10 Internships for High School Students in Alaska
High school students can benefit from exploring various careers before it's time to apply to college. Doing an internship in high school can help you decide what college major to choose. Internships provide firsthand experience in workplaces and fields.
Even if you don’t end up in the same profession as the internship, you will learn vital soft skills. Communication, project management, time management, and problem-solving will be critical in college and your future career. These skills and your internship experience can also be a great addition to your college applications.
There are many internship opportunities in fields such as STEM, environmental conservation, health, and marine biology in Alaska. In this blog, we’ll list 10 of the best internships for high school students in Alaska!
Cost: Starting at $2,490 (financial aid available)
Location: Remote! You can work from anywhere in the world.
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!
Ladder Internships is a selective start-up internship program for ambitious high school students! In the program, you work with a high-growth start-up on an internship. Start-ups that offer internships range across a variety of industries, from tech/deep tech and AI/ML to health tech, marketing, journalism, consulting, and more. You can explore all the options here on their application form. Ladder’s start-ups are high-growth companies on average raising over a million dollars. In the program, interns work closely with their managers and a Ladder Coach on real-world projects and present their work to the company. Here is the application form.
The virtual internship is usually 8 weeks long.
Cost: Free! You receive a $500 stipend on completion of the internship
Location: Multiple field stays near Aniak River
Application Deadline: Deadlines vary depending on the cohort
Internship Date: July 11 – 21
Eligibility: Open to high school students in 10th, 11th, and 12th grade (15-19 years old) who have attended two Math-Science Expeditions
Alaska EXCEL offers internships through its industry partners at the Alaska Pacific University and other venues. The 11-day internship by the Alaska Department of Fish & Game on river ecology is one of these opportunities. You will assist biologists in statistical studies. Activities include collating fish samples for biological data and collecting data about marine habitats. Over ten days, you will visit five sites to explore concepts related to fish biology and river ecology. You will also learn how mathematical and scientific principles facilitate natural resource management. You will earn 0.5 high school credits on completing given exercises.
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
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.
Cost: Free
Location: Seward, AK
Application Deadline: Deadlines vary depending on the cohort
Internship Date: Interns can start between January 5 and February 2. The internship ends on May 30
Eligibility: High school students with prior volunteering experience or proof of extra-curricular activities
The Education Interpretation Winter Internship by the Alaska SeaLife Center is for high school students who enjoy marine science. You will help with the ideation and execution of marine science programs for tour groups. You will also conduct visitor tours and deliver information about exhibits at the Center. You will sharpen your public speaking skills by assisting the education department with public presentations. You will also interact with research personnel and the husbandry team, giving you practical insight into the profession. As part of the internship application, you will be asked for a cover letter, resume, and letter of recommendation.
Cost: Free! Interns will be paid $20/hour
Location: Work sites across Alaska, near Anchorage, Kake, Juneau, and Fairbanks
Application Deadline: Rolling applications till May 13; you can apply using this form
Internship Date: June 10 – August 16
Eligibility: Alaska Natives, American Indians, Indigenous and rural community members who have just graduated high school or an equivalent
This internship is for students from indigenous and rural communities who are about to graduate high school. It places students at organizations across Alaska to experience different career options. These careers will be related to serving the Alaska Native community, so you will work on self-determination and other concepts that help empower the community. You will attend leadership seminars and retreats, once at the start and once at the end. The orientation week will be hosted in a rural Alaska community, and there will be opportunities to learn about Alaska Native culture.
Cost: Free (interns will receive $15/hour)
Location: At multiple host organizations throughout the state of Alaska
Application Deadline: June 3
Internship Date: June 10 – July 19
Eligibility: Students aged 14-21 who have an IEP or a 504 plan or are eligible for Vocational Rehabilitation Services
The SAIL-Haines internship is part of the Youth Summer Work Program by Southeast Alaska Independent Living. This 6-week employment opportunity is for students protected by disability law. As part of this internship, you will be placed at businesses that match your professional interests. The Department of Labor partners with various host organizations that allow interns to experience a professional environment that accommodates disabilities. You will be expected to commit 25 hours/week to this work program.
Cost: Free!
Location: Anchorage, AK
Application Deadline: Rolling applications
Internship Date: Typically during the summer months, for 14 – 60 days
Eligibility: 12th grade students
Rural students can take advantage of the summer Internship Transition Program, which helps students find and apply for entry-level jobs that match their skills. In addition to hard skills, you will learn how to adapt to city life for future job opportunities. You will learn how to find and rent apartments, use public transportation, and build budgets for daily tasks. You will also be assigned to volunteer positions at nonprofits, which will build your interpersonal skills.
Cost: Free
Location: Fairbanks, AK
Application Deadline: Rolling
Internship Date: Recruitment is from February to March based on requirements
Eligibility: Rising high school sophomores
High school students who wish to join the healthcare industry can participate in this summer internship program by Foundation Health Partners. You will get to work with one of the 13 departments at Fairbanks Memorial Hospital for 5 weeks. You will attend workshops on radiology, the operating room, and medical labs. Interns are encouraged to talk to patients 1-on-1 while shadowing nurses and doctors. As you interact with medical professionals from various departments, you will get to gauge which specialization you want to pursue. You may also discover healthcare careers you have yet to consider.
Cost: Free (Interns who complete 85 hours will receive a $500 stipend)
Location: Creamer’s Field and University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK
Application Deadline: Rolling basis, tentative deadline is May 1
Internship Date: May 13 – July 19
Eligibility: Students aged 14 to 18
The Alaska Songbird Institute (ASI) high school internship program allows students to research wildlife and conservation. You will receive basic field research training for data management, nest monitoring, and bird banding. ASI’s biologists mentor interns and youth volunteers as part of the Swallow Ecology Project. The cohort monitors 70 Tree Swallow nests as the birds undergo egg-laying and hatching. As an intern, you can assist with bird capture and banding. Select interns will be given the chance to learn advanced skills like morphological measurement techniques.
Cost: Free (interns will earn $15.20-$16.11/hour and will be provided accommodation during fieldwork)
Location: Anchorage, AK
Application Deadline: Rolling basis, you can apply using this form
Internship Date: Depends on the requirements of the DNR
Eligibility: High school students aged 16 years or above (those in home school at the high school level can apply!)
Interns at the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will work with forestry professionals while performing administrative tasks. As you interact with state officials, you will understand the internal processes of state departments and how government policies are implemented at the field level. You will get the opportunity to contribute to DNR programs while occasionally traveling for fieldwork if required.
One other option—the Lumiere Research Scholar Program
If you’re interested in pursuing independent research, consider applying to one of the Lumiere Research Scholar Programs, selective online high school programs for students founded with researchers at Harvard and Oxford. Last year, we had over 4,000 students apply for 500 spots in the program! You can find the application form here.
Also check out the Lumiere Research Inclusion Foundation, a non-profit research program for talented, low-income students. Last year, we had 150 students on full need-based financial aid!
Stephen is one of the founders of Lumiere and a Harvard College graduate. He founded Lumiere as a PhD student at Harvard Business School. Lumiere is a selective research program where students work 1-1 with a research mentor to develop an independent research paper.