15 Research Internships for High School Students

If you are passionate about a certain subject, doing research in that field is a fantastic way to explore your interests. Conducting research can help you build a set of useful skills that come in hand later, besides helping you dive into a subject you’re interested in and getting you started on your career.

Research, or a research internship, is also a smart way to build your resume and boost your college applications. Such opportunities can give you practical experience in research and provide clarity about your field while also making it easier to understand and apply theoretical concepts. Admissions officers view research internships positively as applications to these internships are quite competitive, and getting in is a sign of your skills and dedication towards the subjects! To help you get started, we’ve compiled a list of 15 research internships for high school students.

1. Stanford Institutes of Medicine Summer Research Program (SIMR)

Location: Stanford University, Stanford, CA.
Eligibility: Current juniors or seniors who are at least 16 years of age are eligible.
Application deadline: February 24, 2024
Program dates: June 10, 2024 - August 1, 2024
Stipend: Students earn a stipend of $500 - $2,500. Housing and transportation are not provided.
Please note: There is a $40 application fee, which can be waived. Stipends of $2500 and above are given on a needs-based system from special grants.

SIMR, a prestigious 8-week program, offers both internship and research components. Students will get to collaborate one-on-one with a mentor, a Stanford graduate student or a postdoctoral fellow, and engage in hands-on research. You will have to select one of eight study fields – Immunology, Neurobiology, Cancer Biology, Bioengineering, Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Cardiovascular Biology, Bioinformatics and Genetics and Genomics. You will be mentored by imminent scholars, researchers, and Ph.D. fellows in the field of medicine. This is a competitive program with a cohort size of about 50 students – at an acceptance rate of less than 3% (approximately).

A majority of the program will be spent in full-time lab work. During the last 2 weeks of the program, you will work on your research poster of your project, which you present to your peers, teachers, family and the Stanford community at the end of the program. Each branch has a slightly different internship structure to help you get the best exposure to that branch, so be sure to read through the internship structures carefully.

2. High School Summer Internship Program (HS-SIP) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Note: Part of the HS-SIP are two programs, High School Scientific Training and Enrichment Program (HiSTEP) and HiSTEP 2.0.
Location: Students can choose from NIH campuses across the country. The NIH campus and labs are located in Bethesda, Baltimore and Frederick, MD; Research Triangle Park, NC; Hamilton, MT; Framingham, MA; and Phoenix, AZ.
Eligibility: Students who are high school juniors or seniors at the time of application (or have recently graduated), and are 17 years or older on June 15, 2024, may apply. Do look through all the eligibility requirements before applying. There are some additional requirements for HiSTEP and HiSTEP 2.0.
Application deadline: February 1, every year.
Program dates: Minimum 8 weeks in summer, information on exact dates is not available.
Stipend: $2,300-2,530 (for students currently in high school) | $2,570-2,840 (for students who have graduated high school)

NIH offers a suite of summer internship programs for high school students in the scientific realm. HS-SIP is a unique opportunity for students to engage in hands-on biomedical research alongside leading scientists and mentors. In it, you will work on ongoing research projects, analyze data, and acquire essential laboratory skills. 

HiSTEP partners with renowned research institutions to help you dive into cutting-edge scientific investigations across diverse disciplines. HiSTEP is not a hands-on, full-time research program. It will combine an introduction to scientific, professional, and personal skills with leadership training, wellness programming, and an exploration of STEM-M, and it will help prepare you for future scholarships and internships. 

HiSTEP 2.0, an advanced continuation program, offers an in-depth exploration of scientific research. Tailored for students who have completed HiSTEP or similar research experiences, HiSTEP 2.0 allows you to design and conduct independent research projects under the guidance of mentor scientists in the field of biomedicine. You will also participate in weekly workshops and seminars aimed at developing your scientific, professional, and personal skills.  

3. QuarkNet Summer Research Program by Fermilab

Location: Varies depending on lab choice.
Eligibility: Open to high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors who are U.S. citizens or those who have a permanent resident status with Illinois high school enrollment. Proof of medical insurance is required.
Application Deadline: January 15, 2024
Program Dates: June 17, 2024 – August 2, 2024
Stipend: $16.20 per hour

Fermilab offers this 7-week summer internship program where students interested in engineering physics can contribute to Fermilab research. Fermilab operates under the U.S Department of Energy, and is America’s premier lab for particle physics research. This internship’s association with the government makes it a prestigious choice for students keen on these STEM fields. The lab’s area of interest is particle physics and accelerator research, and as an intern you will work on projects involving particle physics, particle accelerators and detectors, computer and quantum science to analyze data that is used for understanding the fundamental nature of the universe. As an intern, you will also be responsible for data collection through entrance and exit surveys, writing the team’s research abstract and giving oral presentations! 

4. Science and Engineering Apprenticeship Program (SEAP) at the Department of Navy (DoN)

Location: There are several lab locations to choose from across the country.
Eligibility: High school students who have completed at least grade 9, are at least 16 years old when the internship begins, can apply. Graduating seniors are eligible as well. There is room for some exceptions. Students are recommended to check whether their preferred lab choice has any other particular requirements.
Application deadline: Applications open in August and close on November 1st every year.
Program dates: Eight weeks in the summer. Exact dates vary depending on the lab you choose.
Stipend: $4,000 (new participant) | $4,500 (returning participant)
Cost: There are no registration costs, however, housing, meals, transportation, and medical expenses are not covered. You can expect to have to travel to and from your lab, depending on your placement.

SEAP is a prestigious research-focused program that places high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors in Department of Navy (DoN) laboratories across the country. Students will work alongside leading researchers and engineers at Navy facilities, on real Naval research. Students will be mentored by expert scientists and engineers at the Navy labs. While working on projects hands-on, you will gain valuable knowledge and skills in various STEM disciplines, such as computer science and aeronautics. Your lab choice is based on your subject of interest. 

With approximately 300 placements across over 38 laboratories nationwide, SEAP is highly competitive, and because of its association with the US government, it’s regarded as highly prestigious too.

5. Army Educational Outreach Program (AEOP) High School Internships

Location: While there are AEOP locations in almost every state, students in DC may select their preferred location.
Eligibility: Those applying must be current high school students who are U.S. citizens or permanent legal residents. Additional eligibility requirements vary by location.
Application deadline: Applications typically close in March.
Program dates: This is a summer internship program, specific dates vary from location to location.
Stipend: Varies from location to location.

This internship is a chance to work 1-on-1 with a university researcher or Department of Defense (DoD) scientist mentor on research projects. As an intern, you will be exposed to high-tech equipment and cutting-edge techniques in state-of-the-art laboratory facilities, and work with professional scientists and engineers. The Army-sponsored research that you will be a part of addresses the country’s biggest challenges. Research areas include nanotechnology, regenerative medicine, chemical engineering, and neuroscience. This apprenticeship fosters critical thinking, problem-solving, and teamwork, preparing you for your future career in STEM.

6. Johns Hopkins Internship in Brain Sciences (JHIBS) at John Hopkins University

Location: Virtual and in-person options. The in-person program will be held at the Johns Hopkins Department of Neurology on the East Baltimore campus.
Eligibility:
- Juniors and seniors from around the country are eligible to apply to the 5-week, virtual program.
- Juniors and seniors residing in Baltimore City and the metro area, who have a strong passion and interest in science and medicine, are from underrepresented groups, and have an academically strong background are eligible for the in-person program.
Application Deadline: March 1, every year.
Program Dates: 8 weeks, June 2024 - August 2024 (in-person); 5 weeks, July 2023 - August 2023 (virtual)
Stipend: In-person participants receive an hourly stipend (amount varies), while virtual interns receive a stipend of $500.

A program structured to make the field of neurological sciences more inclusive and representative, the Johns Hopkins Internship in Brain Science Program is an 8-week, fully-funded summer research program for high school students from underrepresented communities. During the program, you will conduct research under the guidance and mentorship of expert researchers in the field and will take part in hands-on projects, discussions, scientific seminars, weekly personal and professional development sessions, and interactions with leading neuroscientists at JHU.

The program is also offered virtually, for students who cannot attend the program on campus. The program is open to 5-6 students and provides them with an hourly stipend, and also covers transportation costs. At the end of the program, you will present your research via an oral or poster presentation. Take a look at some of the past projects!

7.Idaho National Laboratory (INL) Internship

Location: Idaho National Laboratory, Idaho Falls, ID
Eligibility: High school students above the age of 16, who hold a U.S. citizenship or permanent resident status are eligible to apply. (Exceptions can be made for foreign nationals who attend an accredited U.S. college or university).
Application Deadline: Typically, applications close in the spring.
Program Dates: 10-16 weeks in the summer
Stipend: A stipend is provided, but information on the exact amount is not available.

Part of the U.S. Department of Energy, the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) offers 6-week internships for high school students to conduct research, and apply traditional STEM concepts to real-world problems. During the internship, 80% of your time will be spent in the lab with your mentor, while 20% will be centered around enrichment and skill-building activities.

Some research topics you could work on include advanced transportation technology, clear energy, critical infrastructure protection and cyber security. You can view projects in all the fields through their ‘Intern Poster’ sessions. Internship opportunities are divided based on research subjects and the skills required for each. You can apply to as many potential areas of interest you may have! The program also offers internships in business administration, finance and accounting internships along with their STEM internships. In each area of interest, the number of research topics is vast.

8. Harvard-MIT’s Science Research Mentor Program (SRMP)

Location: Harvard or MIT
Eligibility: High school sophomores, juniors, and seniors (both international and US citizens) can apply.
Application deadline: May 2024 (tentatively, based on previous years)
Program dates: September 2024 - May 2025 (tentative)
Stipend: Students will be paid a stipend by the City of Cambridge, but information on the exact amount is not available.

SRMP offers the best of Harvard and MIT mentorship and research opportunities, and is open to all high-schoolers with a passion for research. During the program, you will conduct independent research under the guidance of Harvard and MIT scholars, in the fields of astrophysics and climate science. The selection is highly competitive with only 10-15 students forming the final cohort - an acceptance rate of less than 5%. The program, which runs through the school year, offers all the resources you may need to carry out sound research, such as a laptop. You are split into 5-6 research groups, and expected to attend weekly discussion sessions, meetings, and guest lectures. At the end of your program, you will present a cumulation of your research efforts at the annual Harvard symposium. 

9. U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Headquarters Student Internship Program

Location: Washington, D.C.
Eligibility: Students must be U.S. citizens and must be enrolled or accepted at an accredited institution
Application deadline: October - Spring internship | December - Summer internship | June - Fall internship
Program dates: January - May (Spring) | May - August (Summer) | September - December (Fall).
Cost/Stipend: None

Internships at the Treasury give students the opportunity to collect, analyze and present policy data, as well as conduct research and summarize academic literature and news important for priority missions. This is a great program to build a solid foundation for a future career in international policy. Through these internships, you get the chance to gain research and analytical skills and management and organizational skills through interactions with Treasury colleagues and other U.S. government agencies. You can choose to work in any one of the several offices that make up the Treasury Departmental Offices (headquarters).

10. Student Historian Internship at the New York Historical Society

Location: New York Historical Society, New York, NY
Eligibility: High school students entering grades 10, 11, or 12 can apply. Applicants must live in and attend school in the New York City metro area (includes the five boroughs of New York City, as well as areas of New York State, Connecticut, and New Jersey).
Application deadline: Applications will open in February.
Program dates: October - June
Stipend: Interns who attend a Title 1 School or are eligible for free or reduced lunch will be offered a stipend to participate. Unpaid internships will be provided for all other accepted students, with the option to receive community service hours or school credit. Participation in this program can be used to fulfill the extracurricular requirement for the NYSED Seal of Civic Readiness. 

The Student Historian internship program offers students the opportunity to leverage New-York Historical's resources to conduct research and showcase their scholarly work through innovative digital projects. As an intern, you will participate in informative sessions with experienced professionals, where you can gain insights into the realms of museums, libraries, digital humanities, and history. You will also hone your collaborative skills by working closely with peers to enhance historical analysis, communication, and digital media abilities. Additionally, they actively participate in hands-on activities aimed at deepening their grasp of American history and the digital humanities. The overarching theme for this internship program this year is 'Our Composite Nation: Frederick Douglass' America.'

11. Summer Internships for High School Students (Laboratory Learning Program) at Princeton

Location: Princeton University, Princeton, NJ.
Eligibility: Students who
- are enrolled in a U.S. high school and are at least 16 years old. High school graduates who will not turn 18 by June 15, 2024, can apply (for the 2024 cohort)
- are U.S. citizens or permanent residents. International students enrolled in a U.S. high school can also apply. Princeton does not sponsor visas for the program.
Application deadline: March 15, 2024
Program dates: 5-6 weeks in the summer, depending on the research project and the schedule of the researchers. Each research project has its own schedule. Interns work full-time, Monday to Friday, with no weekend activities.
Cost/Stipend: None.

This highly selective, prestigious program gives students a chance to work with faculty and researchers in Princeton laboratories, assisting them with ongoing research, usually in engineering and the natural sciences. Around 25 Princeton laboratories accept 40 interns annually. Princeton faculty lead research teams, which include postdoctoral, graduate, and undergraduate students, and other staff researchers – along with interns like you. At the end of the program, interns must produce a two-page research summary report. Research opportunities change every year, depending on the laboratory and the researcher’s focus. Some of the research projects interns participated in last year included:

• Machine learning methods for power magnetics modeling

• Heat pumps to save the world

• Investigating heteroresistance to antibiotics

• Machine learning for green power generation

• Decoding human genetic variation in human health and disease

• Biofuel oxidation at supercritical pressure

You can see the entire list of 2023 research opportunities here.

12. NASA and UT Austin’s SEES High School Summer Intern Program

Location: Hybrid (on-site experience at the University of Austin, Texas campus)
Eligibility: High school juniors who hold U.S. citizenship can apply.
Application Deadline: Applications typically close in February.
Program Dates: May - July (tentatively, based on previous years)
Cost/Stipend: None.

A highly prestigious, highly competitive program for high school students, the SEES is hosted by UT Austin in collaboration with NASA. This is a national-level internship program, where you can work beside NASA subject matter experts. The program is focused on Earth and space research and relies on interns to assist with analyzing and visualizing data - key aspects of moving a project faster and foundational knowledge for aerospace engineering. All project teams will present their research during the Virtual SEES Science Symposium.  There is a virtual, learning component to the program and then an onsite experience on campus at the University of Texas, Austin. You are also expected to present your research at the program's concluding symposium. 

13. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) Scholars Program

Location: Multiple locations across the country.
Eligibility: High school students with a minimum GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale are highly encouraged to apply, but a GPA of less than 3.0 will not disqualify applicants. Students applying must be at least 16 years old (by the application deadline). It’s recommended you read through all the eligibility requirements before applying.
Application Deadline: Applications typically close in January.
Program Dates: Varies from project to project, but you can expect it to be during the summer months for 9 weeks.
Stipend: $468.80 per week

The AFRL scholars program gives students the opportunity to receive guidance from full-time AFRL scientists and engineers while touring AFRL laboratories and working on cutting-edge research and technology. You can expect to work on areas such as aerospace / mechanical design for morphing aircraft technology, complex electromagnetic structures, and metalens design and modeling (to name a few). These opportunities are also open to undergraduate and graduate-level students so be sure to filter for specific opportunities open to high school students. Alumni of this program have attested to the effectiveness of this program as a hands-on way to learn about future career pathways, whether it be graduate school or industry careers.

14. EnergyMag Research Internship

Location: Virtual.
Eligibility: Sophomores, juniors and seniors who have taken at least one honors science or honors English class, with a minimum GPA of 3.25, can apply.
Application Deadline: Applications are open all year-round, you can apply here.
Program Dates: Rolling dates
Cost/Stipend: None.

Open to high school and college students, EnergyMag offers virtual research internships to students looking to gain experience working in the renewable energy sector. Students gain research and analytical skills, alongside work experience, by researching companies, analyzing technologies, and conducting market research. Internships can be half-time (2-8 weeks, 20 hours per week) or quarter-time (1-9 months, 8 hours per week).

This program is aimed at equipping students with skills in both science and business that will be useful in the future, no matter the profession they choose. Internship tasks will be based on your graduation date, academic record and experience – you may have to research and analyze a specific company, a specific technology, a specific (narrow) market, or other similar activities. You will be assigned a mentor, who will brief you, guide you, and supervise your work. You will need to research your topic, get in touch with people who have the relevant information, analyze and synthesize the information you gather, and produce a draft analysis report, which will reference your name, and be published on the EnergyMag site.

15. Summer Research Program (SRP) at Indiana University’s Cancer Center

Location: Indiana University Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center, located in the Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI), Indiana
Eligibility: High school students from populations underrepresented in biomedical and clinical research, who
- are currently in grade 12;
- have completed their senior year by the program’s start date;
- display an aptitude for science and math;
- have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher are eligible.
Note: Take a look at the NIH definitions of populations underrepresented in biomedical and clinical research.
Application deadline: Applications typically close in February.
Program dates: The program is typically held from the beginning of June to the end of July (tentatively, based on previous years), with compulsory 40 hours of work per week.
Stipend: Amount not specified, but all participants will receive a stipend (previous students have received $2,400).

One of the more renowned programs in the country, this program is ideal for students looking to get practical research experience in the field of biomedicine. You will be paired with a research mentor and assigned a project that could include lab, database or clinical research. Through the program, you will learn about basic clinical activities, network with professional researchers, use high-tech facilities and interact with one of the center’s research programs.

Looking for an immersive internship experience?
Check out Ladder Internships!

Ladder Internships is a selective, virtual internship program where students work with startups and nonprofits from around the world! The startups range across a variety of industries, with a large number of them in tech. As part of their internship, each student will work on a real-world project that is of genuine need to the startup they are working with, and present their work at the end of their internship. In addition to working closely with their manager from the startup, each intern will also work with a Ladder Coach throughout their internship. Apply now!

Stephen is one of the founders of Ladder Internships and a Harvard College graduate.