10 Internships for High School Students in Tokyo
- Stephen Turban
- 35 minutes ago
- 8 min read
If you are a high school student interested in building new skills and learning beyond the school curriculum, internships are a great way to do just that! Internships offer exposure to workplace dynamics, allowing you to build collaboration and communication skills, which can serve as a foundation for future academic and career pursuits. Many internships also provide opportunities to build meaningful connections with mentors and professionals, which can be invaluable when exploring future career paths. If you are looking to boost your resume with practical experience, an internship can serve as an early preparatory opportunity for college and beyond.
Internships also immerse you in a field you would like to explore, whether that’s technology, business, STEM, or design. Tokyo is home to many such work-learn opportunities that can help you understand how global industries operate within one of the world’s most dynamic cities. Whether you are looking to test a possible career path or gain exposure to international work culture, Tokyo-based internships provide a structured yet challenging introduction to professional life.
In this blog, you will find 10 internships for high school students in Tokyo. We have carefully selected work-learn programs and internships based on the prestige, rigorous professional experience, and networking opportunities they offer.
If you are looking for more prestigious internships, you can check out this set of blogs.
10 Internships for High School Students in Tokyo
Location: Various sites, including London, New York, San Francisco, and Tokyo
Cost: Varies according to program; financial aid available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: Two weeks during the summer
Application deadline: Multiple summer cohorts with rolling admissions
Eligibility: High school students ages 15 to 18
Immerse Education’s Career Insights Pathway introduces high school students to professional industries through experiential learning in major global cities. Over the course of two weeks, you will engage in interactive workshops, company visits, and hands-on projects that simulate real-world workplace settings. Industry mentors and professionals provide feedback and career advice as you explore sectors like business, journalism, medicine, law, or engineering. Weekly one-on-one coaching sessions will help you refine your goals and build confidence in presenting your work. The program concludes with a final presentation where you will share your findings and experiences with peers and professionals. You can find more details about the application here!
Location: Multiple sites across Japan, including Tokyo
Cost: Free, expenses covered by the Japan Science and Technology Agency
Dates: One week in summer, varies by hosting institution
Application deadline: Varies by partner institution nomination window
Eligibility: High performing high school students nominated by schools or national science organizations from partner countries
The Sakura Science High School Program, led by the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), offers high school students from Asia and beyond the chance to visit Japan for one week of scientific and cultural exchange. The program is designed to offer practical exposure to Japan’s science and tech landscape along with opportunities for cross-cultural collaboration. You will attend lectures by scientists and Nobel laureates, visit research institutions and universities such as JAXA and Hokkaido University, and engage in activities with Japanese peers. You will also learn about the Japanese culture through visits, including trips to embassies. While not a traditional internship, this free program can be an opportunity to build new skills, explore a field of interest, and learn about Japan’s technological, professional, and educational ecosystem.
Location: Remote
Cost: Varies by program; financial aid available.
Dates: Several cohorts throughout the year, including spring, summer, fall, and winter internships
Application deadline: Varies by cohort
Eligibility: High schoolers, gap year students, and undergraduates who can work for 10 to 20 hours/week for 8 – 12 weeks
Ladder Internships is an eight-week virtual program that connects high school students with early-stage, high-growth startups across industries such as AI/ML, Health Tech, Journalism, Marketing, and Consulting. You will work directly with startup teams on real-world projects, tackling the same operational, strategic, and creative challenges faced by early-stage ventures. With support from a dedicated Ladder Coach and startup managers, you will contribute to key projects, gain insight into startup operations, and present your work to leadership teams. The experience can help you build practical skills in business analysis, problem-solving, and teamwork, as well as develop an understanding of how startups scale and innovate in competitive markets.
Location: CyberAgent, Inc. office in Tokyo, online or in person
Cost: Free
Dates: Flexible, year round availability
Application deadline: Two weeks to three months before the desired date through a school or group
Eligibility: Junior high and high school students across Japan
In this program, you will take part in a company visit organized by CyberAgent, either online or in person at its Tokyo office. You will learn about CyberAgent’s business, services, and how the company operates through presentations and real conversations with employees. You will also learn about the working styles within an internet company, which can help you explore potential career paths. During in-office visits, you will have access to a guided tour of the office space, including meeting rooms and creative areas. You can ask the staff questions during a Q&A session to learn more about the company and its operations. While not a traditional internship, this program can offer exposure to workplaces and career paths.
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: None
Dates: Quarter-time (1 to 9 months) internships during the school year, half-time (2 to 8 weeks) internships during the summer; flexible dates
Application deadline: Open year-round
Eligibility: High school sophomores, juniors, and seniors who have taken at least one honors science or honors English class and hold a GPA of at least 3.25
EnergyMag offers flexible virtual opportunities to high school students interested in learning about energy storage. During the internship, you will research and analyze a given company, tech, market, or activity/topic with the help of a mentor to gain insights into energy use and storage. While working on the assigned topic, you will look for good sources of information, compile and assess the data you collect from these sources, and produce an analysis report, which can be published on the EnergyMag website. This experience can help you develop on-the-job skills, including research and communication.
Location: Virtual
Cost: Free
Dates: Six to seven weeks in the summer
Application deadline: To be announced
Eligibility: Students in grades 9 to 12, ages 14 to 18, who identify as girls or non-binary
Girls Who Code offers free virtual summer programs to high school students around the world who are interested in computer science. The Pathways Program is a flexible six- to seven-week program, designed to help you explore topics such as data science, cybersecurity, web development, and AI. Here, you will learn through step-by-step video tutorials that you can complete at your own pace. Additionally, you will access live industry-led events, work on data science projects, and learn coding languages like CSS, Python, HTML, and JavaScript. While not a traditional internship, the program offers insights into the tech industry along with hands-on exposure to programming.
Location: Sophia University, Yotsuya Campus, Tokyo, Japan
Cost: 35,000 JPY ($221)
Dates: August 20 to 22
Application deadline: August 8
Eligibility: Foreign students ages 15 to 19 attending international schools in Japan
This three-day academic and career program at Sophia University offers an introduction to science, technology, and higher education in Japan. You will take part in admissions and academic sessions, including a trial lesson in the Faculty of Science and Technology, and receive an overview of new university departments. The program also features a career development seminar led by Sophia alumni and professionals from companies such as Amazon Japan and BOL SOUSEI G.K., focusing on Japanese workplace culture and AI. Through sessions and networking events, you will gain insights into studying and building a career in Japan. This experience is designed to connect students to Japan’s academic and professional pathways.
Location: Temple University, Japan Campus, Tokyo, Japan
Cost: 340,000 JPY ($2,191) plus 20,000 JPY (~$129) registration fee (includes accommodation, meals, excursions, and classes; excludes airfare and travel insurance)
Dates: July 29 to August 6
Application deadline: TBA; reviews start in December. Payment deadline: May 1 (April 1 for students requiring a visa)
Eligibility: Students entering grades 9 to 12
The TUJ High School Summer Program offers a weeklong learning experience in Tokyo, blending language study with elective courses modelled after college-level academics. You will take Japanese language classes (choosing from beginner through advanced curriculum) and choose an academic elective, while living on campus and exploring the city through cultural excursions, including a day at DisneySea and an overnight trip to Kyoto. The program includes accommodation, meals, and all program-related travel within Japan, offering you a fully supported study-abroad environment. You will join an international cohort of peers, with TUJ students and staff supporting your learning and exploration. The program is designed to offer you a deeper understanding of what it’s like to study at an international university.
Location: Tokyo and Osaka, Japan
Cost: 250,000 JPY to 613,800 JPY, varies by course length and accommodation option
Dates: July 14 to August 8 (two- or four-week sessions)
Application deadline: TBA
Eligibility: Students ages 15 and up
The ISI Japanese Language School Summer Program is an opportunity to engage in Japanese language study and cultural experiences across Tokyo and/or Osaka. Following either a two-week or four-week curriculum, you will attend daily language classes in the morning and participate in hands-on cultural activities and city excursions in the afternoons and on weekends. Whether you are in Tokyo experiencing the mix of technology and tradition or exploring Osaka’s vibrant culture, you will live and learn alongside students from around the world. While not an internship, this program is structured to deepen your Japanese communication skills while helping you explore Japanese social and cultural settings, which can help you pursue a career in the country.
Location: Virtual
Cost: Starts at $800/month; you can check details here. Scholarships are available.
Dates: One to six months, 5 to 40 hours per week
Application deadline: Rolling admissions
Eligibility: Anyone at least 16 years old
United Planet, an international nonprofit, offers remote internships to high school students around the world who are interested in contributing to global initiatives in areas such as education, community development, public health, and environmental sustainability. These internships allow you to work with partner organizations in various countries, including Japan. As an intern, you can choose from focus areas like Community Development, Global Health, Children and Education, or Environmental Sustainability. The program offers access to training sessions, cultural activities, language lessons, and ongoing support to help you with internship tasks. Past projects have involved roles such as contributing to environmental research and awareness campaigns, assisting in classrooms, and supporting health outreach efforts.
One other option—Lumiere Research Scholar Program
If you want to pursue independent research under the guidance of a mentor, consider applying to Lumiere Research Scholar Programs, which are selective high school programs founded in partnership with Harvard and Oxford researchers. In the past, 4,000+ students applied for just 500 spots in the research program. You can learn about the application and available programs on the application form here.
Also, you can check out the Lumiere Research Inclusion Foundation—a non-profit research program for talented low-income students. Last year, it offered 150 students full need-based financial assistance.
Stephen is one of the founders of Lumiere and a Harvard College graduate. He founded Lumiere as a Ph.D. student at Harvard Business School. Lumiere is a selective research program in which students work one-on-one with a mentor to develop an independent research paper.
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