12 Internships in Research Labs for High School Students

If you’re a high schooler interested in research, an internship at a research lab is one option you could consider! A lab research internship is a great way for you to gain professional experience, exposure to work environments, polish your practical skills, and develop your research abilities. Unlike expensive pre-college programs, these opportunities give you a low-cost alternative, and may even include a stipend to offset any costs you might incur on transportation or meals.

Internships for high school students in research labs allow you to explore future careers, enhance your understanding of your chosen field, and improve your technical skills. They are a chance to familiarize yourself with lab equipment and a professional environment. You will also get to interact with professionals, academics, and researchers. 

Here are 12 research lab internships for high school students that enable you to pursue STEM and non-STEM subjects in a structured setting:

1. University of Chicago’s After School Matters STEM Lab Internship

Location: University of Chicago’s Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, Chicago, IL
Acceptance Rate: Selective
Program Dates: June 23 – August 1
Application Deadline: May 23
Eligibility: Chicago Public Schools high school students who are at least 16 years old by June 23
Stipend: $16.60/hour 

The University of Chicago’s Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering offers summer internships for high school students. These opportunities allow you to engage with science and engineering professionals. The program includes a 1-week research bootcamp where you will be introduced to the basics of research. You will also gain access to resources and support to aid you in the college application process.

A team of PME researchers and education staff will mentor and support you as you conduct research in a fully-equipped lab for 20 hours/week during the program. You will also have the opportunity to present your findings in various formats and settings, with science communication training sessions that will ensure that you can successfully showcase your work.

2. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST): Summer High School Intern Program

Location: NIST Boulder, CO; NIST Gaithersburg, MD
Acceptance Rate: Highly competitive
Program Dates: June 23 - August 8
Application Deadline: February 6
Eligibility: High school juniors, seniors, or recent graduates who have not started college who are U.S. citizens. Cost: None

The NIST summer high school program offers competitive internships for high school students to engage in lab research and learning over the course of 8 weeks. The program has a multidisciplinary approach and encourages you to explore your interest in science while learning from scientists and conducting independent research. at one of NIST’s 6 laboratories,. You will address a research problem with the guidance of staff scientists and engineers, and work on various aspects of physical and engineering sciences. 

3. Princeton University Science Outreach Laboratory Learning Program’s Summer Internships

Location: Princeton University, Princeton, NJ
Acceptance Rate: 10-15%
Program Dates: Depends on research project, typically 5 weeks in the summer 
Application Deadline: March 15
Eligibility: Local high school students who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents, aged at least 16 years by June 15; graduated students who have not turned 18 by June 15 are also eligible 
Cost: None

Offering intensive research internships for high school students, this program enables you to be involved in ongoing engineering and scientific research in the Princeton laboratories. You will work alongside Princeton’s faculty and research staff, who will supervise your work as you engage in various aspects of scientific inquiry.  The program will help you enhance your understanding of natural sciences and engineering, and give you practical experience in every step of the research process. This includes research methodology, data collection, analysis, and more. At the end of the program, you will create a 2-page research summary that will communicate various aspects of your project. 

4. Department of Navy’s Science and Engineering Apprenticeship Program (SEAP)

Location: 38 laboratory locations across the U.S.
Acceptance Rate: ~5%; 300 placements across the 38 labs
Program Dates: Depends on the lab; 8 weeks in the summer
Application Deadline: November 1
Eligibility: High school sophomores, juniors, and seniors who are at least 16 years old by the start of the internship; only U.S. citizens are eligible. Additional liabilities depend on specific labs
Stipend: $4,000 for new participants; $4,500 for returning participants 

Offering some of the most competitive internships for high school students, SEAP enables you to work at the Department of Navy’s various laboratories across the country for 8 weeks in the summer. This gives you opportunities to learn about Naval research and technology as you engage in current projects under the mentorship of engineers and scientists. Each lab covers a range of subjects, including statistics and probability, behavioral science, astronomy, applied mathematics, marine biology, meteorology, earth science, robotics, geology, aeronautics, algebra, mechanics, psychology, and more. 

5. Anson L. Clark Scholars Program at Texas Tech University

Location: Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX
Acceptance Rate: <3% | 12 students in each cohort
Program Dates: June 22 - August 7
Application Deadline: February 24
Eligibility: Applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents, at least 17 years of age by the program start date, and should be high school juniors or seniors
Cost/Stipend: $25 application fee. On-campus meals, housing, and weekend activities/programming are all covered. $750 stipend upon successfully completing a research project report 

This internship allows you to work with faculty mentors and conduct research for independent projects. Ithas a wide academic scope which includes STEM subjects such as cancer biology, computer science, and more, as well as non-STEM subjects like history and fine arts. You will gain lab experience and participate in 1-on-1 mentoring in this program, giving you a platform to develop your critical thinking skills. You will also benefit from group discussions, weekly seminars, and other social events designed to foster a collaborative, intellectually engaging atmosphere. 

6. Rockefeller University Summer Science Research Program

Location: RockEDU Science Outreach Laboratory at The Rockefeller University, NY
Acceptance Rate: 32 students/cohort
Program Dates: June 23 – August 7
Application Deadline: January 3
Eligibility: You must be enrolled as a junior or senior in high school and must be at least 16 years old at the start of the program
Cost: Free. Financial need-based stipends available

In this internship, you will spend your time collaborating with a research team on a project designed and guided by scientific trainees from the Tri-Institutions. The program structure mirrors that of a research laboratory, with team leads assisted by researchers in their team. It includes 4 teams, with up to 10 scholars in each team, and 3 dedicated research mentors who will provide guidance, support, and supervision throughout the project. You will have access to a dedicated RockEDU laboratory space and resources, including state-of-the-art equipment. This opportunity also gives you the benefits of workshops, guest lectures, networking opportunities, social events, and elective courses.

7. MIT’s Research Science Institute

Location: Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA
Acceptance Rate: Highly competitive; 100 students/cohort
Program Dates: June 22 – August 2 (based on past dates)
Application Deadline: December 11 (based on past dates)
Eligibility: High school juniors. International applicants welcome
Cost: None

Amongst the most competitive internships for high school students interested in academic research, science, and engineering, this opportunity begins with a week of seminars that cover a range of topics in the humanities, chemistry, physics, biology, engineering, mathematics, and more. It gives you access to MIT’s computing resources, along with training in conducting academic research. In the second week, you will be engaged in a research lab and work on full-time guided research under the mentorship of university faculty and professional scientists. You will also benefit from an evening lecture series where you will interact with leaders in science and technology, including Nobel laureates and industry innovators. At the end of the program, you will draft written reports and presentations, which will be reviewed by a panel of academic and industry experts. 

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

Location: NYU Tandon School of Engineering, Brooklyn, NY
Acceptance Rate: Highly selective; around 80 students per cohort
Program Dates: June 2 - August 8
Application Deadline: February 21
Eligibility: Rising juniors and seniors who are NYC residents attending local schools
Cost: None; $1000 stipend

ARISE offers 10-week internships for high school students, combining research with foundational training. The program begins with 4 weeks of college writing and application workshops that offer 1-on-1 support, safety training, and skill development sessions to help you understand the research process. Over 80 NYU research labs participate in this program, allowing you to engage with the latest technologies and research equipment. Research areas include micro-bioengineering, genomics, crystal engineering, dynamical systems, machine learning, and more. The program gives you around 120 hours of lab experience while enabling you to interact with industry professionals and scholars to build a strong network. You will contribute to projects and present your work to the NYU community at the Colloquium and at the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) Poster Symposium.

9. Scripps Research’s High School Student Research Education Program

Location: Scripps Research's La Jolla campus, CA
Acceptance Rate: Selective 
Program Dates: June 23 - August 8
Application Deadline: April 4
Eligibility: San Diego County resident students from partner schools; at least 16 years of age; completed at least one year each of high school-level chemistry and biology with a minimum GPA of 3.0
Stipend: $4,830 

This program offers paid internships for high school students who wish to pursue careers in chemical and biological sciences. You will be introduced to contemporary issues in biomedical research and address various research problems while benefiting from laboratory work and mentorship training. The program begins with a 3-day pre-internship training bootcamp. Then, you will undergo an interview process with a principal investigator to match you with a research laboratory where you will work for the duration of the internship. You will have a graduate student mentor who will support and guide you through college applications, essays, lab research, and more.

10. Stanford Institutes of Medicine Summer Research (SIMR) Program

Location: Stanford University, Stanford, CA
Acceptance Rate: Highly selective 
Program Dates: June 9- July 31
Application Deadline: February 22
Eligibility: U.S. citizens or permanent residents; current high school juniors or seniors, at least 16 years old by the start of the program
Cost: None. Stipends start at $500

Offering 8-week internships for high school students, the SIMR program combines research with 1-on-1 mentorship training, giving you experience at a research lab within the University’s Institutes of Medicine and select departments.

You can choose from eight research areas: immunology, cancer biology, bioengineering, genetics and genomics, bioinformatics, cardiovascular biology, stem cell and regenerative medicine, and neurobiology. Depending on which subject you want to pursue, you will be placed in an institute where you will work on your research while being guided by a mentor.

11. Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory’s High School Summer Internship 

Location: Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, Princeton, NJ
Acceptance Rate: Highly selective 
Program Dates: June 30 - August 1
Application Deadline: March 1
Eligibility: Graduating high school seniors who are at least 16 years old and authorized to work in the U.S.
Cost: None

Offering highly competitive internships for high school students interested in engineering, physics, or computer science, this program is hosted by the U.S. Department of Energy and Princeton University. It gives you access to contemporary research in fusion energy and plasma physics. You will collaborate with engineers and scientists on research projects related to experimental design, computer modeling, and magnetic confinement fusion. The program offers mentorship training along with practical experience such as developing simulations, analyzing technical data, and contributing to equipment design and diagnostics. You will be exposed to research in one of the most advanced labs in the world, improving your technical skills while giving you valuable insights into physical and engineering research careers.

12. Boston University RISE Internship Track

Location: Boston University, Boston, MA
Acceptance Rate: Highly selective 
Program Dates: June 29 - August 8
Application Deadline: February 14
Eligibility: Students who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents entering their senior year in the fall
Cost: $60 application fee + $5,700 tuition + $485 service fees + $25 per visit to student health services | Room and board: $3,276 (14 meals/week), $3,600 (19 meals/week). Financial aid and scholarships are available 

Boston University’s RISE internships for high school students allow you to work alongside BU researchers in a fully equipped university laboratory where you will be engaged in ongoing projects in various research areas. This includes subjects like public health, computer science, neuroscience, nutrition, psychology, earth science, and astronomy. As a RISE intern, you will gain experience in lab techniques, data analysis, and scientific methods as you develop a foundation in research ethics and scientific communication. The program culminates in a formal Poster Symposium, which gives you a platform to showcase your findings to your peers and faculty members. Beyond lab work, the program includes scientific readings, meditation and mindfulness workshops, and networking opportunities, while also offering support for your college admissions and guidance for future pursuits.

Looking for an immersive internship experience?

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