14 STEM Internships for High School Students in New York
A STEM internship in high school gives you a chance to develop technical skills like coding, data analysis, lab techniques, and engineering design in a professional setting. Beyond technical abilities, you'll build transferable skills like written and verbal communication, teamwork, and problem-solving that matter in any career. That practical experience and professional skill development show college admissions officers that you've already started building competency in your field.
What STEM internships are available for high school students in New York?
New York has strong STEM internships at world-class research universities, medical innovation hubs, and tech startups. You can find opportunities in high-growth fields like biotechnology, financial technology, and artificial intelligence. Many programs emphasize mentorship and networking with industry professionals.
We put together a list of 15 STEM internships for high school students in New York, focusing on programs with clear learning outcomes and meaningful responsibilities.
1. Biological Field Station Summer Research Internships – SUNY Oneonta
Location: Cooperstown, NY (SUNY Oneonta Biological Field Station)
Stipend: $3,000
Dates: 9 weeks between late May and August
Application Deadline: Late March
Eligibility: New York State residents aged 16 or older as of June 20
The Biological Field Station Summer Research Internship provides you with an intensive, hands-on introduction to ecological and environmental research. Throughout the program, you will work alongside faculty mentors and research staff on ongoing studies related to Otsego Lake and the surrounding watershed. Your work will include a combination of field research, laboratory analysis, data processing, and scientific documentation. You will participate in weekly seminars and collaborate with other interns while developing technical skills in data collection, analysis, and scientific communication. The internship culminates in formal research deliverables, including an oral presentation, a technical report, and a research poster.
2. Ladder Internship Program
Location: Online (remote; you can work from anywhere in the world)
Cost/Stipend: Cost varies depending on the program type; financial aid is available / No stipend
Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year; typically 8–12 weeks in Summer, Winter, Spring, and Fall
Application Deadline: Varies by cohort; Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September), and Winter (November)
Eligibility: You must be able to commit 10–20 hours per week for 8–12 weeks; open to high school students, undergraduates, and gap year students
The Ladder Internship Program connects you with a high-growth startup for a structured, real-world internship experience. Throughout the program, you will collaborate directly with startup founders and team members on projects that may involve business analysis, market research, operations, strategy, or product development, depending on your placement. The program pairs you with a dedicated Ladder Coach who provides ongoing mentorship and helps you develop professional habits around communication, time management, and accountability. In addition to project work, you will participate in one-on-one coaching and cohort-based training sessions focused on transferable workplace skills. The internship concludes with a final presentation where you share your contributions and outcomes with the startup team. Apply now!
3. Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center – HOPP Summer Student Program
Location: New York City, NY
Stipend: Paid, details will be provided after the application goes live
Dates: 8 weeks (typically late June–late August)
Application Deadline: Typically, early February
Eligibility: High school students in the NYC Tri-State area who have completed at least 9th grade, have a minimum 3.0 GPA in science courses, and receive a nomination from a science teacher or academic advisor
The HOPP Summer Student Program introduces you to hands-on laboratory research within the field of translational cancer science. During the program, you will work on an independent research project under the mentorship of a Memorial Sloan Kettering principal investigator and a senior lab member. Your work focuses on real research questions, allowing you to develop technical lab skills, data analysis abilities, and scientific problem-solving techniques. In addition to lab work, you will participate in seminars, training sessions, tours, and networking events hosted by MSK departments, exposing you to careers in clinical and translational medicine.
4. Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center – Science Enrichment Program (SEP)
Location: New York City, NY (in-person at MSK Main Campus, Upper East Side)
Stipend: $4,200
Dates: November 15 – August 26 (10-month program, including an 8-week full-time summer internship between June and mid-August)
Application Deadline: September 1
Eligibility: High school juniors nominated by SEP partner schools who have completed a full year of biology
The Science Enrichment Program (SEP) is a highly selective, year-long research program designed to immerse you in cancer biology and translational research. During the academic year, you will attend weekly after-school sessions focused on cancer biology, lab techniques, computational sciences, and professional development. In the summer, you will transition into a full-time, eight-week research internship in a biomedical or computational lab at Memorial Sloan Kettering, where you work one-on-one with a research mentor on a focused project. Your work contributes directly to ongoing research in areas such as cancer biology, genomics, immunology, pharmacology, or biomedical engineering. The program emphasizes scientific communication through assessments and a final poster presentation.
5. The Forest Project – Wave Hill
Location: Bronx, New York City, NY (in-person at Wave Hill)
Stipend: $2,275
Dates: Summer program (typically late June–August)
Application Deadline: February 27
Eligibility: NYC high school students who are at least 16 years old by May 1, eligible to work in the U.S., with the ability to work in unpaved natural areas, use heavy tools, and bend at the waist
The Forest Project at Wave Hill is a paid summer internship that immerses you in hands-on ecological restoration and urban ecology work within New York City. Throughout the program, you will spend your days maintaining woodland trails, removing invasive plant species, stabilizing eroded slopes, and supporting long-term forest restoration efforts. You will work in small crews, developing teamwork, physical field skills, and a deeper understanding of urban ecosystems. You will be enrolled in an accredited introductory college course on ecological restoration, which includes data collection, group projects, and applied environmental research, and take field trips to parks and partner organizations.
6. Genspace – Biorocket Research Internship Program
Location: New York City, NY (hybrid: in-person at Genspace with some virtual components)
Stipend: $2,000
Dates: Spring session: February 25 – May 21; Summer session: July 6 – August 14
Application Deadline: January 5
Eligibility: NYC public or charter high school students aged 16 or older who can commit to the full program timeline and live or attend school within approximately 45 minutes of Genspace
The Biorocket Research Internship Program is a six-month research experience that introduces you to modern biology and genetic engineering in a real laboratory setting. During the spring, you will attend after-school sessions focused on foundational lab skills, experimental design, and scientific thinking, then transition into a summer research experience. You will work alongside scientist mentors and fellow students to design and carry out a research project using hands-on molecular biology techniques. The program also emphasizes science communication, offering improv-based training and opportunities to present your work to diverse audiences. You will also participate in behind-the-scenes lab tours, visits to biotech companies, and career exploration activities.
7. BRAINYAC (Brain Research Apprenticeships in New York at Columbia)
Location: New York City, NY (in-person at Columbia University laboratories)
Stipend: Paid, amount not specified
Dates: 5 weeks during the summer (June – August)
Application Deadline: October 31
Eligibility: NYC residents in grades 10–11 who are enrolled in partner programs (S-PREP, BioBus, Lang Youth Medical, Columbia Secondary School, or Double Discovery Center)
BRAINYAC is an immersive summer research internship that places you directly in a Columbia University neuroscience laboratory. During the program, you will be matched with a Columbia neuroscientist who mentors you through a research project. You will learn core laboratory techniques, develop research habits, and gain insight into how experimental neuroscience leads to real scientific discovery. The internship emphasizes close mentorship, allowing you to work alongside graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, and faculty in a professional academic environment. You will also become part of the broader Columbia research community, gaining exposure to scientific careers and lab culture.
8. Columbia University – YES in THE HEIGHTS
Location: Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY
Stipend: Paid, amount not specified
Dates: June 30 – August 22
Application Deadline: December 13
Eligibility: High school students who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents and at least 14 years old
In this eight-week experience, you will explore diverse scientific topics such as cancer biology, health equity, public health, and environmental inequities while working alongside world-renowned faculty at the Irving Medical Center. You will spend your days conducting laboratory research, participating in clinical rotations, and presenting at the weekly HICCC Cancer Biology Journal Club. The program also pairs you with a dedicated faculty mentor to complete an Individual Development Plan and map out your future career. By the end of your second summer, you will have mastered essential technical lab skills, scientific abstract writing, and professional public speaking through a formal oral presentation of your findings.
9. STEM Research Academy – City Tech (CUNY College Now)
Location: Brooklyn, NY (hybrid during spring; in-person during summer at City Tech labs)
Stipend: $1,575
Dates: Spring course: February 14 – May 16; Summer internship: July 6 – 26
Application Deadline: January 16
Eligibility: NYC public high school sophomores or juniors who meet academic criteria and are nominated through the College Now application process
The STEM Research Academy at City Tech is a two-part, college-level research pathway designed to prepare you for scientific inquiry. In the spring, you enroll in a pre-college research course where you learn to develop researchable questions, design experiments, conduct literature reviews, analyze data, and present findings in biology or chemistry. Students who complete the spring course can apply to the paid summer research internship, where the program matches them with a City Tech faculty researcher and lab team. During the six-week summer program, you work in a research lab, complete a short independent project, write a scientific paper, and present your work at the Summer Science Symposium at the American Museum of Natural History.
10. ARISE (Applied Research Innovations in Science and Engineering)
Location: Brooklyn, NY (in-person at NYU Tandon School of Engineering)
Stipend: $1,000
Dates: June 1 – August 14
Application Deadline: February 21
Eligibility: Rising juniors and seniors who are full-time NYC residents attending NYC high schools
ARISE introduces you to hands-on STEM research in a university lab setting. During the first four weeks, you will complete foundational training in lab safety, research methods, and college-level writing to prepare you for advanced research. In the remaining six weeks, you will be placed in one of NYU’s research labs, where you collaborate with faculty members, graduate students, and researchers on active projects across science and engineering disciplines. The program emphasizes both technical skill-building and professional development, including public speaking and scientific communication. You will present your research at an NYU colloquium and conclude the program with a poster presentation at the American Museum of Natural History.
11. New York Bioforce Program
Location: New York City, NY (hybrid; in-person training at Columbia University with mentored internships across NYC labs and healthcare institutions)
Stipend: Paid, amount not specified
Dates: April 4 – August 14 (Phase I training April–July; Phase II internships July–August)
Application Deadline: January 22
Eligibility: NYCDOE public or charter high school juniors or seniors who can demonstrate educational and /or economic disadvantage (Economic Need Index of 0.8/80% or higher, and family qualifies for Medicaid, SNAP, TANF, or other similar government aid)
The New York Bioforce Program is a multi-phase STEAM pathway designed to prepare you for college-level research and careers in science, technology, engineering, and medicine. In Phase I, you will build foundational skills through structured life science research and professional development training, including laboratory techniques, scientific thinking, and communication. Training takes place through Saturday sessions at Columbia University and virtual seminars during the spring and early summer. In Phase II, you transition into a paid, mentored summer internship, working approximately 25 hours per week in a research lab or healthcare setting. You will contribute to real research projects while receiving guidance from professional mentors.
12. SPARKED: Summer Program Advancing Research Knowledge, Education, and Development
Location: Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Upper East Side, New York City
Stipend: Paid, amount not specified
Dates: 10-month program. Pre-program preparation: four weekly virtual meetings (spring), Full-time summer internship: July 13–August 20, Continued part-time participation: November–May (1–2 afternoons per week)
Application Deadline: March 16
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors or seniors (ages 16–18) with completion of at least one science course, ~80% average in science subjects
SPARKED is a selective, mentored biomedical research program designed to immerse you in real-world cancer research at The Tisch Cancer Institute. You will be placed in either an experimental biology (wet lab) or data science (dry lab) track, working under the supervision of Mount Sinai faculty mentors on active research projects. During the six-week summer internship, you will develop technical skills, learn to critically read scientific literature, and contribute as part of a research team. The program extends beyond the summer, allowing you to continue building skills and scientific understanding during the academic year. In addition to lab work, you will participate in scientific enrichment sessions, shared resource visits, and lectures from clinicians and researchers.
13. Ellen Brenner Memorial Summer Internship
Location: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Library and Archives, Cold Spring Harbor, NY
Stipend: Up to $1,735
Dates: Summer internship (exact start and end dates vary by year)
Application Deadline: April 30
Eligibility: High school students
In this program, you will work closely with professional science librarians, informationists, and archivists on projects that support scientific research and the preservation of scientific history. Depending on your placement, you may focus on library-based projects such as working with biomedical databases, research publications, and reference services, or archives-based projects involving digitization, metadata creation, oral histories, and archival processing. You will gain hands-on experience using tools like PubMed and specialized bibliographic resources while learning how scientific knowledge is organized, preserved, and accessed. Through guided mentorship and structured projects, you will build research, writing, and information literacy skills in a professional research environment.
14. Weill Cornell Medicine – High School Catalyst Program
Location: New York City (Weill Cornell Medicine and Memorial Sloan Kettering laboratories)
Stipend: Paid, amount not specified and determined through participation in the NY Bioforce program
Dates: July 6 – August 14
Application Deadline: January 22
Eligibility: High school students selected through the NY Bioforce (HYPOTHEkids) program
The High School Catalyst Program provides you with a rigorous, hands-on introduction to biomedical research through a six-week, fully in-person summer internship. After completing NY Bioforce training, you’ll be matched with a graduate student, postdoctoral fellow, or staff scientist mentor in a Weill Cornell Medicine or Memorial Sloan Kettering laboratory based on your research interests. Throughout the program, you will assist with experimental design, data collection, and laboratory techniques while learning how active biomedical research projects are conducted. You will also participate in journal clubs, college and career panels, and professional development workshops. The program concludes with poster presentations at a Catalyst closing ceremony and a public student research symposium.
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