12 Competitive STEM Internships for High School Students
If you are a high school student interested in exploring the STEM field outside the classroom, you should consider an internship. They offer a valuable opportunity to gain professional experience, broaden your horizons, and develop industry skills.
Top organizations, including NASA, research labs, and leading universities, offer competitive STEM internships that enable students to contribute to meaningful projects while learning from professionals in the field. From coding and lab work to academic research, these programs help you gain insight into what a STEM career looks like. Plus, many of these opportunities offer a stipend, indicating the competitiveness of the programs.
To simplify your search, we’ve curated a list of 12 competitive STEM internships for high school students!
1. MIT’s Research Science Institute
Location: MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts
Cost: Free
Acceptance rate: 5%
Eligibility: High school juniors. It is recommended that PSAT Math Scores be at least 740 or higher, and the Evidence-Based Reading and Writing Score be 700 or higher. ACT math scores should be at least 33 and verbal scores at least 34.
Application deadline: December/January
Program dates: July – August
MIT’s Research Science Institute is a summer science and engineering program that combines theoretical coursework with scientific research. As an intern, you’ll spend the first week in STEM classes with professors who highlight current research topics in biology, chemistry, engineering, mathematics, physics, and humanities.
The following five weeks are dedicated to conducting research under the guidance of mentors. You’ll experience the research cycle from start to finish, read current literature, and carry out a detailed research plan. The program culminates in delivering a conference-style oral and written report. Additionally, you’ll participate in field trips to cultural attractions and expeditions to Boston-based science and technology facilities.
Location: Virtual
Cost: Starting at $2,490 (financial aid available)
Acceptance rate: Selective
Eligibility: Students who can work for 10-20 hours/week, for 8-12 weeks. Open to high school students, undergraduates, and gap year students!
Application deadline: Deadlines vary by cohort. Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September), and Winter (November).
Program dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year, including Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter.
Ladder Internships, founded by Harvard alumni, is a selective internship program that connects ambitious high school students with high-growth startups. These start-ups offer internships that range across a variety of industries, from tech/deep tech and AI/ML to health tech, marketing, journalism, consulting, and more.
During the 8-week virtual program, you will work with a Ladder coach and a startup manager on real-world projects and present your work to the company. The program also includes one-on-one training sessions that help develop communication, time management, and leadership skills.
3. NASA OSTEM High School Internship Program
Location: NASA centers across the country. Virtual options are also available
Stipend: Awarded based on academic level and session duration
Acceptance rate: Varies according to specific internships
Eligibility: US high school students who are at least 16 years old with a cumulative GPA of 3.0. Specific requirements vary by internship
Application deadline: Spring – September 12 | Summer – February 27 | Fall – May 22
Program dates: Summer session: Late May – August | Fall session: Late August – Mid-December | Spring session: Mid-January – Early May
NASA’s internships are highly reputed and selective, providing an opportunity to work alongside scientists, researchers, and engineers on space agency projects. It provides access to the cutting-edge of space science, engineering, aeronautics, technology, space microbiology, ecology, and even outreach and communications. You’ll have the opportunity to work with NASA's technologies, facilities, and research, gaining experience, valuable skills, and important connections in the industry. From participating in design experiments to analyzing space mission data and developing new technologies, you will gain firsthand insight into NASA's work.
4. John Hopkins Internship in Brain Sciences (JHIBS)
Location: Virtual and in-person options. The in-person program will be held at the Johns Hopkins Department of Neurology on the East Baltimore campus.
Stipend: In-person participants receive an hourly wage, and virtual participants receive $500.
Acceptance rate: 3-4%
Eligibility:
- Juniors and seniors from around the country are eligible to apply to the 5-week virtual program.
- Juniors and seniors residing in Baltimore City and the metro area, who are from underrepresented groups and have an academically strong background, are eligible for the in-person program.
Application deadline: March 1
Program dates: 8 weeks, June - August (in-person); 5 weeks, July - August (virtual)
The Johns Hopkins Internship in Brain Science introduces high school students from underrepresented communities to advanced neurological research. You’ll spend the summer engaging in a guided research project while participating in clinical rotations with neurologists, weekly personal and professional development sessions, and attending seminars. The program is also offered virtually and includes developing basic lab techniques and research skills. At the end of the program, you’ll present your work via oral or poster presentation.
5. Stanford Institutes of Medicine Summer Research Program (SIMR)
Location: Stanford University, Stanford, California
Stipend: Minimum $500. Students from underrepresented groups will receive a minimum of $1,500. Housing and meals are not provided.
Acceptance rate: 3%
Eligibility: Juniors and seniors of high school who are at least 16 years old and are U.S. citizens or permanent residents
Application deadline: February 24
Program dates: June 10 – August 1
SIMR is a competitive research program that aims to increase interest in biological sciences and medicine among high school students. As an intern, you’ll work on a medically-oriented research project with Stanford faculty, postdoctoral fellows, students, and researchers. The program requires you to select your preferred research area from neurobiology, immunology, cardiovascular biology, bioinformatics, bioengineering, cancer biology, stem cell and regenerative medicine, and genetics.
You’ll spend your mornings at the start of your internship attending lectures and the rest of the day working in your lab. During the final two weeks, you will work on a research poster that will be presented to peers, teachers, family, and the Stanford community.
6. City of Hope Cancer Centre’s Eugene and Ruth Roberts Summer Student Academy
Location: City of Hope, Duarte, California
Stipend: $4,000
Acceptance rate: 4%
Eligibility: High school students who are at least 16 years old and have a U.S. citizenship or permanent residency
Application deadline: March 13
Program dates: June 3 – August 9
The Eugene and Ruth Roberts Summer Student Academy is a 10-week summer internship that invites high school students to conduct biomedical research with physicians and scientists. Beyond research work, you’ll attend weekly seminars, laboratory sessions, ethics workshops, and networking opportunities. The curriculum ends with the completion of a research paper, which you will present.
7. Anson L. Clark Scholars Program at Texas Tech University
Location: Texas Tech University Campus, Lubbock, Texas
Stipend: $750 + free housing and meals
Acceptance rate: Less than 3%
Eligibility: High school students who are at least 17 years old by the program start date and are U.S. citizens or permanent residents
Application deadline: February
Program dates: June 22 – August 7
The Anson L. Clark Scholars Program is a highly prestigious and competitive internship designed to provide students the opportunity to conduct research at Texas Tech University. The selected scholars can conduct research in various fields, including cancer biology, chemistry, computer science, history, physics, and more. You’ll work one-on-one with scientists and researchers while attending weekly seminars, discussions, field visits, and social activities.
8. Hutton Junior Fisheries Biology Program
Location: Various locations across the country
Stipend: $3,000
Acceptance rate: 12%
Eligibility: Rising or current high school seniors who are at least 16 years old at the internship start date
Application deadline: January
Program dates: June – August (8 weeks)
The Hutton program is an 8-week experience that connects students with mentors for an internship opportunity. The mentors are located all over the country and work with a wide variety of organizations. You’ll receive one-on-one mentorship, gain fisheries science experience in marine or freshwater, learn about career opportunities, and conduct lab and field research. Some possible activities include electrofishing, snorkeling, water quality testing, taking fish population surveys, data processing, and more.
9. Broad Summer Scholars Program (BSSP)
Location: Broad Institute, Cambridge, MA
Stipend: $3,600
Acceptance rate: Highly selective (fewer than 20 students every year)
Eligibility: Rising high school seniors who attend a high school in MA within commuting distance to the Broad, and have earned at least a B in science and math classes.
Application deadline: January 22
Program dates: June 30 – August 8
The Broad Summer Scholar Program pairs high school students with Broad scientists for a 6-week research internship. You can conduct original research in different areas, including cancer biology, psychiatric disease, chemical biology, computational biology, infectious disease, and more. Additionally, you’ll get a chance to explore scientific careers, attend seminars, present your research in a poster session, attend a college fair, and participate in social and team-building activities.
10. Simons Summer Research Program at Stony Brook University
Location: Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY
Stipend: Paid (Amount not specified)
Acceptance rate: 5%
Eligibility: High school students who are in their junior year at the time of application. Applicants should also be at least 16 years old at the start of the program and U.S. citizens and/or permanent residents.
Application deadline: February 7
Program dates: June 30 – August 8
If you are interested in experiencing life at a research university while learning STEM techniques, you can consider applying to the Simons Summer Research Program. It provides an opportunity to conduct research in STEM under the mentorship of university faculty members. You’ll join a research group or team and assume responsibility for the project. Beyond the research work, you’ll attend weekly faculty research talks and participate in workshops, tours, and events. The apprenticeship culminates in a written research abstract and a research poster, which you will present at the closing poster symposium.
11. The Jackson Laboratory’s Summer Student Program
Location: The Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, ME
Stipend: $6,500 + housing and travel
Cohort size: 40
Eligibility: High school students who have completed Grade 12, are at least 18 years old, and are U.S. citizens or permanent residents
Application deadline: January 27
Program dates: May 31 – August 8
The Jackson Laboratory invites 40 high school and undergraduate students annually for a 10-week program in genetics and genomics research. Under the guidance of an experienced scientific mentor, you’ll develop an independent project, implement your plan, analyze data, and report the results. The program covers various research areas, such as bioinformatics, cancer biology, genomics, immunology, and metabolic diseases. At the end of the program, you’ll present your findings to researchers, your peers, and parents.
12. Princeton Laboratory Learning Program
Location: Princeton University, Princeton, NJ
Stipend: Unpaid
Acceptance rate: 10-15%
Eligibility: High school students who are at least 16 years old and U.S. citizens or Legal Permanent Residents
Application deadline: March 15
Program dates: 5-6 weeks in the summer
Princeton’s Laboratory Learning Program is a highly selective program that allows high school students to assist faculty and researchers in Princeton laboratories with ongoing research in engineering and natural sciences. At the end of the program, you’ll be required to produce a two-page research summary report. While the research opportunities change every year depending on the laboratory, around 40 students are accepted annually in 25 Princeton laboratories.