15 Summer Software Internships for High School Students

Internships can be a valuable way to spend breaks from high school, giving you early exposure to professional work in a field that interests you. By participating in an internship, you gain practical skills and demonstrate initiative, which colleges and future employers value highly. The mentors you meet through an internship can guide your future academic and career path and even give you letters of recommendation for your college applications.

Why should I participate in a software internship in high school?

For students interested in software and technology, internships provide a chance to apply coding, data analysis, and problem-solving skills in professional settings. Beyond learning technical languages like Python or Java, you will explore concepts such as Agile methodology, collaborative version control (GitHub), and technical communication that are rarely taught in schools. By working alongside industry mentors, you will build a professional network and a portfolio of projects that can lead to future college internships and job offers. 

To help students and families navigate the many options available, we’ve carefully researched and narrowed down a list of the 15 best summer software internships for high school students.

1. Lockheed Martin Space High School Internship

Location: Huntsville, AL
Stipend: Paid, amount not specified
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective; 5–15 students per site
Dates: 9–10 weeks during the summer
Application Deadline: December 19
Eligibility: Currently enrolled high school students who are 16 years of age at the start of the internship and live within a commutable distance of the Lockheed facility

In Huntsville, Lockheed Martin offers a paid software internship that immerses high school students directly into the world of defense and aerospace technology. By working alongside professional mentors through a dedicated buddy system, you’ll build mission-critical systems and refine satellite data models. The program focuses heavily on practical coding in C++ and Python, while also building your capacity for collaborative problem-solving and professional communication. This experience is designed to bridge the gap between classroom learning and real-world engineering, providing aspiring developers with the technical foundation and industry insight needed to lead in future STEM careers.

2. Ladder Internship Program

Location: Remote
Cost/Stipend: Varies depending on the program type; financial aid available / No stipend
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 10–25%; 70–100 students
Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year, including Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter
Application Deadline: Varies depending on the cohort; Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September), and Winter (November)
Eligibility: High school, undergraduate, and gap year students who can work for 10–20 hours/week, for 8–12 weeks

In this selective eight-week program, ambitious high school students get a taste of working in the software industry by joining high-growth, Y Combinator-backed startups. You will tackle technical projects at million-dollar-funded companies, led by veterans from tech giants like Google and Meta. Throughout the internship, you’ll collaborate with a dedicated coach and company managers to build real-world software solutions, eventually presenting your contributions to the entire team. It is a fast-paced opportunity to gain hands-on engineering experience in fields like AI and deep tech, providing a professional edge well before entering the traditional workforce. Apply now!

3. MITRE High School Student Program

Location: Various MITRE sites nationwide
Stipend: Paid, amount not specified
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly competitive; cohort size not specified
Dates: 8 weeks during the summer, June – August
Application Deadline: Typically around mid-to-late February/early spring
Eligibility: U.S.-based students in grades 9–12 who are at least 14 years old by the program start and are legally eligible to work in the U.S. without sponsorship

As a software engineering intern at MITRE, you’ll transition from classroom theory to building real-world applications under the guidance of seasoned developers. This program places you in a professional collaborative environment to refine your coding and systems analysis skills with peers. By contributing to projects in areas like cybersecurity and AI, you’ll gain a firsthand look at how technical problem-solving serves the public interest. It’s a unique opportunity to expand your professional network and bridge the gap between your current STEM studies and a future career in technology.

4. Internships at Sandia National Laboratories

Location: Livermore, CA | Albuquerque, NM | other Sandia sites.
Stipend: $17.75 – $19/hour
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective; cohort size not specified
Dates: Year-round; Summer: 10–12 weeks between May and the end of August
Application Deadline: Rolling basis
Eligibility: Students who are at least 16 years old, are enrolled full-time in an accredited high school, and are U.S. citizens; Must have a minimum GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale for R&D, technical, or business roles; more details here | 2.5 GPA for clerical or laborer positions

This software internship embeds you directly within elite engineering teams to tackle global security challenges. You’ll contribute to the codebase by refining algorithms, automating workflows, and performing deep data analysis using tools like Python. The role prioritizes technical growth through hands-on mentorship and collaborative problem-solving alongside veteran developers. Beyond the day-to-day coding, you’ll participate in professional workshops that expand your industry network. The internship offers a clear, authentic preview of a career in large-scale software engineering.

5. PNNL High School Internship – Software and Computing Systems 

Location: PNNL (various locations)
Stipend: Paid, amount not specified
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective; approximately 25–50 students
Dates: 10 weeks during the summer; mid-June – August
Application Deadline: Mid-to-late March
Eligibility: Current high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors who are 16+, have a minimum 3.0 GPA, and are U.S. citizens or permanent residents

In the PNNL High School Research Internship focusing on software and computing, you step into a national laboratory to tackle projects in cybersecurity, data science, and computational modeling. You’ll participate in a two-week bootcamp on Python or R before writing complex code for predictive models, analyzing massive datasets, and presenting your technical findings to professional mentors. The program pairs you with world-class scientists to work on high-stakes national security and sustainable energy missions. Through this immersive ten-week journey, you develop technical skills in algorithmic thinking and data visualization.

6. Microsoft Discovery Program

Location: Redmond, WA or Atlanta, GA (local students only)
Stipend: Paid, amount not specified
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly competitive; typically small cohort sizes
Dates: July 7 – August 1
Application Deadline: Late February
Eligibility: High school seniors living and attending schools within 50 miles of Redmond or who live and attend school in and around Atlanta, who have completed pre-calculus or an equivalent course by the program’s start

Microsoft’s High School Discovery Program is a four-week immersive internship designed to bridge the gap between classroom learning and professional software engineering. In this program, you’ll collaborate with peers on projects involving data science and product management. You will sharpen your coding proficiency and soft skills under the direct guidance of seasoned Microsoft mentors who provide personalized career coaching. By engaging in these team-based technical challenges, you’ll cultivate the professional mindset and foundational expertise necessary to excel in future industry roles.

7. Meta Summer Academy

Location: Menlo Park, CA
Stipend: Paid, amount not specified
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly competitive; roughly 150 students annually
Dates: June 16 – July 25
Application Deadline: February 14
Eligibility: High school sophomores who have a minimum of 2.0 cumulative GPA and are residents of East Palo Alto, Belle Haven, or Redwood City

During the Meta Summer Academy, high school interns explore the daily realities of a major tech hub through the lens of hands-on software engineering. You’ll spend the summer working on corporate problems, moving beyond basic coding to see how engineering teams sync with departments like communications and media. The program isn't just about writing scripts; it’s designed to sharpen your professional edge through strategic networking and collaborative teamwork. By reflecting on your progress and learning from industry mentors, you'll gain a grounded, practical perspective on building a long-term career within the global technology landscape.

8. Amazon Future Engineer

Location: Mostly in Seattle, WA
Stipend: Scholarship of up to $40,000 towards an undergraduate degree in engineering or computer science
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective; around 400 students annually
Dates: 8 weeks in the summer
Application Deadline: January
Eligibility: High school seniors who are U.S. citizens and permanent residents and demonstrate financial need, plan to major in computer science or related fields, have a minimum cumulative 2.3 GPA on a 4.0 scale, and are authorized to work in the U.S.

The Amazon Future Engineer scholarship provides both tuition assistance and a high-impact software engineering internship after your first year of college. During this summer placement, you’ll work on technical challenges across AWS, retail systems, or Alexa, writing production-grade code that reaches millions of global users. You will actively build tools and refine infrastructure alongside a team of expert developers. With guidance from dedicated industry mentors, the program is designed to bridge the gap between classroom theory and professional practice, helping you sharpen your coding abilities while building a solid network for your future career.

9. NASA GeneLab for High Schools (GL4HS)

Location: Online
Stipend: Paid, amount not specified
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not selective; typically, large cohorts (>800 students)
Dates: June 2 – August 29
Application Deadline: April 9
Eligibility: High school students entering junior or senior years who are at least 16 years old and are U.S. citizens or permanent residents, have a GPA of at least 3.0, and have taken at least one high school biology course

NASA Ames Research Center’s GL4HS program offers a 12-week remote summer program for incoming high school juniors and seniors interested in the intersection of biology and software. Throughout the term, you’ll dive into "omics" datasets to investigate how the environment of space alters biological functions. By working through technical labs and expert-led sessions, you will build proficiency in analyzing genomics and transcriptomics data. The experience culminates in a collaborative research project presented to NASA specialists, with standout teams selected for national conferences. It’s a hands-on opportunity to sharpen your data science skills while networking with industry professionals through virtual tours.

10. Girls Who Code: Summer Immersion Program

Location: Virtual
Stipend: $300 needs-based grant for U.S. students
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; typically, large cohorts
Dates: Multiple 2-week sessions in the summer
Application Deadline: Typically, April
Eligibility: 9th-11th-grade high school girls and non-binary students

Girls Who Code is a free 2-week virtual Summer Immersion Program for high school girls and non-binary students. As a participant, you will learn web development, design, and computer science principles through project-based learning. The program allows you to learn game design in live virtual classrooms while gaining college and career advice from industry leaders. You’ll also get access to mentorship from women in tech and join a supportive alumni network. The program focuses on community building and leadership, motivating you to make your mark in a male-dominated field.

11. NASA & UT Austin SEES Internship

Location: Virtual or in-person (Austin, TX)
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; typically 15–25 students annually
Dates: Distance learning and remote projects: May – July | On-site internship: July 6 – 19 | Symposium: July 21 – 22
Application Deadline: February 22
Eligibility: U.S. sophomores and juniors who are at least 16 years old and first-time SEES participants

The SEES program provides a comprehensive software-focused internship where students transition from online modules in satellite imaging and mission architecture to collaborative, data-driven research. You will work alongside mentors to process complex climate and remote sensing datasets, applying programming skills to solve engineering challenges. This hybrid experience features a two-week, fully funded residency at UT Austin, allowing for direct collaboration with NASA scientists on space system design and environmental monitoring. After refining your analysis, you’ll showcase your team’s findings at a professional symposium.

12. Kode With Klossy’s Summer Camps

Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Non-selective; 20–25 scholars
Dates: Multiple two-week sessions in the summer
Application Deadline: Early March
Eligibility: Girls and non-binary students, ages 13–18

Kode With Klossy offers free coding programs for high school students, including its two-week summer program, which is an opportunity to explore the fundamentals of coding. You will learn within one of four coding tracks: data science, web development, mobile app, and machine learning. The program offers exposure to coding languages such as JavaScript and Swift and allows you to work on tech projects. By the end of the camp, you will have worked on an application, website, visual representations of data, or a chatbot, based on the assigned track.

13. MIT Beaver Works Summer Institute

Location: Cambridge, MA (MIT campus)
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective; 20–30 students per course
Dates: 4 weeks between July and August
Application Deadline: Early April
Eligibility: Rising high school seniors who reside and attend high school physically in the U.S.

The MIT Beaver Works Summer Institute is a challenging, four-week academic program designed for high school students passionate about science, technology, and engineering. As a participant, you will explore advanced topics such as self-driving cars, cybersecurity, and machine learning through an applied learning model. The program encourages you to solve real-world problems by combining classroom instruction with collaborative team projects. You’ll also gain additional technical and practical knowledge by working with the faculty of MIT. The program is a good option for those eager to explore STEM concepts in a research-driven environment.

14. Carnegie Mellon University’s AI Scholars

Location: Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive; project teams of 4–5 students
Dates: June 20 – July 18
Application Deadline: February 1
Eligibility: High school juniors, 16+, U.S. citizens, permanent residents, or registered with DACA

During this four-week residential internship at Carnegie Mellon, you will gain hands-on experience in the field of artificial intelligence through a blend of expert-led instruction and collaborative development. Working alongside university faculty, you’ll learn core software concepts like neural networks and machine learning to build data-driven applications. The program focuses on practical engineering, tasking your team with designing an AI-based solution for a specific real-world challenge. Beyond technical coding, you will investigate the social and ethical implications of your work, ensuring a responsible approach to innovation. This intensive experience bridges the gap between theoretical algorithms and functional software deployment.

15. Stanford AIMI Summer Research Internship

Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: $850 + $40 application fee; financial aid is available / No stipend
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 25 in the past; the number can vary by year.
Dates: June 16 – 27
Application Deadline: February 28
Eligibility: Students who are entering grades 9–12 in the fall, are at least 14 years old, and U.S. citizens, residents, or valid visa holders

Stanford’s Center for Artificial Intelligence in Medicine & Imaging (AIMI) offers a two-week research internship designed to introduce students to AI applications in healthcare. The program offers lectures, mentoring, and projects focusing on the role of AI in medicine, along with opportunities to continue with research beyond the summer. You may also work on group projects requiring programming/coding to come up with AI solutions to healthcare challenges. During the program, you will interact with researchers, industry leaders, and clinicians during virtual “Career Lunch and Learn” sessions. 

Image Source - Lockheed Martin logo