11 Business Management Internships for High School Students
- Stephen Turban
- 5 hours ago
- 9 min read
If you’re interested in business management, internships can help you understand how organizations operate beyond what you learn in school. These opportunities introduce you to areas like marketing, finance, operations, and entrepreneurship while placing you in structured professional environments. You can also gain insight into how different teams work together to run and grow a business.
Why should I do a business management internship in high school?
Business management internships allow you to take part in day-to-day tasks that support how organizations function and make decisions. You might assist with marketing campaigns, analyze data, support operations, or contribute to project planning while working with professionals in different roles. Over time, these experiences can help you build practical skills, explore your interests, and better understand potential career paths in business.
In this blog, we’ve compiled a list of 11 business management internships for high school students.
If you’re looking for free online summer internships, check out our blog here.
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies depending on program type; need-based financial aid available
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Selective
Program 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). You can apply here.
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.
Location: Multiple locations across Kansas City (a few remote options are available)
Cost/Stipend: $12 – 14/hour + $2,500 scholarship ($1,250 per session) upon completion of the program
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: No information available
Program Dates: June 2 – June 27 (Session 1) | July 7 – August 1 (Session 2)
Application Deadline: February 1
Eligibility: High school students completing their junior or senior year
The YEP – KC (the Young Entrepreneurs Program – Kansas City) is a paid summer internship program that provides high school students with hands-on practical experience in an entrepreneurial setting. You will be matched with a local business leader based on your field of interest, including business operations, marketing, sales, non-profit, finance, social media, and more. Each week, you'll gain experience at a different high-growth startup in the Kansas City area, connecting with top management, professionals, and peers. After finishing the internship, you'll receive a college scholarship and become part of the YEP KC alum network.
Location: San Francisco, Sydney, Singapore, Cambridge, New York, Tokyo, London
Cost: Varies according to program. Financial aid available
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Highly selective
Application Deadline: Multiple summer cohorts with rolling admissions
Program Dates: 2 weeks during the summer
Eligibility: High school students aged 15 – 18
Immerse Education’s Career Insights Program lets high school students explore careers in major global industry hubs in San Francisco, Sydney, Singapore, Cambridge, New York, Tokyo, and London. You will gain exposure to working in a professional environment while focusing on learning business management principles and processes. You will engage in project-based learning with established companies, attend interactive workshops, and visit offices, factories, and headquarters. The program also includes in-person weekly 1:1 career coaching sessions and sessions where you will receive personalized feedback on your resume and overall profile. You’ll also present your findings to industry experts at the end of the program. You can find more details about the application here!
Location: Multiple locations at host companies
Stipend: Paid (information on stipend is not available)
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: 150 across partner companies
Program Dates: May/June, with start and end dates determined by the host company (35 – 40 hours/ week)
Application Deadline: Varies as determined by the host company (applications typically open in September and end in early-January)
Eligibility: High school seniors/undergraduates who are graduating in Spring with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or more; should be planning to attend/currently attending a four-year accredited U.S. college/university (check all requirements here)
The Emma Bowen Foundation (EBF) provides high school students with full-time, paid summer internships at partner companies across diverse media, tech, and entertainment fields. You can opt for an area of interest related to business management, such as strategy and business, marketing and advertising, and the like. During the 8-week or more internship, you will gain exposure to the products/services of the host company and network with top professionals and industry executives. You will attend professional development workshops and panel discussions, and attend the annual summer conference to learn and network with industry leaders and peers. You may be eligible for a needs-based scholarship for academics and will receive one-on-one coaching and mentorship to prepare you for future employment opportunities.
Location: KP Medical Center or business offices nearest to your home address
Stipend: Minimum $24/hour
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: No information available
Program Dates: June 15 – July 31
Application Deadline: January 9 (applications typically open on November 17)
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors ages 16 – 19 by June 1; must be 16 years of age by June 1; must be a permanent resident of a Northern California KP-designated service area (check all eligibility criteria here)
High school students interested in gaining exposure to the business operations side of a healthcare setting can consider the Kaiser Permanente (KP) Launch High School Program. During this full-time paid summer internship, you will gain office-related work experience at a KP medical center or office. Based on your role, you will be assigned to tasks in departments such as administration, patient care services, and nursing, with little or no direct patient interaction. For example, you could work in facilities services and materials management and learn the behind-the-scenes work of hospital operations, or support the quality assurance or marketing team. You will attend professional development workshops and gain networking opportunities through community service projects or social events.
Location: Primarily in Menlo Park and East Palo Alto, CA, with additional locations across the U.S.
Stipend: Paid (stipend varies each year)
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: No information available
Program Dates: June 15 – July 24 (typically starts on the third Monday of June)
Application Deadline: February 14 (applications typically open on December 1)
Eligibility: High school students in grade 10 with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0; should be full-year residents of East Palo Alto, Belle Haven, North Fair Oaks, or Redwood City (check all requirements here)
Meta Summer Academy's 6-week summer program is STEM-focused and also provides high school students with insight into how a tech company operates. Alongside learning to code and other technical skills, you can gain immersive learning opportunities in non-tech careers such as business operations, HR, marketing, and more. You will sharpen academic, social, and professional skills and develop leadership abilities. You will receive mentorship and support from managers and instructors, and attend weekly sessions with guest speakers.
Location: Hybrid/Virtual
Stipend: Paid (the information on stipend is not available)
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: 25 students in the first cohort
Program Dates: Summer (July – August, 8 weeks) | Winter (January – March, 12 weeks) cohorts
Application Deadline: Varies by cohort (applications are typically open in May for summer and November for winter)
Eligibility: Currently enrolled high school students/recently graduated from high school (no more than 12 months removed)/currently in a GED completion program; should be at least 16 years of age (check all requirements here)
The Port of Seattle’s High School Internship Program provides high school students with insight into the operations of the Port's industries and facilities, including maritime and aviation operations, green jobs, and more. You will attend project management training sessions to learn about the scope of work, key stakeholders, timelines, and other aspects of the internship. You will then work on a project related to Port-related industries and careers and present your work. You will have opportunities to connect with career professionals, participate in mentorship meetings, and tour facilities. These experiences will improve your communication, leadership, project management, and other business skills.
Location: Richland, WA
Stipend: Paid internship
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: No information available
Program Dates: Academic year (August – May, 36 weeks) | Summer (June – August, 10 weeks)
Application Deadline: June for academic year internship/March for summer internship (applications typically open in February)
Eligibility: High school sophomores/juniors/seniors with a cumulative 3.0 GPA or higher; should be at least age 16 at the start of the internship and at least 18 years of age for lab/field work settings
At PNNL’s High School Student Business Internship (HSBI), you contribute to business operations in areas like finance, business services, or customer solutions while working at a Department of Energy national lab. Interns work part-time (up to 4 hours per day) during the academic year and full-time in summer, with opportunities to earn elective credit through school-based work-learning programs. Responsibilities vary by placement, but may include administrative tasks, data handling, and project support under the mentorship of PNNL staff. Interns also participate in workshops focused on career awareness and leadership development, gaining insight into how business functions support large-scale scientific enterprises. Summer and academic-year sessions follow separate application timelines.
Location: New York, NY
Cost/Stipend: No fee to apply (participants pay for transport and meals); Stipend is at least $16.50/hour (may be higher depending on internship employer)
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: 400+ students across 200 companies
Program Dates: July 1 – August 9
Application Deadline: January 9
Eligibility: Currently enrolled NYC high school juniors and seniors/college students ages 16 – 24 with prior work experience (paid/volunteer); must be NYC residents; must be legally authorized to work in NYC
Ladders for Leaders is a city-wide summer internship initiative run by Pencil Inc., connecting NYC high school and college students with paid placements at businesses, nonprofits, and government agencies. Interns work full-time for six weeks and are matched with employers based on their interests, experience, and goals. Before placement, students complete required pre-employment training in workplace readiness, professional etiquette, and communication. Participants gain firsthand experience in business environments and take part in live and virtual career exploration sessions. Previous participants have worked for Pencil, Brooklyn Fashion Incubator, Storelli Sports, The Prospect Hill Foundation, and others.
Location: Brooklyn Public Library branches, Brooklyn, NY
Stipend: Paid (the information on stipend is not available)
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: 170 across 50+ BPL branches in earlier cohorts
Program Dates: Varies; typically November – June (3 – 6 hours/week, total 100 hours of training + work experience)
Application Deadline: Rolling until October 4
Eligibility: High school students in grades 10 – 12 enrolled in an NYC school (check all requirements here)
NYC high school students keen to explore a career in the management of a public library can consider the Brooklyn Public Library (BPL)'s Librarians of Tomorrow (LoT) Teen Internship Program. Interns are placed at local branches and complete 100 hours of combined training and work experience over several months, typically during the academic year. Under staff mentorship, interns assist with programs, learn about collection development, and gain exposure to departments such as business and career services, strategic planning, and outreach. Additional activities include guest talks, professional skills workshops, and field trips designed to broaden awareness of careers in library and information science. The internship concludes with a capstone project in which students reflect on their learning and present their outcomes to peers and staff.
Location: White Plains, NY
Stipend: Unpaid; travel stipend may be available for commuting to offices and programs/events.
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: No information available
Program Dates: Varies based on opportunity
Application Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: Junior and senior high school students, college students, and recent graduates
ArtsWestchester offers internship placements for high school juniors and seniors, college students, and early-career professionals seeking experience in nonprofit arts administration. Interns work closely with department staff on specific projects related to event planning, communications, development, and public programming. Responsibilities may include administrative support, research, scheduling, or content creation, depending on departmental needs. In addition to day-to-day assignments, interns participate in professional development sessions focused on workplace skills and career paths in the arts. While unpaid, a travel stipend may be available to cover commuting costs.
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.
Image Source - Immerse Education logo