11 Space Internships for High School Students
High school internships can help you build technical skills, strengthen your resume, and show colleges that you have explored your academic interests beyond the classroom. In a field as interdisciplinary as space science, internships can also expose you to research, engineering, coding, policy, and data analysis before you choose a college major. Many of the best space internships for high school students offer mentorship, project-based learning, and access to scientists or engineers, often at little or no cost. Some even provide stipends, making them more accessible than many summer enrichment programs.
If you’re interested in checking out programs/internships in the STEM field, check out a list here!
Why should I participate in a space internship in high school?
A space internship can help you develop technical and professional skills earlier than most students. Depending on the program, you may learn tools such as Python, CAD software, GIS platforms, telescope data analysis methods, or engineering design workflows. Many internships also include mentorship from researchers, which can help you better understand career paths in astrophysics, aerospace engineering, and planetary science.
In this blog, we’ve put together 11 space internships for high school students. If you are interested in aerospace, astronomy, planetary science, or satellite technology, internships can help you test those interests through real-world work.
Quick Look
11 programs total spanning NASA-affiliated research, Air Force and Navy laboratory placements, aerospace manufacturing, and satellite data analysis, with several offering paid stipends and two offering no cost to students
The strongest disclosed stipends are SEAP ($4,000 to $4,500), AFRL Scholars ($506.80 per week), and Spirit AeroSystems ($14 per hour)
NASA SEES, Texas Aerospace Scholars, and NASA GeneLab are all free to students, with GeneLab accepting up to 1,000 students and being the most broadly accessible on this list
Most in-person programs require U.S. citizenship, including AFRL Scholars and SEAP, while GeneLab is restricted to U.S. citizens or permanent residents at U.S.-based high schools.
The George Mason University NASA Data Science program and NASA GeneLab are the only two options that culminate in a formal scholarly paper or research publication, making them the strongest for college application portfolios
1. NASA Neurodiversity Network (N3) Internship
Location: Virtual (Remote), hosted through NASA’s Neurodiversity Network in partnership with Sonoma State University, Education Development Center, New York Hall of Science, and WestEd
Stipend: $1,000
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not publicly stated
Dates: June 1 – September 1 (minimum 160 hours)
Application Deadline: March 6
Eligibility: Current high school students aged 16+
The N3 Internship is a virtual summer research program for high school students interested in STEM fields connected to NASA research. You are paired one-on-one with NASA subject matter experts and work on projects in areas such as astrophysics, planetary science, engineering, computer science, and Earth science. The program is designed to support a broad range of talented students, including those who identify as autistic, while offering flexibility through a remote, self-directed structure. Over at least 160 hours, students contribute to research-based projects, develop technical and problem-solving skills, and complete a final project under mentor guidance.
2. Ladder Internship Program
Location: Remote! You can work from anywhere in the world.
Cost: Varies depending on program type (financial aid available)
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: 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.You can explore all the options here on their application form. Ladder’s start-ups are high-growth companies on average raising over a million dollars. In the program, interns work closely with their managers and a Ladder Coach on real-world projects and present their work to the company. Here is the application form. The virtual internship is usually 8 weeks long.
3. NASA GeneLab for High Schools (GL4HS)
Location: Virtual (asynchronous online program)
Stipend: Free; no stipend
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Up to 1,000 students accepted (capacity-based); optional Capstone limited to 45 teams of 4 students
Dates: June 1 – August 28
Application Deadline: March 15
Eligibility: U.S. citizens or permanent residents attending U.S.-based high schools; rising juniors or seniors (entering grades 11–12), or students entering college as freshmen in Fall 2026; minimum 3.0 unweighted GPA; at least one high school biology course; reliable computer and internet access required.
NASA’s GeneLab for High Schools introduces you to space biology through a 12-week online research training experience focused on how biological systems respond to spaceflight conditions. The program covers omics-based research, bioinformatics, computational biology, and biological data analysis using self-paced lectures and JupyterLab notebooks. You can expect to spend about 20 hours per week working through course materials, exercises, and optional office hours. Students who complete the core curriculum earn a digital completion certificate, while those interested in deeper research can apply for the optional Capstone Project, which involves collaborative data analysis and a research presentation.
4. AFRL Scholars Program (High School Scholars Track)
Location: Select Air Force Research Laboratory sites across the United States (location depends on placement)
Stipend: Weekly stipend of $506.80
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not publicly stated
Dates: Summer internship session (typically full-time, 40 hours per week; dates vary by site)
Application Deadline: October 10
Eligibility: U.S. citizens only; at least 16 years old by the application deadline
The AFRL Scholars Program gives upper-level high school students the opportunity to work alongside Air Force Research Laboratory scientists and engineers on research-based STEM projects. Internship assignments vary by laboratory and may involve topics such as engineering, applied science, technology development, or computational research. You work full-time during the summer and gain exposure to professional research environments while contributing to active projects. The program is designed to build technical skills, introduce you to defense-related research, and provide mentorship from practicing researchers.
5. Science and Engineering Apprenticeship Program (SEAP)
Location: Department of Navy laboratories nationwide (38+ participating labs)
Stipend: $4,000 (new participants); $4,500 (returning participants)
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Around 300 placements annually
Dates: 8 weeks during the summer (with possible extension up to 10 weeks)
Application Deadline: November 1 (applications typically open August 1–November 1)
Eligibility: U.S. citizens; current high school students who have completed at least Grade 9, including graduating seniors; must be at least 16 years old by the internship start date (some lab-specific exceptions may apply). Students may be taking college-level courses while enrolled in high school.
The Science and Engineering Apprenticeship Program places high school students in Department of Navy research laboratories to work on STEM projects alongside scientists and engineers. Internship projects vary by lab and may involve research in engineering, computer science, physics, materials science, or other technical fields related to naval research. You spend eight weeks contributing to active research while receiving mentorship and learning about government laboratory environments. Selection is competitive and based on academics, recommendations, personal statements, and research interests.
6. Lockheed Martin Space High School Internship
Location: Denver, CO; Sunnyvale, CA; Cape Canaveral, FL; King of Prussia/Valley Forge, PA; Huntsville, AL, Herndon, VA
Cost/Stipend: Paid internship (stipend not publicly stated)
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not publicly stated
Dates: June – August (9+ weeks)
Application Deadline: Recruiting typically runs October – January
Eligibility: Must be at least 16 years old at the start of the internship
Lockheed Martin Space’s High School Internship places students in aerospace and defense-related work environments where they support projects alongside scientists and engineers. You spend more than nine weeks participating in technical work, on-the-job training, mentorship, and professional development activities. Program components may include leader shadowing, networking events, facility tours, and exposure to engineering or technology projects, depending on placement. The internship is designed to give you early experience in applied STEM settings while helping you understand how large-scale aerospace organizations operate.
7. Textron Aviation High School Summer Internship
Location: Textron Aviation Center, Wichita, KS (other locations may offer separate schedules)
Stipend: Paid internship (amount not publicly stated)
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not publicly stated
Dates: June 8 – July 31
Application Deadline: Applications open in January (deadline varies based on business needs)
Eligibility: Must be at least 16 years old. Open to high school students eligible to work during scheduled program hours. Applicants should be able to participate Monday–Friday morning hours during the summer session.
Textron Aviation’s High School Summer Internship offers part-time, paid experience across areas such as engineering, manufacturing, aviation maintenance, IT, communications, and business functions. Interns gain hands-on exposure to aviation-related work while developing professional skills through structured workplace experience. Depending on placement, projects may involve supporting technical teams, observing production processes, or contributing to operational tasks. The program is designed to help you explore career pathways in aviation while building early industry experience.
8. Spirit AeroSystems High School Internship (Advanced Manufacturing Experience)
Location: Spirit Aerospace Co., Wichita, KS
Stipend: Paid; $14/hour
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not publicly stated
Dates: Dates announced annually (varies by cycle)
Application Deadline: Not publicly stated
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors who are at least 16 years old before the internship start date. Students applying to the Fabrication learning track must be 18 before the start date. Designed for students interested in advanced manufacturing and aerospace-related fields.
Spirit AeroSystems’ High School Internship introduces students to aerospace manufacturing through paid, hands-on experience in a professional production environment. Depending on placement, interns may gain exposure to sheet metal and composite assembly, machining, manufacturing engineering, quality inspection, supply chain, or finance. The program is structured to help you understand how aerospace components are designed and produced while building practical workplace skills. High-performing participants may be invited to return for future internships or be considered for full-time roles after high school graduation.
9. NASA SEES High School Summer Intern Program
Location: University of Texas Center for Space Research, Austin, TX (with virtual pre-program and project components)
Stipend: No stipend; program participation is funded (cost to students not stated)
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not publicly stated
Dates: Virtual Learning: May – July 1 | On-Site Internship: July 5 – 18 | Virtual Science Symposium: July 20 – 21
Application Deadline: February 22
Eligibility: Current high school sophomores and juniors only (rising juniors and seniors)
The STEM Enhancement in Earth Science (SEES) High School Summer Intern Program combines virtual research preparation with an intensive on-site research experience at the University of Texas Center for Space Research. You complete pre-program distance learning, then participate in research activities, field investigations, and project work connected to Earth and space science themes. Students also complete a research presentation at the final Virtual Science Symposium, which is attended by scientists and NASA-affiliated experts. Depending on the project assignment, participants may engage in data analysis, observational science, or applied research aligned with specific project themes. For high school students interested in research-based STEM experiences, SEES provides structured exposure to scientific investigation and communication.
10. Texas Aerospace Scholars (TAS)
Location: Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX, or Virtual
Stipend: No stipend
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not publicly stated
Dates: Year-long program beginning in the fall; includes a five-month online learning experience followed by a five-day virtual summer experience (Moonshot) for selected students
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: U.S. citizens; Texas residents; current high school juniors only.
Texas Aerospace Scholars is a year-long STEM program that introduces Texas high school juniors to topics related to space exploration, Earth science, aeronautics, and engineering. The program begins with an online curriculum in which you develop skills in areas such as coding and computer-aided design, and then the highest-achieving students may advance to Moonshot, a virtual, team-based summer experience mentored by NASA scientists and engineers. Top-performing teams from Moonshot may then be invited to a residential experience at NASA’s Johnson Space Center.
11. George Mason University - Young Scholars NASA Data Science Research Paper Program
Location: Hybrid (primarily virtual, with optional in-person components at George Mason University, Fairfax, VA)
Cost: Program fee required (contact program for cost); need-based scholarships available; awards up to $2,000 available for selected research performance
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: 50 students
Dates: June 13 – August 29
Application Deadline: Rolling admission until cohort fills (first-come, first-served)
Eligibility: Open to high school students (specific grade levels not publicly stated) with an interest in STEM research
This three-month research program focuses on astronomy and space data analysis using NASA mission datasets, including data from TESS and the James Webb Space Telescope. Students participate in lectures, guided research, telescope observation sessions, and scholarly paper development while using tools such as Python, Jupyter notebooks, and statistical analysis methods. Each participant works on a research project related to exoplanet or space science data and produces a final scholarly paper, with selected students invited to present at a research conference. The program also includes optional site visits, mentorship from university faculty and researchers, and the opportunity for awards based on research performance.
Questions Students Often Ask About These Programs
1. I'm interested in space but don't have a strong coding or engineering background yet. Which programs are realistic for me?
Several programs are designed to build technical skills rather than assume them. NASA GeneLab introduces bioinformatics and Python through self-paced tutorials, so no prior coding experience is required going in. Texas Aerospace Scholars also begins with a foundational online curriculum covering coding and CAD before advancing students to more intensive experiences. NASA SEES focuses on Earth and space science research with structured pre-program preparation rather than requiring existing technical skills. These three are good starting points if you want to build toward the more competitive placements like SEAP or AFRL Scholars in a later year.
2. Several programs, like Lockheed Martin and Spirit AeroSystems, are based at specific aerospace company sites. How is that different from a NASA or university research program?
Industry internships at companies like Lockheed Martin and Spirit AeroSystems give you direct exposure to how aerospace products are actually designed, manufactured, and tested in a commercial setting, which is distinct from the research focus of NASA or university-based programs. You'll see how large organizations coordinate engineering, supply chain, quality control, and production on real aircraft or spacecraft components. Research programs like SEAP, AFRL, and the George Mason NASA Data Science program are more focused on scientific investigation and analytical work. Both pathways are valuable, but they lead to different kinds of experience, with industry placements leaning toward engineering and production skills and research programs leaning toward data analysis and scientific communication.
3. Do I need to live near a NASA facility or aerospace hub to access these programs?
No, several programs are fully remote. NASA GeneLab, the NASA N3 Internship, Texas Aerospace Scholars, and the George Mason NASA Data Science program are all primarily virtual and accessible regardless of where you live in the U.S. Ladder Internships is the only fully remote option with no U.S. residency requirement at all, making it accessible internationally. For the in-person programs like Lockheed Martin, Spirit AeroSystems, and SEAP, you would need to be near one of the participating sites or be willing to relocate for the summer, though SEAP's 38+ participating labs across the country give you more geographic flexibility than most.