13 Spring Internships for High School Students in NYC
For students looking to strengthen their college applications, spring internships demonstrate initiative, curiosity, and a willingness to learn beyond academic coursework. With so many opportunities available, students looking to spend their spring productively should consider internships that align with their interests and long-term career aspirations. Beyond practical experience, internships also allow students to network with experienced mentors, industry experts, and like-minded peers, helping them develop meaningful connections that can support future academic and career goals.
If you want to compare this to summer programs, here’s a list of free leadership programs & here’s a list of some STEM-specific internships available during the summer!
What Spring internships are available for high school students in NYC?
New York City offers a wide range of spring internships for high school students across industries such as healthcare, technology, business, journalism, public policy, scientific research, and the arts. Many of these opportunities are hosted by leading universities, museums, hospitals, nonprofit organizations, and major corporations, with programs designed specifically for high school participants. NYC’s diverse professional landscape also allows students to explore niche interests while gaining exposure to fast-paced work environments and industry leaders.
To help you get started, we’ve put together 13 spring internships for high school students in NYC.
Key takeaways
This list gathers 13 spring internships and enrichment programs for NYC high schoolers, spanning museums, city government workforce programs, and university research initiatives, with standout hosts including the Met, NYU, and Brooklyn Museum.
Most of these are free or paid, with stipends and hourly rates ranging from around $15 to $17, and one museum internship offering a $1,100 stipend, making this one of the more accessible categories for students interested in spring-semester work.
Several of these run on an academic-year schedule rather than a strict spring-only window, so it's worth checking each program's full timeline if you're looking for something that wraps up before summer.
Nearly all of these are based across NYC's five boroughs, with a couple, including a virtual global research program and one Boston-based STEM program with a virtual option, that don't require being physically in the city.
A few of the earliest deadlines fall in August and October for two of the arts-focused programs, so it's worth starting applications well before the school year gets underway.
1. The Met Spring High School Internship Program
Location: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Cost/Stipend: $1,100 as a stipend
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: January - May (tentative)
Application Deadline: October 27 (tentative)
Eligibility: NYC students in grades 10th - 11th or students pursuing a high school equivalency diploma
This internship program places high school students in small cohorts across various museum departments. Interns may contribute to education, social media, curatorial research, imaging, design, or visitor engagement. The program offersexposure to museum careers beyond art history, making it accessible to students interested in communications, history, and public programming. Interns participate in workshops, professional development sessions, and networking opportunities with museum professionals throughout the semester. No prior museum experience is required, and the internship focuses on workplace readiness and collaborative work. Students are expected to attend required sessions throughout the semester.
2. Ladder Internship Program
Location: Remote (you can work from anywhere in the world).
Cost/Stipend: Starting at $2,490 (financial aid available)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective, small cohorts
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 this program, you work with high-growth start-ups across a variety of industries such as tech/deep tech, AI/ML, health tech, marketing, journalism, consulting, and more. Ladder’s start-ups are high-growth companies, often having raised over a million dollars in funding. Interns work closely with their managers and Ladder coach for 8 weeks on real-world projects and present their work to the company at the end of the internship. Here is the application form.
3. Studio Institute Teen Apprenticeship Program (TAP)
Location: Studio Institute, New York, NY
Cost/Stipend: Free | Paid summer component at $17/hour
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: February - June
Application Deadline: January 11
Eligibility: NYC public high school students aged 16+ years
This apprenticeship prepares high school students to teach art to younger children at NYC summer camps. The spring portion includes weekly Saturday sessions led by professional teaching artists. Training focuses on lesson planning, group facilitation, classroom management, and art-making techniques. Students also practice public speaking and collaborative instruction during workshops. Those who successfully complete the spring apprenticeship may be eligible for a paid summer placement. No prior teaching experience is required, although an interest in art education is expected. Sessions are structured to balance creative development with practical teaching preparation.
4. Work, Learn & Grow Program
Location: Multiple NYC employer sites, New York, NY
Cost/Stipend: Paid internship
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Winter - Spring
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: NYC high school students enrolled in participating programs
This NYC initiative connects high school students with internships during the academic year rather than waiting for summer. Participants balance college-level courses with after-school and weekend internships. Placements vary across industries such as business, nonprofits, administration, and public service. Students gain exposure to professional expectations while balancing coursework and internship responsibilities. The program is designed to help students build employability skills in a structured setting. Internships are hosted by organizations throughout NYC, giving participants exposure to a variety of workplaces. The city pays participating students directly, which reduces participation barriers.
5. Learn & Earn Program
Location: Multiple providers across New York City, NY
Cost/Stipend: Paid internships available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: February - June (tentative)
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: NYC high school juniors and seniors aged 14- 21 years who meet program criteria
Learn & Earn combines career preparation, academic support, and internship opportunities for NYC high school students. Participants complete work readiness training before beginning internships or job placements. The program is well suited for students who may benefit from additional academic or career support during high school. Internships are paired with leadership activities and college preparation resources. Students can explore professional environments while receiving guidance from program staff. Opportunities vary by provider and may include placements with nonprofit organizations, community groups, and administrative offices. The structure emphasizes long-term career planning along with immediate workplace experience.
6. Industry Scholars Program
Location: Multiple employer sites across New York City, NY
Cost/Stipend: Paid internship at minimum wage of $15/hour
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: School year (including spring) and summer sessions | For Fall and Spring, you may work up to 60 hours in total over six weeks.
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: NYC high school students aged 16 - 18 years enrolled in CTE pathways and I-9 verified
The Industry Scholars Program places high school students in internships that align with their career and technical education pathways. Internship opportunities span across industries such as healthcare, finance, hospitality, engineering, robotics, media, and information technology. Internships emphasize industry exposure and practical application of classroom learning. Participants also engage in career development activities and mentorship opportunities. Placements are designed to introduce students to authentic work settings across NYC industries. The school-year structure makes it possible for students to gain experience while continuing their regular academic studies.
7. Brooklyn Museum Apprentice Program
Location: Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn, NY
Cost/Stipend: Paid internship starting at $16.50/hour
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: November - August
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: NYC high school students ages 14- 19 years
This museum internship combines arts education, public programming, and leadership development. Apprentices assist with teen events, educational activities, and visitor engagement projects at the museum. Students collaborate with peers while learning about museum operations and arts programming. The experience also includes workshops and professional development opportunities. Participants often work on projects related to youth engagement and community outreach. Exposure to museum careers extends beyond curatorial work into event planning and education. The internship emphasizes teamwork and communication in public-facing settings.
8. Student Historian Internship Program
Location: The New York Historical, New York, NY
Cost/Stipend: Free | $700 stipend upon successful completion
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 25 interns per cohort | Academic year receives about 150 - 200 applications
Dates: Offered during the academic year, including spring | Meets every Wednesday from late October through early June, 4:30 P.M.- 7 P.M, excluding NYC public school holidays
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: High school students entering grades 10th, 11th, or 12th who live in and attend school in the New York City metro area, including the five boroughs, as well as parts of New York State, Connecticut, and New Jersey
The Student Historian internship at The New York Historical is an in-person program that focuses on historical research, writing, and digital humanities work. You will work alongside professional staff and other fellow student interns to develop historical thinking, communication, and digital media skills. The program centers on American history and allows interns to create digital projects that can be used as educational resources for the public. The program combines a museum setting, historical research, and digital project work in a regular academic-year format and offers a stipend. It is designed for students entering grades 10 to 12, so it is well suited for early high school students rather than graduating seniors only. It also serves students across the broader New York City metro area, not just the five boroughs.
9. Apollo Theater Academy Arts & Entertainment Production Internship
Location: The Apollo, New York, NY
Cost/Stipend: Paid | Exact stipend not specified
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: April 14 - May 21 with spring break from April 2 - 10
Application Deadline: March 27
Eligibility: 12th-grade students who are New York City residents in the five boroughs | Must be available for the full program and orientation | Students under 18 years must have working papers
This internship at The Apollo focuses on arts administration and production in a live-performance setting. You work on a concept for the theater’s Teen Takeover event and receive an official production credit for your contribution. The program is designed for students with a serious interest in careers in arts and entertainment. It takes place after school on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, allowing a regular weekly schedule rather than a full-time summer format. The program combines paid, hands-on production work with a real event assignment at a major Harlem institution. Orientation is attended by both the intern and a parent or guardian, which makes the onboarding process more structured. The program is limited to current 12th graders who live in New York City’s five boroughs.
10. NYU Tisch’s Future Artists Programs
Location: New York University, New York, NY
Cost/Stipend: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: January 31 - May 9
Application Deadline: August 1 - November 10
Eligibility: Current high school freshmen, sophomores, and juniors
Through NYU Tisch’s Future Artists Programs, you can explore a creative discipline such as acting, dance, music, photography, filmmaking, dramatic writing, or game design in a structured pre-college environment. While it is not a traditional internship, this free program lets you enroll in a specific concentration and attend Saturday sessions taught by NYU instructors and industry professionals. Depending on the discipline you choose, assignments may involve performance work, building a portfolio, developing scripts, or digital media production. The program format encourages collaboration with other high school students who share similar artistic interests. Sessions are intended to introduce you to the expectations of arts training at the college level while allowing you to focus on a single creative area over several weeks.
11. New York Academy of Sciences Junior Academy
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective
Dates: February - May
Application Deadline: To be announced for spring
Eligibility: Students aged 13- 17 years
Through the Junior Academy, you’ll collaborate with high school students from around the world to address research challenges in fields such as sustainability, healthcare, technology, and infrastructure. Participants are assigned to small teams and work with professional mentors who guide the research and project development process. During the program, you may review academic literature, analyze existing solutions, develop project ideas, and create prototypes or research-based recommendations. The program also introduces you to interdisciplinary problem-solving by encouraging the combination of scientific, technical, and social perspectives into your project. As your team progresses, you’ll refine your proposal and prepare a final submission that is evaluated by judges with expertise in relevant fields. Throughout the experience, you’ll practice research communication, teamwork, and project organization in a structured academic setting.
12. MIT Beaver Works Spring Saturday Programs
Location: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, or virtual
Cost/Stipend: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Weekly Saturday meetings | Check the site for updates
Application Deadline: Typically about 2 weeks before program start date
Eligibility: Current high school students | Some programs may have additional prerequisites and grade level restrictions, and some are only offered for girls
Beaver Works is an MIT-affiliated STEM program that provides high school students with access to project-based courses during the spring semester. You can choose from different subject areas such as computer engineering, artificial intelligence, radio communications, and biotechnology, depending on the courses offered that year. Classes are typically held on Saturdays and are taught by MIT faculty members, researchers from Lincoln Laboratory, and professionals working in technical fields. Depending on your chosen track, projects may involve software development, machine learning applications, hardware systems, or scientific experimentation. The program structure emphasizes technical problem-solving, programming, and research skills within a guided academic setting. Some students who complete the spring courses may later apply to the more advanced Beaver Works Summer Institute offered for rising seniors.
13. NYU Science and Technology Entry Program (STEP)
Location: New York University, New York
Cost/Stipend: $200 | Financial aid is available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: October 18 - May 2 (school year session)
Application Deadline: Varies
Eligibility: Grades 7th - 12th (NYC residents) | Requires a transcript, an essay on STEM interest, and meeting state-determined income criteria
The Science and Technology Entry Program (STEP) provides long-term academic and research support for middle and high school students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, with programming available throughout the school year, including the spring semester. As a participant, you’ll take part in courses and workshops focused on subjects such as laboratory science, mathematics, healthcare, and scientific research methods. During the school year, you may also attend sessions covering standardized test preparation, academic writing, and career planning. In 11th and 12th grade, you’ll have the opportunity to work on a research project in a STEM area that matches your interests under the guidance of NYU mentors. Research findings are later presented at the STEP State Conference in Albany alongside projects from students across New York State. Senior participants also receive support related to the college application process, including admissions workshops, leadership development sessions, and informational panels about higher education pathways.
Questions students often ask about these internships
1. Do I need prior internship experience to apply to these spring programs?
No, most of these are designed as entry points and don't expect prior experience. A strong application and genuine interest in the field matter more than a resume packed with prior roles.
2. A few of these programs run longer than just the spring semester. Should I expect a shorter or longer commitment?
It varies quite a bit, so check each program's specific dates before applying. A few run just through the spring, while others extend from fall through summer or span the full academic year.
3. Do I need to live in one of the five boroughs to apply to these internships?
Most of the city-run and museum-based programs do require NYC residency or attendance at a city school. A couple, including one virtual research program, are open more broadly regardless of location.