15 High School Internships in Richmond, VA
- Stephen Turban
- 2 hours ago
- 9 min read
If you’re a high school student and want to explore your interests outside of the classroom, internships are a smart way to prepare for college and future careers. These opportunities let you gain insights into what work is like in real settings, develop practical skills, and help start building professional connections early on. Internships are also a solid addition to your resume, showing colleges you’re ready to take on challenges beyond the classroom.
Richmond offers a range of internships in research labs, local government offices, and hospitals, where you can work on projects and receive mentorship from experts. These programs are accessible to both local students and those from nearby cities who want to explore the professional opportunities offered in Richmond. Whether you’re interested in healthcare, technology, or the arts, Richmond has opportunities that can help you develop skills and be better prepared for future opportunities.
To help with your search, we’ve put together this list of 15 internships for high school students in Richmond, VA.
Cost: Varies depending on program type. Full 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). You can apply here.
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. Ladder’s start-ups are high-growth companies on average, raising 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, including Richmond, Virginia. For more locations, click here.
Cost: Free (includes paid internship)
Program Dates: 8 weeks
Application Deadline: Typically in January
Eligibility: Current juniors and seniors in high school
The Bank of America Student Leaders Program is a highly selective summer opportunity for high school students who want to make a difference in their communities. As a Student Leader, you’ll complete an eight-week paid internship at a local nonprofit, working about 35 hours a week and learning how nonprofits support local needs. The program also includes an all-expenses-paid trip to Washington, D.C. for the Student Leaders Summit. There you’ll meet students from across the country, hear from policymakers and business leaders, and see how nonprofits, government, and companies work together to address challenges. It’s a suitable choice for students who want to build leadership skills, gain real work experience, and show colleges their commitment to community service.
Location: VCU Medical Center, Richmond, VA
Cost: Free (volunteer-based)
Program Dates: June 23 - August 15
Application Deadline: Offered on a first-come, first-served basis
Eligibility: Students must be 14+ years
The VCU Health Junior Volunteer Program is a high school internship in Richmond, VA, that offers high school students a real look at hospital life. You'll greet visitors, guide patients, and support staff across different departments. It's not limited to shadowing; you’ll interact with patients and learn about hospital workflows firsthand. It’s a great way to develop communication skills, become familiar with healthcare settings, and demonstrate a commitment to helping your community, all while strengthening your future application to a medical program or college.
Location: Remote + residential week-long program for selective students
Cost: Free, NASA-funded
Program Dates: Typically starts in December, includes 7 modules, with each module due in 2 weeks
Application Deadline: October 26
Eligibility: Virginia high school juniors and seniors, with a minimum GPA of 2.7
VESSS is a competitive high school internship in Richmond, VA, for students fascinated by Earth science, satellites, and environmental monitoring. You’ll complete online coursework during the school year, then attend a week-long residential academy at NASA Langley in summer. There, you’ll work on projects using real NASA data, meet scientists, and present research findings. It’s rigorous, immersive, and a good fit for students considering STEM majors or careers in environmental science.
Location: VCU Massey Cancer Center, Richmond, VA
Cost: Free for accepted students
Program Dates: June 23 - July 25
Application Deadline: Rolling basis
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors in the Greater Richmond Area
CHiSEL is a hands-on cancer research program for students under the VCU Massey Cancer Center. In five weeks, you’ll gain practical lab skills, learn about the challenges cancer poses in Virginia, and see why community involvement matters in health research. Through this program, you’ll build relationships with cancer researchers and gain laboratory skills. Along the way, there are seminars and opportunities to meet current trainees and researchers.
Location: Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Richmond, VA
Stipend: Paid position (hourly wage; varies by year and city funding)
Program Dates: Rolling as per Fall/Summer/Spring semester (Can range from 8-12 hours in fall and spring or 24-40 hours in summer)
Application Deadline: November 15 (upcoming)
Eligibility: High school students who have completed the M.LiT (Museum Leaders in Training) program
Virginia Museum of Fine Arts Teen ‘Ternship is a paid summer opportunity for students who want to dive into the world of museums and creative programming. As a “tern,” you’ll help design and support programs for young audiences, work on projects related to the museum’s Family Day events, and assist with planning future teen initiatives like Teen Stylin’ and M.LiT. The role blends research, proposal writing, and hands-on experience with the museum’s education team. It’s a great fit if you're curious about careers in arts education, museums, or public programming and want to contribute to one of Virginia’s most respected cultural institutions.
Location: VCU School of Medicine, Richmond, VA
Cost: Unpaid Internship
Program Dates: June 23 - July 31
Application Deadline: March 3
Eligibility: High school students (preferably rising juniors and seniors) from the Greater Richmond area
VCU Medical Science Internship places you in real VCU research labs, where you’ll work alongside faculty on ongoing biomedical projects. You’ll attend weekly research seminars, learn lab techniques, and create a final poster or slide presentation to share your findings with peers and the VCU community. It is among the high school internships in Richmond, VA, designed to immerse Richmond students in hands-on scientific work. MSIP is a rigorous but rewarding experience, perfect for anyone considering a future in health or medical research.
Location: Hybrid, Remote + in-person at NASA Langley Research Center, VA
Cost: NASA funded
Program Dates: Typically begins in late November, requires completion of 7 web-based modules
Application Deadline: October 26
Eligibility: Virginia high school juniors and seniors, with a minimum GPA of 2.7
VASTS is an advanced experience for high school juniors interested in space exploration, engineering, and technology. It starts with a series of online modules during the school year, where you’ll tackle real NASA challenges like designing ISS upgrades or planning new crew vehicles. You’ll also practice technical writing and discuss space topics with fellow scholars. Post the course, you may be invited to a week-long summer academy at NASA’s Langley Research Center. There, you'll work on a team project designing a human mission to Mars, tour cutting-edge NASA facilities, and get mentoring from real engineers and scientists.
Location: Richmond City Health District, Richmond, VA
Cost: Free
Program Dates: Rolling, Requires 100 hours, minimum 25 hours/week
Application Deadline: Rolling as per cohort
Eligibility: High school students
The RHHD Internship Program offers hands-on public health experience right in the city. You can support community education, health outreach, or administrative tasks while learning how local health departments operate. It’s ideal for students thinking about healthcare, public health, or social work. Interns get a close-up view of health challenges and solutions in their own community, making this both practical experience and meaningful service. You can find more information in this internship guide.
Location: Richmond, VA
Cost/Stipend: Unpaid
Program Dates: Flexible based on placement
Application Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: Open to high school and college students; applicants must submit a resume, cover letter, and course requirements.
The Richmond City and Henrico County Health Districts Internship Program offers high school students an introduction to careers in public health through hands-on experience and mentorship. You can explore fields such as adolescent health, emergency preparedness, field epidemiology, maternity navigation, and social work. You’ll work directly with public health professionals on meaningful projects, from helping with infectious disease investigations to supporting maternal health education. This program emphasizes leadership development and skill-building while providing exposure to pressing community health issues. Interns are expected to complete a minimum of 100 service hours and attend virtual weekly or biweekly check-ins.
Location: Chesterfield, VA (Richmond metro area)
Cost: Unpaid Volunteer
Program Dates: Typically runs June-August (flexible scheduling)
Application Deadline: Varies
Eligibility: High school students ages 14+
Chesterfield County Summer Internship is one of the high school internships in Richmond, VA that offers a wide variety of volunteer opportunities for teens who want to make a difference close to home. Whether you're shelving books at the library, helping out at public events, supporting Parks & Rec activities, or assisting with county services, there’s a role that can fit your interests. These positions help you build real-world skills from organization and communication to leadership and teamwork while connecting you with supervisors and professionals in local government. You’ll receive orientation, meaningful assignments, and recognition for your contributions.
Location: Virtual
Cost: Stipend up to $500
Program Dates: July 7 - July 18
Application Deadline: Rolling basis
Eligibility: Rising high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors in Virginia
Summer Healthcare Experience in Oncology is designed for high school girls to explore a career in oncology and cancer research. Over two weeks, you’ll join live online sessions, use at-home lab kits for guided experiments, and take part in workshops and panels led by researchers and doctors from across the country. Week one focuses on hands-on lab instruction you can do at home, and for week two, you’ll dive into career exploration and professional development. You’ll also connect with other high school students who share your interest in healthcare. It’s one of the high school internships in Richmond, VA that helps you gain early exposure to the field, develop new skills, and see what a future in medicine or research might look like.
Location: Remote, virtual, and hybrid options available in other cities
Cost: Free to apply; some internships offer stipends
Program Dates: Summer session, typically June-August
Application Deadline: Varies by department, many close February-March
Eligibility: High school students, 16+ preferred; check specific postings
The Smithsonian Office of Academic Appointments and Internships offers many summer internships across its museums and research centers, some open to high school students with a serious interest in fields like art, history, STEM, and communications. These internships often include mentorship, project work, and the chance to learn from world-class curators and leaders. It’s a standout option among high school internships in Richmond, VA, for those looking for a prestigious name on their resume and a real behind-the-scenes view of cultural institutions.
Location: Online
Cost: Fee-based program (contact for current tuition; scholarships often available)
Program Dates: June 14 - August 30
Application Deadline: Rolling basis
Eligibility: High school students
NASA Data Science Analysis and Scholarly Research Paper Writing is a selective virtual high school internship in Richmond, VA, that guides students through data science methods while they analyze real NASA datasets. You’ll work on an independent research paper with support from university mentors and NASA data scientists. It’s designed to develop analytical thinking, academic writing, and STEM research skills. The program is open to high schoolers across Virginia and offers a high level of academic rigor and credibility.
Location: Online
Cost: Unpaid, volunteer internship
Program Dates: Flexible; half-time (2-8 weeks, 20 hours/week) and quarter-time (1-9 months, 8 hours/week) internships available
Application Deadline: Rolling, but recommended by early May for summer
Eligibility: High school students with a GPA over 3.25
EnergyMag offers a flexible, fully remote internship program designed for students curious about the clean energy industry. You’ll help with research, content writing, and data organization while learning about solar, wind, storage, and grid tech along the way. While volunteer-based, this experience builds research and writing skills in a real professional setting. It’s ideal for self-motivated students who want a meaningful, sustainability-focused line on their resume.
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.
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