12 STEM Internships for High School Students in Massachusetts
STEM fields — science, tech, engineering, and math — are shaping the future, from AI to medical breakthroughs. Whether you're interested in coding, biomedical research, environmental science, or robotics, these programs provide hands-on experience, mentorship, and exposure to cutting-edge work.
Massachusetts is home to top universities, research institutions, and tech companies, making it a great place to find impactful and accessible internships. Many of these programs are free or offer stipends, and some even include virtual options for added flexibility.
In this blog, we’ve compiled a list of 12 STEM internships for high school students in Massachusetts!
1. Minority Introduction to Engineering and Science (MITES)
Location: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA
Cost: Free
Application Deadline: February 1
Program Dates: Late June to Early August (6 weeks)
Eligibility: High school juniors who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents
MITES Summer is a competitive program where you take five challenging courses in math, science, and the humanities. It includes lab tours, social activities, and college admissions guidance. The program covers all costs except travel to and from MIT.
You'll attend daily classes, recitations, and workshops, with evenings and weekends for exploring Boston. Electives have included subjects like architecture, engineering design, and machine learning. By the end, you'll gain STEM career insights, develop academic and personal skills, and receive a written evaluation from your instructor.
Location: Virtual
Cost: $2,490
Application Deadline: Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September), and Winter (November).
Program Dates: Multiple 8-week cohorts throughout the year, including Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter.
Eligibility: High school students who have prior experience with AI/ML or have completed a Veritas AI program
The Veritas AI Internship Program, led by Harvard graduates, is an 8-week opportunity for students with AI/ML experience to work on real-world projects with VC-backed startups. Mentors come from top institutions like Harvard, Wharton, Google, Microsoft, and McKinsey. Interns gain hands-on experience, network with industry professionals, collaborate with company leaders, and receive a completion letter at the end.
3. MIT’s Research Science Institute
Location: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA
Cost: Free
Application Deadline: December 11
Program Dates: June 22 – August 2
Eligibility: High school juniors
The Research Science Institute (RSI) is a free, competitive summer program for 100 high school students worldwide. It includes advanced coursework, hands-on STEM research, and access to MIT’s resources. Students attend lectures by top experts, start with a week of seminars, and then spend five weeks on individual research projects with mentors. The acceptance rate is 3%.
Location: Remote! You can work from anywhere in the world.
Cost: Starting at $2,490 (financial aid available)
Application Deadline: Deadlines vary depending on the cohort. Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September) and Winter (November).
Program Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year, including Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter.
Eligibility: Students who can work for 10-20 hours/week, for 8-12 weeks. Open to high school students, undergraduates, and gap year students!
Ladder Internships is a selective start-up internship program for ambitious high school students! In the program, you work with a high-growth start-up on an internship. Start-ups that offer internships range across a variety of industries, from tech/deep tech and AI/ML to health tech, marketing, journalism, consulting, and more. You can explore all the options here on their application form. Ladder’s start-ups are high-growth companies on average raising over a million dollars. In the program, interns work closely with their managers and a Ladder Coach on real-world projects and present their work to the company. Here is the application form.
Location: Remote
Cost: $850 + $40 application fee
Application 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 given preference
Stanford’s AIMI Summer Health AI Bootcamp is a two-week virtual program for high school students. It covers machine learning in healthcare, including key concepts, evaluation methods, and real-world challenges. Students join live lectures, group discussions, coding workshops, and career talks with experts. They also work in teams to analyze healthcare data and explore how AI improves patient care and medical research.
6. MIT Beaver Works Summer Institute - CogWorks
Location: Virtual
Cost: Free
Application Deadlines:
Online Course: January
Summer Institute: March 31
Program Dates:
Online Course: February 3 – June 20
Four-week Virtual Summer Institute: July 7 – August 3
Eligibility: High school students who have completed their sophomore or junior year are eligible to apply. Completion of the online course is mandatory to participate in the Summer Institute.
The CogWorks program at MIT’s Beaver Works Summer Institute gives high school students hands-on experience in building AI assistants with machine learning. It begins with an online course covering Python, Git, and machine learning basics. In the four-week summer session, students work in teams to design and test AI systems using tools like Amazon Alexa. The program includes daily lectures, interactive projects, and ends with a final competition where teams showcase their AI assistants.
7. Army Educational Outreach Program (AEOP) High School Internships
Location: Massachusetts, MA; Virtual options available
Stipend: Varies depending on location and project
Application Deadline: Rolling. Applications open on December 4 and remain open throughout the year.
Program Dates: Summer (specific dates vary by project and lab)
Eligibility: Those applying must be current high school students who are U.S. citizens or permanent legal residents. Additional eligibility requirements vary by location. Check details here.
The AEOP High School Internship program lets students work on real research with university scientists or Department of Defense (DoD) experts. Interns gain hands-on experience with advanced lab equipment and explore Army-sponsored projects in areas like plasma propulsion, quantum science, and electrical engineering. The program offers access to top research labs and mentorship from STEM professionals, helping students plan their academic and career paths.
Location: Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
Cost: $2,800 – $5,800. Scholarships are available
Application Deadline: March 25
Program Dates: Various 1- and 2-week sessions between mid-June and mid-August
Eligibility: High school students
In the MEDscienceTECH Moonshot program, you will learn how to design and prototype AI-powered surgical robots to solve real-world medical challenges. You will explore biomedical engineering, AI, computer science, and surgical robotics while developing problem-solving skills through practical experience. Throughout the program, you will work with industry professionals, gain technical knowledge, and learn how to apply innovation to medical technology.
9. Massachusetts General Hospital Youth Neurology Education and Research Program
Location: Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston/Cambridge/Somerville, MA
Cost: Free; stipend provided
Application Deadline: January 31
Program Dates: June 30 – August 8
Eligibility: Rising high school seniors or recent graduates who live or study in Massachusetts
The Massachusetts General Hospital’s Youth Neurology Education and Research Program is for high school students from underrepresented backgrounds who are interested in neurology. It offers the chance to meet neurologists and neuroscientists, learn about their careers, and gain research experience. Before starting, students complete a "boot camp" to learn essential research skills. Each participant is paired with an MGH Neurology faculty member to work on a research project. The program ends with a research presentation, and students receive support to publish their work and apply for awards.
10. MLSC’s High School Apprenticeship Challenge
Location: Massachusetts, MA
Stipend: Stipend provided
Application Deadline: Rolling basis
Program Dates: Throughout the year
Eligibility: High school students who are 16 years of age
The High School Apprenticeship Challenge provides paid internships for underrepresented and low-income high school students in Massachusetts. It creates over 150 internships each year by helping research institutions and small life sciences companies pay intern wages.
The program also offers pre-internship training in biotechnology, biomedical sciences, and professional skills. You can participate in this program if you are interested in the biomedical and biotechnology fields.
11. MIT’s Summer High School Internship Program
Location: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA
Cost: Free
Application Deadline: April 16
Program Dates: July 9 – August 15
Eligibility: High school rising seniors
In the Summer High School Internship Program at MIT Lincoln Laboratory, you will explore STEM careers before college. You will work with mentors on projects, solve real-world problems, and develop technical and interpersonal skills in a hands-on setting. You will also have access to the lab’s resources. This is a paid learning experience.
Location: Various NASA centers in the country. There are also options for remote participation, depending on the project.
Stipend: Interns may receive a stipend dependent on internship, academic level, and session length.
Deadline:
Fall 2025: May 16
Spring 2026: September 12
Summer 2026: February 27
Fall 2026: May 22
Program Dates:
Fall: 16-week program, from late August or early September to mid-December
Spring: 16-week program, from mid-January to early May
Summer: 10-week program, from late May or early June to August
Eligibility:
Must be a full-time high school student with a GPA of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale
Must be a U.S. citizen
NASA’s Office of STEM Engagement (OSTEM) offers free internships in engineering and space-related fields. Interns work with experienced mentors on real projects, gaining hands-on experience in research, data analysis, and engineering. Opportunities include Structural Design, Test Equipment Analysis, Data Science, and Software Development. Visit the website for available positions.