15 Summer Internships for High School Students in North Carolina (NC)

Summer internships help high school students gain professional experience, strengthen their resumes, and build skills that support future academic or career plans. Internships also help you become a stronger college applicant by demonstrating your initiative outside the classroom, which significantly improves your odds of admission. These internships allow you to gain experience in a field you are curious about while learning how workplaces function day to day.

High school students in North Carolina have access to internships in a range of fields. You can participate in opportunities at world-class organizations such as Red Hat in technology, the UNC School of Medicine and Novant Health in healthcare, and various specialized divisions within the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) or Public Safety (NCDPS). These roles offer more than just resume building; they provide exposure to North Carolina's primary economic drivers in biotechnology, IT, and public infrastructure while helping you build professional networks with industry experts and mentors.

The list below highlights 15 such summer internships for high school students in North Carolina (NC).

1. Duke’s STAR Program

Location: Duke Clinical Research Institute, Durham, NC
Stipend: $4,000
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly competitive; 20 – 25 students
Dates: June 22 – July 24
Application Deadline: January 2
Eligibility: U.S. rising high school juniors or seniors

The STAR Program inserts you into a small team working on a clinical or statistical research question at Duke. Early in the program, you will learn research methods and meet your mentors, who will guide you through data tasks and background reading. As the weeks go on, you contribute to defined parts of a study while attending short seminars on medical research topics. You build comfort with academic research workflows by practicing analysis, discussion, and scientific writing. A final paper or poster wraps up the experience and shows how your team approached its project. The program centers on clinical research, collaborative analysis, and structured academic mentorship.

2. Ladder Internships

Location: Remote
Cost/Stipend: Cost varies depending on the program type; financial aid is available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 10–25%; 70–100 students
Dates: Multiple 8–12 week cohorts throughout the year, including summer, winter, spring, and fall
Application Deadline: Varies by cohort; Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September), and Winter (November); apply here
Eligibility: High school students, undergraduates, and gap-year students able to commit 10–20 hours per week for 8–12 weeks

Ladder Internships, founded by Harvard alumni, match you with a startup working in fields such as AI, health tech, marketing, or software. You take on real project tasks while meeting regularly with a company mentor. The program sets clear expectations but gives you freedom to manage your weekly workload. This balance allows you to build practical skills while receiving consistent guidance from both mentors. Toward the end of the internship, you prepare a presentation that summarizes what you completed for the company. The experience focuses on remote project work, communication, and exposure to modern startup environments.

3. NCDOT High School Internship Program

Location: North Carolina Department of Transportation offices in Raleigh and the Triangle
Stipend: Paid; amount varies
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective; cohort size varies as per section
Dates: Year–round
Application Deadline: May 1
Eligibility: North Carolina high school students, at least 16 years old at employment time, with a minimum GPA of 2.3

The High School Internship Program at the N.C. Department of Transportation is a year-round program that gives high school students an opportunity to work one semester or consecutive semesters as a paid, part-time intern at NCDOT.​ You will help with field observations, data tasks, or project activities tied to roads, traffic flow, and safety. Supervisors introduce you to the basics of how infrastructure decisions are made and where students can contribute. You gain steady exposure to engineering and public service while learning how technical work happens in a government setting. The work environment tends to be structured, and staff guide you through tasks that fit your experience level. 

4. DukeREP Engineering Research Program

Location: Duke University Pratt School of Engineering, Durham, NC
Stipend: Paid, amount not specified
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Very competitive; approximately 12 – 15 students per summer
Dates: June 15 – July 31
Application Deadline: February 15
Eligibility: North Carolina rising high school juniors and seniors, 16 or older; Durham Public Schools students prioritized

DukeREP places you in an engineering lab where you will follow a full-time summer schedule alongside faculty and student researchers. You may work on robotics, renewable energy, biomedical devices, or computational modeling, depending on your assigned lab. Mentors show you how to set up experiments, manage data, and talk through engineering problems with a team. You get consistent practice with research routines while learning how engineering ideas move from planning to hands-on testing. Weekly workshops introduce workplace and lab topics that help structure the summer. The program focuses on applied engineering research and team-based project work.

5. Red Hat High School Internship

Location: Red Hat headquarters, Cary, NC
Stipend: Paid, amount not specified
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective; cohort size not specified
Dates: Session 1: July 7 – 18; Session 2: July 21 – August 1
Application Deadline: March 28
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors or seniors from the Raleigh area, 16 or older, with a minimum GPA of 2.0

At Red Hat, you join a short, focused internship that introduces you to open-source technology in a professional setting. You may work with teams handling software development, IT systems, or technical communications, depending on your placement. Each day involves a mix of assigned tasks, mentor conversations, and short sessions that highlight different parts of the company. You gain a practical look at how technical teams collaborate and maintain large software projects. The program also includes time to explore career paths and see how open-source principles shape Red Hat’s work. Overall, the internship emphasizes technical exposure, communication, and workplace readiness.

6. AEOP High School Internship STEM Research Program

Location: University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC
Stipend: Paid, amount not specified
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly competitive; 10–25 students across a university’s participating departments
Dates: June 16 – July 25; mandatory virtual orientation: The week of June 9
Application Deadline: Early to mid-March
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors who are permanent U.S. residents

In this STEM program at UNC Charlotte, you join a research group working in engineering, computer science, or environmental science. Your daily activities may include simple lab procedures, data tasks, or observing experiments led by university researchers. Mentors introduce you to foundational research skills and show you how projects develop over time. You contribute to team-based activities while gradually taking on tasks that match your comfort level. Some days involve hands-on activities while others may focus on discussions or preparation for presentations.

7. Youth Conservation Corps North Carolina

Location: Various sites across North Carolina
Stipend: Paid, amount not specified 
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; 30 to 50 students per summer
Dates: 3 – 6 weeks between June and August
Application Deadline: Rolling basis
Eligibility: North Carolina high school students aged 15 – 18 | U.S. citizens or permanent residents

In YCCN, you will join a crew that works on conservation projects such as trail maintenance, habitat restoration, or invasive species removal. Some groups camp during the session while others meet daily in local areas like Durham. Crew leaders guide your work and explain the environmental purpose behind each task. You get hands-on practice with outdoor project work while contributing to land stewardship in different parts of the state. The small crew size helps you learn how to collaborate in the field. The program focuses on conservation work, outdoor skills, and environmental service.

8. NIH Summer Internship Program (SIP)

Location: NIH campuses nationwide, including Research Triangle Park in Durham, NC
Stipend: $2,530 before graduation and $2,840 after graduation
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Extremely selective; 30 – 35 students
Dates: June – August
Application Deadline: February 18
Eligibility: High school students enrolled at least half-time as a senior in high school | Have completed coursework relevant to data science, computer science, mathematics, informatics, or related subjects | U.S. citizen or permanent resident | Have a cumulative GPA of 3.2 or more on a 4.0 scale | At least 18 years old by the program start date

Through SIP, you will work with NIH researchers on projects in fields such as biology, chemistry, psychology, or computer science. The internship focuses on biomedical research and science training across multiple disciplines. You will spend much of your time in a lab or research environment where mentors guide your assignments, and you participate in training sessions introducing scientific techniques and career paths in the biomedical sciences. You are given clear responsibilities that help you practice research skills in a structured and professional setting. At the end of the program, many students share their work in presentations or posters. 

9. Kids Voting Durham Civic Leadership Program

Location: Team Lead: Durham, NC | Youth Civic Leader: In-person, office, virtual
Stipend: Team Lead: $3,000 | Youth Civic Leader: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Moderately selective; approximately 25–30 students
Dates: Team Lead: June 15 – August 8 | Youth Civic Leader: June 22 – August 1
Application Deadline: Team Lead: April 11 | Youth Civic Leader: May 15
Eligibility: Durham-area youth ages 14–24

This program assigns you to civic projects that support voter education and youth engagement. You might help design educational materials, run community events, or support mock elections at local schools. The work varies depending on the role, but supervisors guide you through tasks that match your interests and strengths. You gain direct experience with community engagement while learning how local civic processes operate. Training sessions introduce communication and outreach skills that you apply throughout the summer. The program emphasizes civic education, community involvement, and youth leadership.

10. High School Summer Research Program

Location: NC State College of Natural Resources, Raleigh, NC, or online
Stipend: Up to $1,000
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly competitive; 12 students per summer
Dates: July 7 – August 1
Application Deadline: Typically, in April
Eligibility: High school students in North Carolina

This program allows you to explore natural resource careers through research activities, mentorship, and seminars. You will work with graduate students and professionals from forestry and environmental sciences on field or lab tasks and participate in discussions about careers and scientific methods. The schedule includes regular sessions with mentors who help guide your work and introduce you to research careers beyond high school. You gain practical exposure to how environmental research projects are planned and executed while building basic analytical and communication skills. The program also offers opportunities to attend symposia and present your work alongside other students.

11. City of Durham YouthWorks Summer Internship

Location: Durham, NC
Stipend: Up to about $880 for completing program components
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive; typically hosting between 150 and 300 students per summer across various sites
Dates: 6–8 weeks in the summer
Application Deadline: February 21
Eligibility: Durham City or County residents aged 14–24 by June 30

YouthWorks places you with a local business or nonprofit where you handle tasks that match the needs of your assigned site. Roles vary widely and may involve office work, creative projects, IT support, or community-focused tasks. You also complete online learning modules that introduce workplace expectations and professional communication. You receive regular check-ins that help structure your experience as you move between training and on-site work. Supervisors guide you through tasks while giving you room to build independence. The program centers on introductory workplace experience and community-based job placements.

12. NC GlaxoSmithKline Foundation Program in Biotech

Location: North Carolina Central University, Durham, NC
Cost/Stipend: No cost / $1,000 stipend
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive; around 45 students per year
Dates: June 14 – 26; July 12 – 24
Application Deadline: March 30
Eligibility: Rising 11th and 12th grade students

Rising high school juniors and seniors can explore the cutting edge of pharmaceutical sciences through this intensive two-week residential program at NCCU’s BRITE. You will gain practical exposure to drug discovery and the realities of health disparities by engaging in laboratory experiments and visiting local biotech firms. The curriculum involves technical research with essential college readiness workshops, providing a comprehensive look at careers in clinical science. This immersive campus experience is particularly impactful for underrepresented students, offering a realistic preview of university life. It is an ideal bridge for those eager to transition from classroom theory to professional biotechnology innovation. 

13. Science and Research Summer Program at North Carolina Central University (NCCU)

Location: North Carolina Central University campus, Durham, NC (25 miles from Raleigh)
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive; approximately 15–20 participants
Dates: June 23 – July 18
Application Deadline: June 1
Eligibility: North Carolina high school juniors between junior and senior year summers, aged 13–17

In the Science and Research Summer Program at North Carolina Central University, you dive into the world of professional scientific inquiry. By partnering with faculty on experiments in biology, chemistry, and environmental science, you will gain laboratory expertise while contributing to meaningful discoveries. This hands-on immersion is designed to help with academic trajectories and ignite a passion for STEM careers at institutions like NCCU. Through personalized mentorship and rigorous investigation, you transition from classroom learners to active researchers. It is a transformative opportunity to experience the realities of scientific exploration and clarify your future goals.

14. Research Apprenticeship Program

Location: North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, Greensboro, NC
Cost/Stipend: $25 application fee / No stipend
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive; typically 20–40 students per summer
Dates: June 14–26
Application Deadline: February 27
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors in the fall of the application year | U.S. citizens | Minimum 2.8 GPA

During this residential program, you will live on campus while contributing to research in food, agricultural, or environmental sciences. You work with research scientists who guide you through independent project tasks over the two-week session. Daily activities may include lab experiments, field observations, or data-focused assignments. You have consistent access to mentors who help you understand each step of the research process. The program also requires supporting materials such as an essay and recommendation letters. It focuses on scientific investigation and exposure to agricultural and environmental research fields.

15. Durham Sports Commission High School Internship

Location: Durham Sports Commission office, Durham, NC
Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; typically 1–3 high school students per term
Dates: Summer: June–August
Application Deadline: Summer: March 15
Eligibility: High school seniors living in or attending school in Durham

In this internship, you support staff who plan sports events across the city, from youth leagues to major tournaments. Your tasks may involve marketing activities, logistics support, or helping with event setup and operations. Staff will introduce you to how sports organizations coordinate venues, schedules, and community partnerships. You build practical skills by assisting with real events while observing how decisions are made behind the scenes. The workload is often part-time and may qualify for school credit. The internship focuses on event coordination and sports administration.

Image Source - Duke Clinical Research Institute Logo