Internships for High School Students 2027: Programs, Deadlines, and How to Actually Get In

TL;DR

• Yes, high school students can get internships in 2027. There are 30+ legitimate programs across STEM, finance, tech, healthcare, government, and arts that actively recruit high schoolers.

• Paid programs exist and pay well. NASA interns earn stipends, Microsoft Discovery pays $26/hour, Kaiser Permanente pays $24/hour, and the Navy's SEAP program pays $4,000-$4,500 for the summer.

• Most deadlines hit between September 2026 and March 2027. The biggest mistake students make is finding out about programs after applications close.

• Below: every verified program organized by industry, with deadlines, pay details, eligibility, and what students on Reddit actually say about getting in.

Externships are short, remote professional experience programs where you work on real projects with real companies. Explore all Externships.

Can High School Students Actually Get Internships?

Yes, but the landscape is different from what college students face. Most Fortune 500 companies design their internship programs for college juniors and seniors, which means the programs open to high schoolers tend to be more specialized: research labs, government agencies, specific corporate pipeline programs, and project-based experiences.

The good news: dozens of organizations actively want high school students. NASA runs one of the largest high school internship programs in the country. National labs (Fermilab, Brookhaven, Oak Ridge) have dedicated slots for 16-year-olds. Banks like Goldman Sachs and Bank of America run high school discovery programs specifically because they want to identify talent early.

The key difference from college internships: most high school programs have hard age and location requirements. Some are limited to students within commuting distance of a lab or office. Others require U.S. citizenship for security clearance. A few are open only to rising juniors or seniors. Read the eligibility section of every program carefully before you apply.

If formal programs don't work out, project-based alternatives like remote Externships give you real professional experience with company mentors on a flexible schedule, no geographic restrictions.

Best Internship Programs for High School Students in 2027

These programs have been verified through official career pages, student reports, and Reddit discussions. Programs are organized by industry so you can focus on what interests you.

STEM and Research Programs

These are the most established high school internship programs in the country. National labs and universities have been running them for years, and they carry real weight on college applications.

What students say on Reddit:

The most discussed program is MIT RSI. On r/summerprogramresults, it's consistently described as the single most competitive high school program in the country, with acceptance rates below 5%. One student who got into NASA Glenn's engineering program shared: "A lot of my application was themed around time and grit... my application sent the message of 'if I want something done, I will get it done, no matter the cost.'" Another rejected applicant with a 4.0 GPA and strong coding experience reflected: "Maybe I misread the tone of the essays as too formal rather than actually telling a story."

The takeaway from dozens of threads: essay tone matters more than raw stats. Students who told personal stories about genuine curiosity got in over those with objectively stronger resumes who wrote formally.

UCSB's Research Mentorship Program stands out for including free housing and has a 4-6% acceptance rate. Fermilab TARGET is specifically designed for underrepresented students in STEM.

Tech and Engineering Programs

What students say on Reddit:

Lockheed Martin's program drew the most Reddit discussion in 2026, and not for good reasons. On r/summerprogramresults, students reported that MD and VA locations cancelled their 2026 summer cohorts entirely. One student shared the email they received: "Unfortunately, we will not have any internship opportunities for this summer in these areas." The CT Stamford location still ran successfully. The lesson: apply to multiple locations and don't count on any single site.

Microsoft Discovery at $26/hour is one of the highest-paying high school programs in the country, but it's geographically limited to students near Redmond, WA or Atlanta.

Girls Who Code is the most accessible program on this list: free, virtual, and open to students in grades 9-11. If you're a girl or non-binary student interested in tech, this is a no-brainer first step.

Finance and Business Programs

What students say on Reddit:

On r/ApplyingToCollege, the consensus on finance internships for high schoolers is pragmatic. One commenter explained: "In the field of finance/business, most internships at corporate companies won't add anything to your application." The exception: named pipeline programs like Bank of America Student Leaders and Goldman Sachs Possibilities Summit, which are explicitly designed for high schoolers and carry recognition with admissions officers.

Bank of America Student Leaders combines a local nonprofit internship with a national leadership summit in Washington, D.C. It's one of the few programs that pairs real work experience with a credential colleges recognize.

Healthcare and Medical Research Programs

Stanford SIMR is the gold standard for pre-med high schoolers, offering hands-on bench research in immunology, cancer biology, and neuroscience. It's unpaid but the credential is unmatched.

KP Launch at $24/hour is one of the highest-paying healthcare programs but is limited to Northern California. Johns Hopkins JHIBS is the most accessible option: free, virtual, and includes a certificate of completion. If you're interested in medicine but can't travel, start there.

Government and Defense Programs

Government internships are the most underrated category for high schoolers. They pay well, many offer security clearances (which have long-term career value), and they're significantly less competitive than top university research programs.

What students say on Reddit:

The Navy's SEAP program is consistently recommended on r/nova and r/summerprogramresults for students near military research facilities. One commenter suggested: "Check NASA Goddard. They got some summer programs that are pretty solid for high school kids." Another pointed to defense contractors: "Maybe look in some of the defense contractors around here. Few of them do outreach stuff but you gotta dig around their websites."

AEOP drew mixed reactions. Students appreciated the opportunity but complained about the application process: "This may be the worst designed website of all time" and "Is there a stipend? It says yes on the website and then no when you register." Apply anyway. The program itself is solid even if the portal is confusing.

The NSA Stokes Scholarship deserves special attention: it covers full college tuition (up to $30,000/year) plus a salary, but you commit to working for NSA for 1.5x the length of your studies after graduation. If you're interested in cybersecurity, math, or languages, this is worth serious consideration.

Arts, Museums, and Media Programs

The Bloomberg Arts Internship is the standout here. Since 2012, it has placed 2,250+ students at 250+ cultural organizations across 9 cities (Baltimore, Boston, Detroit, New Orleans, NYC, Philadelphia, DC, and expanding to LA and San Francisco). At $20+/hour for 3 days per week plus 2 days of professional development, it's one of the best-paying and best-structured programs on this entire list. Outcomes data shows 81% of alumni enrolled in college.

The Met's teen program is ideal for NYC-area students interested in art history, curation, or museum work. Smithsonian offers both virtual and in-person options.

Other Paths Worth Knowing About

What Reddit Actually Says About High School Internships

Beyond individual program reviews, student discussions reveal patterns that career websites never mention.

Most Students Find Out Too Late

The most common complaint across r/highschool, r/ApplyingToCollege, and r/summerprogramresults: students discover programs after deadlines have passed. One frustrated junior wrote: "I'm a junior who spent way too long trying to find legitimate HS opportunities and kept hitting the same recycled lists." Another commenter in r/nova warned: "Virtually all summer 2026 application deadlines have passed, and some of the 2027 applications will start in August."

This means if you're reading this in fall 2026, you're actually right on time. If you're reading it in spring 2027, you've missed most deadlines for summer 2027 but can plan for 2028.

Cold Emailing Works (With Volume)

The most consistently upvoted advice for students who can't land formal programs: email professors. "I cold emailed 50 professors from my local uni and I got one." Another student put it bluntly: "You email like 100 professors at your local college. Then maybe 1 will respond."

The response rate is brutal, but one research position with a professor looks just as strong on a college application as a named program. Your school's career counselor and local community colleges can also connect you to opportunities that aren't listed online.

Location Matters More Than You Think

Many of the best programs are geo-locked. Princeton's lab program is NJ-only. KP Launch is Northern California. CHOP is Philadelphia. Microsoft Discovery requires living near Redmond or Atlanta. If you don't live near a major research hub, remote programs and Externships are your best bet for getting real experience without relocating.

When Do High School Internship Applications Open for 2027?

Most students miss deadlines because they don't realize how early applications open. Here's the timeline:

August-October 2026: - NSA High School Work Study applications open (October deadline) - SEAP (Navy) applications open (November deadline) - AEOP (Army) applications open (September deadline) - Lockheed Martin posts summer 2027 positions - Start watching NASA, national lab, and university program pages

November 2026-January 2027: - Bank of America Student Leaders deadline (mid-January) - KP Launch deadline (January) - Goldman Sachs Possibilities Summit applications - MIT RSI deadline (January) - Broad Summer Scholars deadline - Fidelity career discovery programs open

February-March 2027: - NASA OSTEM summer deadline (late February) - Stanford SIMR deadline - NIH Summer Internship deadline (March) - Fred Hutch SHIP deadline (March) - Smithsonian and Met teen program deadlines - Bloomberg Arts Internship deadline - Girls Who Code deadline - Microsoft Discovery deadline (early March) - UCSB RMP deadline (March)

April-May 2027: - Last-call applications for remaining programs - California Academy of Sciences CiS deadline (April) - Offer decisions arrive - If you didn't land a formal program, remote Externships offer year-round availability with no application deadlines

The golden rule: set calendar reminders in August 2026. The best programs fill months before most students even know they exist. For a broader look at internship timing across industries, check out our full internship application timeline guide.

How to Get an Internship as a High School Student

Landing a high school internship requires a different approach than college-level recruiting. Here's what actually works.

What Gets High Schoolers Hired

Based on hundreds of Reddit success stories and program alumni posts:

1. Apply broadly. Target 8-15 programs across multiple industries. Some will reject you, some will cancel locations (like Lockheed Martin did in 2026), and some you'll never hear back from.

2. Write essays that tell stories, not list achievements. The student who got into NASA Glenn's engineering program said it directly: his application focused on "time and grit" while a rejected applicant with a 4.0 GPA and stronger resume wrote "too formally." Show who you are, not just what you've done. If you need help building a resume from scratch, this guide walks through writing a resume with no experience.

3. Start early. Students who submitted applications in the first week consistently report higher callback rates. Don't wait until the deadline.

4. Have something to show. Class projects, hackathons, volunteer work, a blog, a side project, or a remote Externship. Anything demonstrating you take initiative beyond coursework.

5. Ask your school counselor. Multiple Reddit users emphasized that "sometimes your state has internship programs that they sponsor" and "the community colleges sometimes have connections too." These opportunities rarely appear in online searches.

What If You Don't Land a Formal Program?

Most programs have single-digit acceptance rates. Not getting in isn't failure. Here's how to build equivalent experience:

• Remote Externships. Complete a 2-10 week professional project guided by a mentor at a real company. You work on actual deliverables and earn a credential for your resume. Browse available Externships on Extern.com.

• Cold-email professors. Volume matters. 50-100 emails to local university faculty, offering to help with research. One yes is all you need.

• Startup internships. Small companies value energy over pedigree. Look for companies with 5-20 employees where you'll work directly with founders.

• Build something. A personal project that demonstrates skills (a website, an app, a research paper, a YouTube channel) can be more impressive than a prestigious program name.

For more strategies on landing your first opportunity, see our guide to getting an internship with no experience.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do high school internships pay?

It depends on the program type. Government and defense programs tend to pay well: SEAP offers $4,000-$4,500, Microsoft Discovery pays $26/hour, and KP Launch pays $24/hour. University research programs are mixed: some offer stipends (Simons, BU RISE, Broad), others are unpaid but fully funded (RSI, Princeton). Arts programs like Bloomberg pay $20+/hour. As a general rule, the more structured the program, the more likely it pays.

What age do you need to be for high school internships?

Most programs require you to be at least 16 by the start date. Some (like the Smithsonian and California Academy of Sciences) accept students as young as 15. A few programs like Microsoft Discovery and certain national labs require you to be 18, which limits them to graduating seniors. Always check the specific age requirement on the program's application page.

Can freshmen and sophomores get internships?

Yes, but options are more limited. Programs that accept 9th-10th graders include Girls Who Code (grades 9-11), California Academy of Sciences CiS (grades 9-10), Lockheed Martin (freshmen and sophomores for summer 2027), and several virtual programs. Most competitive research programs target juniors and seniors. If you're a freshman or sophomore, focus on building skills and projects now so you're ready for junior-year applications.

Are high school internships worth it for college applications?

Absolutely. Admissions officers value demonstrated initiative over passive activities. A real internship where you contributed to a project, solved problems, and learned professional skills tells a stronger story than another club membership. The key is what you do with the experience: reflect on it in your essays, document your deliverables, and be specific about what you learned.

How many programs should I apply to?

Apply to 8-15 across multiple industries and program types. Include a mix of reach programs (RSI, Stanford SIMR), target programs (NASA OSTEM, BU RISE), and accessible options (Girls Who Code, virtual programs, remote Externships). Geographic diversity matters too. Don't put all your applications into programs that require you to be in one specific city.

Last updated: May 2026. Application deadlines are based on historical patterns and confirmed student reports. Check each program's official page for 2027 dates as they're announced. Program availability verified through Reddit discussions, career pages, and student experience posts.