15 Best Computer Science Internships for High School Students
- Stephen Turban
- 1 hour ago
- 10 min read
If you’re a high school student interested in computer science, internships can provide a direct way to apply what you’ve learned in real-world contexts. The programs allow you to contribute to coding projects, assist with software development tasks, analyze data, or observe how technical teams solve problems. Many internships also include mentorship and collaborative work, helping you build practical skills in programming, debugging, and technical communication while gaining a clearer understanding of how the field operates.
Why should I do a computer science internship in high school?
Computer science internships allow you to explore how technical concepts are applied in research labs, technology companies, and engineering environments. You might contribute to coding projects, analyze datasets, assist with cybersecurity research, work on AI-related tasks, or collaborate with mentors on software and computational projects. Over time, these experiences can help you strengthen programming and analytical skills, explore different areas within computing, and prepare for further study in technology-related fields.
To make your search easier, we have a list of the 15 best computer science internships for high school students.
If you’re looking for computer science summer programs, check out our blog here.
Location: Remote! You can work from anywhere in the world
Cost: Varies depending on program type; full financial aid available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective
Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year, including Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter
Application Deadline: Varies by cohort. Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September), and Winter (November)
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 span a variety of industries, from tech/deep tech to AI/ML, health tech, marketing, journalism, consulting, and more. Ladder’s start-ups are, on average, high-growth companies that raise over a million dollars. Interns work closely with their manager at the startup on real-world projects and present their work to the company. The virtual internship is usually 8 weeks long. Apply now!
Location: Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX
Cost/Stipend: $25 application fee; $750 stipend offered
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 12 students
Dates: June 21 – August 6
Application Deadline: February 16
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors (minimum age: 17 years); Must be US citizens or permanent residents
The Clark Scholars Program is a highly selective, full-time research experience in which you are matched with a faculty mentor and spend 7 weeks working on an in-depth project. While not limited to computer science, many participants pursue topics in computing, engineering, or data-driven research. Your work is integrated into an active research environment, meaning you are expected to engage seriously with methods, literature, and analysis. Weekly seminars, discussions, and site visits add structure to the experience, while the small cohort size allows for close interaction with faculty and peers. The program concludes with a formal research report and a stipend upon completion.
Location: Cambridge or Oxford (campus‑based, UK)
Cost: Varies according to program. Financial aid available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: 2 weeks during the summer
Application Deadline: Multiple summer cohorts with rolling admissions
Eligibility: High school or middle school students worldwide aged 13-18
Immerse Education's Computer Science Summer School allows you to explore computer and software engineering at the college level. You will have the opportunity to develop a strong foundation in computer science through learning programming languages, data structures, and algorithms. You will participate in collaborative challenges, work on coding projects, and develop a range of skills in problem-solving, programming, and analytical thinking. You'll gain knowledge about different concepts in computer science, including databases, data security, coding concepts, and more. The program offers a great opportunity to address real-world challenges while earning a recognized certificate.
Location: Redmond, WA
Cost/Stipend: Free; Stipend provided
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Atlanta: July 6 – 31 | Redmond: July 13 – August 7
Application Deadline: Rolling basis
Eligibility: Graduating high school seniors living around Redmond, Washington, or Atlanta, Georgia
The Microsoft Discovery Program offers a 4-week internship for high school students. You will gain hands-on learning experience through projects, receive mentorship from Microsoft employees, and develop professional skills. The program will allow you to work in small teams, complete a group project, and gain real-world knowledge across a range of concepts, including technical product management, UX design, and the product development design phase. You will participate in interactive discussions, build technical and foundational skills, and learn from Microsoft employees. Additionally, you'll have the chance to explore careers in technology at Microsoft.
Location: Virtual or NASA centers across the U.S.
Cost/Stipend: Free; Paid opportunity
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly competitive
Dates: Multiple sessions throughout the year, including Spring, Summer, and Fall
Application Deadline: Varies by session
Eligibility: U.S. citizens with a minimum 3.0 GPA, ages 16 and above
NASA's Office of STEM Engagements (OSTEM) internships provide practical learning experiences for high school students. Participants work in teams at NASA centers on active projects focused on science and engineering. The program offers opportunities to work on real-world projects across various fields of computer science, such as data science, robotics, software engineering, space exploration, cybersecurity, and more. Under the mentorship of experts, students learn to apply research tools and conduct data analysis.
Location: Boston, MA
Stipend: $15/hour
Acceptance rate/ cohort size: Not specified
Dates: 6-7 weeks during the summer
Application Deadline: Rolling basis
Eligibility: Boston Public School high school students; Minimum age: 16 years
Boston Tech Apprenticeship is a six to seven-week program for high school students interested in computer science and IT careers. The program, offered by the Boston Private Industry Council, will allow you to gain hands-on work-based experience. You will have the opportunity to explore projects in a wide range of industries, including computer science, web programming, web design, IT support, quality control, data-driven work, and data analysis and coding. You will also explore different careers by attending guest lectures, boot camps, and company tours.
Location: University of Chicago, Hyde Park Campus – Chicago, IL
Stipend: $5,600
Acceptance rate/ cohort size: Not specified
Dates: June 15 – August 7
Application Deadline: January 12
Eligibility: Chicago-area high school students
The DSI Summer Lab places you in a structured, mentor-led research environment where data science is applied across disciplines such as biology, materials science, and computing. Over eight weeks, you work with a research group and receive training specific to your project area, which may include data analysis, modeling, or computational problem-solving. You contribute to an ongoing research effort while developing skills in collaboration, documentation, and analytical thinking. Professional development sessions run alongside the lab work, helping you understand how data science is used in academic and industry settings. The program concludes with a formal research presentation, where you communicate your findings through a video or project showcase.
Location: NIST, Gaithersburg, MD, or NIST, Boulder, CO
Cost: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: ITL: 5.0%
Dates: Mid-June to Early August
Application Deadline: January 26
Eligibility: 11th-12th grade students living within a 50-mile radius of NIST Boulder or NIST Gaithersburg; Must be U.S. citizens and have an unweighted GPA of a minimum 3.0/4.0 scale
NIST Ship Research Internships offers a seven-week internship opportunity to high school students. You will work on an individual research project while receiving guidance from experienced scientists and engineers from one of six laboratories focused on different scientific fields. The Information Technology Laboratory (ITL) focuses on various areas of computer science, including computer security, human-computer interaction, networking and communications, and more. Some of the research activities covered by the ITL laboratory include computer forensics, trustworthy software, bioinformatics, data science, image analysis, and digital data retrieval.
Location: Multiple Department of the Navy (DoN) laboratories across the U.S.
Stipend: New participant: $4,000; Returning participant: $4,500
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Varies by placement
Dates: 8 weeks during the summer
Application Deadline: November 1
Eligibility: 10th-12th grade students and graduating seniors; Must be US citizens; Minimum age: 16 years
The Science and Engineering Apprenticeship Program (SEAP) is an eight-week summer research opportunity for high school students. You will participate in real Naval research through working in one of the 38 Department of the Navy laboratories based on your preference. Depending on your placement, your work may involve programming, cybersecurity analysis, data processing, or applied research tied to real defense or engineering challenges. Some of the laboratories that allow you to engage in computer science research include the Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command, Jacksonville Materials Engineering Laboratory, and the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Philadelphia Division (NSWCPD). Because placements vary widely across laboratories, the specific work depends on the site, but all participants engage directly with real research workflows.
Location: Multiple locations across the U.S.
Cost/Stipend: Free; Stipends provided. More information here
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: 8-10 weeks during the summer
Application Deadline: January 10
Eligibility: U.S. citizens with a minimum CGPA of 3.0/4.0 and a minimum age of 16 years
The AFRL Scholars Program is a paid research internship where you work alongside scientists and engineers on projects in artificial intelligence, data science, software development, and simulation. Over 8–10 weeks, you contribute to ongoing research efforts, which may include building models, analyzing datasets, or developing software tools. The program is structured around mentorship, with each participant paired with a professional who guides both technical work and career exploration. In addition to project work, you gain exposure to how computing is applied in national defense and large-scale research environments.
Location: NYU Tandon School of Engineering, Brooklyn, NY
Cost: Free
Acceptance rate/ cohort size: Not specified
Dates: July 13 – August 7
Application Deadline: May 15
Eligibility: 10th-11th-grade high school students, residents of New Jersey and Nassau County
NYU's Cybersecurity for Computer Science CS4CS offers a four-week summer program for high school students. Participants will work on real-world security challenges, conduct research, and learn from industry experts. The program provides in-depth cybersecurity knowledge, opportunities to compete in Capture the Flag events, and case-based security studies. Students will also attend communication workshops using theatre techniques, enhance their portfolios with cybersecurity skills and research experience, and explore computer science through both theory and practical activities.
12. Princeton AI4ALL
Location: Princeton, NJ
Cost: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: July 9 – 30
Application Deadline: April 9 (tentative, based on previous years)
Eligibility: Rising 11th-grade students from the US/Puerto Rico.
Princeton AI4ALL is a residential program that introduces you to artificial intelligence through both technical learning and discussions about its societal impact. Over three weeks, you attend lectures led by Princeton faculty, then apply those concepts in collaborative projects focused on real-world issues such as bias in algorithms or ethical AI deployment. You work closely with mentors, including graduate students and researchers, who guide both your technical progress and your thinking about responsible AI use. The program also includes field trips, career exploration sessions, and community-building activities that help you understand what studying AI at the university level entails. By the end, your team presents a research-driven project that connects technical ideas to broader social implications.
Location: University of Washington, Seattle, WA
Cost: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: July 7 – 31
Application Deadline: April 1
Eligibility: Rising juniors and seniors at Washington State high schools
Changemakers in Computing is designed around the idea that technical skills and social impact should develop together rather than separately. During the program, you join a small mentorship group led by University of Washington undergraduates while working through a project-based curriculum that blends coding with discussions on equity, ethics, and technology’s role in society. The program asks you to consider how computing systems affect communities and how they can be redesigned to achieve more equitable outcomes. Through guided projects, workshops, and peer collaboration, you build both technical confidence and a clearer understanding of how computing connects to real-world change.
Location: Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA
Cost: Free
Acceptance rate/ cohort size: Not specified
Dates: June 20 – July 18
Application Deadline: February 1
Eligibility: High school juniors (minimum age: 16 years); Must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents with a current U.S. green card.
CMU’s AI Scholars program blends technical training with insights into how artificial intelligence tackles real-world issues. Over four weeks, students collaborate on group projects that apply AI to fields like public health, policy, or social systems, complemented by lectures and workshops conducted by faculty and researchers. The program also offers college readiness sessions and guest lectures that provide context on academic pathways and careers in computing. Additionally, field trips and cohort activities create a residential experience that extends beyond coursework. At the conclusion, students present their projects at a symposium.
Location: George Mason University, Fairfax, VA
Cost: $1299 + $25 application fee; Need-based financial aid available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: June 18 – August 12
Application Deadline:
Eligibility: High school and undergraduate students
ASSIP is structured as a research internship rather than a traditional summer class, placing you in a lab or project group where you explore topics such as cybersecurity, robotics, data mining, or human-computer interaction. Over the course of the program, you collaborate with mentors to identify a research problem, utilize technical methods, and analyze results, often using university-level tools and equipment. Frequent discussions and seminars introduce you to various STEM career options, while group meetings help you improve your work and gain insights from peers. During the program, you can expect to document your findings, present your ideas, and participate in scientific discussions.
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, check out students’ reviews of the program here and 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 graduate of Harvard College, where he earned an A.B. in Statistics. 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.