25+ Startup Internships for High School Students in 2026

TL;DR

Startup internships for high school students come in three kinds: an internship at an existing startup or venture firm, an incubator or accelerator where you build your own company over a month or more, and a university or college summer program where your team builds and pitches a venture. If you want to work remotely, expect to pay tuition at most of these programs, from $700 for iStart Valley to $7,495 for LaunchX's online program. Most of the nine programs below that list no tuition only take students from one area, such as Kansas City, Berks County in Pennsylvania, New York City or Miami-Dade. Ladder Internships is fully remote and offers full and partial financial aid to families earning $50,000 or less a year.

The 29 programs below are grouped by that difference: 7 startup internships at existing companies, 11 incubators and accelerators where you build your own venture over a month or longer, and 11 university and college summer programs that end in a pitch. Each entry lists cost, dates and eligibility for the current cycle, so you can rule programs in or out quickly. If you're also weighing marketing, finance or general business roles, start with our guide to business internships for high school students.

If you want to learn straight from the person who built the company, check out our list of internships where you'll work directly with a startup founder. Students who are into both money and tech might also like these fintech startup internships for high school students.

How to Choose Between a Startup Internship, Incubator or Summer Program?

Pick a startup internship if you want a manager and a deliverable: In a placement you take on a project the company needs, such as market research or investment analysis, and report to someone on its team. Ladder and VTSP run fully online, while 1435 Capital, the Young Entrepreneurs Program and Emerging Entrepreneurs Academy expect you in person in New Jersey, Kansas City or Berks County, Pennsylvania.

Pick an incubator or accelerator if you want to build your own company: Programs like Leangap, Lumos Fellows and Prequel give you a team or mentor and a deadline over a month or more, and most end with a demo day or investor pitch. Several run fully online, including Lumos, Leangap's online track and iStart Valley.

Pick a university summer program if you want a short start on campus: Wharton, Georgetown and Columbia run two- to three-week programs where your team builds a venture and pitches it at the end. Several, including USC's and the University of Maryland's, award college credit.

How Do Startup Internships Compare to Corporate Internships?

You see more of the business: On a small team, your project usually connects to something the founder cares about this month, and you see how decisions get made up close. Bring a list of questions to ask a startup founder to your first check-in.

Expect less structure: Startups rarely run formal training or intern cohorts of their own, so most of the placement programs below add coaching, workshops or weekly check-ins around the project.

Factor	Startup internship	Corporate internship
Team size	A handful of people, often including the founder	Large teams with several layers of management
Your project	Tied to an immediate company need	Usually a defined intern project inside one department
Training	Light, so programs add their own coaching	Formal onboarding and intern cohorts are common
Who can apply	Many programs here take students from age 14 or 15	Large-company programs mostly recruit college students

Are Startup Internships Paid, and Is Financial Aid Available?

Yes, a lot of the startup internships in the list below are paid, while financial aid differs from each internship! Some offer the chance of a 100% aid, while others offer a partial aid.

What the tuition covers: Programs such as Ladder and VTSP charge for the matching, training and mentorship around the internship, not for the work itself. Whether a for-profit company has to pay an intern depends on the Department of Labor's primary beneficiary test, which asks whether the intern or the company gets more out of the arrangement.

Which programs pay you: The Young Entrepreneurs Program pays $12 to $14 an hour plus up to $2,500 in scholarships, Be Your Own Boss pays a stipend of up to $250, and NFTE's Miami-Dade BizCamp gives each student $300 in seed capital. 

Where aid changes the math: VTSP offers need-based and merit aid, including some full-tuition awards, and Leangap's scholarships cover 10 to 80% of its online program. At Emerging Entrepreneurs Academy, sponsors cover the $5,000 cost of each student's seat, and NIACC's free academy adds a $500 college scholarship.

Do Startup Internships Help With College Applications?

Yes, they do! Here a few different ways they can give a meaningful boost to your application:

A finished project gives you something specific to describe: A startup internship ends with a deliverable you can name, and work experience is one of the things the Common App's activities section asks you to share. Our guide on how to describe a startup internship on your resume shows how to put it in one sentence.

A manager who can write about you: In a self-reported survey of 85 Ladder alumni who applied to college in the 2024 to 2025 cycle, 64% had a manager write them a recommendation letter, 66% listed the internship in their activities section, and 50% wrote about it in their main essay. Ladder reports that 14.29% were admitted to an Ivy League or top 20 university, which it puts at 1.66 times the general rate at those schools. Read the full admissions report.

How We Selected These Programs

Open to high school students in a current cycle: Every program's own site says high school students can apply, and each shows a dated session, cohort or application window in 2026 or 2027.

Startup work rather than a class: Each program either puts you on a project for an existing startup or company, or has you build and pitch your own venture over at least two weeks with mentors, rather than a one-week camp, a self-paced course or a single pitch event.

Facts from the programs themselves: Costs, dates and eligibility come from each program's official pages, and they change between cycles, so check the program's site before you apply.

Section	Top programs	Cost	Best for
Startup Internships at Existing Companies	VTSP, 1435 Capital Venture Analyst Program, Young Entrepreneurs Program	Free to $4,750; YEP pays $12 to $14 an hour	Students who want to work on a company's own project under a manager
Startup Incubators and Accelerators for High School Students	LaunchX, Leangap, Lumos Fellows	Free to $14,950	Students who want a team, a mentor and a month or more to build their own idea
University and College Summer Entrepreneurship Programs	Wharton Essentials of Entrepreneurship, Columbia Entrepreneurship & Innovation, USC Exploring Entrepreneurship	Free to $12,838	Students who want two to four weeks on a campus that end in a judged pitch

Startup Internships at Existing Companies

These seven programs put you on a project for a company that already exists, from remote startups anywhere in the world to a venture capital firm near Princeton. For more placements built around working next to a founder, see our list of internships where you work directly with a startup founder, and for investing roles, our roundup of venture capital internships for high school students.

1. Ladder Internships

Location: Remote, fully online
Cost/Stipend: $3,190 for the basic startup internship program, paid in two installments starting with a $200 deposit; full and partial financial aid available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 10% for the Summer 2023 cohort, with 700 applicants for 70 spots
Dates: Four 8-week cohorts a year (spring, summer, fall and winter); the next winter cohort starts December 7, 2026
Application deadline: November 15, 2026 for the winter cohort
Eligibility: High school students who can commit about 5 to 10 hours a week; a separate program serves university and gap year students

Ladder Internships was founded by Harvard entrepreneurs and places high school students with startups for an 8-week remote project, in fields that include machine learning and AI, software engineering, finance, health tech, consulting, and media and journalism. Ladder suggests a project based on each applicant's interests and interview, and the student has the final say on the match. The internship follows a set timeline: you define the project with a company coach in week one, present a first deliverable to the company in week four, and present the finished project in week eight. Interns leave with a letter of completion from the host company, and students from families earning $50,000 or less a year can apply for full or partial financial aid.

Who it's best for: A student who wants startup work experience rather than a classroom program and is comfortable being embedded on a real team.

2. StandOut Connect

Location: Online; all partner companies offer remote internships.
Cost/Stipend: Paid program, not a paid internship. Winter 2027 tuition is $1,950; Summer 2027 is $2,950 by the early deadline or $3,950 by the regular deadline. Any internship pay is negotiated directly between you and the company, and a scholarship program covers low-income students.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: About 6% of applicants on average have been selected since 2023; the program reports 1,000+ students matched with 500+ partner companies.
Dates: Winter 2027: weekend training workshops start January 24, 2027 and run through February 21, 2027, then the remote internship runs February 22 to April 23, 2027. Summer 2027 runs May 30 to August 27, 2027, with internships from June 28 to August 27.
Application deadline: Winter 2027: early deadline October 5, 2026; regular deadline November 23, 2026. Summer 2027: early deadline January 18, 2027; regular deadline March 22, 2027; final deadline April 12, 2027.
Eligibility: High school students who will be 15 or older by January 2027 for the winter cohort (June 2027 for summer). Expect up to 5 hours a week during training and about 10 hours a week during the winter internship (up to 30 in summer).

StandOut Connect is an online program that matches high school students with internships at companies founded by alumni of top universities, sourced through partners such as the Yale Entrepreneurial Society and Stanford's Cardinal Ventures. You start with five weeks of weekend workshops on how to recruit for and succeed in an internship, then move into a two-month remote internship where you lead a project at your matched company. Every student who completes the training is guaranteed an internship offer, and the team coordinates interviews until you find a fit. Admission is selective, with about 6% of applicants chosen since 2023, and tuition is charged while any pay is negotiated separately with your company.

Who it's best for: Students who want a guaranteed remote startup placement during the school year, since the Winter 2027 internship runs February 22 to April 23 at about 10 hours a week.

3. Venture & Tech Summer Program (VTSP)

Location: Online; the program is fully remote and virtual.
Cost/Stipend: Paid program, not a paid internship: tuition is $4,750 for the full 6-week program plus a non-waivable $35 application fee. Need-based and merit-based aid is available, including a limited number of full-tuition awards.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not published; the program says it receives thousands of applications each summer from students across 50 countries.
Dates: Summer 2027: Session I runs June 8 to July 16, 2027, and Session II runs July 5 to August 13, 2027.
Application deadline: 2027 admission rounds: Invite-Only September 15 to October 15, 2026; Priority Decision November 15 to December 31, 2026; Early Action January 1 to January 31, 2027; Regular Decision February 1 to February 28, 2027.
Eligibility: High school students worldwide, international equivalents, and students taking a gap year before university, with a demonstrated interest in startups, technology, business or a related field.

The Venture & Tech Summer Program is a six-week online program that matches every high school student with a venture capital-backed startup. You work in a small team on an internship project in a role tied to your interests, while also attending daily workshops led by founders and investors and getting one-on-one mentorship. The summer ends with a project you present at the program's conclusion. Tuition is $4,750 plus a $35 fee, so treat it as a paid program rather than a paid job. Admission runs in four rounds, and the first round closes October 15, 2026.

Who it's best for: Students anywhere in the world who want a fully online startup project with daily founder and investor workshops and can pay tuition or qualify for need-based or merit aid.

4. 1435 Capital Venture Analyst Program

Location: In person at the firm's Skillman (Princeton), New Jersey offices in the Montgomery Innovation Hub; housing and transportation are not provided.
Cost/Stipend: Pay isn't listed, so ask the firm about compensation before applying.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Very small: the firm chose 5 students for its Summer 2026 cohort and cites more than 370 applications for its analyst spots.
Dates: Summer 2027 is a 10-week, full-time program; exact 2027 start and end dates aren't posted yet. In-person open houses for the 2027 program are scheduled for October 2026 and December 2026.
Application deadline: Summer 2027 applications are open now and reviewed on a rolling basis. The firm has a hard cutoff date it does not publish, so apply early.
Eligibility: Rising juniors, rising seniors, and rising college freshmen, generally ages 16 to 18, who are US-based, authorized to work in the US, and in New Jersey for the summer. Applications include a video response, a one-page resume, and written answers.

1435 Capital is a venture capital firm in Skillman, New Jersey, near Princeton, that hires high school students as summer venture analysts. As an analyst, you research startups and markets, build basic financial projections, collect performance data on portfolio companies, and help source new deals through demo days, venture summits and angel networks. The program is a 10-week, full-time role that is 100% in person, and the firm does not provide housing or transportation. The firm chose just 5 students for Summer 2026, and applications are reviewed on a rolling basis before an unpublished hard cutoff, so apply early.

Who it's best for: New Jersey students who can commit to a full-time, in-person summer inside a working venture capital firm and want deal sourcing and portfolio monitoring experience.

5. Young Entrepreneurs Program (YEP)

Location: Kansas City, Missouri area. Most internships are in person at Kansas City companies, some remote options exist, and all Friday company visits are in person.
Cost/Stipend: Paid: $12 to $14 per hour, plus a $2,500 scholarship ($1,250 per session) when you complete the program.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not published. YEP partners with 15 startups and has served over 150 scholars from more than 26 Kansas City area high schools since launching in 2017; qualifying candidates may go through three interview rounds.
Dates: Two summer sessions, June 1 to June 26 and July 6 to July 31, with exact 2027 dates still to be announced; you can do one or both sessions at 30 hours a week.
Application deadline: The 2027 application opens October 1, 2026 and closes February 1, 2027; qualifiers are contacted by March 15, 2027, then invited to interviews in waves.
Eligibility: High school students completing their junior or senior year, in the Kansas City area. A resume is part of the process, and a teacher or administrator recommendation is recommended.

The Young Entrepreneurs Program is a Kansas City internship that has placed high school juniors and seniors at local high-growth startups since 2017. You work 30-hour weeks at one partner company in a role such as engineering, marketing, product management, sales, finance or analytics, and the whole cohort visits a different company every Friday to learn how founders operate. The summer is split into two roughly four-week sessions, and you can take one or both. Interns earn $12 to $14 per hour plus a scholarship of up to $2,500, but most placements require you to be in Kansas City in person.

Who it's best for: Kansas City area juniors and seniors who want a paid, in-person summer job at a local startup such as C2FO or Super Dispatch, with weekly visits to other founders' companies.

6. Emerging Entrepreneurs Academy

Location: Berks County, Pennsylvania (nonprofit based in Wyomissing, PA)
Cost/Stipend: Students don't pay: the program lists a cost of $5,000 per student that is underwritten through grants and business sponsorships. Internship pay isn't published, so ask whether host businesses pay.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Up to 40 students selected from Berks County high schools.
Dates: Summer 2026 ran June 14 to July 30, 2026, with the week of July 4 off and the Dream Pitch Competition on July 30; 2027 dates aren't posted yet.
Application deadline: No 2026 or 2027 deadline is published; the student application form is on the apply page, so check there or contact the academy for timing.
Eligibility: Incoming 10th, 11th and 12th grade students in Berks County, from public, private, charter or cyber schools or homeschooled, who can commit to all six weeks and have reliable transportation to workshops, internships and events.

Emerging Entrepreneurs Academy is a nonprofit summer program in Berks County, Pennsylvania, that pairs entrepreneurship workshops with internships at local businesses. The 2026 session ran six weeks, alternating classroom weeks on starting and running a business with internship weeks at a company matched to your industry of interest, at a minimum of 20 hours in the main internship weeks. The summer ends with the Dream Pitch Competition, where students present their ideas. Each seat is valued at $5,000, but grants and business sponsors cover that cost. Only Berks County students can apply, and you must commit to all six weeks with reliable transportation, so confirm both before you start the form.

Who it's best for: Berks County rising sophomores, juniors and seniors who want a sponsored summer that combines startup coursework, a local business internship and a closing pitch competition.

7. Girls Who Start Impact Internship

Location: Online, through live webinars and short lessons
Cost/Stipend: No program fee is listed, and there's no stipend
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not published; applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, and the size of each intern group isn't stated.
Dates: The most recent session ran February 24 to April 30, 2025; dates for the next session haven't been announced.
Application deadline: Rolling, with applications open now, so apply early to be considered for the next winter start.
Eligibility: High school students; Girls Who Start is a program for young women, so email ariel@girlswhostart.org if you're unsure whether you qualify.

The Impact Internship is a simulation-based virtual internship that Girls Who Start, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, runs in partnership with University Startups. You act as an intern for University Startups, working alone and in teams on social entrepreneurship, career skills and college planning, including brainstorming and pitching a new business idea. Along the way you attend live webinars with professors, finish short lightning lessons and earn points on a leaderboard. The 2025 program ran about ten weeks, from February 24 to April 30. It is a simulation rather than a job at an outside startup, so treat it as skill building more than company experience.

Who it's best for: Students who want a remote introduction to social entrepreneurship that also helps with resumes, college essays and school community service requirements.

Startup Incubators and Accelerators for High School Students

In these eleven programs you and a small team pick a problem, build a product or business over a month or longer, and present it to mentors or investors at the end. iStart Valley builds its curriculum on the Lean Startup method, close to the customer-discovery process the National Science Foundation uses to train scientists and engineers in its I-Corps program, and our list of startup incubators for high school students has more options in this format.

8. LaunchX

Location: Online, or in person (the 2026 in-person program ran at UC San Diego); the Online Startup Experience internship track is remote.
Cost/Stipend: Paid program, not a paid internship. LaunchX's cost page lists Summer 2027 tuition of $7,495 for the online program and $13,495 in person with housing and food, before financial awards, plus a $50 to $100 application fee. The Online Startup Experience costs $4,495, or $3,495 for alumni.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: About 30% for the Flagship programs; the Online Startup Experience lists 60 spots.
Dates: The fall 2026 Online Startup Experience runs September 14 to November 9, 2026. The Online Flagship lasts five weeks and the San Diego Flagship four weeks over the summer, and LaunchX hasn't posted summer 2027 dates yet.
Application deadline: Summer 2027 applications opened October 1, 2026, with deadlines on November 11, 2026 (priority), January 21, 2027 (early), March 4, 2027 (financial award) and March 31, 2027 (final).
Eligibility: High school students ages 14 to 18; the Online Startup Experience also accepts some college-age students, so check its age range before applying.

LaunchX is a summer entrepreneurship program for high school students, offered online or as an in-person Flagship. Teams spend four to five weeks finding a problem worth solving, building a product and making their first sales, then present at Demo Day. The Flagship tracks admit roughly 30% of applicants, and financial awards can lower the tuition. If you would rather work inside an existing company, the eight-week Online Startup Experience places you with a partner startup on a defined project.

Who it's best for: Students who want to launch a startup with a team over one summer and finish at Demo Day, with the option of an eight-week startup placement through the Online Startup Experience.

9. Leangap

Location: Online over Zoom and Discord, or in person in San Francisco, hosted at UC Berkeley.
Cost/Stipend: Paid program, not a paid internship. The online program costs $6,450 and the San Francisco program $14,950 (housing, meals and airport transfers included); need-based scholarships cover 10 to 80% of the online program and 10 to 50% of the San Francisco program, and the $700 deposit is nonrefundable but counts toward tuition.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not published; Leangap describes small teams supported at a 4:1 student-to-staff ratio.
Dates: Summer 2027 online runs June 14 to July 9, 2027, plus a prep week; the San Francisco program runs July 11 to August 7, 2027.
Application deadline: Summer 2027 applications are open, but Leangap doesn't publish a deadline, so apply early and ask the team about remaining spots.
Eligibility: High school students; Leangap says there are no prerequisites in terms of prior knowledge, and it doesn't list specific grades or ages.

Leangap is a four-week startup incubator where high school students build real companies, either online over Zoom and Discord or in person at UC Berkeley. Morning classes set up a day of team work on validating an idea, building a minimum viable product and finding paying customers. Teams get support at a 4:1 student-to-staff ratio, and the program closes with a pitch to Silicon Valley investors, CEOs and technologists in front of a public audience. Tuition is steep, so check the need-based scholarships, which cut up to 80% off the online program.

Who it's best for: High school students who want an intensive four-week sprint ending in a pitch to Silicon Valley investors, with a residential option at UC Berkeley.

10. Lumos Fellows

Location: Online (fully virtual)
Cost/Stipend: Paid program, not a paid internship. Summer 2027 tuition is $4,500, with merit scholarships covering 10 to 100 percent and financial aid covering 25 to 100 percent for families earning under $65,000 a year.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not published; Lumos describes the program as selective, and shortlisted applicants complete a 15-minute interview before decisions.
Dates: The Fall 2026 cohort started September 8, 2026. Summer 2027 cohorts start May 26, June 9, June 23, July 7, July 21, August 4 and August 14, 2027, each running six weeks.
Application deadline: For Summer 2027, the early deadline is December 31, 2026 and the final deadline is May 1, 2027; applications are open now.
Eligibility: High school and college students; no coding experience or product idea is required.

Lumos Fellows is a six-week online program where high school and college students build and launch their own software product using AI tools. You're paired with a mentor for 1:1 support, spend the first weeks refining a problem and planning a minimum viable product, then move into marketing and user outreach in weeks four and five. The cohort wraps up with a demo day presentation, and you keep ownership of what you build. Tuition is $4,500 before scholarships, and merit scholarships and need-based aid can cover up to the full cost, so apply for aid along with your application.

Who it's best for: Students with no coding background who want to ship their own AI-built app in six weeks with one dedicated mentor.

11. Prequel

Location: Fully online; open to students in North America.
Cost/Stipend: Paid program, not a paid internship. Tuition is $6,000 for the year (listed as starting at $500 per month, billed annually), or $6,500 with installments.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: About 10% of applicants are accepted, according to Prequel.
Dates: The next one-year cohort starts in June 2027; exact dates will be announced later.
Application deadline: Early applications for the Summer 2027 cohort are open now and are reviewed in winter 2027; Prequel hasn't posted a final deadline.
Eligibility: Students in grades 9 to 11 in North America.

Prequel, formerly BETA Camp, is a one-year online accelerator for students in grades 9 to 11 across North America. In the first three months you build a first project, often a startup or app, with workshops, coaching and AI and no-code tools, and over the next nine months you refine, grow and try to monetize it. Prequel says only about 10% of applicants get in. Projects can also be nonprofits, podcasts or documentaries, so state clearly in your application that you plan to build a business if that's your goal.

Who it's best for: Students in grades 9 to 11 who want a full year of coaching to grow one venture, rather than a single summer sprint.

12. Nova School AI Entrepreneurship Program

Location: Online, with live virtual sessions Monday to Friday, 9 AM to 12 PM Pacific; Nova School is based in the South Bay area of Los Angeles.
Cost/Stipend: Paid program, not a paid internship. Tuition is listed in Nova's downloadable program guide rather than on its website, and applying by June 30 saved $100 for Summer 2026.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Acceptance rate not published; the cohort is limited to 30 students working in teams of 2 to 4.
Dates: Summer 2026 ran July 13 to August 7, 2026 (4 weeks, about 15 hours a week); 2027 dates aren't posted yet.
Application deadline: For Summer 2026, applying by June 30, 2026 earned a $100 discount and no final deadline was posted; 2027 deadlines aren't posted yet.
Eligibility: High school students ages 14 and up; no coding experience required.

Nova School's AI Entrepreneurship Program is a four-week virtual summer program from an AI and entrepreneurship school based in the South Bay area of Los Angeles. You join a team of two to four students, pick a problem you care about, and use AI coding tools to build an app that goes live on the internet, with no coding experience required. Live sessions run on weekday mornings, founders and operators guide the teams, and the program ends with a virtual Demo Day where you present your product to entrepreneurs, family and peers. The cohort is limited to 30 students, and you'll find tuition in the program guide, so download it before applying.

Who it's best for: Students with no coding background who want to ship a working AI app with a small team in four weeks and present it to entrepreneurs at a virtual Demo Day.

13. iStart Valley High School Internship

Location: Remote; open to students nationwide.
Cost/Stipend: Paid program, not a paid internship. A one-time fee of $700, payable as a $500 deposit plus $200 later, with a 10% sibling discount when paid in full.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not published; interns work in teams of 4 to 5 with one team leader.
Dates: The Spring 2027 internship runs January 23, 2027 to May 1, 2027, at 2 to 4 hours per week.
Application deadline: Apply by November 27, 2026; applicants are notified by December 4, 2026.
Eligibility: High school students in grades 9 to 12, plus 8th graders who will enter 9th grade the following school year; no prerequisites.

The iStart Valley High School Internship is a remote spring program, running January 23 to May 1, 2027, where teams of four to five students develop a startup concept together. Interns research regional innovation ecosystems, analyze trends and apply design thinking and lean startup methods, then present a business plan to iStart Valley's entrepreneurs in residence and executive leadership. The workload is light at 2 to 4 hours per week, so it fits around a full school schedule. The final deliverable is a business plan pitch rather than a launched company, so look elsewhere if you want paying customers by the end.

Who it's best for: Students who want a low-commitment, school-year team project that ends in a business plan pitch to working entrepreneurs, with eighth graders entering ninth grade also eligible.

14. NYU Tandon Innovation, Entrepreneurship and the Science of Smart Cities (ieSoSC)

Location: NYU Tandon School of Engineering, Downtown Brooklyn, New York (in person, Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.)
Cost/Stipend: Free. The program is offered at no cost through support from the Winston Foundation; it is not a paid internship.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not published; the program is open only to New York City residents in grades 9 to 11.
Dates: Summer 2026 ieSoSC I ran July 6 to August 7, 2026 (five weeks); ieSoSC II, by invitation only, ran July 13 to August 7, 2026. 2027 dates aren't posted yet.
Application deadline: The 2026 application deadline was May 15, 2026, with decisions by May 29, 2026. The 2027 deadline isn't posted yet.
Eligibility: New York City residents in grades 9 to 11.

ieSoSC is a free summer program run by NYU Tandon's K12 STEM Education office in Downtown Brooklyn. Over five weeks, Monday to Friday, you build coding and microcontroller skills, then use them to ideate and prototype your own product or service aimed at a smart city problem. Entrepreneurship training covers everything from economics to company branding, and theater-based communication workshops help you sharpen the business pitch you deliver at the end. The program is open only to NYC residents, so students outside the five boroughs can't apply.

Who it's best for: New York City high schoolers who want a free, five-week program that pairs engineering prototyping with startup pitch training.

15. NFTE BizCamp (Miami-Dade TECH Entrepreneurship)

Location: In person at six Miami-Dade County school sites (Horace Mann Middle, John A. Ferguson Senior High, Keys Gate Charter High, KIPP Miami, Miami Senior High and Miami Southridge Senior High), Monday through Thursday, 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Cost/Stipend: Free to attend, and each student receives $300 in seed capital for their business. It is a free camp, not a paid internship.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not published; NFTE's summer 2025 BizCamps served more than 600 middle and high school students across its regions.
Dates: Summer 2026 ran June 15 to July 23, 2026 (six weeks, Monday through Thursday); 2027 dates aren't posted yet.
Application deadline: The Summer 2026 priority deadline was May 20, 2026; the 2027 deadline isn't posted yet.
Eligibility: Students entering grades 6 to 12 who have a Miami-Dade County mailing address.

NFTE BizCamp is a summer entrepreneurship camp from the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship, a national nonprofit, and the Miami-Dade Tech edition runs for six weeks at public school sites across the county. You learn design thinking, financial literacy, Google Cloud tools and ways to use AI in a business, then shape an original business idea of your own. Each student gets $300 in seed capital, and the camp ends in a pitch competition that can earn you a spot at NFTE's national showcase in New York City. The camp is free, but you need a Miami-Dade County mailing address to qualify, so students elsewhere should ask their regional NFTE office whether a local BizCamp is running.

Who it's best for: Miami-Dade students in grades 6 to 12 who want a free six-week summer camp that funds their own business idea with $300 and offers a path to NFTE's national showcase in New York City.

16. Young Entrepreneurs Academy (YEA!)

Location: In person through local chapters in cities such as New York City, Staten Island, Albany, Buffalo, Rochester, Philadelphia, Chicago, Dallas, Frisco, Boca Raton, Baton Rouge, New Orleans and Manhattan Beach; check the YEA! locations page for a chapter near you.
Cost/Stipend: Paid program, not a paid internship. Each chapter sets its own tuition; YEA! Philadelphia charged $995 for the 2026 to 2027 academic year ($850 with the June 30, 2026 early discount) and offers need-based scholarships.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Acceptance rate not published; classes are small, and the YEA! Staten Island 2026 class roster listed 22 students.
Dates: Each chapter runs one class per academic year. YEA! Staten Island's 2026 class met Tuesdays from December 2025 through April 2026, and YEA! Philadelphia is enrolling its 2026 to 2027 academic-year class.
Application deadline: Set by each chapter; YEA! Staten Island accepts applications on a rolling basis. YEA! Philadelphia's deadline for the 2026 to 2027 class was September 15, 2026 (early discount by June 30, 2026), so contact your local chapter for its current deadline.
Eligibility: Ages 11 to 18 nationally, with chapter rules that vary: YEA! Staten Island takes NYC high school students in grades 9 to 12, and YEA! Philadelphia takes ages 12 to 18.

Young Entrepreneurs Academy (YEA!) is a national after-school program, delivered through local chapters that are often hosted by chambers of commerce, that walks students from a business idea to a launched company over one academic year. You write a business plan, learn from local business owners, and pitch to a panel of investors who can fund your company before you launch it. The program runs in under 100 hours of class time; the Staten Island chapter, for example, met Tuesday evenings from December 2025 through April 2026. Tuition, schedules and deadlines are set by each chapter, so find one near you on the YEA! locations list and confirm its current terms before applying.

Who it's best for: Students near a YEA! chapter who want to spend a full school year building a business and pitch local investors for actual startup funding, with a shot at the national Saunders Scholars Competition.

17. Cass County CEO

Location: Beardstown, Illinois; serves A-C Central, Virginia, Beardstown Christian Academy and Beardstown Jr/Sr High students, plus home-schooled students in the area
Cost/Stipend: No tuition is published; the national CEO model is funded by local business investors, so ask the program about any student costs before applying.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not published; the Class of 2027 has 16 students selected from three area schools.
Dates: The 2026 to 2027 class (Class of 2027) is meeting now as a year-long course, with activity posted through September 29, 2026. The program launched in fall 2025.
Application deadline: Applications for the next class aren't open yet and no deadline is posted; sign up on the program's application page for text updates.
Eligibility: High school students at participating Cass County, Illinois area schools or home-schooled in the area; current members are juniors and seniors. The application asks for a 150-word personal narrative, a character survey, references and parent or guardian approval.

Cass County CEO is a year-long entrepreneurship class for high school students around Beardstown, Illinois, run as a local chapter of the national CEO (Creating Entrepreneurial Opportunities) program from the Midland Institute for Entrepreneurship. Members visit more than 40 local businesses, hear from guest speakers, and plan a class business as a team before turning to their own business in the second half of the year. The year closes with a public trade show where each student exhibits that business. The current class has just 16 students drawn from three area schools, and the application asks for a personal narrative, a character survey, references and parent approval. Applications for the next class aren't open yet, so sign up for text updates on the program's website.

Who it's best for: Juniors and seniors at Beardstown, Virginia or A-C Central area schools who want a full school year to build and exhibit their own business with local investors behind the class.

18. Future Founders Be Your Own Boss (BYOB) Internship

Location: Virtual, with live sessions on Zoom
Cost/Stipend: Free to attend, and interns can earn a stipend of up to $250.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not published; the 2024 winter cohort enrolled 41 students from 13 states, and the program keeps a waitlist when applications are closed.
Dates: The next cohort runs January 12 to February 4, 2027, about four weeks of live Zoom sessions.
Application deadline: Applications for the January 2027 cohort are closed; join the waitlist to hear about the next opening.
Eligibility: High school students; the application lists Chicago Public Schools and Chicago charter school students, so check that your school qualifies before applying.

Be Your Own Boss is a paid virtual internship from Future Founders, a Chicago nonprofit that teaches teens entrepreneurship. Over about four weeks of live Zoom sessions, you learn how founders spot problems and test ideas, and you hear directly from startup founders and volunteers in the Future Founders network. You then work with a small team of peers to develop a new business idea and pitch it to a panel of judges. The program is free and pays a stipend of up to $250. Check eligibility before applying, since the application lists Chicago public and charter school students.

Who it's best for: Students who want a free, short first try at building and pitching a business idea with a team, and who would like to earn a small stipend while doing it.

University and College Summer Entrepreneurship Programs

These eleven programs run two to four weeks at universities and colleges, and each ends with your team pitching a venture to judges, investors or a panel. Most cost more per week than the longer programs above, so check scholarship and early-bird deadlines before you apply.

19. USC Pre-College: Exploring Entrepreneurship

Location: USC's campus in Los Angeles, California; residential or commuter (commuter isn't available to international students).
Cost/Stipend: Paid program, not a paid internship. Summer 2026 cost about $11,570 residential or $8,130 commuter in total (tuition $7,401 plus course materials, program fee and health center fee). International students pay extra fees.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not published; USC asks applicants to show a rigorous high school curriculum.
Dates: Summer 2026 ran June 22 to July 16, 2026. Summer 2027 is listed as June 21 to July 15, 2027.
Application deadline: Summer 2026 deadlines were May 8, 2026 for domestic applicants and March 13, 2026 for international applicants; 2027 deadlines aren't posted yet.
Eligibility: High school students who have completed at least ninth grade by the start of the program; domestic and international students can apply.

Exploring Entrepreneurship is a four-week course in USC's Pre-College Summer Programs, taught on the Los Angeles campus. You study how founders spot opportunities, build business models and fund a company, and you practice by creating your own business through assignments and teamwork. Field trips and guest speakers fill out the schedule, and the final week focuses on pitching and growing your venture, ending in a final pitch competition. You earn college credit as a Summer Trojan, but the price is steep at $8,130 for commuters in 2026, so review the full fee breakdown before you apply.

Who it's best for: Students who want college credit for building a business, since this is a four-week credit-bearing USC course that ends in a team pitch competition.

20. Columbia Pre-College: Entrepreneurship & Innovation, Changing the World via Venture Creation

Location: Columbia's Morningside campus in New York City (residential or commuter, three weeks) or online (two weeks); a fall weekend section also runs.
Cost/Stipend: Paid program, not a paid internship. Summer 2027: $6,381 per 3-week commuter session, $12,838 per 3-week residential session, or $4,018 for a 2-week online session, plus a $95 application fee. Need-based awards cover 25% to 100% of program cost (apply by February 10, 2027).
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not published; several Summer 2026 in-person sections filled, so register early.
Dates: Summer 2026 in-person Session A ran June 29 to July 17, 2026, with additional in-person and online sections later that summer; a fall weekend section runs October 9 to November 22, 2026. Summer 2027 residential sessions are June 28 to July 16, 2027 and July 20 to August 6, 2027.
Application deadline: Summer 2027: early registration deadline February 1, 2027 and general application deadline April 1, 2027. The Fall 2026 general deadline (extended) was September 30, 2026.
Eligibility: Rising 9th through current 12th graders, domestic and international, for summer; residential students must be at least 15 and turn 16 by December 31 of the program year.

Entrepreneurship & Innovation: Changing the World via Venture Creation is a Columbia University Pre-College course that takes you from idea to a launch-ready business or social venture. You work on team-selected venture ideas, covering customer discovery, business models, branding, financing and legal basics, and you revise your model based on instructor and peer feedback. The summer course runs three weeks in person in New York City or two weeks online. By the end you produce venture plans, investor pitches, websites and crowdfunding videos. Costs run high, starting at $4,018 online for Summer 2027, so check the February 10, 2027 financial aid deadline.

Who it's best for: Students who want to leave with a full venture package, since the course ends with a venture plan, investor pitch, website and crowdfunding video rather than a single pitch.

21. University of Maryland Snider Enterprise and Leadership Fellows (SELF)

Location: University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland; on campus as a commuter or fully online, with limited residential spaces.
Cost/Stipend: Paid program, not a paid internship. In 2026, tuition was $437 per credit for 3 credits ($1,311), with a total package of $1,791 on campus or $1,420 online. Need-based scholarships are competitive and capped at 30% of the package.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not published; residential spaces are described as limited.
Dates: Summer 2026 ran July 13 to July 31, 2026. The SELF page lists July 12 to July 30, 2027 for the next session.
Application deadline: The 2026 application opened January 6 and closed June 1, 2026, with scholarship applications due April 1, 2026; 2027 deadlines aren't posted yet.
Eligibility: High school students from rising 10th grade through graduating 12th grade, applying through Terp Young Scholars.

The Snider Enterprise and Leadership Fellows (SELF) Experience comes from the Snider Center at the University of Maryland's Robert H. Smith School of Business and runs as the 3-credit course BMGT262 Enterprising Leader through Terp Young Scholars. You take on the role of CEO of your own enterprise and work in teams with faculty and business executives, testing ideas with industry experts. The three-week course culminates in the presentation of a venture pitch and counts as three University of Maryland credits. It is one of the lower-cost options, with a 2026 campus package of $1,791, but residential spots are limited, so ask about housing early.

Who it's best for: Students who want university credit on a budget, since the 2026 campus package cost $1,791 for three UMD credits.

22. Wharton Global Youth Program: Essentials of Entrepreneurship

Location: University of Pennsylvania campus, Philadelphia (residential)
Cost/Stipend: Paid program, not a paid internship. Summer 2026 tuition was $8,299 plus a $100 non-refundable application fee; need-based partial scholarships are available.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not published; Wharton describes the cohort as a select group of high school students, and admission decisions are need-blind.
Dates: Summer 2026 ran four two-week sessions: June 7 to June 19, June 21 to July 3, July 12 to July 25, and July 26 to August 8, 2026. Summer 2027 dates aren't posted yet.
Application deadline: For summer 2026, the priority deadline was January 28, 2026 and the final deadline was March 18, 2026. Summer 2027 applications open in November 2026.
Eligibility: High school students currently enrolled in grades 9 to 11 with at least a 3.3 unweighted GPA (or equivalent); no business background is required, and international students can apply.

Essentials of Entrepreneurship is a two-week residential program from the Wharton Global Youth Program at the University of Pennsylvania. You work in a team to shape a startup concept, run customer research, design a prototype and build a pitch deck that lays out the problem, solution and business model. Classes meet Monday through Friday with lectures, recitations and group work, and the session closes with teams presenting their startup ideas to a panel of judges for live feedback. Applicants need at least a 3.3 unweighted GPA, and summer 2027 applications open in November, so start your essays early if you want the priority deadline.

Who it's best for: Students in grades 9 to 11 who want a Wharton certificate and a judged startup pitch after two weeks living on Penn's campus.

23. UC Berkeley Business Academy for Youth (B-BAY) Summer Entrepreneurship Residency

Location: UC Berkeley campus, Berkeley, California (residential)
Cost/Stipend: Paid program, not a paid internship. Summer 2027 tuition and fees will be announced in Fall 2026; the application carries a $100 non-refundable fee.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not published; each session enrolls about 50 high school students from around the world.
Dates: Summer 2026 ran two sessions, July 5 to July 18, 2026 and July 19 to August 1, 2026. Summer 2027 dates will be announced in Fall 2026.
Application deadline: 2026 applications are closed (teacher recommendations were due February 13, 2026, and decisions came out in March 2026). The 2027 deadline isn't posted yet.
Eligibility: High school students; the application asks for essays, a video essay, a transcript and teacher recommendations. Ask B-BAY about grade requirements before applying.

The Summer Entrepreneurship Residency is the flagship high school program of the Business Academy for Youth (B-BAY) at UC Berkeley's Haas School of Business. Over two weeks on the Berkeley campus, you join a team, develop a business idea and turn it into a full business plan, with classes in marketing, finance, accounting, negotiation and public speaking taught by Haas faculty, PhD candidates and undergraduates. Each session enrolls about 50 high school students from around the globe, and every team presents its business plan at the end. Summer 2027 dates and tuition will be announced in Fall 2026, so check the Dates & Fees page before planning your summer.

Who it's best for: Students who want two residential weeks at Berkeley Haas taking one team business idea all the way to a finished business plan and final presentation.

24. Georgetown University Entrepreneurship Academy

Location: Georgetown University's campus in Washington, D.C.; residential or commuter.
Cost/Stipend: Paid program, not a paid internship. Summer 2026: $6,465 residential tuition and meals, or $5,075 commuter tuition, plus an application fee that is waived if you apply by the January 31 early-bird deadline.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not published; admission is rolling, with decisions released up to three weeks after a complete application.
Dates: Summer 2026 ran June 7 to June 19, 2026; 2027 dates aren't posted yet, though the application form already lists Summer 2027.
Application deadline: Georgetown's usual deadlines are January 31 for early bird (application fee waived) and May 15 final, with later applications reviewed case by case; 2027 dates will be posted with the Summer 2027 sessions.
Eligibility: Current 8th through 12th graders during the school year before the program, with at least a 2.0 GPA; some academies require students to be 15 by check-in.

Georgetown's Entrepreneurship Academy is a two-week summer pre-college program on the university's Washington, D.C. campus. Weekdays run from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. with lectures, case studies, guest speakers and off-site visits. Working in small groups, you develop a business plan and pitch presentation, then compete with your team in a final pitch competition. Admission is rolling and open to current 8th through 12th graders with at least a 2.0 GPA. Residential spots for 2026 filled far faster than commuter spots, so apply early if you want to live on campus.

Who it's best for: Younger students, since it accepts current 8th graders with a 2.0 GPA, a lower bar than most pre-college entrepreneurship programs.

25. Tufts Pre-College Entrepreneurship & Innovation Bootcamp

Location: Tufts University Medford/Somerville campus near Boston, Massachusetts; residential (air-conditioned Tufts dorm) or commuter.
Cost/Stipend: Paid program, not a paid internship: $4,225 for commuters or $5,750 for residential students.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not published; Tufts doesn't list a cohort size or acceptance rate, so ask the pre-college office how many students each session takes.
Dates: Two weeks in summer; Summer 2027 session dates aren't posted yet, and Tufts says Summer 2027 information will be released in fall 2026.
Application deadline: Summer 2027 applications open December 14, 2026 and close May 1, 2027.
Eligibility: High school students entering grades 10 to 12, or 2027 high school graduates.

Tufts University runs this two-week summer bootcamp for high school students on its Medford/Somerville campus near Boston. Student teams design, build and launch a startup, small business or nonprofit, guided by mentors drawn from Tufts students and alumni. The two weeks close with a pitch event modeled on accelerator demo days, where teams pitch to a panel of judges. Tuition runs $4,225 to commute or $5,750 with on-campus housing, and Summer 2027 dates aren't posted yet, so check back once applications open on December 14, 2026.

Who it's best for: High schoolers who want a short, residential venture sprint near Boston that ends in a demo-day style pitch to judges, without giving up a full summer.

26. McIntire Business Institute at UVA Northern Virginia

Location: UVA Northern Virginia campus in Fairfax, Virginia; in person, Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. ET.
Cost/Stipend: Paid program, not a paid internship. $3,700 to $4,000 at early-bird pricing, which changes on March 1; Inspire fees include tuition, course materials, a Friday excursion, and daily lunch and snacks. Need-based financial aid is available.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not published; Inspire reviews applications on a rolling basis and enrolled more than 180 students across 12 courses in 2025.
Dates: Summer 2026 sessions ran June 22 to July 2, 2026 and July 13 to July 24, 2026; 2027 dates aren't posted yet.
Application deadline: Rolling admission; applications for the Summer 2027 program open in late fall 2026, and early-bird pricing ends March 1.
Eligibility: Rising 10th through 12th grade high school students.

The McIntire Business Institute is a two-week entrepreneurship course in UVA Northern Virginia's Inspire Summer program, taught on the Fairfax campus with faculty from UVA's McIntire School of Commerce. You learn marketing, strategy, finance and accounting and apply each day's lesson to a group project, working with a team to launch your own startup. Past teams have built functioning websites, new food products and a prototype app that translates lip reading into text. The course meets in person on weekdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and ends with a team pitch. Applications for next summer open in late fall, so sign up for updates if you're a rising 10th to 12th grader.

Who it's best for: Northern Virginia students who want a two-week team startup build close to home, since the course meets daily on UVA's Fairfax campus.

27. NIACC Pappajohn Center Youth Entrepreneurial Academy

Location: Hybrid: an online classroom and virtual meetings, plus one in-person day each week at a North Iowa site you choose (Charles City, Sheffield, Northwood or Clear Lake)
Cost/Stipend: Free, and every participant receives a $500 scholarship to NIACC. Up to $1,000 more in scholarships is available to students who enroll in a NIACC program.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not published; registration stays open until the program is full.
Dates: Summer 2026 ran June 15 to 26, 2026, from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., with the Pitch Night Competition on June 30, 2026; 2027 dates aren't posted yet.
Application deadline: Summer 2026 had a June 8, 2026 priority deadline and stayed open until the program filled; the 2027 deadline isn't posted yet.
Eligibility: North Iowa high school students.

The Youth Entrepreneurial Academy is a free two-week summer program from the John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center at North Iowa Area Community College. It runs as a hybrid, mixing an online classroom and virtual meetings with one in-person day each week in a North Iowa town you choose. Over the two weeks you develop your own business idea and practice the skills needed to launch it, then present at a Pitch Night Competition where every student can win seed money. Each participant also earns a $500 NIACC scholarship, but only North Iowa high school students can join.

Who it's best for: North Iowa high school students who want a free program that comes with a college scholarship and a chance at seed money for their own business idea.

28. Barnard Athena Summer Innovation Institute

Location: Barnard College, New York City; commuter or residential
Cost/Stipend: Paid program, not a paid internship. Summer 2026 tuition was $8,160 for commuters and $10,771 for residential students, which adds housing and seven-day dining. Barnard offers a limited amount of need-based financial aid, and international applicants aren't eligible for it.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not published; admission is selective and based on a transcript, an extracurricular list, teacher recommendations and a 500-word statement of purpose.
Dates: Summer 2026 ran June 29 to July 17, 2026, as a three-week institute; 2027 dates aren't posted yet.
Application deadline: Summer 2026 had a February 9, 2026 priority deadline (fee waived, and also the financial aid deadline) and an April 15, 2026 final deadline. Summer 2027 applications open December 1, 2026.
Eligibility: Current high school students who are at least 14 by the start of the program; the exploratory institutes accept rising sophomores, juniors and seniors. Athena has focused on young women, so check who can apply before you start your application.

The Athena Summer Innovation Institute is a three-week program run by Barnard College's Pre-College Programs in New York City, focused on innovation, entrepreneurship and social impact. You join a team to create a new venture, which can be a startup, a nonprofit or an advocacy campaign, and you turn what you learn in class into a pitch. The institute ends with teams presenting to a panel of leaders, entrepreneurs, investors and innovators. Tuition starts at $8,160 for commuters, so apply by the February priority deadline if you need financial aid.

Who it's best for: Students who want to build a mission-driven venture, such as a nonprofit or advocacy campaign, and pitch it to judges while studying on a New York City campus.

29. Lassonde Startup Academy

Location: Lassonde Studios, University of Utah, Salt Lake City; residential
Cost/Stipend: Paid program, not a paid internship. Summer 2026 cost $4,860 including housing and meals. Scholarships based on merit and need are available, and registering by December 31, 2025 saved $1,000.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not published; the university says space and financial support are limited and encourages early registration.
Dates: Summer 2026 ran June 15 to 26, 2026, ending with a demo day; 2027 dates aren't posted yet.
Application deadline: Summer 2026 used open registration with a $1,000 early discount for registering by December 31, 2025. The 2027 deadline isn't posted yet, so watch the academy page for the next enrollment opening.
Eligibility: High school students ages 14 to 18.

Lassonde Startup Academy is a 12-day residential pre-college program from the University of Utah's Lassonde Entrepreneur Institute, first offered in summer 2026. You live at Lassonde Studios, a five-story building with a 20,000-square-foot makerspace, and work through ideation, prototyping, marketing and sales while learning from experienced entrepreneurs. You can arrive with an idea or start from scratch, and you collaborate with other students to create and launch a product or company. The academy ends with a demo day where students sell what they made, and it also offers college credit.

Who it's best for: Students who want to prototype and sell a physical product in a university makerspace instead of only writing a business plan.

Commonly Asked Questions About Startup Internships for High School Students

1. Can you do a startup internship remotely in high school?

Yes. Ladder and VTSP match you with startups online, Lumos Fellows has you build your own product remotely, and Ladder Internships runs an 8-week remote startup project four times a year.

2. What do high school interns actually do at a startup?

Mostly project work a small team needs done. 1435 Capital analysts research startups and build financial projections; Young Entrepreneurs Program interns take roles in engineering, marketing, product or sales, and Ladder interns lead a project at their matched company.

3. How old do you have to be for a startup internship?

Usually 14 or 15. Nova School and Lassonde take students from 14, while 1435 Capital and YEP want rising juniors and seniors. Paid jobs for 14- and 15-year-olds also fall under federal child labor hour limits.

4. How do you find a startup internship as a high school student?

The fastest route is a program that matches you, like the placements above. You can also email local founders with a short note on a problem you could help solve, and our guide to getting a startup internship with zero experience shows how.