13 Remote Internships for High School Students
Internships are one of the most effective ways for high school students to gain practical experience, strengthen their resumes, and explore potential career paths before college. By working on projects, you develop professional communication, time management, and problem-solving skills that can give you a competitive edge in future applications. Remote internships make these opportunities even more accessible by removing geographic barriers, allowing you to collaborate with mentors, startups, and research teams from anywhere in the world.
For students interested in flexible, project-based learning, remote internships offer a chance to apply classroom concepts to work environments. You can explore industries like finance, data analytics, marketing, computer science, and more, all while balancing your academic schedule. Additionally, remote internships can boost personal growth by encouraging independence. To help you find the best fit, we’ve compiled 13 remote internships for high school students.
1. Johns Hopkins Internship in Brain Sciences (JHIBS)
Location: Remote
Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective; up to 8 students per in-person cohort
Dates: July – August (5 weeks)
Application Deadline: March 1
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors
The Johns Hopkins Internship in Brain Sciences (JHIBS) is a research-intensive experience focused on neuroscience, designed to provide exposure to academic and clinical research environments. As a participant, you’ll conduct experiments under the mentorship of Johns Hopkins neuroscientists, assist with data collection and analysis, and explore topics in cognitive and behavioral neuroscience. You’ll also attend weekly seminars on neurobiology and research methods, culminating in a final poster or oral presentation of your findings. This structured experience makes JHIBS one of the most prestigious and academically rigorous remote internships for high school students in neuroscience and related fields.
2. Ladder Internships
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
Dates: Multiple cohorts year-round, including Summer, Fall, Winter, and Spring
Application Deadline: Varies by cohort; January (Spring), May (Summer), September (Fall), and November (Winter)
Eligibility: High school students, undergraduates, and gap-year students able to commit 10 – 20 hours per week for 8 – 12 weeks
The Ladder Internship Program connects students with high-growth startups for structured, remote internships across industries such as technology, AI, finance, marketing, and consulting. You’ll work on live business projects like financial analysis, product design, or data-driven strategy, and present your work to company founders and executives at the end of the program. The program pairs you with two mentors: a startup leader and a Ladder Coach (often from firms like Google, McKinsey, or Goldman Sachs) who provides ongoing guidance and feedback. The experience focuses on developing professional communication, critical thinking, and project management skills in real-world contexts.
3. Spark Summer Mentorship Program (SPARK SMP)
Location: Virtual, with additional opportunities in Greater Seattle, WA
Cost/Stipend: No cost / Some projects offer stipends
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective (3–5%); about 50 – 100 students
Dates: May – August (8–10 weeks, depending on project)
Application Deadline: Typically May
Eligibility: High school students who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents
The Spark Summer Mentorship Program (SPARK SMP) is a research-oriented virtual internship that connects high school students with mentors from universities and the tech industry. You’ll collaborate on advanced projects in AI, machine learning, data science, and computational modeling, developing skills in algorithm design, statistical analysis, and coding. Each student can work on up to five projects, with past research areas spanning disease prediction, extreme weather modeling, and quantum computing. Some projects also provide stipends for exceptional work. The internship is apt for high school students seeking to explore cutting-edge computing and data-driven problem-solving.
4. EDIT AI Summer Internship Program – Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center
Location: Remote
Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive; cohort size not specified
Dates: June 13 – August 31
Application Deadline: April 15
Eligibility: High school students with prior coursework or experience in computer science
The EDIT AI Summer Internship Program offers an opportunity for high school students to explore how machine learning and artificial intelligence can advance healthcare. You’ll work remotely with medical researchers and data scientists to develop and test algorithms for clinical decision support. Projects may involve medical imaging analysis, natural language processing (NLP), and predictive modeling using tools like Python and R. You will also present your research findings to healthcare professionals at the end of the term. This selective program stands out among remote internships for high school students for its focus on applied AI and data science in medicine.
5. Smithsonian Science Education Center (SSEC) Internships
Location: Remote or hybrid at the Smithsonian Science Education Center, Washington, D.C.
Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly competitive; limited placements available
Dates: 8–10 week cohorts, including Summer (June – August), Spring (September – December), Winter/Spring (January – May)
Application Deadline: Varies as per cohort; Summer: around February 1st or March; Fall and Spring: typically in July and October, respectively
Eligibility: High school students aged 16+
The Smithsonian Science Education Center (SSEC) Internship provides students with the opportunity to contribute to STEM education and science communication initiatives on a national scale. As an intern, you’ll collaborate with education specialists and media teams to develop digital learning tools, manage content calendars, and support outreach campaigns. Depending on your placement, you might work on science writing, graphic design, or social media analytics using platforms such as Adobe Creative Suite and Canva. The program blends creativity and research, helping you understand how large organizations promote scientific literacy through digital engagement.
6. Aspiring Scientists Summer Internship Program (ASSIP) – George Mason University
Location: Virtual and Fairfax, VA
Cost/Stipend: $25 application fee; waivers available for financial need / No stipend
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; limited spots available each year
Dates: June 18 – August 8
Application Deadline: February 2
Eligibility: Remote/in-person computer lab interns must be 15+; wet-lab interns must be 16+
The Aspiring Scientists Summer Internship Program (ASSIP) at George Mason University offers high school students an opportunity to work with faculty researchers on advanced STEM projects. Through virtual and in-person options, you’ll explore fields such as cybersecurity, data science, electrical engineering, and computational modeling, using tools like Python, R, or MATLAB. You will perform data analysis, mathematical modeling, and statistical research, while also strengthening your ability to write and present scientific papers. This eight-week program blends mentorship, independent research, and technical training, making it one of the most academically focused remote internships for high school students in STEM.
7. Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage Internships
Location: Remote
Stipend: Paid, amount not specified
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective; >100 interns every year
Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year, including Summer, Fall, and Winter/Spring
Application Deadline: Varies as per cohort
Eligibility: High school students who are at least 14 years old
The Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage offers internships that provide experience in cultural research, heritage preservation, and public outreach within fields such as cultural anthropology, ethnomusicology, folklore, and museum studies. You may engage in a variety of roles, including assisting with the Smithsonian Folklife Festival, contributing to Smithsonian Folkways Recordings, or working with the Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives. Their duties typically involve conducting research, organizing and digitizing archival collections, creating digital media content, and supporting educational programs. Guided by professional staff, these internships offer valuable opportunities to document and interpret cultural traditions and may focus on either public engagement or archival and production work.
8. Stanford AIMI Summer Research Internship – Center for Artificial Intelligence in Medicine and Imaging
Location: Virtual and In-Person (Stanford University, CA)
Cost/Stipend: $850 + $40 application fee; financial aid is available / No stipend
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective; 25 students
Dates: June 16 – 27
Application Deadline: February 28
Eligibility: High school students (14+), U.S. residents
The Stanford AIMI Summer Research Internship provides a two-week introduction to artificial intelligence and its medical applications. Under the mentorship of Stanford researchers, you’ll explore topics in deep learning, image processing, and algorithm development for disease detection. The program includes lectures, group coding projects, and collaborative research exercises focused on how machine learning supports clinical decision-making. You will also join “Career Lunch and Learn” sessions with professionals from academia, government, and nonprofits to understand diverse AI career paths. With its dual online and on-campus structure, AIMI combines computer science, medicine, and applied research.
9. Stanford SHTEM (Summer Internships for High Schoolers)
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: None, but a $50 application fee is required; need-based fee waivers are available / No stipend
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly competitive; 60 students
Dates: June – August
Application Deadline: Typically, March
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors who will be at least 14 years old by June 1
The SHTEM program is a highly selective, fully virtual 8-week summer internship designed for high school juniors and seniors to engage deeply in interdisciplinary research across science, humanities, technology, engineering, and mathematics. You dedicate 30-40 hours weekly working in small teams guided by Stanford faculty, graduate students, or staff, collaborating on projects that blend multiple fields such as computer science, linguistics, biology, and design. The program balances rigorous technical training with cooperative problem-solving, culminating in public presentations of research projects that highlight both technical expertise and communication skills. It offers nationwide applicants a rare chance for mentorship, hands-on experience, and networking within a prestigious academic environment.
10. Foreign Policy Research Institute (FPRI) – High School Internship
Location: Remote
Stipend: Unpaid; financial-need-based stipends available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective; cohort size varies as per session
Dates: Spring: February – May; Summer: June – August; Fall: September – December
Application Deadline: Varies as per cohort; Spring: December; Fall: July; Summer: March
Eligibility: High school students with strong writing and research skills who are authorised to work in the US
The FPRI High School Internship immerses students in the world of international relations, security studies, and global policy research. Working with FPRI scholars, you’ll conduct literature reviews, draft policy briefs, and analyze data related to ongoing global issues. You will gain experience in academic research methods, critical analysis, and professional writing. Exceptional participants may publish their work on the FPRI Intern Corner, an online platform featuring student-authored research on current foreign policy challenges. With its academic rigor and policy relevance, this program ranks among the most prestigious remote internships for high school students interested in political science and global affairs.
11. EnergyMag Journalism Internship
Location: Virtual and in-person (depending on placement)
Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective; cohort size not specified
Dates: Flexible; internships typically run 1–9 months and can align with winter schedules
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions
Eligibility: High school sophomores to seniors with a GPA above 3.25 | At least one honors-level science or English class preferred (exceptions possible)
The EnergyMag Journalism Internship offers students the opportunity to develop writing and research skills while exploring the intersection of energy, technology, and environmental policy. As an intern, you’ll contribute to articles on topics such as renewable energy, climate innovation, and sustainable infrastructure. You’ll receive mentorship from experienced editors, participate in editorial meetings, and learn the fundamentals of digital journalism, media analysis, and content strategy. Many interns see their work published on the EnergyMag platform, giving them tangible bylines and portfolio pieces. This internship stands out among remote internships for high school students for its focus on science-based reporting and sustainability communication.
12. Inspiring Careers in Mental Health Internship – University of Texas Southwestern
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Very competitive; 15-20 students per session
Dates: June 1 – 5; June 8 – 12
Application Deadline: Early February
Eligibility: Rising 10th-12th graders who live either in the United States or on a U.S. armed forces base or diplomatic post
The Inspiring Careers in Mental Health Internship is a two-week program introducing students to a wide range of professions within the mental health field. You’ll participate in online sessions with psychiatrists, social workers, and neuropsychologists to learn about the clinical and research aspects of mental health care. The program covers key areas such as community psychiatry, psychotherapy, interventional psychiatry, and neuropsychological testing, offering a comprehensive look at how mental health services are delivered. By engaging directly with medical professionals, you’ll gain valuable exposure to career paths in psychology and neuroscience.
13. American Psychological Association (APA) Internships
Location: Virtual
Stipend: Paid and unpaid (academic credit) positions available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive; cohort size varies by department
Dates: Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter sessions (dates vary by placement)
Application Deadline: Rolling; applications accepted through APA’s Internship Portal
Eligibility: Eligible to work in the U.S. and reside in a state where APA is registered as an employer | Enrolled at least part-time in an academic institution | Students under 18 must submit a D.C. Work Permit with their application
The American Psychological Association (APA) Internships provide high school and college students with professional experience in psychology-related fields such as research, policy, education, communications, and publishing. You will work under the supervision of APA staff, contributing to projects in data analysis, program evaluation, and public outreach. Depending on your placement, you might help design educational resources, assist with advocacy initiatives, or support ongoing research efforts. The program also includes collaborative projects and professional development workshops to strengthen workplace and analytical skills. With its broad range of focus areas and flexible remote structure, the APA program stands out among remote internships for high school students interested in understanding how psychology is applied beyond clinical settings.
Image Source - Johns Hopkins Medicine Logo