11 Online AI Internships for High School Students
Online internships are a flexible way to gain real-world experience, develop industry skills, and build professional connections — all from home. For students interested in artificial intelligence, these programs provide opportunities to learn from experts, work on hands-on projects, and explore how AI is shaping industries like healthcare, finance, and technology.
To help you get started, we’ve compiled a list of 11 online AI internships for high school students, including both free and paid options. Whether you're looking to deepen your understanding of AI or gain practical experience, these internships offer valuable learning opportunities across a wide range of fields.
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: $850 + $40 application fee
Application Deadline: February 28
Program Dates: June 16 - 27
Eligibility: Summer Research interns must be high school students over the age of 14 by the start of the program. Student leads must be California residents. Student interns must reside in the U.S. Student leads must also be students over the age of 14 and may also be undergraduate students with a computer science background.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Accepts 20 interns per session.
The Stanford Center for Artificial Intelligence in Medicine and Imaging offers a two-week summer internship for high school students interested in technology and AI. This program provides a foundational understanding of AI and its impact on healthcare.
As an intern, you will participate in a series of lectures on AI applications in healthcare, conduct research projects, and develop your skills under the guidance of Stanford AI research engineers. The program also includes Virtual Career Lunch and Learns with guest speakers from academia, nonprofit, and government sectors, offering insights into various career paths and networking opportunities.
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). Apply here
Program Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year, including Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter.
Eligibility: Students who can work 10-20 hours/week for 8-12 weeks. Open to high school students, undergraduates, and gap year students.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Low selection rate
Ladder Internships is a selective start-up internship program designed for ambitious high school students. You will collaborate with high-growth start-ups across various industries, including tech, AI/ML, health tech, marketing, journalism, and consulting. These start-ups typically have raised over a million dollars, providing dynamic and innovative environments.
You will work closely with your managers and a Ladder Coach on real-world projects, concluding in presentations of your work to the company. The program is fully virtual and usually spans 8 weeks, offering flexibility and accessibility for students worldwide.
3. NASA and UT Austin’s SEES Virtual Summer Intern Program
Location: Virtual and on-site (Austin, Texas) options available
Cost/Stipend: No cost; Unpaid (Upon completion, both virtual and on-site interns will receive a NASA certificate of completion)
Application Deadline: February 22
Program Dates: May 1 - July 22
Eligibility: Applicants must be current high school sophomores or juniors (rising juniors and seniors) who have not previously worked as a SEES intern. Must be 16 years old by July 1 and U.S. citizens.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Low selection rate
The NASA and UT Austin’s SEES Virtual Summer Intern Program offers high school students the opportunity to engage in hands-on projects and collaborate with NASA subject matter experts. The program includes virtual SEES distance learning activities starting around May 1, which must be completed by July 1 to remain eligible. Interns, both on-site and virtual, participate in themed projects, often with a focus on AI.
One notable project is "Architecting AI for Human Space Travel," where you can study challenges in AI development for deep space travel. This project involves the historical impact of AI on biological systems and its implications for space exploration. Led by a member of a U.S. federally recognized tribe, the project incorporates Indigenous Research Methods (IRMs), providing you with a comprehensive understanding of AI concepts and skills relevant to both your research and future careers.
Location: Virtual
Cost: $2,490
Application Deadline: Deadlines vary by cohort—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: Open to high school students with prior experience in AI/ML or those who have completed a Veritas AI program.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Small cohort for one-to-one mentoring
The Veritas AI Internship Program, founded and run by Harvard graduate students, offers high school students the chance to work on real-world AI/ML projects with VC-backed startups. Over the 8-week internship, you will collaborate directly with mentors from prestigious institutions and companies like Harvard, Wharton, Google, Microsoft, and McKinsey & Company.
This program is ideal for you if you are seeking practical experience in AI/ML and exposure to industry careers. You will participate in hands-on projects, network with industry professionals, and work closely with startup leadership. At the end of the internship, you will receive a letter of completion from the company.
5. Spark Summer Mentorship Program (SPARK SMP)
Location: Virtual, with additional opportunities in the Greater Seattle area, Washington
Cost/Stipend: No cost; Some projects offer stipends
Application Deadline: April 22 (tentative). Applications for summer 2025 will be available in March or April
Program Dates: Varies by opportunity, typically from May to August, lasting approximately 8 to 12 weeks.
Eligibility: High school students who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents and reside in the United States are eligible to apply
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 3-5% only
The Spark Summer Mentorship Program (SPARK SMP) provides high school students with hands-on, immersive internships. You can select between 1 to 5 projects that match your interests. The program features a variety of remote projects where students apply concepts from machine learning, artificial intelligence, and data visualization to real-world challenges. In 2024, the Data Engineering and AI for Real World Problems track offered opportunities to work on AI/ML applications, data pipelines, and predictive analytics to address industry issues.
You can interact with industry leaders, university professors, and mentors from various organizations. Past research topics included extreme weather conditions, software engineering, detecting tick-borne infections and cancers, ML workflows, quantum technologies, CHIPS/semiconductors (GaN/AIGaN), low-temperature electronics, competitive analysis, market research, data engineering and AI, social media content generation, and more.
6. ASPIRE by the Johns Hopkins University
Location: Virtual or in-person at Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, Maryland
Cost: Free
Application Deadline: February 15
Program Dates: June 24 - August 21
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors, aged 15 or older, with a minimum GPA of 2.8. Applicants must be permanent residents of the Washington-Baltimore metropolitan region.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 15%-20%
The ASPIRE program at Johns Hopkins University’s Applied Physics Laboratory offers high school juniors and seniors the chance to explore STEM careers before committing to a college major. You can collaborate with lab staff on projects, tackling real-world challenges while developing both technical and interpersonal skills. The program provides both in-person and virtual internship options, with virtual experiences conducted entirely online except for in-person tasks such as onboarding, equipment returns, and troubleshooting.
You can select an area of interest, and mentors and projects are assigned by the program. Subject areas include biology, chemistry, computer science, engineering, information technology, cybersecurity, mathematics, data analysis, physics, and planetary science. Your primary interest guides the review of your application, but secondary interests may also be considered for projects requiring specific skills.
7. George Mason University’s Aspiring Scientists Summer Internship Program
Location: Internships are offered in fully remote and hybrid formats. In-person opportunities are also available at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia
Cost/Stipend: No cost to participate, except for a $25 application fee (which may be waived based on financial need). Transport and housing are not covered. The internship is unpaid.
Application Deadline: February 2
Dates: June 18 – August 8
Eligibility:
- Interns for remote internships must be at least 15 years old by the program start date.
- Interns for in-person or hybrid internships in computer labs must also be at least 15 years old by the program start date.
- For in-person or hybrid wet-lab internships, interns must be at least 16 years old by the program start date.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive
The Aspiring Scientists Summer Internship Program provides high school students with the opportunity to collaborate directly with faculty researchers at George Mason University to develop their research projects. This 8-week internship offers practical experience with advanced equipment and technologies, helps improve scientific writing and communication skills, and allows you to explore various STEM career paths through professional discussions and meetings.
If you are interested in AI, research areas include electrical and computer engineering, information science and technology, serious games development, cybersecurity engineering, digital innovation, and more. Some projects to consider include Modeling and Simulation, Data Science, and Agent-Based Simulation, cognitive modeling. Ron S. Mahabir offers remote/online internships exclusively, focusing on research areas such as data science, earth observation, natural language processing, machine learning, and deep learning.
8. NASA’s GeneLab for High Schools (GL4HS) Program
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: Free; students receive a small stipend for miscellaneous expenses.
Application Deadline: Applications typically remain open for 3-4 weeks during January or February.
Program Dates: Program dates will be posted in January
Eligibility: Applicants must be at least 16 years old by December 31, 2025, entering their junior or senior year of high school in Fall 2025, have a GPA of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale, and have completed at least one high school biology course.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Low rate of acceptance. Approx 30 students selected per cohort.
Sponsored by NASA’s Ames Research Center, GL4HS focuses on omics-based bioinformatics research, including the analysis of complex biological data such as genetic codes. Throughout the program, you will study bioinformatics, scientific concepts, and critical thinking through interactive classes like "Molecular Biology and the Omics Revolution." Hands-on computer lab training with NASA’s GeneLab Data System allows you to apply these skills practically.
You’ll study organismal physiology in microgravity and NASA’s life sciences programs, interact with scientists and industry experts via guest lectures, networking opportunities, and virtual field trips. The program also features a research competition, with the top team presenting at the American Society for Gravitational and Space Research conference. Running virtually for four weeks from 8 AM to 3 PM (Pacific Time), Monday through Friday, the past cohort included 27 students, making the program highly selective.
Location: Virtual and on-site (NASA center) options available
Cost/Stipend: Varies depending on project
Application Deadlines: February 28 (Summer) and May 16 (Fall)
Program dates: Varies based on the intern position
Eligibility: High school student with a GPA of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale and a U.S. citizen
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Low rate of acceptance.
NASA’s Office of STEM Engagement (OSTEM) offers a variety of internship opportunities in STEM fields, focusing on space exploration and scientific research. As an OSTEM intern, you will work on projects under the mentorship of experienced NASA professionals. Internships can be either full-time or part-time and may take place at a NASA center or facility, or even be completed remotely from your home or dorm.
Your tasks may include conducting research, analyzing data, and contributing to ongoing projects. Current internship opportunities are available in fields such as AI & ML for Air Traffic Management, AR/VR for Science and Engineering, NASA Ames Astrobee Facility. For a list of available positions, visit the NASA OSTEM internship page.
10. Stanford AI4ALL
Location: Online
Cost: Application Fee: $0; Program Participation Fee: $4,000 (if accepted)
Application Deadlines: January 24
Program Dates: June 18 - July 2
Eligibility:
- 9th graders or rising 10th graders in the summer
- Must be over the age of 14 by the start of the program
- Preference for students with math and/or computer skills
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Moderate intake
Stanford AI4ALL is an immersive, two-week online program designed to foster diversity in artificial intelligence by engaging high school students in the field of AI. This program focuses on topics such as Robotics, Computer Vision, Medical AI, and Natural Language Processing, all while gaining hands-on experience through research projects and mentorship.
You will be mentored by professionals from the Stanford AI Lab, learn about the potential of AI in improving society, and develop skills in AI applications. By the end of the program, you will have gained exposure to various AI topics, developed practical skills through research projects, and received career development support to help guide your future in AI.
11. AI Internship with Amazon (AWS)
Location: Online
Cost: $399
Application Deadlines: TBA
Program Dates: TBA
Eligibility: Open to high school students in grades 8 to 12.No prior coding or computing background required
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Moderate intake
The AI Internship with Amazon (AWS) is a unique 4-week program designed for high school students in grades 8 to 12 who want to explore the fundamentals of AI. This hands-on experience combines live learning with an internship, where students learn about the logic and math behind key AI models that power technologies like chatbots, self-driving cars, and image recognition.
The program is taught, guided, and assessed by industry mentors from Amazon (AWS), providing you with exposure to the real-world applications of AI. As part of the program, you will also work on a social challenge, applying your knowledge to create an AI-driven solution. At the end of the program, you will be assessed and receive a certificate from Amazon (AWS) for your work on the project.