10 Online Computer Science Internships for High School Students
- Stephen Turban
- Apr 14
- 7 min read
Updated: 16 hours ago
If you're a high school student thinking about an undergraduate degree in computer science, AI, or software development, an internship in high school can give you a huge advantage. These internships let you apply coding concepts to complex problems, work on industry projects, and gain hands-on experience in a professional setting, all of which strengthen your college applications.
Even if you’re just starting, an internship in computer science will help you refine technical skills like Python, machine learning, and cybersecurity, while also teaching you how to work on real projects, debug complex code, and think like an engineer.
If this is something that interests you, here is a list of 10 online computer science internships for high school students! If you’re looking for more prestigious research programs, internships, and region-specific programs in engineering and STEM, check out this set of blogs!
10 Online Computer Science Internships for High School Students
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.
Location: Virtual
Cost:Â $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 programÂ
Ladder Internships, founded by Harvard alumni, is a selective program offering students the chance to intern remotely with startups and nonprofits worldwide. The program covers a broad range of industries, and you can choose the field you want to explore, including AI, technology, business, engineering, media, journalism, sustainability, healthcare, and more. During the internship, you will work on a project and present your results at the end of the program.
What sets the program apart is its focus on mentorship, providing you with the opportunity to work closely with experienced professionals and industry experts. The experience allows you to explore various areas of technology, including AI, machine learning, and programming, while gaining a well-rounded educational perspective. The internship also offers one-on-one training in skills like communication and time management, along with group training sessions with other interns.
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: Starting at $1,990. Financial assistance is available
Application deadline: Deadlines vary depending on the cohort. The Summer Cohort priority application deadline is April 13!
Program dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year.Â
Eligibility: Open to all high school students, who can work for 10–20 hours/week, for 8–12 weeks. These internships are also open to undergraduates and gap-year students.
NASA's Office of STEM Engagement (OSTEM) Internship is a paid opportunity for high school students to work with NASA professionals. You can choose from various fields, including space science, robotics, aeronautics, and technology.
If you're into computer science, you can apply for roles like ESEA – Equity Strategies for Emerging Aviation, which focuses on electric propulsion and automation. Your work might involve designing experiments, analyzing mission data, or developing new technologies. Plus, you’ll get access to lectures by astronauts and experts.
Location: Virtual opportunities available.
Cost/Stipend: No cost, stipend provided
Application Deadline: Varies from internship to internship
Program Dates: Fall : September to December (16 weeks); Spring : January to May (16 weeks); Summer: June to August (10 weeks)
Eligibility: Must be a U.S. Citizen and meet a minimum 3.0 GPA requirement.
Girls Who Code Summer Programs offer free virtual coding experiences for high school students interested in tech careers. You’ll explore computer science, game design, UX, and web development while networking with industry leaders and peers.Â
The 2-week Summer Immersion Program (SIP) features live virtual classes hosted by companies like MetLife, Bank of America, and Logitech. It covers AI, cybersecurity, data science, and web development using Python, JavaScript, and HTML/CSS. You’ll work on real-world projects addressing climate change, cyberbullying, and more, gaining skills to build websites, apps, and games while also accessing financial grants and career support.
Location:Â Virtual
Cost/Stipend: No cost, $300 need-based grant provided (for eligible students in the U.S.)
Application Deadline:Â April 11
Program Dates: July 7–18 (U.S. students only) | July 28- August 8 (U.S. and international students)
Eligibility: All high school students can apply!
Stanford’s SHTEM Summer Internship is a remote research program for high school and community college students. You’ll work in project groups, guided by students, faculty, and staff from Stanford’s Compression Forum. The research covers computer science, engineering, design, linguistics, and more. You’ll spend 30–40 hours per week collaborating with your mentor and team.
The program connects STEM and humanities, helping you explore how technology impacts society. You’ll also gain skills in programming, data analysis, machine learning, and computational modeling, along with collaboration and research experience. The program concludes with group presentations on your findings. Around 60 students are accepted each year. You can check past projects here.
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: None
Application deadline: Not specified. Check here for updates.
Program dates: June 17-August 9 (tentative, based on previous year dates)
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors who are at least 14 years old can apply.
The ASPIRE program at Johns Hopkins’ Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) gives you the chance to work on computer science projects in a research setting. You can focus on software development, data analysis, cybersecurity, machine learning, or algorithm design. You will use Python, Java, C++, SQL, and cloud computing to work on encryption, data modeling, or automation tasks.
You will work 40 hours per week with APL staff mentors, applying programming, debugging, and system design skills to solve real-world problems. At the end of the program, you will submit a digital poster explaining your work and methods.
Location: In-person and virtual options
Cost/Stipend: None
Application deadline: February 15
Program dates: June 24 — August 21. Optional extension: September to May.Â
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors who are at least 15 years old and have a minimum 2.8 GPA can apply. The applicants should have a permanent residency in these areas.
The CS@Mines summer internship is a 6-week unpaid program where high school and community college students work on computer science research projects. You can explore areas like AI, cybersecurity, data science, or software development while working in small teams.
The program is remote, and you’ll spend about 5–20 hours per week on research. Each team is led by a Mines undergraduate mentor, helping you build skills and experience in real-world computer science problems.
Location: Remote opportunities available.
Cost/Stipend:Â $100 (scholarships available)
Application Deadline: April 18
Program Dates:Â June 1 - August 6 (approximately). More information here.
Eligibility: High school students with an interest in computer science are eligible to apply.
The SPARK Summer Internship Program (SPARK SIP) is a paid 8- to 10-week internship where you work on computer science projects with industry experts, university professors, and mentors. Projects cover machine learning, programming, computer vision, and neural networks, with tasks like writing Python scripts for crossbar architecture, analyzing spiking neural networks, and quantum technical writing.
Each project has specific requirements; for example, a past project on DNA Sequence Classification required scientific computation, machine learning, and Python. You are expected to work 20–40 hours per week.
Location: In-person and virtual opportunities are offered.
Cost/Stipend: No cost. Stipend provided.Â
Application deadline: April
Program dates: June–August. A software engineering internship will run for 10 weeks in July.Â
Eligibility: High school students in the US can apply. Those in the Greater Seattle area are encouraged to apply, but program providers might allow students outside the state to apply as well.
George Mason University’s Aspiring Scientists Summer Internship Program (ASSIP) is an 8-week research internship where you work with faculty mentors on topics like computer science. You can select a mentor based on your interests, and some offer remote internship options.
You will work on data analysis, algorithm development, machine learning, cybersecurity, and software engineering. The program ends with the ASSIP Research Symposium, where you present your work. Your research might also be published in scientific journals or featured at conferences. Check out previous ASSIP research here.
Location: Remote
Cost/Stipend: None, but the application costs $25 (which may be waived based on financial needs)
Application deadline: February 2
Program dates: June 18 — August 8
Eligibility: Anyone who is at least 15 years old at the start of the program can apply. This applies to remote internships.
Stanford’s Artificial Intelligence in Medicine and Imaging (AIMI) Summer Research Internship focuses on AI applications in healthcare. You will work with machine learning models, deep learning frameworks (TensorFlow, PyTorch), medical image processing, data annotation, and algorithm optimization. Research projects involve training neural networks, analyzing imaging datasets (X-rays, MRIs), and developing predictive models for medical applications.
You will collaborate with Stanford researchers, attend career talks with industry experts, and explore natural language processing (NLP) for clinical data, AI model evaluation, and bias detection in medical AI systems. An extended independent research internship may also be available.
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: None
Application Deadline: February 28
Dates: June 16 — 27
Eligibility: High school students in the U.S. who are over the age of 14 can apply. Students with strong math or computer programming skills or experience with a healthcare project are encouraged to apply.
One other option — the Lumiere Research Scholar Program
If you’re interested in pursuing independent research in computer science, 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!
Image Source - Stanford Logo
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.
