14 Software Internships for High School Students in Pennsylvania

If you are a high school student interested in software, an internship can be a worthwhile way to explore this field. Software internships allow you to strengthen your academic profile with concrete technical skills. Beyond teaching you things like coding, these opportunities can boost your employability by giving you professional skills such as collaboration and effective communication. 

What internships are available for high school students in Pennsylvania?

Pennsylvania offers a wide range of software internships for high school students, including corporate programs, university research apprenticeships, and virtual internships. These programs allow you to work alongside professional engineers at global defense firms, contribute to algorithms at research universities, or help fast-growing startups build their tech stacks. Depending on the program, you’ll gain one-on-one mentorship, access to networking events, and the chance to present your final project to industry leaders.

To help you get started, we’ve put together 14 software internships for high school students in Pennsylvania, focusing on programs that offer high-level mentorship and rigorous technical training.

1. Lockheed Martin Space High School Internship

Location: King of Prussia, PA
Cost/Stipend: Paid
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Varies depending on the location
Dates: June 15 - August 15 (approximate)
Application Deadline: December 19
Eligibility: High school students who are at least 16 years old and have a minimum GPA of 2.5

This professional program places students directly at the center of aerospace and defense technology at Lockheed Martin's King of Prussia facility. You will contribute to software projects by developing coding simulations, assisting with cybersecurity protocols, or supporting the development of satellite communications software. Participants are paired with professional mentors who guide them through the expectations of working in a high-security engineering environment. Throughout the summer, students gain exposure to industry-standard tools and methodologies while attending workshops designed to build professional skills. The experience concludes with an opportunity to showcase project results to senior leadership, offering a firsthand view into the career of a professional software engineer.

2. Ladder Internship Program

Location:  Remote (you can work from anywhere in the world).

Cost/Stipend: Varies according to program (financial aid available)

Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year, including spring, summer, fall, and winter.

Application Deadline: Deadlines vary depending on the cohort – spring (January), summer (May), fall (September), and winter (November). 

Eligibility: High school students, undergraduates, and gap year students who can work for 8 - 12 weeks, devoting 10 - 20 hours/week

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 across a wide range of industries, including tech/deep tech, AI/ML, health tech, marketing, journalism, consulting, and more. Ladder’s start-ups are high-growth companies raising over a million dollars on average. In the program, interns work closely with their managers and a ladder coach on real-world projects. The program concludes with a formal presentation where interns present their work to the company. The virtual internship runs for 8 weeks. Apply now!

3. CMU Computer Science Scholars

Location: Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA
Cost/Stipend: Free; fully funded
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Approximately 50 students
Dates: June 20 - July 18
Application Deadline: February 1
Eligibility: High school juniors with a strong academic record and interest in computer science

This four-week summer program offers an experience similar to college-level computer science coursework. You will work on challenging projects focused on algorithms, programming logic, and problem-solving under the guidance of CMU faculty. The work is collaborative, so you’re usually involved in coding and thinking through problems with a small group rather than working alone. The pace and expectations are more similar to a real computer science internship than a traditional summer class. In addition to project work, the program includes visits to local technology companies and sessions where you talk with people working in industry roles. The experience concludes with a final presentation where you showcase the software projects that your team developed.

4. Science and Engineering Apprenticeship Program (SEAP)

Location: 30+ naval labs across the U.S.
Cost/Stipend: Stipend of $4,000 (new) or $4,500 (returning)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive
Dates: Summer months (varies depending on the lab)
Application Deadline: August 1 - November 1 (previous year for next summer)
Eligibility: Rising juniors and seniors who are U.S. citizens | age 16+ years 

SEAP offers a prestigious opportunity for students to work as research apprentices alongside Department of the Navy scientists and engineers. In Pennsylvania, interns at the Naval Surface Warfare Center often focus on software systems, cybersecurity, and electrical engineering projects that support naval operations. Students actively engage in solving research problems, participate in technical planning sessions, and attend special seminars to broaden their technical understanding. This eight-week, full-time commitment allows high school students to apply their coding skills to unclassified national security tasks. The program emphasizes professional growth, concluding in a formal research paper and a presentation of the student's technical findings. 

5. AEOP High School Apprenticeship

Location: University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
Cost/Stipend: Paid; stipend provided
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: June 20 - August 5
Application Deadline: March 5
Eligibility: U.S. citizens or permanent residents currently in high school 

This research apprenticeship places you in a university robotics laboratory to work on technical projects. You help with software that supports robotic systems, processes sensor data, or models autonomous behavior used in ongoing research. Most of your time is spent in coding, testing, and troubleshooting alongside professors, graduate students, and professional researchers. You’re contributing to real research projects rather than practice exercises. The program also includes professional development sessions that explain how federal research and STEM careers are structured. If you have any questions about AEOP High School Internships, please contact: outreach@seas.upenn.edu. 

6. America On Tech - Access Tech Internship

Location: Philadelphia, PA
Cost/Stipend: Paid; stipend provided
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: Six weeks during the summer
Application Deadline: Rolling until March or April
Eligibility: High school students and young adults aged 16 - 24 years in Philadelphia

This summer internship places you at an organization where software and web development are part of everyday work. You work directly with professional technologists and apply coding skills to solve real business problems instead of completing mock assignments. Projects often involve building or improving websites, applications, or internal tools used by the host organization. You gain experience working in a professional technology environment with real expectations and deadlines. In addition to technical work, you take part in mentorship and career-readiness workshops focused on navigating the tech industry. The program concludes with a project presentation that highlights the work you completed for your host company.

7. Drexel Summer Biomedical Engineering Summer Internship

Location: Philadelphia, PA
Cost/Stipend: Paid; stipend provided
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: To be announced
Application Deadline: January
Eligibility: Local high school juniors and seniors interested in science and technology

This eight-week summer internship places you in biomedical engineering and medical research laboratories. You assist with projects that may involve data visualization, computational biology modeling, or maintaining research software systems used by lab teams. Interns work alongside faculty, researchers, and staff and attend regular lab meetings and ongoing project tasks. The experience focuses on applying technical and computational skills within a real medical research environment. The program treats interns as junior lab members, with exposure to the full research process from project planning to analysis. The internship concludes with a formal poster session where you present your work to the Drexel research community, focusing on biomedical and health-related technology applications.

8. Kamin Science Center High School Internship

Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Cost/Stipend: Limited paid positions
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Details not provided
Dates: Year-round; specific dates vary depending on the position
Application Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: High school students aged 14 - 18 years; not eligible if enrolled in the teen volunteer program or high school internship program concurrently

This internship places you in different departments across the science center, some of which use technology to support education, exhibits, or internal operations. Depending on the role, you might help update digital learning materials, research scientific content for exhibits, or assist with software and tools used in programs and presentations. Most internships require a minimum of 120 total hours, usually spread across 10 to 15 hours per week. Some roles give you hands-on experience with the digital tools that help support a modern museum. Paid positions are limited and posted as they become available, while unpaid externships may be arranged based on your school requirements. The experience feels more like supporting day-to-day operations rather than classroom-style instruction, with work focused on technology-backed education and museum workflows.

9. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Technology Internship

Location: Harrisburg, PA, and statewide
Cost/Stipend: Paid
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Varies depending on the agency
Dates: June 1 - August 7
Application Deadline: Rolling (typically spring)
Eligibility: Pennsylvania residents, age 16 years or above, high school students with a GPA of 2.5 or higher 

This summer internship places you within state government technology offices, including teams in the Office of Information Technology. You help support systems used by the state every day, such as maintaining software platforms, working with databases, and assisting with basic cybersecurity tasks. The majority of the work is practical and routine, focusing on maintaining existing systems rather than developing new ones from scratch. You gain insight into how software directly supports public services used by millions of people. There is structured mentorship, and some placements allow you to spend time with different IT teams to understand how their roles differ. Most days feel closer to a real entry-level technology position rather than a traditional classroom or camp-style program.

10. SAP High School Internship Program

Location: Harrisburg, PA, and statewide
Cost/Stipend: Paid
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Varies depending on the agency
Dates: June 1 - August 7
Application Deadline: Rolling (typically spring)
Eligibility: Pennsylvania residents, aged 16 years or above, high school students with a GPA of 2.5 or higher 

This summer internship places students in technical roles across Pennsylvania state agencies, including the Office of Information Technology. You support government IT teams by assisting with software maintenance, database management, and basic cybersecurity tasks tied to public-facing systems. Work responsibilities vary depending on the agency and may include exposure to large-scale internal software platforms used across the state. The program emphasizes how software and IT systems operate within real government infrastructure. Interns typically work in a professional office environment with structured supervision and mentorship. Some placements allow you to rotate across multiple IT units. The program focuses on applied software, systems support, and civic technology operations.

11. TechGirls

Location: Washington, DC; Select U.S. cities
Cost/Stipend: Fully funded; no program cost
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 111 students
Dates: July - August (23 days)
Application Deadline: January 20
Eligibility: Female high school students aged 15 - 17 years with an interest in technology

TechGirls is a U.S. Department of State-sponsored international exchange program focused on technology education and cultural exchange. You will begin with orientation activities in Washington, DC, followed by travel to Virginia Tech for an intensive technology camp focused on web development, mobile applications, and robotics. The program includes collaborative workshops where students work in teams to design a technology-based project for social impact. A core component involves applying software skills to address community challenges. After the campus-based portion, participants travel to selected U.S. cities for community engagement, job shadowing, and exposure to technology careers. The program concludes with students returning home to implement local projects, focusing on global STEM collaboration and applied technology learning.

12. Penn Summer Science Initiative (PSSI)

Location: Philadelphia, PA
Cost/Stipend: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 14 students
Dates: July 6 - 30
Application Deadline: March 1
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors from the greater Philadelphia region; U.S. citizens or permanent residents; chemistry and/or physics coursework required

This four-week summer program introduces students to materials science through a combination of labs, projects, and technology-supported coursework on Penn’s campus. You spend most of your time working with computer-based tools that scientists use to collect, visualize, and analyze experimental data. Program activities include visits to robotics labs, motion capture and virtual reality systems, and facilities that rely on software-driven microscopy and imaging. You will see how software fits into laboratory research rather than working with code in isolation. Overall, the program focuses on how computational tools support experimental science and materials research.

13. Girls Who Code Summer Program

Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: Free; Summer Immersion Program students may receive a $300 grant on a need basis.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: Summer immersion program: July - August | pathways program: June - August
Application Deadline: Details not provided
Eligibility: Current 9th - 11th graders for the summer immersion program | 9th - 12th graders for the pathways program | Applicants must identify as girls or non-binary individuals

Girls Who Code offers two virtual summer programs that focus directly on computer science and software development. You can choose between the instructor-led summer immersion program, which runs for two weeks and focuses on game design and core programming concepts, or the pathways program, a longer self-paced option covering multiple technology tracks. Coursework includes hands-on programming using Python, JavaScript, HTML, and CSS, along with lessons on user experience and problem-solving. Both programs are focused on writing, testing, and applying code rather than just observing technology from a distance. You also attend live sessions with industry professionals who introduce different roles within the technology field. 

14. Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) Digital Internship

Location: Philadelphia, PA (hybrid)
Cost/Stipend: Paid
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: May 26 - August 14
Application Deadline: February 12
Eligibility: Graduating high school seniors or early college students

This summer internship lets you see what actually goes on behind the scenes of a major hospital’s tech systems. You work with the digital and technology services team and help out with real IT projects, such as software deployments, system updates, and basic data work. A lot of the day-to-day work involves supporting teams that rely on software to keep hospital operations running smoothly. You will gain insight into how large, regulated software systems are used in healthcare. You also build experience with project tracking, documentation, and troubleshooting within a professional environment. Overall, the program focuses on how software and IT support healthcare and research at scale.