15 Psychiatry Internships for High School Students
If you’re already thinking about psychiatry in high school, internships can give you an early, more realistic sense of what the field actually involves. You get to move beyond learning about mental health through textbooks or general discussions and see how topics like diagnosis, treatment, research, and community care come together in real settings. At the same time, these experiences strengthen your resume and college profile, help you build relevant skills, and connect you with professionals working in mental health. With many programs run by universities, hospitals, research labs, and nonprofits, you’re able to learn in credible, organized environments without taking on the cost of a long-term commitment.
If you want to check out some inexpensive psychology internship options, find a list in our blog here!
Why should I participate in a psychiatry internship in high school?
A psychiatry-focused internship helps you move beyond a surface-level interest and start engaging with the field in a more focused way. You might explore areas like clinical psychiatry, neuroscience, behavioral health, youth mental health, or community-based care through research projects, seminars, mentorship, or outreach work. Some programs allow you to analyze data, contribute to ongoing research, design a capstone project, or present your work – giving you a clearer sense of how mental health is studied and applied. This kind of experience can significantly strengthen your college applications by showing depth of interest, initiative, and exposure to real-world problems. It also helps you figure out whether you’re more interested in patient care, research, psychology, or public health before choosing a major.
To help you cut through the noise, we’ve curated 15 psychiatry internships for high school students that offer strong mentorship, relevant mental health exposure, and hands-on experience.
Quick Look
15 internships total spanning clinical psychiatry, neuroscience research, youth mental health advocacy, and community-based care, hosted by organizations including Stanford University, the NIH, the American Psychological Association, and Columbia University
Stipends vary widely, from unpaid advocacy and shadowing roles to paid options like the NIH's Summer Internship Program (up to $2,840) and Stanford's CNI-X program, which costs between $1,725 and $3,325 depending on format
Standout programs include Stanford's Clinical Neuroscience Immersion Experience, which covers topics from early psychosis to brain stimulation, and BrainSTORM at Columbia University, which pairs a seminar series with a full year of research mentorship
Several programs focus specifically on youth mental health advocacy and peer support rather than clinical or lab settings, including Butterfly Dreamz, Bridges from Borders, and Thriving Asians, offering a meaningful path for students more drawn to outreach than research
Deadlines vary across the year, with some of the earliest falling in January for Child Mind Institute's Youth Mental Health Academy and BrainSTORM, so early planning is worthwhile for the most structured programs
1. Inspiring Careers in Mental Health - UT Southwestern
Location: Dallas, Texas
Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive; small cohort sizes
Dates: 2-week sessions typically scheduled in June
Application Deadline: Early February
Eligibility: Rising 10th–12th grade students
UT Southwestern’s psychiatry internship for high school students introduces you to the range of professional paths that exist within psychiatry and behavioral health. You engage with clinician-scientists from fields such as psychiatry, neuropsychology, social work, and physician assistant practice, giving you a clearer view of how mental health care is delivered from multiple angles. Before sessions, you complete guided readings that may include scientific articles, media pieces, and other topical materials. The sessions are interactive, so you can ask practical questions about training, daily responsibilities, and career decisions. You also get direct exposure to professionals who can explain how their roles differ within the broader mental health system.
2. Ladder Internship Program
Location: Remote
Cost/Stipend: Cost varies depending on the program type; financial aid is available / No stipend
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 10–25%; 70–100 students per cohort
Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year
Application Deadline: Deadlines vary depending on the cohort
Eligibility: High school students able to work for 5 - 10 hours/week, for 8-12 weeks
Ladder Internships can be a strong option if you want to explore how mental health, psychology, and behavioral science are applied outside a traditional hospital or university setting. You are matched with a startup based on your interests, which may include mental health technology, health tech, AI, marketing, analytics, or other fields where human behavior and user needs matter. During the internship, you work on a defined project under the guidance of a company manager and a Ladder Coach. Your tasks may involve research, user analysis, content strategy, data organization, or product-related work, depending on the startup’s focus. This structure helps you understand how mental health-related ideas can translate into real products, services, or outreach strategies. The final presentation to company stakeholders gives you practice explaining your work in a professional setting. Here is the application form.
3. American Psychological Association (APA): Remote Internship Program
Location: Multiple locations and remote options
Stipend: Paid and unpaid (academic credit) available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive; cohort size varies by department
Dates: Year-round (Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter terms)
Application Deadline: Rolling basis
Eligibility: High school students eligible to work in the U.S. (as verified by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s eVerify service) and residing in one of the states where APA is a registered employer; D.C. work permit required if under 18
This prestigious psychiatry internship for high school students gives you a professional introduction to psychology through work connected to research, policy, education, publishing, communications, and digital projects. Depending on your placement, you may support data-related tasks, help develop public-facing educational materials, assist with research organization, or contribute to department-specific initiatives. You work with a supervisor who helps define your responsibilities and learning goals. Some roles may also include workshops, meetings, or networking opportunities with psychology professionals. You get the chance to see how a national psychology organization applies mental health knowledge across policy, education, and communication.
4. National Institutes of Mental Health (NIH) - Summer Internship Program (SIP)
Location: Multiple NIH laboratories located across the U.S.
Stipend: Before graduation: $2,530; After graduation: $2,840
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly competitive; approximately 1,000 interns total across all NIH summer programs
Dates: 8 weeks starting mid-to-late May or June and ending in early August
Application Deadline: March 1
Eligibility: U.S. citizens or permanent residents who are 17 years of age or older on June 1 and turn 18 by September 30; must be currently enrolled at least half-time as a senior in high school
The NIH Summer Internship Program places you in a research environment where mental health, neuroscience, behavior, and biomedical science are studied at a high level. If matched with a relevant lab or branch, you may contribute to research connected to psychiatric disorders, brain development, neurobiology, clinical studies, or behavioral science. Your work can include reading scientific literature, learning research procedures, supporting data collection, or assisting with analysis under the guidance of an assigned mentor. The program is demanding, but it gives you a realistic look at how mental health research is conducted before findings reach clinical practice. You may also attend seminars and professional development sessions that build your understanding of research careers.
5. Child Mind Institute Youth Mental Health Academy
Location: Remote, In-person, or Hybrid for CA students
Stipend: $1,750
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive; cohort size not specified
Dates: Summer Academy: June 22 – July 23 | Year-Round Programming: August – March
Application Deadline: Early: January 15 | Final: February 28
Eligibility: High school students in California with an overall GPA of 2.5 or higher; Applicants should be from marginalized communities; details here
The Youth Mental Health Academy is designed for students who want sustained exposure to mental health science, communication, and community-based work. You begin by studying topics such as mental health disorders, treatment approaches, research methods, and career pathways through interactive lessons and discussions. A capstone project allows you to focus on a mental health issue that interests you and develop a structured final product with mentor support. During the academic year, you continue through workshops, mentor meetings, and college or career preparation activities. The second summer of this psychiatry internship for high school students moves into applied work through a placement with a community-based organization or research institution.
6. Prodigy Psychiatric Group – High School Internship Program
Location: San Jose, California
Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; cohort size not specified
Dates: Flexible; arranged directly with the organization
Application Deadline: Rolling applications
Eligibility: High school students, typically in their junior or senior year; interest in mental health and psychology
In this program, you'll join Prodigy Psychiatric Group's unpaid internship as a high school student exploring careers in psychiatry and mental health. Through educational workshops, you learn foundational concepts in psychiatry, psychology, ethics, and patient confidentiality. You shadow licensed psychiatrists, therapists, and case managers to observe clinical work, patient interactions, and therapeutic practices firsthand. Guided by a mentor, you complete a research project on a mental health topic such as anxiety or depression, culminating in a presentation. You also explore holistic treatment approaches, including mindfulness and wellness practices, while building communication and active-listening skills through structured training. The program may include community mental health outreach activities.
7. Butterfly Dreamz Teen Mental Health Ambassadors
Location: Gary, IN & Newark, NJ
Stipend: $720
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; cohort size not specified
Dates: 6 months, part-time
Application Deadline: February 1
Eligibility: Current high school students who live or go to school in Lake County, IN (Gary) or Essex County, NJ (Newark)
Butterfly Dreamz’s Teen Mental Health Ambassadors program focuses on youth leadership, peer advocacy, and community-based mental health work. You help plan mental health initiatives that respond to the needs of teens in your local community. The program also includes Teen Mental Health First Aid certification, which gives you training in recognizing and responding to mental health concerns in an appropriate, peer-supportive way. You may gather and analyze community data, speak about teen mental health needs, and collaborate with other youth leaders. This psychiatry internship for high school students is especially relevant if you are interested in the subject from a prevention, advocacy, or public health perspective.
8. Clinical Neuroscience Immersion Experience (CNI-X) at Stanford University
Location: Virtual and In-person (Stanford, CA)
Cost/Stipend: Virtual: $1,725; In-person: $3,325 / No stipend
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective; 8–10 students per team
Dates: Virtual Session 1: June 8–19 | Virtual Session 2: June 22 – July 3 | In-person Session 1: July 6–17 | In-person Session 2: July 20–31
Application Deadline: March 1 (Rolling)
Eligibility: High school students aged 14–18
Stanford’s Clinical Neuroscience Immersion Experience introduces you to neuroscience, psychiatry, psychology, and behavioral science through faculty-led seminars and collaborative project work. You explore topics such as clinical neuropsychiatry, psychiatric epidemiology, behavioral neuroscience, brain stimulation, sleep, addiction, early psychosis, and mental health innovation. The program also includes discussions about careers in medicine and science, giving you context for how psychiatry connects with research and clinical practice. In small groups, you work on a capstone-style project focused on a social or clinical issue related to the brain, behavior, or mental health. The final capstone presentation gives you experience communicating ideas to peers, families, faculty, and program staff.
9. Positive Results Center Mental Health Ambassador Program
Location: Lawndale/Los Angeles area, CA
Stipend: Paid, amount not disclosed
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; cohort size not specified
Dates: 12 weeks
Application Deadline: Rolling basis
Eligibility: High school students and young adults, with a specific focus on empowering youth from Black and Brown communities to become advocates and peer leaders
Positive Results Center’s Mental Health Ambassador Program combines mental health education with leadership and workforce development. You study topics such as trauma, anxiety, depression, stigma, PTSD, and the social and economic factors that shape access to care. This psychiatry internship for high school students uses culturally grounded education, peer-led learning, expert workshops, and art-based activities to help you understand mental health in a community context. Each cohort is asked to develop and deliver an in-person mental health education workshop. You also build skills in facilitation, public speaking, peer mentorship, and outreach.
10. AIM Youth Mental Health – Ideas Lab
Location: Virtual/remote
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; cohort size not specified
Dates: 10 weeks in Fall and Spring
Application Deadline: November
Eligibility: High school students (grades 9–12) who live in or attend school in California or Arizona
In this program, you join a virtual, youth-led mental health research program alongside high school peers from across California. Over 10 weeks, you investigate youth mental health issues through a psychiatric and behavioral health lens. You learn qualitative and quantitative research methods, design a peer survey, and distribute it to fellow students. Youth mental health researchers and professionals then guide you as you analyze the results and compare findings with other AIM Ideas Lab cohorts. You help write a final research report and present recommendations to educators, parents, policymakers, and community members. Along the way, you build survey design, data analysis, and public communication skills relevant to psychiatry and mental health.
11. JSSA High School Internship
Location: Washington, D.C.
Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive; cohort size not specified
Dates: Flexible; 12–16 hours/week throughout school year or summer
Application Deadline: Rolling basis
Eligibility: High school students who can live, work, and commute to JSSA locations within the National Capital Region
JSSA’s High School Internship introduces you to the operations of a human services nonprofit that supports mental health, disability services, aging services, family support, and community care. You may attend meetings, support program preparation, assist with administrative or outreach tasks, and observe how staff coordinate services across departments. Depending on your interests, you may also help with presentations, trainings, reports, data-related work, or summer program support. You are expected to be independent and responsible, since the structure allows students to shape their path across different parts of the organization. One valuable feature is the opportunity to observe case consultations and multidisciplinary collaboration when available.
12. Bridges from Borders – YouthVoice: Mental Health Ambassadors
Location: Western New York region, New York (program combines mandatory online orientation and training sessions with community-based projects)
Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; small, dedicated cohort
Dates: Full academic year (two semesters)
Application Deadline: Rolling basis
Eligibility: High school students in grades 8–12 residing in the Western New York region
As a Mental Health Ambassador, you engage directly with youth mental health advocacy through Bridges from Borders' YouthVoice program. You begin with a mandatory online orientation before completing interactive training sessions covering diversity and inclusion, communication and assertiveness, healthy relationships, and topics such as stress management, anxiety reduction, and eating disorders. You complete a reflective "Talk and Listen" storytelling assignment that builds empathy and active-listening skills. You then join an existing BFB youth initiative, such as #MyStory or #OneWorld, or help develop a new community mental health project. Outstanding ambassadors may also facilitate the Healing Yourself, Healing the Community workshop series. You complete a minimum of 40 volunteer hours and earn an official Mental Health Ambassador Certificate.
13. Brain Seminar for Teens and Opportunities for Research Mentorship (BrainSTORM)
Location: Columbia University, New York City (NYC), New York; Virtual or hybrid options
Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective; up to 25 students
Dates: Seminar Series: November – June (Monthly) | Mentorship Program: June – May (one-year duration)
Application Deadline: January 1
Eligibility: High school students in grades 9-12
BrainSTORM introduces high school students to the study of the brain through seminars and a mentored research pathway. The monthly seminar series covers brain-related topics such as neuropsychology, neurology, neuropathology, neuroimaging, cognitive experiments, and neurological conditions. If selected for the mentorship component, you work with a mentor to shape a guided research project that may be virtual, hybrid, or connected to an existing school-based research requirement. The mentorship experience also helps you learn how to ask a researchable question and develop a project over time. At the final symposium, you present your work in a poster session, which gives you formal research communication experience.
14. Ryan Bartel Foundation – The FORT Ambassadors Program
Location: Loudoun County, Virginia
Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; ~45 ambassadors
Dates: Year-long program running through May; in-person FORT Ambassadors Training in Summer,, monthly virtual meetings, and a concluding Ambassador Showcase in May
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: Rising 10th- through 12th-grade high school students; includes public, private, and homeschool students; residing in Loudoun County, Virginia
As a FORT Ambassador, you gain firsthand exposure to youth mental health advocacy under the guidance of psychologists Dr. Lacey Rosenbaum and Dr. Cameron Caswell. You earn certification in Teen Mental Health First Aid and Sources of Strength, learning to recognize signs of psychological distress and respond with appropriate support. You attend monthly virtual meetings, complete in-person training, and volunteer four or more hours monthly supporting Ryan Bartel Foundation programs, events, and social media outreach. You lead an independent Impact Project addressing mental wellness in your school or community, while developing communication skills through youth advocacy content, presentations, and school outreach. By program's end, you'll have earned 40+ service hours, a Certificate of Completion, and a Letter of Recommendation.
15. Thriving Asians – Youth Mental Health Ambassadorship
Location: Fully virtual
Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; small cohort
Dates: October – May
Application Deadline: Fall
Eligibility: High school students; strong ties to a community of choice (school, student club, cultural affinity group, or faith youth group) to host the workshop
As a Youth Mental Health Ambassador, you train as a peer mental health advocate, educator, liaison, and supporter with a focus on Asian community mental health, i.e., direct preparation for a psychiatry or mental health career path. You attend biweekly virtual group sessions covering Asian community mental health, peer education and support, stakeholder outreach, and project implementation, taught by mentors and expert guest speakers who introduce interdisciplinary mental health careers. You also receive individualized guidance through monthly one-on-one mentor meetings. Your capstone is leading the signature "Redefining Mental Health: A Foundation for Success" workshop, a 1–2 hour peer-led event in your chosen community. You build facilitation, advocacy, and project-coordination skills.
Questions Students Often Ask About These Programs
1. A lot of these programs focus on research or clinical shadowing. Are there options here if I'm more interested in mental health advocacy or outreach?
Yes, several programs are built specifically around advocacy and community work rather than clinical or lab settings. Butterfly Dreamz's Teen Mental Health Ambassadors, Bridges from Borders' YouthVoice program, and Thriving Asians' Youth Mental Health Ambassadorship all center on peer education, outreach, and leading community workshops. These are strong options if you're more drawn to prevention and public health than to bench research or shadowing clinicians.
2. Some programs, like Stanford's CNI-X, have a cost, while others are free. How should I weigh that when deciding where to apply?
Consider what each program offers relative to its cost. Stanford's CNI-X is a paid program, but it gives you faculty-led exposure to specialized topics like psychiatric epidemiology and brain stimulation that are hard to find elsewhere. Free options like the NIH's Summer Internship Program and the AIM Youth Mental Health Ideas Lab offer strong research experience without a cost barrier, and several also provide a stipend. If cost is a limiting factor, prioritizing the free or stipend-paying programs first is a reasonable approach, since they can offer comparable depth depending on your interests.
3. I'm interested in psychiatry but I'm only a freshman or sophomore. Are any of these accessible to me?
Yes, a few programs are open earlier in high school. UT Southwestern's Inspiring Careers in Mental Health program accepts rising 10th graders, and AIM Youth Mental Health's Ideas Lab is open to students starting in 9th grade. BrainSTORM's seminar series is also open across grades 9 through 12, even though the mentorship track is more selective. Starting with one of these earlier on can help you build a stronger application for more competitive programs like Stanford's CNI-X or the NIH's SIP once you're a junior or senior.