15 Online Internships for High School Students – 2024

April 30, 2024

Finding internships in high school can be difficult, especially because most internships are designed for college students and postgrads. It can be especially hard to find remote internships that work with your school schedule and don’t require expensive travel. However, if you find an internship that’s right for you, the experience of a remote internship in high school can be worth the search. These internships can offer support as students figure out what they care about and what they’d like to pursue after graduation. Plus, internships are great resume builders that look highly impressive on college applications (some are even paid). Continue reading for 15 examples of remote/online internships for high school students.

Considerations for finding an internship

Before getting started, here are some factors to consider as you apply for remote internships:

Length/duration: Internships vary widely in length. Some remote internships run year-round, while others are designed just for the summer or during a 3-month period during the school year. There are also project-based internships, which last for only the length of time it takes to complete a specific assignment. Make sure you have time to complete the internship you’re pursuing. If you’re taking five AP classes in addition to soccer practice and the school play, perhaps you should consider a summer internship in order to produce high-quality work. Of course, you know yourself best!

Commitment level: Another consideration is how much time per week is required by an internship. Perhaps during the school year, dedicating a couple hours per week to an internship is doable, while dedicating 15-hours per week is simply unrealistic. Additionally, make sure you read the job description carefully and communicate clearly with your manager to avoid being assigned tasks you did not sign up for.

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Networking opportunities: Networking is a primary reason why students take on internships. Working with industry professionals can lead to awesome letters of recommendation and sometimes even future jobs. Make sure your internship offers opportunities for meetings/seminars with mentors who you will want to keep in touch with. Since remote internships may limit the amount of face-to-face time with these mentors, it can be worthwhile to send introduction and thank you emails, and take initiative to schedule extra mentorship meetings when possible.

Payment/cost: By pursuing a remote internship instead of an in-person one, you’re probably already saving money on commuting and/or living away from home. As an additional bonus, some of these internships come with stipends. While these stipends are rarely enough to survive on, they can be useful for offsetting the costs of spending time on the internship instead of an after-school job. Even the internships that don’t pay can come with useful perks such as strong letters of recommendation and college course credit. On the other hand, some internships ask interns to pay a tuition, such as the Ladder Internship Program (though financial aid is sometimes available). If you choose to pursue an internship that costs tuition, make sure it’s something that you’ll get a lot out of.

15 Online Internships for High School Students

1) Building-U Internship

Centered around helping high school students as they move forward into postsecondary experiences, Building-U offers 3-month internships to high school students year-round. The organization is formed by a series of high school teams, including resources development, multi-media, marketing, Blog Squad, coding, business, social media, and more.

Payment: No stipend provided
Eligibility: Currently enrolled high school students can apply
Application: Send an email with your resume to the organization (rolling deadline)

2) Bumper Ambassador Program

Bumper is a team of high school and college students building an investing app for teenagers. You can get involved through the Bumper Ambassadors Program, which is perfect for high school students interested in investing, personal finance, and startups. This program involves participation in weekly meetings on topics surrounding investments and financial literacy. After completion of this 9-week program, you will receive a letter of recommendation for jobs, internships, and colleges.

Payment: No stipend provided
Eligibility: All high school students can apply
Application: Fill out an online form to become part of the summer cohort (no deadline listed)

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3) EnergyMag Research Internship

This non-profit offers virtual internships to high school and college students who wish to learn about renewable energy and the energy storage industry. Virtual internships at EnergyMag provide on-the-job training in research, writing, and non-profit work. Half-time (summer) and quarter-time (school-year) internships are available to suit the needs of students’ busy schedules.

Payment: No stipend provided
Eligibility: Sophomores, juniors, or seniors in high school taking at least one honors English class with GPAs over 3.25 can apply
Application: The application involves an essay and interview, with writing samples and transcripts upon request (rolling deadline)

4) Foreign Policy Research Institute (FPRI)

FPRI interns connect with members of the foreign relations community at a prestigious think tank. In addition to working one-on-one with professionals in the field, interns attend weekly foreign policy and career-focused seminars with guest speakers. Types of internships include Research, Special Events/Development, Communications, and Operations. Are you also interested in writing for publication? Interns also have opportunities to work on research papers that can be considered for the publication FPRI Intern’s Corner (check it out for a great lens into the issues that these interns work on).

Payment: 10 paid internships are available with stipends provided, and several more unpaid internships are available
Eligibility: High school students can apply
Application: Applicants are asked to submit a single PDF file that includes a cover letter, resume, and writing sample; there are separate deadlines for Fall, Spring, and Summer internship sessions, each running 3-4 months

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5) Green Scholars Program—Seaside Sustainability

This project-based program allows students to undertake a hands-on project that directly benefits schools and communities. Green Scholars encompasses the domains of environmental literacy, professional skills, and project/program management, through which students discover their own interests and engage with their schools. Interns collaborate on a variety of critical projects and initiatives, working a minimum of 15 hours a week for 5-month contract periods.

Payment: No stipend is provided, though course credit may be possible
Eligibility: High school and university students can apply
Application: Applications include resumes, writing samples, and several essay questions (rolling deadline)

6) Intern Abroad HQ

Through this program, high school interns are able to intern around the world from the comfort of their homes. Whether completing a Data Analysis internship out of Greece or a Finance & Business Consulting internship out of Tanzania, these year-round remote internships offer career preparation and international exposure.

Cost: $1,099 for 100 hours; $1,499 for 250 hours; $1,799 for 350 hours
Eligibility: High school students aged 16-18 can apply
Application: Students apply online with an application fee (rolling basis)

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7) Johns Hopkins Internship in Brain Science Program

In addition to an in-person experience open to Baltimore City high school students, the Johns Hopkins Neurology and Neurosurgery Center invites high school students across the U.S. to apply for a 5-week virtual summer internship. This research internship aims to expose students to careers in the neurological sciences. The virtual option includes educational presentations, professional development training, exposure to laboratory techniques, and mentorship training.

Payment: $500 scholarship to support student education
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors in the U.S. can apply, and students from underrepresented groups, students with disadvantaged backgrounds, and students with disabilities are highly encouraged to apply
Application: Application is open from December 1-March 1 annually

8) Ladder Internship Program

Founded by Harvard alumni entrepreneurs, this competitive internship program allows students to work with top startups and build real-world projects. Fields of research include Machine Learning & AI, Environmental Science, Finance, Software Engineering, Health Tech, and more. Interns work for 5-10 hours per week for a duration of 8 weeks. There are also extra hours allocated to personal coaching with research and writing mentors.

Cost: $1,990 (financial aid available)
Eligibility: High school students can apply
Application: Application deadlines are May 12 and June 26 (for Summer I and II cohorts).

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9) Mary Miller Summer Program by the PHC Group

The PHC Group Consulting Services began the Mary Miller Summer Program to gain leadership skills and tangible work experience. It was founded in honor of community leader and activist, youth advocate, and educator Mary Miller. In this paid internship, rising high school seniors work on social media projects and virtual community interaction under the guidance of the Public Health Director using the PHC Group’s mission. This is a great opportunity for high school students to gain experience in online communications in the consulting world.

Payment: Stipend provided
Eligibility: Rising high school seniors with Microsoft Office knowledge can apply
Application: Apply by sending an email with attached resume (deadline not specified)

10) Meaningful Teens Teaching Programs

Meaningful Teens offers internships and volunteer experiences for high school students across its welfare and educational programs. Projects range from Project Omega (tutoring Oakland grammar school students in reading) to Project Speak Together (offering one-on-one conversational experiences with Ukrainian students). Interns and volunteers contribute to these projects for a few hours each week.

Payment: No stipend provided
Eligibility: All high school students can apply
Application: Application is open year-round

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11) Medicine Encompassed

Student-led non-profit organization Medicine Encompassed accepts high school student members from all backgrounds and countries who are interested in pursuing a field in STEM. The program aims to bridge the gap between careers in medicine, underrepresented minorities, and those from low-income backgrounds. General Positions (such as writers, editors, and resource creators) are available on a rolling basis, while Executive Positions are available to already-active members of the organization. The time commitments of these positions range, though they tend to be ongoing and flexible (at least 1-2 hours of work per week).

Payment: No stipend provided
Eligibility: All high school students can apply
Application: Accepted on a rolling basis

12) NASA Internship Programs

NASA’s internship programs provide training, mentoring, and career development opportunities both remote and in-person. In addition to their Pathways Internship, NASA lists a range of internships on their “Explore Our Opportunities” page. For example, the listing “Connecting the Local Urban Fabric to Global Climate Change” is a virtual internship intended for both high schoolers grades 10-12 and undergraduates.

Payment: Most interns receive a paid stipend award
Eligibility: U.S. citizens grades 10-12 (and ages 16 and up) can apply
Application: Application materials and deadlines depend on the specific internship

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13) United Planet Virtual Internship

United Planet is a non-profit organization with virtual volunteering opportunities across over 40 countries, aimed at building partnerships across the world. Specific internships focus on Children and Education, Community Development, Global Health, and Environmental Sustainability. Tasks of virtual interns and volunteers range from research and project design, to digital marketing, to technical support, to language teaching and mentoring. In certain situations, it is also possible to gain course credit for your virtual internship.

Cost: To participate, students must pay $800 a month (though the cost-per-month decreases as months are added)
Eligibility: High school students must be 16+ (some projects require specific skills/experiences, while others are more open)
Application: The enrollment process includes an online application, a phone session with a program coordinator, and a pre-program training

14) U.S. Department of State’s Pathways Internship Program

These internship programs are perfect for high school and college students who wish to explore federal careers in a range of areas. The U.S. State Department offers the Internship Experience Program (which lasts the duration of a student’s current academic program) and the Internship Temporary Program (which runs during seasonal and holiday breaks). Here are the current vacancies for these internship programs.

Payment: Interns are paid using the General Schedule pay scale for Civil Service employees
Eligibility: U.S. citizens of 16+ years with GPAs over 2.0 can apply (all applicants are subject to drug testing and Secret/Top Secret security clearance)
Application: By 11:59 PM on the application closing date, applicants must submit their resumes, transcripts, and proof of enrollment (be sure to carefully read the specific resume requirements)

15) Virtual Internships Foundation

This project-based internship program is designed to give students aged 14-18 professional development opportunities at top companies. Internships are available across over 80 countries, and can help students to land prestigious jobs worldwide in areas from architecture, to engineering, to fashion design, to hospitality and tourism. The program includes two sessions of one-on-one coaching. College credit is available.

Payment: No stipend provided
Eligibility: All high school students can apply
Application: Once students complete the online application (available on a rolling basis), they are matched with companies.

Online Internships for High School Students – Additional Resources

We hope that this list of remote internships for high school students has offered you some ideas to jumpstart your search. For more on opportunities for high school students and internships, check out the following articles:

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Sarah Mininsohn

With a BA from Wesleyan University and an MFA from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Sarah is a writer, educator, and artist. She served as a graduate instructor at the University of Illinois, a tutor at St Peter’s School in Philadelphia, and an academic writing tutor and thesis mentor at Wesleyan’s Writing Workshop.