10 Online Biology Internships for High School Students
Internships provide valuable experience and insights into your chosen field, helping you build a competitive edge for college and future careers. Virtual internships offer flexibility and accessibility, allowing you to gain meaningful experience without geographic limitations. For students interested in biology, there are internships in areas like molecular biology, genetics, environmental conservation, and biomedical research. These opportunities allow you to develop skills in research, data analysis, and scientific communication. A virtual internship in biology enables you to gain experience from home, which can help you learn about the practical applications of the field.
Here are 10 virtual biology internships for high school students to consider!
1. Ladder Internship Program
Cost: Varies depending on program type. Full financial aid available.
Location: Remote! You can work from anywhere in the world.
Application Deadline: Deadlines vary depending on the cohort. Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September), and Winter (November).
Program Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year, including Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter.
Eligibility: Students who can work for 10-20 hours/week for 8-12 weeks. Open to high school students, undergraduates, and gap year students!
Ladder Internships is a selective start-up internship program for ambitious high school students! In the program, you work with a high-growth start-up on an internship. Start-ups that offer internships range across a variety of industries, from tech/deep tech and AI/ML to health tech, marketing, journalism, consulting, and more. Ladder’s start-ups are high-growth companies on average, raising over a million dollars. Interns work closely with their manager at the startup on real-world projects and present their work to the company. The virtual internship is usually 8 weeks long.
2. Stanford Center for Artificial Intelligence in Medicine & Imaging Summer Research Internship
Program dates: June 17–28
Application deadline: Applications close around the end of March every year.
Eligibility: High school students above the age of 14 who are enrolled in high school. They must be U.S. citizens who have a strong math and CS background
Cost/Stipend: None
The Stanford Center for Artificial Intelligence in Medicine and Imaging (AIMI) offers a selective research opportunity for students interested in artificial intelligence and medicine. For a total of two weeks, you will get the chance to work with like-minded peers and experienced scientists. You’ll get to know the fundamentals of AI in healthcare while being mentored by top Stanford faculty and researchers to work on a hands-on group research project. Additionally, you will get to participate in multiple social events to network with peers as well as attend guest lectures from speakers working in a diverse set of industries that will aid your career decisions. By the end of the program, you would have contributed significantly to novel research in the exciting space of AI in healthcare and be awarded a certificate signifying your achievement.
3. ASPIRE by Johns Hopkins
Program dates: June 25–August 22.
Application deadline: Applications close in February
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors who are at least 15 years old and have a minimum 2.8 GPA can apply. You should be a U.S. citizen who’s a resident of the Washington-Baltimore Metro area.
Stipend: None
The ASPIRE program is offered by Johns Hopkins’ Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) for students interested in STEM to gain exposure to careers in the field before college. You can choose any area of placement according to your interest; a few of the areas are biology, chemistry, engineering, planetary science, and more. As an intern, you will be paired with an APL staff member who will serve as your mentor and help you work on projects, engage in problem-solving, and develop hands-on skills to thrive in a professional setting. The internship will end with a digital submission of your ASPIRE research project posters. This is a prestigious opportunity with only a 5% acceptance rate for highly sought-after placements like biology.
4. The Johns Hopkins Internship in Brain Science Program (JHIBS)
Program Dates: July to August
Application Deadline: March 1st every year
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors from around the country
Cost: Virtual interns will receive $500 as a stipend.
JHIBS, offered by Johns Hopkins, is a 5-week virtual research program for high school students interested in neuroscience who want exposure to the field. The program is targeted at students who are from underrepresented communities and aims to expose them to hands-on research in the field. Alongside research, you’ll engage in science-related activities and develop basic laboratory skills. While the virtual internship does not include a personal research project, you will get to participate in research under the guidance and mentorship of leading researchers in the field. You will get to take part in discussions, scientific seminars, weekly personal and professional development sessions, and interactions with leading neuroscientists. This is a wonderful opportunity to explore your interest in the field before committing to it.
5. George Mason University Aspiring Scientists Summer Internship Program (ASSIP)
Program dates: June 18–August 9
Application deadline: Usually in February.
Eligibility: High school students should be at least 15 years old at the start of the program.
Cost/Stipend: None; however, there is an application fee of $25
ASSIP is an 8-week internship for students interested in STEM to gain experience in research while developing their scientific communication. As a part of the program, you will work with a faculty researcher who will serve as your mentor. You can choose your mentor according to your areas of interest and whether they are available to offer you a remote internship opportunity. During the program, you will get the chance to become acquainted with cutting-edge equipment and technologies, hone your scientific writing, and explore STEM careers through talks and meetings. The program wraps up with the annual ASSIP Research Symposium and Celebration. One of the major benefits is that participants have the opportunity to have their names published in scientific journals and present their work at scientific conferences.
6. NASA Office of STEM Engagement (OSTEM) Internships
Program dates: There are three available sessions: Spring session (Mid-January - Early May), Summer Session (Early June- August), Fall session (Early September - December)
Application deadline: August 23 (Spring), October 25 (Summer), February 28 (Summer II), and May 16 (Fall)
Eligibility: High school students with a minimum 3.0 GPA who are at least 16 years old.
Cost/Stipend: A stipend is paid
If you are curious about technology and space, the NASA OSTEM High School Internship Program is a prestigious opportunity to learn about space microbiology and bioengineering. You will work with advanced concepts and research related to space exploration and science. You will get to contribute and be a part of the ongoing research at the NASA facility in the area of your choice. You’ll gain hands-on experience by applying theoretical knowledge to real-world problem-solving and working with experts who are NASA’s top scientists and staff. Alongside the research component, you will also receive personal and professional development guidance and training. There are both virtual and personal options, depending on the internship profile applied for. You can check out the open OSTEM intern opportunities here.
7. SPARK Summer Internship Program
Program dates: June–August
Eligibility: High school students enrolled in the US.
Application deadline: TBA
Cost/Stipend: Up to $500 offered
SPARK SIP is an 8- to 10-week paid opportunity for students to work on projects in various fields with industry experts, professors, and community leaders in a professional setting. There are opportunities available in fields such as biology, engineering, and computer science, as well as a blend of all three disciplines. The program is offered both virtually and in person in the Greater Seattle Area and is an extremely selective program. Each intern profile has its own set of requirements. Each project under the program comes with its own requirements. Some of the internships that have been offered have been related to DNA sequence classification based on electrical signatures, detecting tick-borne infections and cancers, extreme weather conditions, and more. Moreover, SPARK provides opportunities and resources that you can utilize for the benefit of your college applications.
8. Medicine Encompassed
Program Dates: Internships are available throughout the school year
Application Deadline: Rolling basis.
Eligibility: All high school students who are interested in biology and medicine-related fields
Cost/Stipend: None
This internship aims to help you explore medicine through research, writing, and creating content focused on medical education. Multiple general and executive positions are available, such as writers, resource creators, researchers, and marketers, across 18 different committees. Your tasks will revolve around creating content that will contribute to medical knowledge in the form of a curriculum. This might involve investigating medical subjects, composing informative articles or guides, and creating educational materials for others to learn about different medical fields. Additionally, you can participate in the 'Project Cultivation' outreach initiative, which strives to enhance awareness and accessibility of medical education.
9. Forage Virtual Internships
Program Dates: Flexible dates
Application Deadline: Flexible, on a rolling basis
Eligibility: Available for all high school students
Cost/Stipend: None
Forage Virtual Internships are an opportunity for students looking to gain work experience and learn about their field of interest. Forage offers flexible 5- to 6-hour internships at top companies and firms to gain short yet practical exposure to professional careers in the field. If you have an interest in biology, you can participate in job simulations at Pfizer, APM, Thermo Fisher, and more. The simulations are great and insightful to help you gauge your interest in a career in the field and make the decision to commit to it or not. Forage is a great opportunity for high school students; it’s accessible, free of charge, and has multiple options to explore.
10. SHTEM: Summer Internships for High Schoolers
Program dates: June 17 - August 9
Application Deadline: Applications typically close in January.
Eligibility: High school students enrolled in grades 11th and 12th who are above the age of 14 at the time of application.
Cost: None
Stanford's SHTEM: Summer Internship Program, hosted by one of the most prestigious universities in the world, is a solid opportunity for high school students interested in biology and related fields. You will spend time working on collaborative group projects with like-minded peers and gaining hands-on experience by conducting research. For those interested in biology, the program has an intensive and integrated curriculum relevant to biotechnology, from molecular biology and genetics to bioprocessing and bioinformatics. Additionally, you will work under Stanford’s distinguished faculty members, who will serve as your mentors for your research and guide you through the process. The course nurtures critical experimental skills, data analysis, and problem-solving, and provides an interdisciplinary perspective that is beneficial to foster skills to apply in real-world settings.
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