12 STEM Internships for High School Students in Seattle, Washington
For high school students interested in STEM, internships can be a way of getting ahead in the field while gaining hands-on experience. Such programs allow you to learn from professionals and organizations to explore careers in STEM. You can network with professionals, mentors, and peers who could help you in the future.
Internships and similar programs, whether paid or unpaid, tend to be accessible ways of exploring your field of interest. Virtual internships eliminate the cost of transport and are a convenient option if you are juggling various commitments. While some of these programs are not traditional internships, they all offer practical experience in STEM, which can be useful for your future career.
If you are a high school student in Seattle, Washington, here are 12 STEM internships for you:
Ladder Internships is a selective start-up internship program for ambitious high school students. Through the program, you will intern with a high-growth start-up. These start-ups work in 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, raising over a million dollars on average. In the program, you will work closely with your managers and a Ladder Coach on real-world projects and present your work to the company. Here is the application form. The virtual internship is usually 8 weeks long.
Location: Remote! You can work from anywhere in the world.
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified
Cost: Starting at $2,490. Financial aid is available.
Application Deadline: Deadlines vary depending on the cohort. Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September) and Winter (November).
Program Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year, including Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter.
Eligibility: Students who can work for 10 – 20 hours/week for 8 – 12 weeks. Open to high school students, undergraduates, and gap year students!
2. Seattle University’s AI for Equity
Blending artificial intelligence and criminal justice, Seattle University’s AI for Equity program teaches students about bias and equity. In this program, you will learn the basics of machine learning, how criminal justice uses AI, the ethical challenges of AI, and how to create AI solutions for traditional problems. You will also examine these solutions from technical and social perspectives. Guest speakers will delve deeper into these themes. At the end of the program, you will earn college credit.
Location: Seattle, Washington
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified
Cost: $1,500. Scholarships are available
Program Dates: July 13 – 18
Application Deadline: April 25
Eligibility: High school students entering their sophomore year
The AI Internship Program by Veritas AI is founded and run by Harvard graduate students. Through the 8-week internship, students have the opportunity to work with VC-backed startups on real-world AI/ML projects. Students work directly with mentors from Harvard, Wharton, Google, Microsoft, McKinsey & Company, and more. This program is a great opportunity for students who have prior experience with AI/ML and are looking to gain real-world exposure to a career in the field. Students get a chance to network with industry professionals, work closely with company leadership, and receive a letter of completion from the company at the end of the internship. You can learn more about the program here and apply here.
Location: Virtual
Cost: $2,490
Application Deadline: Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September), and Winter (November).
Program Dates: Multiple 8-week cohorts throughout the year, including Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter.
Eligibility: Open to high school students who have prior experience with AI/ML or have completed a Veritas AI program
4. Seattle University’s Urban Sustainability
The Urban Sustainability program at Seattle University is for students interested in pursuing a career in environment-related fields. The project-based program involves activities led by SU’s biology, chemistry, environmental studies, environmental science, and environmental engineering programs. You will learn to define ecosystem services and how they can be provided in an urban setting; identify and explain sustainable building design practices related to energy, water, and materials; identify water quality parameters that can be harmful to ecological systems; take standardized underwater soil samples to characterize biological diversity, and more.
Location: Seattle, Washington
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified
Cost: $1,500. Scholarships are available
Application Deadline: April 25
Program Dates: July 27 – August 1
Eligibility: High school students entering their sophomore year
5. University of Washington’s Changemakers in Computing
This summer course focuses on technology, society, and justice. Students will be mentored by University of Washington undergraduate students throughout the program. You will develop your coding skills while working on a culturally relevant project. You will also network with peers, receive college advice, and explore various career paths in computing.
Location: Seattle, Washington
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified
Cost: None. Stipend of $1,500
Program Dates: July 7 – 31
Application Deadline: April 3
Eligibility: Rising juniors and seniors at Washington State high schools
6. University of Washington Engineering Academy
UW offers a week-long summer camp in engineering. Over 5 days, you will complete design challenges while networking with engineering students and faculty. You will also tour the UW campus and learn about the impact of different engineering practices. Since this is an introductory course, prior knowledge of or experience in engineering is not required.
Location: Seattle, Washington
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified
Cost: None
Program Dates: July 21 – 25
Application Deadline: April 27
Eligibility: Sophomores and juniors attending a high school in the greater Seattle area
In this program, you will work with industry organizations in various fields, including STEM. You will be paired with mentors from diverse backgrounds to work on a STEM project. Projects cover topics in engineering and computer science. In the past, students have co-authored IEEE research papers with their mentors and participated in prestigious competitions.
Location: Seattle, Washington
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified
Cost: None. Some internships provide a stipend.
Program Dates: Varies depending on the internship, but they typically begin in July
Application Deadline: April
Eligibility: High school students
8. Fred Hutch Summer High School Internship Program
Students interested in the biomedical sciences can participate in this 8-week paid internship. In the first two weeks, you will receive training in lab safety, techniques, and skills. You will then work with a mentor in a Fred Hutch research group in pairs. Your tasks may include data entry, attending laboratory meetings, making solutions or dilutions, creating culture plates, and more. You will also attend weekly sessions on ethics, "meet the scientist" sessions, health disparities research, "Big Data" visualization, making a good presentation, and biostatistics. You will participate in college and professional development workshops and engage in social activities.
Location: Seattle, Washington
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified
Cost: None. Paid internship
Program Dates: June 23 – August 15
Application Deadline: March 31
Eligibility: High school students entering their senior year
9. Clean Water Ambassadors Internship
The Clean Water Ambassadors Internship is a paid opportunity in Seattle for high school students to learn about local environmental issues, solutions, and careers related to clean water. During the program, you will participate in field trips and workshops to learn about environmental issues, interview professionals to explore careers in the field, and deliver a final presentation. You will develop your communication skills and knowledge of environmental concerns. You are expected to commit approximately 27 hours per week.
Location: Seattle, Washington
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified
Cost: None. Stipend of $20 per hour
Program Dates: July 7 – August 7
Application Deadline: April 21
Eligibility: High school students who are at least 16 years old.
10. Ocean Research College Academy
This early college program allows high school students to contribute to active research. Working alongside other students and staff, you will conduct original research and develop critical thinking skills in an oceanographic research lab. This program aims to enhance your understanding of the marine ecosystem. By the end of the program, you can earn two years’ worth of college credit and an associate degree alongside your high school diploma.
Location: Everett, Washington
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified
Cost: None up until 21 credits
Program Dates: 2 years
Application Deadline: May 1
Eligibility: High school juniors or seniors
11. Seattle Aquarium Youth Ocean Advocates
High school students interested in learning about the marine environment and conservation may participate in the Seattle Aquarium Youth Ocean Advocates program. In addition to learning about the marine environment and advocacy, you will educate the public on such topics by engaging with visitors to the Aquarium and creating content for a social media campaign. You will also participate in conservation activities, such as beach cleanups, tree plantings, and community science. You can join as a summer or school-year advocate and will receive training before the program begins.
Location: Seattle, Washington
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Approximately 140
Cost: None
Program Dates: Either throughout the school year or in the summer
Application Deadline: Applications will open in August
Eligibility: Students enrolled in grades 9 – 12 in a high school, Running Start, GED, or homeschool program at the time of application
12. Northwest Association for Biomedical Research (NWABR) – Camp BIOmed
Camp BIOmed is a week-long program that explores biomedical and health science careers. You can choose from 6 tracks: Molecular Biology of Cancer, Genetic Engineering, Crime Scene Forensics, Microbiology, Bioinformatics, and Global Health. Through the camp, you will learn how biomedical research is conducted, including testing and analysis, the role of ethics in research, and careers in science. The camp ends with a Culminating Expo.
Location: Seattle, Washington, and Spokane, Washington
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified
Cost: $645 (Spokane courses) and $845 (Seattle courses)
Program Dates: June 23 – 27 (Spokane) and July 7 – August 15 (Seattle)
Application Deadline: April 30
Eligibility: Students entering grades 9 – 12