14 Prestigious STEM Internships for High School Students
- Stephen Turban
- 6 days ago
- 9 min read
If you're in high school and interested in exploring science, technology, engineering, or math beyond the classroom, a STEM internship can be a valuable next step. These internships offer hands-on experience in real research labs, engineering teams, or tech environments—helping you apply what you've learned in school to real-world problems.
Taking part in a competitive or prestigious STEM internship can also set you apart. These programs are often selective and challenging, but they come with mentorship, access to cutting-edge tools, and the chance to contribute to meaningful projects. Whether you're building skills in coding, data analysis, lab research, or design, these experiences help you clarify your interests and strengthen your college applications.
In this blog, we’ve covered 14 of the most prestigious (and fully-funded) internships in STEM for high school students.
Note: While some of the items in this piece may not be traditional internships, they involve a strong work-learn component.
Run by the Center for Excellence in Education in partnership with MIT, the Research Science Institute (RSI) gives talented high school juniors the chance to experience genuine scientific research for six intensive weeks. You'll start with college-level courses taught by top faculty members, then move on to conducting your own research project with expert mentorship. The program is completely free for those selected, but be prepared for tough competition to get in.
Cost/Stipend: Free; stipend provided
Location: Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA
Dates: June 22 – August 2
Application Deadline: December 11
Eligibility: Applicants must be in the middle of their junior year (11th grade) at the time of application and about to enter their senior year
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. You can explore all the options here on their application form. Ladder’s start-ups are high-growth companies on average raising over a million dollars. In the program, interns work closely with their managers and a Ladder Coach on real-world projects and present their work to the company. Here is the application form.
The virtual internship is usually 8 weeks long.
Cost/Stipend: Cost starts at $2,490 (financial aid available)
Location: Remote! You can work from anywhere in the world.
Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year, including Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter.
Application Deadline: Deadlines vary depending on the cohort. Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September), and Winter (November).
Eligibility: Students who can work for 10-20 hours/week, for 8-12 weeks. Open to high school students, undergraduates, and gap year 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 with prior experience with AI/ML and 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.
Cost: $2,490
Location: Virtual
Dates: Multiple 8-week cohorts throughout the year, including Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter
Application Deadline: Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September), and Winter (November)
Eligibility: Open to high school students who have prior experience with AI/ML or have completed a Veritas AI program
The Eugene and Ruth Roberts Summer Student Academy ranks among the most prestigious STEM internships for high school students in the biomedical field. Interns conduct hands-on research on real-world medical challenges at City of Hope, one of only 56 NCI-designated comprehensive cancer centers in the US. Students are paired with leading scientists on research projects related to cancer, diabetes, and other biomedical fields. Students present their research findings at the end of the program.
Cost/Stipend: $4,500 stipend
Location: City of Hope, CA
Dates: 10 weeks in the summer
Application Deadline: March 12
Eligibility: Students 16+ with chemistry and biology coursework
The Simons Summer Research Program at Stony Brook University offers high school juniors a 7-week immersion into scientific research. Selected students are matched with faculty mentors and join active research teams, taking on their own projects across various STEM disciplines. At the end of this prestigious STEM internship for high school students, students produce a research abstract and take part in a poster presentation at a formal symposium.
Beyond lab work, participants attend weekly faculty talks and specialized workshops. Supported by the renowned Simons Foundation, this program provides participants with both hands-on experience and a stipend.
Cost/Stipend: Stipend provided
Location: Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY
Dates: June 30 – August 8
Application Deadline: December 11
Eligibility: High school junior (11th grade) who are at least 16 years old
The Broad Summer Scholars Program pairs rising high school seniors with scientists at the Harvard-MIT collaborative Broad Institute to conduct original research in genomic medicine. Students work on projects in fields like cancer biology, psychiatric disease, and computational biology, then present their findings to the Broad community. Beyond lab work, participants attend scientific talks, explore career paths, and receive college admissions guidance. This prestigious STEM program for high school students strongly encourages students from underrepresented backgrounds to apply.
Cost/Stipend: $3,600 stipend
Location: Broad Institute, Cambridge, MA
Dates: June 30 – August 8
Application Deadline: January 22
Eligibility: Rising senior in high school, within commuting distance to the Broad Institute
The Johns Hopkins Internship in Brain Sciences introduces high school students to advanced neuroscience research. Students work directly with Johns Hopkins neurologists on practical research projects during this summer program.
Only 5-6 students get selected for the in-person program yearly, making it one of the more selective and prestigious STEM internships available. The program focuses on increasing diversity in neuroscience and offers both in-person and virtual options.
Cost/Stipend: Free; hourly wage/stipend provided
Location: Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD
Dates: 8-week period in summer (in-person), virtual program is 5 weeks
Application Deadline: March 1
Eligibility: High school students with a strong interest in STEM
The Scripps Research Institute offers high school students an intensive summer program where they work alongside leading scientists in fields like molecular biology and neuroscience. Students divide their time between expert-led lectures, hands-on laboratory work, and collaborative discussions where they present their findings. Some exceptional interns even get their work included in scientific publications, a noteworthy credential for college applications. The program specifically targets San Diego County residents from five REACH partner schools, with special emphasis on first-generation college-bound students and those from groups historically underrepresented in the sciences.
Cost/Stipend: Free
Location: Scripps Research Translational Institute, La Jolla, CA
Dates: June 2 – August 8 or June 16 – August 22
Application Deadline: March 31
Eligibility: High school students with strong STEM interest
The Monell Science Apprenticeship Program (MSAP) offers you seven weeks of hands-on lab experience at the world's only independent research institute dedicated to taste and smell research. You'll conduct real research alongside scientists, present at a public conference, and attend enrichment lectures.
This prestigious STEM internship stands out because it focuses on recruiting students from disadvantaged backgrounds and offers a full-time salary. MSAP is highly competitive but offers an unmatched opportunity to gain professional lab experience and boost your college applications.
Cost/Stipend: Fully funded, paid apprenticeship
Location: Monell Chemical Senses Center, Philadelphia, PA
Dates: June 23 – August 15
Application Deadline: December 31
Eligibility: High school students and undergraduates interested in biomedical science, with a preference for underrepresented and economically disadvantaged students
The Princeton Laboratory Learning Program offers one of the most prestigious STEM internships for high school students. Participants work directly in the university’s cutting-edge labs alongside faculty and researchers, by assisting them with ongoing research. This highly competitive STEM internship gives students hands-on experience in engineering and natural sciences. Some of the areas explored in past projects include machine learning applications, renewable energy development, and medical research. At the end of the program, you'll create a research summary with a detailed description of your contribution to the ongoing project. Imagine what a great addition it will be to your college application!
Cost/Stipend: Fully funded, stipend provided
Location: Princeton University, Princeton, NJ
Dates: 5-6 weeks during the summer (typically June – August)
Application Deadline: March 15
Eligibility: Participants must be U.S. citizens or residents who are at least 16 years old and in a US high school. Check more details here.
NASA's OSTEM internships give high school students a rare shot at working shoulder-to-shoulder with top scientists and engineers on actual space agency projects. You'll engage with cutting-edge fields like engineering, aeronautics, or space microbiology while developing professional skills that most kids won't encounter until college. Many OSTEM alumni have gone on to secure spots at elite universities.
Admissions officers consistently rate this experience among the most impressive credentials a high school applicant can have. NASA centers offer three sessions throughout the year, and you can choose between a full-time immersion or part-time involvement.
Cost/Stipend: Stipend awarded based on academic level and session duration
Location: NASA centers across the country, virtual options available
Dates:
Fall: 16 weeks (late August - mid-December)
Spring: 16 weeks (mid-January - early May)
Summer: 10 weeks (late May - August)
Application Deadline: May 16 (Fall), September 12 (Spring), February 27 (Summer)
Eligibility: U.S. high school students at least 16 years old at time of application; minimum 3.0 GPA
The NASA SEES Summer Intern Program, hosted by the University of Texas, allows high school students to work directly with NASA scientists and engineers on research projects. This prestigious STEM internship for high school students combines distance learning with hands-on research experience, allowing students to interpret NASA satellite data. SEES can be a good option because students contribute to actual NASA research on Earth systems, natural hazards, and climate science.
Interns complete preliminary coursework remotely before joining the on-site program in Austin or continuing with virtual research. At the end of the program, all teams present their findings directly to NASA experts at a Virtual Science Symposium.
Cost/Stipend: Fully funded
Location: University of Texas, Austin, TX (virtual and in-person)
Dates: Virtual: June – July 5; In-person: July 6 – July 19; Virtual Symposium: July 21 – 22
Application Deadline: February 22
Eligibility: U.S. high school sophomores or juniors at least 16 years old by July 5
The Summer High School Intern Program (SHIP) from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) provides aspiring scientists the chance to collaborate with researchers at one of the leading federal laboratories in America. During this eight-week program, students conduct research on scientific problems under the mentorship of NIST scientists and engineers. SHIP interns gain hands-on laboratory experience, develop research skills, and often contribute to ongoing projects that address national priorities in measurement science, standards, and technology.
Students work at either the Boulder, Colorado, or Gaithersburg, Maryland campuses, where they're immersed in a professional research environment. For students evaluating prestigious STEM internships for high school students, NIST offers access to world-class facilities and expert mentorship.
Cost/Stipend: Free; stipend provided
Location: NIST Campuses in Boulder, CO, and Gaithersburg, MD
Dates: June 23 – August 8
Application Deadline: February 6
Eligibility: High school juniors or seniors
The Stanford Institutes of Medicine Summer Research Program offers high school juniors and seniors an eight-week internship focusing on medical research. Students conduct hands-on research in specialized areas like neuroscience, cancer biology, or bioengineering while being mentored by Stanford graduate students and faculty.
Beyond lab work, participants attend weekly seminars, career development workshops, and social events that build both scientific skills and professional networks. SIMR is highly competitive and provides unparalleled exposure to medical research that can significantly strengthen college applications.
The program focuses on creating opportunities for Northern California students, though all US citizens and permanent residents who are at least 16 years old may apply.
Cost/Stipend: Fully funded
Location: Stanford University, Stanford, CA
Dates: June 9 – July 31
Application Deadline: February 22
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors
One other option—the Lumiere Research Scholar Program
If you’re interested in pursuing independent research in STEM, 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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