Top 10 Neuroscience Internships for High School Students in NYC (New York City)
Neuroscience is a broad, multidisciplinary area that studies how the brain, spinal cord, and nerves work, from the molecular level to behavior and cognition. It looks at both normal brain function and how things can go wrong due to disorders. Participating in neuroscience internships for high school students is a great way to get hands-on experience in this field while still in high school.
Several NYC universities and organizations offer neuroscience internships for high school students where you can network with professionals, explore career options, and see if neuroscience is a good fit for you. Most of these opportunities are free to join and also provide stipends. Many include lab work, lectures, and seminars led by experts, so you'll get to dive into college-level topics and research environments. They can also strengthen your academic profile by involving you in clinical simulations, research, and public health discussions.
To help you get started, we’ve found 10 top neuroscience internships for high school students in NYC. While not all of them are traditional internships, each offers research, mentorship, or a project-based learning experience.
1. Zuckerman Institute’s Brain Research Apprenticeships in New York at Columbia (BRAINYAC)
Location: Columbia University, New York, NY
Stipend: Paid (The exact amount isn’t specified)
Application Deadline: January 10
Dates: January to August, starting with weekend training sessions in the winter and spring, then shifting to a full-time internship from June 30 – August 15
Eligibility: NYC students in 10th or 11th grade who are at least 16 years old and are nominated by partner organizations and schools; Applicants from the South Bronx and upper Manhattan are preferred
Cohort Size: About 20 high school students are selected for the program
Columbia’s BRAINYAC program at the Zuckerman Institute is a seven-week neuroscience research experience for NYC high school students. It starts with weekend training sessions in the winter and spring, followed by a full-time summer internship where you’ll work with scientists and build your research skills. You'll get hands-on experience and explore academic research in fields like neuroscience, psychology, molecular biology, computational neuroscience, and biochemistry.
As a participant, you will be paired with a mentor from Columbia’s neuroscience department and will get to collaborate with them on a designated lab project. Projects might involve studying how neurons send sensory signals or how touch helps humans and other animals connect. You can apply for the Merit Fellowship to keep working in your lab during the school year or next summer. You’ll also have the chance to apply for future paid internships with BRAINYAC, attend alumni events, and join trips and other activities.
2. Veritas AI
Location: Virtual
Cost: $2,290 onwards
Application Deadline: Deadlines vary depending on the cohort. The next one, for the summer cohort, is June 22. More info here!
Dates: Multiple cohorts in a year
Eligibility: High school students
Acceptance Rate: Moderately selective
Veritas AI offers programs for students interested in artificial intelligence (AI) and its real-world applications. The program, Deep Dive: AI + Medicine, explores how AI is used in healthcare. You’ll cover topics like convolutional neural networks, preparing medical data, and data analysis. The program is led by Harvard graduate students and alumni. You'll collaborate with Ph.D. students from institutions like Oxford, participate in lessons, explore AI's role in medicine, and work on a group project using AI tools like machine learning programs. Check out the program brochure and application form for more information.
Veritas AI also offers other programs like AI Scholars and the AI Fellowship, which build on basic AI knowledge. Students in these programs have worked on projects that combine AI with fields like medicine and mental health. You can see examples of past projects here.
3. Stony Brook University’s Simons Summer Research Program
Location: Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY
Cost/Stipend: $2,360.25 for campus housing and meals, plus at least $500 for extra food costs; A stipend is provided, though the exact amount isn’t specified
Application Deadline: February 7
Dates: June 30 – August 8
Eligibility: High school juniors who are at least 16 years old and are U.S. citizens or permanent residents
Acceptance Rate: 5%
Stony Brook University’s Simons Summer Research Program gives high school juniors the chance to do independent STEM research. You can choose up to three research areas or mentors, such as biomedical informatics, biochemistry, computer science, astronomy, medicine, mechanical engineering, and more. If you're interested in neuroscience, you can opt to work on projects in the Neurobiology & Behavior department, like studying the role of aging in ALS and Alzheimer's, exploring cell-cycle regulation in neurons, or researching how environmental pollutants impact neurodevelopment.
You’ll be paired with a faculty mentor, join a research group, and work on a project, learning lab techniques and research methods along the way. The program also includes lab tours, faculty talks, and workshops. At the end of the program, you’ll present your work at a final symposium.
Location: Virtual
Cost: Starts at $2,490; financial aid is available
Application Deadline: Deadlines vary by cohort, with the next deadline for the summer cohort being June 23
Dates: Programs last 8-16 weeks, with multiple cohorts available throughout the year in spring, summer, fall, and winter
Eligibility: High school students, undergrads, or gap year students who can commit 5-15 hours a week for 8-16 weeks
Acceptance Rate: Approximately 19%, varying by internship and cohort
Ladder Internships, started by Harvard alumni, is a selective program that connects high school students with remote internships at startups and nonprofits around the world. Opportunities are available in areas like health tech, environmental science, nonprofits, mental health, finance, software engineering, AI, consulting, and journalism.
As an intern, you’ll work on real projects for your assigned startup or nonprofit and give a final presentation. You will also develop your communication and time management skills, participate in group sessions with other interns, and receive support from both a site manager and a Ladder coach. You can view the application form to explore available internships.
5. Rockefeller University's Summer Neuroscience Program (SNP)
Location: Rockefeller University, New York, NY
Cost/Stipend: None
Application Deadline: March 15
Dates: August 4 – August 15
Eligibility: High school students attending a New York City public school who will be at least 16 years old by the program start date
Cohort Size: 20 students
The Summer Neuroscience Program (SNP) is a two-week program for NYC public high school students, led by graduate students at Rockefeller University. During SNP, you will engage in interactive lectures, review and present a scientific paper, and collaborate with a mentor and partner to design your own neuroscience experiment. While the program doesn’t technically involve neuroscience internships for high school students, you'll still get hands-on experience exploring how the brain works and its connection to everyday life. You'll also tour labs and core facilities, where scientists will walk you through their work and show you experimental animals up close.
The program includes hands-on activities like dissecting a sheep brain and a cow eye to identify structures discussed in class. Each week ends with a casual presentation of your work in a supportive setting, and you’ll also work in small groups to analyze a research article with help from a mentor.
6. Memorial Sloan-Kettering Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program (HOPP) Summer Student Program
Location: Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY
Cost/Stipend: The program is free to join, and students who finish it will earn a $1,200 stipend.
Application Deadline: February 7
Dates: June 30 – August 22
Eligibility: High school juniors who will be at least 14 years old by June, have a 3.5 GPA in science classes, are legally allowed to work in the U.S., and live within 25 miles of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in Manhattan—including parts of New York, Connecticut, and New Jersey
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Around 2%; 20 interns each summer
The Human Oncology & Pathogenesis Program (HOPP) offers eight-week biomedical and neuroscience internships for high school students that allow you to do research in a Memorial Sloan Kettering (MSK) lab, working on an independent project under the guidance of a mentor. Your project will contribute to the lab's research, and you’ll attend lab meetings and other program sessions to interact with MSK researchers.
You’ll get to work in areas like Cancer Biology, Drug Development, Computational Biology, Immunology, Computer Science, Genomics, and Engineering. You'll also participate in events focused on translational medicine and research, organized by MSK's education and clinical departments. Though the program focuses on cancer research, it also offers opportunities for students interested in neuroscience, especially those curious about the connection between brain health and cancer. Some research projects may involve neuro-oncology or related fields. The program also includes extracurricular activities and tours of various MSK departments, which may include neuro-oncology or similar areas.
7. The Harris Neuroscience Internship
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: None
Application Deadline: February 3 – April 4
Dates: September – May
Eligibility: U.S. high school students
Cohort Size: 12 students
Stanford Medicine’s Harris Neuroscience Internship is a virtual program for high school students that lasts the entire school year. During these neuroscience internships for high school students, you'll be paired with Stanford faculty and trainees in neuroscience, have access to weekly Neurology Grand Rounds, and participate in virtual monthly Neuroscience Journal Club meetings. These meetings will give you a chance to read and discuss scientific literature and recent developments in neuroscience with expert Stanford scientists in a relaxed setting.
You’ll work on a research project that matches your interests, helping you deepen your knowledge of neuroscience while developing skills in research, data analysis, and academic writing. The program also includes a community-based project where you’ll gain experience in outreach and engagement within the neuroscience field.
8. BioBus Junior Scientist Internship
Location: LES Community Lab, New York, NY, or BioBase Harlem at Columbia University, New York, NY
Stipend: $16.50 per hour
Application Deadline: March 24
Dates:
Summer session: July 7 – August 15
Academic year session: October 1 – June 15 (once weekly)
Eligibility: High school students in grades 9-11 who attend school in New York City; More details here
Acceptance Rate: Relatively selective
The BioBus Junior Scientist Internship is a year-long paid program for high school students who want hands-on experience in science research and teaching. During the first summer, you'll build skills in experimental design, lab work, and research through guided projects. You'll also start teaching by helping out at BioBus events with younger students and the public. During the school year, you'll keep developing your research skills with support from scientists, using professional microscopes and lab tools to work on your own independent projects. You'll also gain teaching experience by co-teaching in BioBus weekend and summer programs.
This program also offers science and neuroscience internships for high school students. There are three internship tracks to choose from: the Lower East Side Junior Scientist Internship, the Harlem Junior Scientist Internship, and the Harlem Women in STEM Junior Scientist Internship. You’ll take part in orientation sessions, do research in the BioBus community lab with guidance from mentors, and present your work to the BioBus community and at academic poster sessions. Research topics include neuroscience, plant biology, optics, biology, and behavioral neuroscience. One past neuroscience project explored how stressful video game sounds affect reaction time and mental processes, comparing gamers with non-gamers. You can check out other past projects here.
9. Rockefeller University's LAB Jumpstart
Location: RockEDU Science Outreach Laboratory, Rockefeller University, NY
Stipend: $500 stipend for the spring session and $3,500 for the summer session
Application Deadline: January 3
Dates:
Phase One (Spring Session): February 27 – June 12
Phase Two (Summer Session): June 23 – August 7
Eligibility: NYC high school juniors or seniors who are at least 16 years old at the start of the program
Cohort Size: LAB Jumpstart accepts 16 students, while the Summer Science Research Program admits 32
RockEDU’s LAB Jumpstart program gives 16 NYC high school students a chance to explore science through both an after-school and summer research experience. You’ll work with a Rockefeller University research team, attend guest lectures and electives, and build scientific thinking and lab skills through workshops and mentorship. Topics include Cancer Biology, Genetics, Immunology, Neuroscience, Stem Cells and Aging, Biochemistry, Biophysics, Cell Biology, Computational Biology, and Evolution.
The program runs in two phases. In Phase One (Spring), explore research, ask questions, and connect with mentors. In Phase Two (Summer), you’ll join the Summer Science Research Program (SSRP), working up to 35 hours per week with a team on different projects. If you are interested in neuroscience, you might examine the brain from individual neurons and circuits to complex functions. Some labs also focus on finding treatments for diseases like Alzheimer's, addiction, obesity, and more. The SSRP usually accepts 32 students, with about eight students placed on each research team according to their scientific interests.
10. The Johns Hopkins Internship in Brain Science Program (JHIBS): Virtual Experience
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: None
Application Deadline: March 1
Dates: The virtual JHIBS program runs for five weeks from July to August
Eligibility: Current high school juniors or seniors from underrepresented groups living in the U.S. or Canada
Acceptance Rate: Highly competitive
The Johns Hopkins Internship in Brain Sciences (JHIBS) is a summer research program for high school juniors and seniors who are interested in clinical careers like psychiatry or psychology, or brain-related fields such as neurology, neuroscience, or neurosurgery. It offers biomedical and neuroscience internships for high school students that provide a hands-on research experience and mentoring, especially for students from underrepresented backgrounds. The program will give you an early exposure to academic research and clinical settings, along with long-term mentorship, educational support, and guidance.
JHIBS offers both in-person and virtual options. The virtual program includes mentorship training, college prep classes, professional development workshops, networking, and an introduction to basic lab techniques. You'll also take part in collaborative projects, group discussions, and present your work at the end of the program. Everyone who completes the program receives a certificate. You can check out past student projects here.