduate studies (Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree) at an accredited institution in the fall
The Stanford Health Care Administrative Internship gives you hands-on experience in healthcare operations and administration within a leading medical institution. In this role, you support departmental initiatives by gathering and analyzing data, synthesizing insights, and developing project deliverables that address operational challenges. You also collaborate with clinicians, staff, and leadership to share findings and contribute to decision-making processes. Throughout the internship, you build skills in problem-solving, communication, and project management while gaining exposure to how healthcare systems operate. You may present your work to internal stakeholders, helping you develop confidence in professional settings.
15. Tesla – Internship, Solar Hardware Engineer, Energy Engineering
Location: Palo Alto, California
Stipend: $20–$50/hour
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; specific cohort size not stated
Dates: August/September – December; minimum commitment of 12 weeks
Application Deadline: Rolling basis until filled
Eligibility: Current undergraduates pursuing a degree in Physics, Electrical Engineering, Data Analytics, Computer Science, or a related field
This internship focuses on computational energy modeling of the photovoltaic cells and modules powering Tesla's solar products. You write code, primarily in Python, to build and refine numerical models, assessing and implementing climate factors that improve the prediction of soiling-related optical losses. You analyze large nationwide fleet and outdoor-monitoring datasets to evaluate model performance, root-cause gaps across panel models, climate data, and system controls, and prioritize improvements. You also visualize large data sets, apply image processing, and model the impact of product changes after field testing and data collection. This data-driven, physics-grounded work directly informs Tesla's product development and design tradeoff decisions.
Questions Students Often Ask About These Programs
1. I'm not a computer science or engineering student. Are there meaningful options for me on this list?
Yes, several programs suit students from non-technical backgrounds. The City of Palo Alto offers four distinct tracks in urban planning, transportation, parks management, and policy work, all paying $25 to $30 per hour and open to students in fields like public policy, environmental studies, and communications. The Palo Alto Art Center internship is open to students with arts administration or creative backgrounds, and Stanford Health Care's Administrative Internship suits students interested in healthcare operations without requiring a clinical or technical major. The SAP Communications and Events role also fits students from business, marketing, or communications programs.
2. Tesla appears four times on this list. How different are these roles from each other, and should I apply to more than one?
The four Tesla roles are genuinely distinct in both technical focus and required skills. The Data Platforms role centers on large-scale distributed systems using Java, Python, or Scala. The Service Engineering role focuses on diagnostic and repair software using Python and JavaScript. The Android Engineer role involves mobile app development using Kotlin and Swift. The Solar Hardware role is physics and data-heavy, focused on energy modeling with Python. Whether you can apply to multiple tracks simultaneously is worth confirming directly with Tesla's recruiting team, but having a clear primary interest in one of these areas will generally make for a stronger, more targeted application than spreading across all four.
3. Several of these internships run in the fall or winter rather than summer. Are fall internships treated differently by employers or on a resume?
Not meaningfully — fall and winter internships carry the same resume weight as summer ones and are often less competitive since fewer students pursue them due to academic conflicts. The Rivian, Tesla, and SAP roles that run between August and December are full professional experiences regardless of season. The main practical consideration is whether you can reduce your course load or manage the time commitment alongside classes, since most fall internships expect a full-time commitment of at least 12 weeks. If your academic schedule allows it, a fall internship at a company like Tesla or Rivian is a strong option.