11 Paid Summer Programs for High School Students in NYC
- Stephen Turban
- 1 hour ago
- 9 min read
Paid summer programs can be a strong option if you’re looking to explore college-level academics and work experience without committing to an expensive pre-college program. These opportunities provide structured exposure to professional environments, research labs, museums, hospitals, and public institutions, while helping you build practical skills and meaningful academic interests. Many programs also offer direct mentorship, allowing you to learn how professionals think, work, and collaborate in fields you might want to pursue long-term. Since these programs are funded, they remove the cost barrier while still offering significant academic and career value.
Why should you attend a program in NYC?
New York City offers a wide range of paid summer programs that place you in structured academic, research, and professional environments across the city. You may work in labs, museums, hospitals, or public institutions while gaining exposure to how different fields operate and building practical skills through guided responsibilities. You are surrounded by diverse industries and peers, which can broaden your perspective and help you better understand potential academic and career pathways.
To help with your search, we’ve narrowed down a list of the top paid summer programs for high school students in New York City.Â
If you’re looking for online summer research programs, check out our blog here.
Acceptance rate/cohort size:Â Not specified
Location:Â NYU Tandon School of Engineering, Brooklyn, NY
Cost/Stipend:Â Free | $1,000 stipend upon completion
Dates: June 1 – August 14
Application Deadline:Â February
Eligibility:Â New York City public high school sophomores and juniors attending an eligible partner school
ARISE is a 10-week, full-time summer research program that combines structured training with hands-on laboratory research in science and engineering. You begin with four weeks of foundational preparation focused on lab safety, research skills development, and college writing, building the technical and academic habits required for lab-based work. During the remaining six weeks, you work in one or more of the more than 80 NYU research labs, assisting faculty and researchers on active projects across STEM disciplines. The program emphasizes direct research participation, sustained mentorship, and exposure to real-world scientific inquiry. You gain extensive lab experience, develop public speaking and professional communication skills, and contribute to ongoing research initiatives. The experience concludes with formal research presentations, including a colloquium for the NYU community and a poster symposium at the American Museum of Natural History.
Acceptance rate/cohort size:Â Not specified
Location:Â New York City, NY
Cost/Stipend:Â Paid | $16.50 per hour
Dates:Â 6 weeks
Application Deadline:Â Rolling | Varies by cohort
Eligibility: New York City residents ages 16–21 enrolled in high school or college | Must be legally eligible to work in the U.S. | Must meet program-specific employer requirements
Ladders for Leaders is a paid summer internship program that connects high school and college students with professional opportunities across corporations, nonprofit organizations, and government agencies in New York City. You apply to be considered for placement and, if accepted, complete up to 30 hours of required pre-employment training focused on résumé writing, cover letters, interviewing, workplace readiness, and business etiquette. Internship placements span multiple industries, allowing you to explore different career paths while gaining real-world work experience. Participation requires interviewing with potential employers, and internship offers are not guaranteed. In addition to work experience, the program includes financial literacy instruction to support practical money management skills. After completion, you gain access to the Ladders for Leaders alumni network, which offers post-internship opportunities and networking events for past participants.
Acceptance rate/cohort size:Â Not specified
Location:Â National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
Cost/Stipend:Â None | Stipend available
Dates:Â Not specified
Application Deadline:Â Early March
Eligibility:Â High school juniors and seniors ages 17+ by June 15 | U.S. citizens or permanent residents
The Summer Internship Program (SIP) is a full-time research internship within the NIH Intramural Research Program, designed for students interested in research and healthcare pathways. You work directly in a research group led by a Principal Investigator, contributing to ongoing projects in biomedical, behavioral, or social sciences. Research opportunities span basic, translational, and clinical research, depending on the institute, center, and lab you join. Your work may align with disciplines such as biology, engineering, epidemiology, psychology, mathematics, chemistry, computer science, or other health-related fields. In addition to daily research responsibilities, you participate in professional development programs focused on core competencies for science and healthcare careers. The program culminates in structured research-sharing opportunities, including a formal poster presentation to the NIH research community.
Acceptance rate/cohort size:Â Not specified
Location:Â Columbia University, New York, NY
Cost/Stipend:Â Free | Stipend provided
Dates:Â Five weeks during the summer
Application Deadline:Â February
Eligibility:Â New York City public high school sophomores and juniors from partner schools
BRAINYAC is an intensive summer research apprenticeship that places high school students in Columbia University neuroscience laboratories for hands-on scientific research. You are matched with a Columbia neuroscientist who serves as your mentor and guides you through a defined research project within an active lab environment. The program emphasizes learning how laboratory research is conducted, including exposure to the processes that lead from experimentation to scientific discovery. Throughout the experience, you develop practical research skills while working closely with professional scientists and becoming familiar with an academic research setting. The program is designed for students from specific New York City partner programs and prioritizes sustained mentorship rather than short-term activities. Participation includes a stipend and opportunities to remain connected to the program community beyond the summer.
Acceptance rate/cohort size:Â Not specified
Location:Â Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY
Cost/Stipend:Â Free | $1,200 stipend
Dates: June 27 – August 22
Application Deadline:Â February
Eligibility:Â Rising high school seniors from New York City | Students from historically underrepresented backgrounds in science
The Human Oncology & Pathogenesis Program (HOPP) offers a summer research experience focused on laboratory- or computational-based cancer research within Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. You work on a defined research project that explores how basic science and clinical research intersect to develop cancer therapies. Each participant is matched with a mentor, such as a postdoctoral fellow, graduate student, or research technician, who provides day-to-day guidance in the research process. The program includes structured academic activities such as postdoctoral-led and student-led journal clubs, laboratory tours, PI luncheons, and team-building sessions. You also participate in training sessions and networking opportunities designed to expose you to the professional research environment at MSK. The program concludes with a formal poster session where you present your research project.
Acceptance rate/cohort size:Â Not specified
Location:Â NASA centers across the United States
Cost/Stipend:Â None | Stipend varies by academic level and session duration
Dates: Spring: Mid January – Early May | Summer: Late May – August | Fall: Late August – Mid December
Application Deadline:Â February | May | September
Eligibility:Â High school students ages 16+ | U.S. citizens
The NASA Office of STEM Engagement (OSTEM) Internship Program offers paid, mentored research and professional experiences aligned with NASA’s science, engineering, and mission-driven work. You work on structured projects alongside NASA scientists, engineers, and professionals across disciplines such as science, technology, information technology, business, and program management. Internships may be full-time or part-time and take place at a NASA center or facility, depending on the role and session. The program emphasizes applied learning through real workplace responsibilities rather than simulated exercises. You gain exposure to how large-scale scientific and technical organizations operate while developing technical and professional skills in a supervised environment. Multiple sessions are offered each year, allowing participation during spring, summer, or fall terms.
Location:Â NYU Langone Health, New York
Cost / Stipend:Â Free; paid internship
Acceptance rate / Cohort size:Â Unavailable
Program dates: July 8 – July 19
Application deadline:Â Not mentioned (Spring program details released in late January)
Eligibility:Â Rising high school juniors and seniors from all schools | Interest in healthcare, ethics, public policy, or social justice | No prior experience in bioethics required
The Medical Ethics Internship Program at NYU Langone introduces you to core concepts in bioethics through focused work with the Division of Medical Ethics. You engage with ongoing discussions and projects related to research ethics, clinical ethics, sports ethics, transplant ethics, allocation of medical resources, and pediatric gene therapy. The program emphasizes analytical reading, structured discussion, and critical writing as you examine ethical questions in healthcare and biomedical research. You participate in talks and article-based discussions with professionals from fields such as healthcare, public health, biotechnology, patient advocacy, and law. The internship is designed to support mentor-style interactions that may extend beyond the program itself. You conclude the experience by producing a short written paper reflecting on a bioethics topic explored during the internship.
Location:Â The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Cost / Stipend:Â Free; paid stipend commensurate with New York State minimum wage (approximately $1,100 upon completion)
Acceptance rate / Cohort size:Â Unavailable
Program dates: January–June (school year) and July–August (summer)
Application deadline:Â Rolling basis
Eligibility:Â New York City public high school students | Students must be legally eligible to work in the U.S. | Prior experience in art or museums is not required
The Met High School Internship Program offers paid, structured work experiences that introduce you to careers connected to art, museums, and creative professions. You work one-on-one and in small cohorts with museum professionals across curatorial work, education, social media, imaging, design, and related fields. The program emphasizes professional skill development, workplace exposure, and career exploration rather than prior subject expertise. You engage directly with staff to understand how different departments contribute to museum operations and public engagement. Throughout the internship, you gain experience in collaborative work environments while learning from peers and professionals. The program is designed to help you explore how your interests intersect with museum-based careers while building practical work experience.
Location:Â The New York Historical, New York, NY
Cost / Stipend:Â Free; includes a $700 stipend upon successful completion
Acceptance rate / Cohort size:Â Unavailable
Program dates: July 7 – August 13 (academic year; meets weekly on Wednesdays)
Application deadline:Â Rolling basis
Eligibility:Â New York City high school students | Interest in history, archives, or public humanities
The Student Historian Internship Program is an in-person, research-focused internship that immerses you in historical inquiry and digital humanities. You use the collections and resources of The New York Historical Society to conduct in-depth research and produce creative digital projects designed as public educational resources. The program emphasizes historical thinking, analytical writing, and communication through sustained work on a shared theme, Our Composite Nation: Frederick Douglass’ America. You collaborate closely with fellow students while meeting with museum, library, and digital humanities professionals to understand how historical scholarship is developed and shared with public audiences. The internship involves substantial research and writing, requiring careful analysis of sources and evidence. Through this structured process, you deepen your understanding of American history while gaining experience with academically rigorous, project-based work.
Location:Â American Museum of Natural History, New York, NY
Cost / Stipend:Â $2,500
Acceptance rate / Cohort size:Â Unavailable
Program dates: August – June (one academic year)
Application deadline:Â March 1
Eligibility:Â New York City residents currently in 10th or 11th grade who have been passing their classes for the past three or more semesters
The Science Research Mentoring Program (SRMP) at the American Museum of Natural History is a year-long, paid research program for New York City high school students interested in authentic scientific inquiry. You’ll work in small groups with AMNH-affiliated scientists on an original research project that has not been done before, committing about four hours per week during the academic year. Research topics span fields such as biology, astrophysics, archaeology, and environmental science, exposing you to a wide range of methodologies and questions. Throughout the program, you’ll build foundational research skills, including data analysis, scientific reading, lab techniques, and coding in languages like Python and R. No prior research experience is expected, making SRMP especially well-suited for students who are new to scientific research but eager to learn in a rigorous, mentored environment.
Location:Â Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York City, NY
Cost / Stipend:Â Free; a stipend is provided
Acceptance rate / Cohort size:Â Unavailable
Program dates: July 8 – August 15 (tentative)
Application deadline:Â February 1
Eligibility:Â New York City high school students with a strong academic interest in STEM
The Center for Excellence in Youth Education (CEYE) offers summer STEM programs that place high school students within the academic and clinical environment of the Mount Sinai Health System. You engage in structured coursework, mentorship, and internship-style experiences that connect scientific concepts to real-world healthcare and research settings. Program options include the Medical and Scientific Exploration Program, which combines virtual instruction with weekly in-person learning, and the Internship Placement Program, an in-person experience centered on daily work with a departmental mentor. Internship tracks span hospital placements, veterinary sciences, neurosurgery, and neurology. Across programs, you interact with faculty and staff while developing technical skills and a clearer understanding of careers in science and medicine.
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, check out students’ reviews of the program here and 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 graduate of Harvard College, where he earned an A.B. in Statistics. 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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