14 Summer Internships for High School Students in Colorado
Participating in a high school internship in the summer can help you understand what you enjoy, what you’re curious about, and what kind of career might suit you down the line. You’ll gain experience and develop important skills, such as communication, teamwork, and problem-solving, which look great on college applications and resumes. Internships also allow you to connect with professionals, gain experience through projects, and develop a clearer understanding of the day-to-day expectations in your chosen field.
Why join a high school summer internship in Colorado?
Colorado is home to many institutions and organizations that offer high-quality summer internships for high school students, including Children's Hospital Colorado, the University of Colorado, and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), among others. Whether you are seeking research experience, professional mentorship, or professional exposure to fields such as medicine, engineering, finance, or law, summer internships in Colorado provide diverse opportunities for growth and exploration. With so many summer internships in Colorado, it can be difficult to figure out which programs are most worthwhile. That’s why we’ve put together a list of 14 of the top summer internships for high school students in Colorado that you can explore.
15 Summer Internships for High School Students in Colorado
1. Children’s Hospital Colorado: Summer Child Health Research Internship
Location: Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO
Stipend: $4,400
Acceptance Rate: Highly selective
Dates: June 1 – July 31
Application Deadline: December 1 – February 1
Eligibility: High school seniors (18+) who are Colorado residents
The Child Health Research Internship is a nine-week internship that’s hosted by the University of Colorado School of Medicine and the Colorado Child Health Research Institute. As a participant, you will be placed in a biomedical research lab focused on child health, giving you early exposure to university-level science. You’ll learn lab techniques like experiment design, data collection, and analysis, all while contributing to real studies run by pediatrics faculty. You’ll also attend weekly seminars to help you understand how your work connects to broader scientific conversations. At the end of the program, you’ll present a research abstract through a poster or oral presentation. One unique feature of this program is that conference travel and registration costs are paid if your project is accepted at a professional event.
2. Ladder Internship Program
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies by program; Financial aid available
Acceptance Rate: Selective
Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year
Application Deadline: Varies by cohort
Eligibility: High school students
Ladder Internships connects you to fast-growing start-ups where you can take on meaningful, real-world projects. You may work in areas like tech, AI/ML, journalism, consulting, or health tech, depending on the host company. Throughout the eight-week internship, you will collaborate closely with a start-up manager, present your work, and gain a good sense of how modern companies operate. Because it’s remote, you get more flexibility while still developing important industry skills. The start-ups involved tend to be high-growth companies, which means you’ll be exposed to a fast-paced work style.
3. Medical Career Collaborative (MC²)
Location: Various Denver Health and Children’s Hospital sites in Colorado
Cost/Stipend: Free; Paid (only during the internship)
Cohort Size: Approximately 75 students
Dates: 6 weeks in the summer (multi-year program)
Application Deadline: March 4
Eligibility: Current high school sophomores attending school in the Denver metro or Colorado Springs areas
The Medical Career Collaborative (MC²) program starts in your junior year and continues into senior year. You’ll complete training sessions, workshops, and field trips to understand different healthcare careers, from nursing to diagnostics to research. During junior year, you’ll complete a paid internship inside a hospital department, working with healthcare professionals who guide your learning. Weekly seminars help you discuss your experiences and develop important professional vocabulary. As you enter senior year, the program supports you with college planning, financial aid understanding, and scholarship guidance. This program is great if you want a multi-year path into healthcare rather than a short summer experience.
4. Summer High School Intern Program (SHIP)
Location: NIST, Boulder, CO
Stipend: Unpaid
Acceptance Rate: Highly competitive
Dates: June 22 – August 7
Application Deadline: November 1 – January 26
Eligibility: U.S. high school juniors or seniors with a minimum 3.0 GPA and a strong interest in scientific research
NIST’s SHIP program is quite competitive, offering you the chance to work in cutting-edge scientific labs. You’ll be paired with NIST researchers in one of six specialized labs, including ones focused on sustainable manufacturing, robotics, energy-efficient buildings, neutron research, and more. You’ll help with active research by collecting data, reviewing literature, and participating in project discussions. The experience gives you a window into the world of federal scientific research, where projects often support national standards and technology development.
5. Lockheed Martin Space High School Internship
Location: Lockheed Martin Space, Denver, CO
Stipend: Paid
Acceptance Rate: Selective
Dates: June – August
Application Deadline: November 3 – December 19
Eligibility: High school students (16+) who live within a commutable distance of a participating Lockheed Martin Space facility
At Lockheed Martin, you’ll spend 9-10 weeks working in aerospace engineering environments and learning how major defense projects come together. You may help support software, digital systems, engineering tasks, or operations workflows, depending on your role. As an intern, you’ll join company-wide summer activities such as networking sessions and career development workshops. The workweek is around 30-40 hours, offering you a more in-depth real-world experience than many shorter internships. Since aerospace careers require teamwork and strong analytical skills, this internship helps you get an early understanding of how major engineering companies function.
6. Bank of America Student Leaders Program
Location: Various locations, including Colorado
Stipend: Paid
Acceptance Rate: Highly selective
Dates: 8 weeks
Application Deadline: October 14 – January 15 (tentative)
Eligibility: Current high school juniors or seniors in good standing; More info here
The Bank of America Student Leaders Program is a highly selective internship at a local nonprofit, where you’ll spend seven weeks helping with community projects and understanding how organizations serve the public. You may work with groups like Habitat for Humanity or Boys and Girls Clubs of America, depending on placement. During the final week, you’ll attend a national summit where you’ll meet professionals from various industries and learn about leadership and civic engagement. The program emphasizes community impact and gives you the chance to build strong connections and understand public service. It’s also widely recognized, which may support your future college applications.
7. Denver Youth Employment Program (DYEP)
Location: Various locations in Denver, CO
Stipend: Up to $2,069
Acceptance Rate: Selective
Dates: Year-round (multiple cohorts)
Application Deadline: Varies by cohort
Eligibility: Denver youth (ages 14-21) who are enrolled in school and eligible to work in the U.S.
DYEP provides paid placements across Denver with local employers, offering 110-hour internships in the summer. You’ll start with job-readiness and financial literacy training to help you understand workplace expectations. Depending on placement, you may help with budgeting, invoice support, administrative tasks, record-keeping, or customer-facing work. This internship provides a flexible opportunity to gain paid experience and develop an understanding of professional environments. It is also highly accessible and supports a considerable number of Denver youth each year.
8. Teen Science Scholar Program by Denver Museum of Nature & Science
Location: Denver Museum of Nature & Science, Denver, CO
Stipend: $1,803 (conditions apply)
Cohort Size: ~10 students per session
Dates: Session 1: June 2 – 26; Session 2: July 7 – 31
Application Deadline: February 27
Eligibility: Colorado high school sophomores or juniors (ages 14-17)
Teen Science Scholars offers scientific research experiences across fields like paleontology, zoology, archival conservation, and insect ecology. You’ll participate in field expeditions, DNA analysis, or specimen work, depending on your track. The program includes professional development like public speaking practice, career exploration, and college preparation workshops. By the end of it, you’ll present your work during a public showcase. This internship is highly selective and is one of the more unique summer internships for high school students in Colorado because of its museum-based research environment.
9. Growing Grads Summer Internship Program
Location: Various sites across Brighton, CO
Stipend: Paid
Acceptance Rate: Competitive
Dates: 8 weeks in the summer
Application Deadline: February 21 – March 1
Eligibility: Youth between the ages of 14-21; Should have attended the Growing Grads Summer Job Launch program
The Growing Grads Summer Internship Program allows you to participate in a paid internship in various city departments in the City of Brighton. During the internship, you will work alongside an internship supervisor (or worksite supervisor) and develop an individual professional development plan. Aside from the work you’ll do at your internship site, you’ll also attend weekly professional development classes that cover topics like personal finance, conflict resolution, and more. To be eligible, you should have participated in the Growing Grads Summer Job Launch, where you will spend a day preparing for the workforce. You’ll learn how to build your resume, attend mock interviews, and enhance your confidence as an employee.
10. McDivitt’s Annual High School Internship Program
Location: McDivitt Law Firm, Colorado Springs, CO
Cost/Stipend: Not specified
Cohort Size: 1 high school intern per year
Dates: Not provided
Application Deadline: May 1 – 15
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors
This extremely selective internship places you inside the McDivitt Law Firm, where you will work with paralegals, case managers, and attorneys to understand legal processes and day-to-day client work. The program also includes participation in Colorado Springs Teen Court, which gives you early courtroom exposure. Towards the end of the internship, you’ll prepare a final presentation for staff and family, summarizing what you learned. You’ll also receive a letter of recommendation from the firm’s founder, which can be valuable for future applications.
11. Habitat for Humanity ReStore Internship
Location: Habitat for Humanity of Metro Denver ReStores, Denver, CO
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified
Dates: Starts June 5
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: Students who are at least 14 years old
This internship is structured around weekly four-hour shifts at Habitat’s ReStore locations, giving you experience in nonprofit retail, customer service, and community interaction. Your work helps support Habitat’s affordable housing mission while letting you meet customers, volunteers, and staff. You’ll attend a group interview and orientation before starting, which introduces you to Habitat’s mission and operations. By the end of the program, you’ll receive a service recognition letter. This is a lighter commitment than many internships, making it more manageable alongside other summer plans. It’s especially valuable if you need volunteer hours for school because the shifts count toward service requirements.
12. Denver International Airport (DEN) DENtern Program
Location: Denver International Airport, Denver, CO
Cost/Stipend: Not specified
Acceptance Rate: Selective
Dates: Begins June 2
Application Deadline: February 10 – 22
Eligibility: High school students (16+) who live in Colorado
As a DENtern, you’ll support one of several airport departments such as engineering, legal, business operations, customer service, data analytics, or the Center of Equity and Excellence in Aviation. You’ll get to participate in behind-the-scenes airport tours, mentorship meetings, and professional development workshops. The airport environment will give you a broad understanding of how a major transportation hub operates, from safety operations to passenger experience. Since interviews happen on a rolling basis, it’s important to apply early before positions fill up.
13. CC + HS Summer Internship at CS@Mines
Location: Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO (remote options available)
Cost/Stipend: $100 fee (scholarships available); Unpaid
Cohort Size: 2-4 research interns + 30-50 C4G interns
Dates: June 1 – August 6
Application Deadline: April 18 (priority)
Eligibility: High school and community college students; CS experience not required
During this internship, you’ll join either a research team or the Computing for Good (C4G) team, where you’ll work on CS-related projects for ten weeks. Your work may involve AI projects, cybersecurity, educational tech, or STEM outreach, depending on your placement. As an intern, you’ll collaborate with Mines undergraduates who help mentor and guide project tasks. You may also participate in virtual K-8 STEM camps or DECtech initiatives, contributing to community education. Because the program offers both in-person and remote roles, it’s flexible for students with different schedules or transportation needs.
14. MSU Denver: Summer Science Scholars
Location: Auraria Campus, Denver, CO
Cost/Stipend: None (tentative)
Acceptance Rate: Selective
Dates: June 9 – 20
Application Deadline: April 15
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors
This two-week program offers an introduction to research topics related to water, environment, mathematics, and science. As a participant, you will engage in laboratory experiments, inquiry-based activities, and group projects under the guidance of university faculty. Additionally, there will be daily sessions focused on research development, as well as discussions on STEM careers and college pathways. At the end of the program, you will present a final project to peers, faculty, and family members. This program provides a straightforward yet immersive opportunity to develop early confidence in STEM.
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