10 Online Economics Internships for High School Students
- Stephen Turban
- 4 days ago
- 7 min read
If you are a high school student who wants to explore the field of economics without disrupting your school year, an online economic internship is worth considering!
Online internships in economics can be accessible opportunities to get professional experience, boost your profile, and acquire valuable skills from anywhere in the world! As an intern, you will get to virtually engage in real-world projects, learn about economic theories, concepts, and their applications, and develop skills such as research, data analysis, and professional communication.
Such internships can also be pretty great ways to explore career paths in economics before committing to a college degree.
To help you get started, we have carefully narrowed down 10 online economics internships for high school students. We have prioritized options that offer academic rigor, networking opportunities, credibility, and hands-on work experiences. If you are looking for more prestigious economics programs for high schoolers, check out this set of blogs!
Cost: Starting at $2,490 | Financial aid is available.
Application deadline: Deadlines vary depending on the selected cohort | Spring: January deadline; Summer: May deadline; Fall: September deadline; Winter: November deadline.
Program dates: Multiple cohorts run each year, including Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter.
Eligibility: High school students, undergraduates, and gap year students who can work 10 – 20 hours per week for eight weeks.
Ladder Internships is a selective program designed for high school students interested in gaining some work experience. During the internship, you will have the opportunity to work with a growing start-up in a variety of fields, including business, tech, finance, growth, marketing, and more. You can find all the available subject areas on the application form. The start-ups here are typically companies that have secured significant funding, with an average of over a million dollars raised.
Throughout the internship, you will collaborate with your manager and a Ladder Coach on practical projects, and you will have the chance to present your work to the company. The internship typically lasts 8 weeks and is conducted virtually.
Cost: $900 (virtual); scholarships are available.
Application deadline: April 9
Program dates: June — August (multiple weeklong sessions)
Eligibility: High school sophomores and juniors can apply.
The Economics for Leaders (EFL) program, offered by the Foundation for Teaching Economics (FTE), is an opportunity to learn how economic concepts influence public policy decisions. During the program, you will learn about key topics such as opportunity cost, scarcity, economic growth, labor markets, international trade, property rights, incentives, and innovation, through practical, real-world examples. Social events, leadership activities, field trips, and an award ceremony are also parts of the programs. During the program, you will find opportunities for personal development and networking. Through this experience, you can get insights into how economics affects decision-making in the public sector and work on building leadership skills that can help drive change.
Cost/Stipend: No cost. A stipend is provided.
Application deadline: March/April
Program dates: June – August.
Eligibility: High school students in the U.S.
The SPARK Summer Mentorship Program is a paid 8- to 10-week opportunity to gain hands-on experience working on economics-related projects with industry professionals, university professors, and mentors. Based on the project and mentor, you may carry out competitive analysis, market research, and/or customer-specific research. For example, in the past, a project involved analyzing market trends and researching customer behavior under the guidance of the mentoring company’s product and marketing teams. Each project has specific requirements. You will be expected to work 20 to 40 hours every week. This commitment will help you contribute meaningfully to the project while developing skills in real-world economics research.
4. Interns4Good
Cost: No cost
Application deadline: Opportunities available throughout the year
Program dates: Vary based on the internship selected
Eligibility: High school students
Interns4Good connects high school students with various internship opportunities at nonprofit organizations. The program offers different types of roles, including marketing, graphic design, communications, and social media management, with both online and in-person options available. You can choose roles that may involve tasks like market research, data analysis, and financial planning. As an intern, you will complete assignments and submit weekly reports; you can also request verified hour records for future use while applying for job opportunities. The program provides year-round internships, helping you explore various roles and get hands-on experience in a structured environment.
Cost/Stipend: No cost or stupend
Application deadline: Rolling
Program dates: The internship typically lasts three months from June to August, but can run year-round
Eligibility: High school students
The Building-U Internship is a virtual program offering high school students hands-on experience in various roles, including business development, marketing, and multimedia. If you’re interested in economics, you can choose roles that focus on business development, resource research and development, and analysis of funding streams. For example, the business development role involves working with a team to organize data and assess funding streams that align with the organization’s goals. The internship allows you to develop skills in research, communication, and project management while contributing to real-world projects. You will be closely mentored and get to work on meaningful initiatives, gaining some work experience in a collaborative, student-driven environment.
Cost/Stipend: No cost. A majority of interns receive a stipend.
Application deadline: Spring: September 12; Summer: February 27; Fall: May 22
Program dates: Vary based on selected internship
Eligibility: High school and college-level students
NASA’s internship programs provide an opportunity for 2,000 students each year to gain experience in STEM fields as well as finance, business, and operations. As an intern, you will have the chance to work with professionals, including business experts and financial planners, who will guide you throughout the program. During the internship, you may be assigned tasks related to project management, financial planning, and operational activities within a space-related business environment. You will also participate in field visits to NASA centers and have the chance to present a final project that highlights the work you have completed during your time with the program.
Cost/Stipend: No cost. Stipend of $12/hr; $2,500 is offered upon program completion
Application deadline: February 17
Program Dates: Session 1: June 2 – 27 | Session 2: July 7 – August 1
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors
The Young Entrepreneurs Program is a chance to explore entrepreneurship and learn from professionals in areas like finance, marketing, product management, and business strategy. This internship can provide you with hands-on experience and help you develop essential skills to navigate today’s business environment. Throughout the program, you will work on projects and receive guidance from industry experts. This experience will help you understand how different aspects of a business, including economic decision-making and financial planning, contribute to the success of a venture.
Cost: No tuition fee; a $25 application fee is charged, with a fee waiver available for eligible candidates.
Application deadline: February 2
Program dates: June 18 – August 8
Eligibility: Students who are 15 years or older
The Aspiring Scientists Summer Internship Program (ASSIP) is a research program where high school students work alongside a faculty mentor. Although primarily a STEM-based opportunity, you can find a mentor with research interests in the fields of economics, business, and finance. Here you can get some exposure to current tools, methods, and technologies used in economics research. Additionally, you may learn more about topics like finance, economics of AI, investments, market structure, corporate finance, and fintech. Throughout the program, you will also get opportunities to develop scientific writing, problem-solving, and communication skills. The research you work on may be published in academic journals and/or presented at conferences.
Cost: No cost.
Application deadline: None. Applications are open all year round.
Program dates: Flexible.
Eligibility: High school sophomores, juniors, and seniors; applicants must have taken at least one honors science or English class and have a minimum GPA of 3.25
EnergyMag offers virtual research internships to high school and college students interested in gaining experience in research and analysis within the renewable energy sector. During the internship, you will research companies, analyze market trends, and conduct economic research. You will work with a mentor who will supervise your project and offer support throughout the program. You will also spend time researching specific topics, reaching out to relevant contacts, analyzing the data you collect, and organizing this information into a draft report. The final report will be published on the EnergyMag site. This internship can help you develop skills in both research and economics that can be applied across various fields in the future.
Cost/Stipend: No cost | Students will be paid, but the amount is not specified.
Application deadline: None. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.
Program dates: Summer (exact dates not specified)
Eligibility: Rising or current high school seniors with work authorization
The Mary Miller Summer Program is an opportunity to develop leadership, teamwork, and communication skills. As an intern, you will participate in team projects and activities alongside senior leadership while also working on independent tasks. In this role, you will support the Public Health Director and assist the team with research related to social media projects, online community interactions, and technical support. This can help you learn about economics, finance, and business management. Your responsibilities will include attending planning meetings, conducting research on market trends, analyzing data, and reporting findings. You will also help develop content and posts, implementing feedback from team members and clients to improve outreach strategies. This experience will help you build skills in research, analysis, and economic decision-making, which are valuable in many fields.
One other option — the Lumiere Research Scholar Program
If you are interested in conducting independent research, you can consider applying to any of the Lumiere Research Scholar Programs, which are selective online opportunities for students founded in partnership with researchers at Harvard and Oxford. In the past, over 4,000 students applied for 500 spots! You can learn more about the program on the application form here.
Additionally, check out the Lumiere Research Inclusion Foundation, which is a non-profit research program for talented, low-income students. Last year, we accepted 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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