Best Internships for High School Students (2026)
Author: Extracurricular Hub
Article Summary
Find the best internships for high school students in 2026 across STEM, business, government, and nonprofits, with application tips and a complete timeline.
Full Article
Internships are one of the most powerful extracurriculars a high school student can pursue. They provide real-world work experience, professional connections, and concrete skills that stand out on college applications and beyond. While internships were once reserved for college students, an increasing number of organizations now actively seek high school interns. This guide covers the best internship opportunities for high school students in 2026, organized by field, with practical advice for finding and landing positions. Why Internships Matter Internships offer advantages that classroom activities can't replicate: Real-world experience - Apply your skills in professional settings with real stakes Career exploration - Discover what you enjoy (and don't enjoy) before choosing a major Professional network - Build relationships with mentors and professionals in your field of interest Recommendation letters - Supervisors who've seen you work professionally write compelling letters Application stories - Internship experiences provide rich material for college essays Top STEM Internships NASA High School Internship Program NASA offers competitive internships across all its centers, including Johnson Space Center, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and Goddard Space Flight Center. High school interns work on real NASA projects in engineering, science, IT, and communications. Paid: Yes (stipend) Duration: 8-10 weeks (summer) Application deadline: Varies by center (typically January-March) National Institutes of Health (NIH) Summer Internship Program NIH's Summer Internship Program in Biomedical Research (SIP) places high school and college students in NIH research labs in Bethesda, Maryland. Interns work alongside leading scientists on biomedical research projects. Tech Company Internships Major tech companies occasionally offer high school programs: Microsoft TEALS - Computer science mentorship and teaching program Google CSSI - Computer Science Summer Institute for graduating seniors heading to college Meta (Facebook) Emerging Engineers - Programs for underrepresented students in tech Browse more at our STEM Programs Hub. Top Business and Finance Internships Bank of America Student Leaders Program This paid summer internship places students at local nonprofits while providing leadership development, community service experience, and a trip to a national leadership summit in Washington, DC. Local Business Internships Don't overlook local opportunities. Small businesses, startups, and family-owned companies often welcome high school interns and may give you more responsibility than a large corporation. See more at our Business Programs Hub. Government Internships Congressional Internships Most Congressional offices offer summer internships for high school students. You'll answer phones, attend hearings, research policy, and experience the legislative process. Contact your representative's office directly. State and Local Government City councils, state legislatures, mayors' offices, and district attorneys' offices often accept high school interns. These positions provide hands-on experience with government operations. Nonprofit and Social Impact Internships Habitat for Humanity - Construction and community development projects Local hospitals - Volunteering and summer intern programs in various departments Museums and cultural institutions - Curatorial, education, and programming internships Environmental organizations - Conservation, advocacy, and education roles Browse our Community Service Hub for more options. Creative and Media Internships Publishing and Journalism Newspapers, magazines, and digital media outlets often accept high school interns for summer positions in writing, editing, photography, and social media management. Local newspapers are usually the most accessible starting point, and many have formal summer intern programs. National outlets like The New York Times, The Washington Post, and various magazine publishers occasionally accept high school interns for specific programs. Arts and Entertainment Museums, galleries, theaters, and performing arts organizations frequently offer summer internship programs. The Smithsonian Institution, for example, has youth programs across its museums. Local theaters often need production assistants and education department interns. These positions provide hands-on experience in arts administration and curation. Tech Startups Startups are often more willing to take on high school interns than large corporations because they need the help and are less bound by HR policies. You might contribute to a real product, handle social media, assist with customer research, or even write code. The experience of working in a fast-paced startup environment teaches entrepreneurial thinking and adaptability that are hard to learn elsewhere. Creating Your Own Internship If no formal program exists at an organization you admire, create your own opportunity: Identify organizations you care about - Think about nonprofits, businesses, labs, or offices where you would genuinely want to learn Research what they need - Look at their website, social media, and recent news to understand their challenges Propose specific value - Instead of asking "do you have internships?", say "I noticed your social media hasn't been updated recently. I have experience with content creation and would love to help manage your Instagram for the summer" Be flexible - Offer to start with a trial week, work part-time, or adjust your role based on their needs Follow up professionally - If you don't hear back after a week, send one polite follow-up email Making the Most of Your Internship Landing an internship is just the beginning. Here is how to maximize the experience for both personal growth and college applications: Set clear learning goals - Before your first day, identify 3-5 specific skills you want to develop or questions you want answered. Share these goals with your supervisor so they can help guide your experience Be proactive about asking for work - Don't wait to be assigned tasks. When you finish an assignment, ask what else needs to be done. Volunteer for projects that stretch your abilities Build genuine relationships - Your supervisor and coworkers are potential recommenders, mentors, and future references. Be professional, reliable, and genuinely interested in their work and perspectives Keep a detailed journal - Document what you learn, projects you contribute to, skills you develop, and challenges you overcome. This material will be invaluable for college essays and activity descriptions Request a formal evaluation - At the end of your internship, ask your supervisor for written feedback. This provides documentation of your contributions and can be referenced in recommendation letters Follow up after the internship ends - Send thank-you notes to everyone who helped you. Stay in touch with your supervisor through periodic updates about your activities and achievements Connect it to your broader narrative - Think about how this experience fits into your overall extracurricular story and how you will describe it on your college application Internships are particularly valuable for students exploring specific career paths. Whether you are interested in computer science, engineering, economics, or political science, real-world work experience provides context that classroom learning cannot. Freshmen and sophomores should start with local and informal opportunities, while juniors should target the most competitive programs. Read our guide on building a spike to understand how internships fit into your broader application narrative. How to Find Internships Start with your network - Parents, teachers, family friends, and community members may know of opportunities Contact organizations directly - Send professional emails expressing interest, even if no formal program exists Use databases - ExtracurricularHub's Internship Hub lists verified opportunities for high school students Check school resources - Your guidance counselor may know of local partnerships Create your own - Propose an internship to an organization you admire; many will say yes Application Tips Start early - Apply 3-6 months before the internship starts Write a strong cover letter - Explain why you're interested, what skills you bring, and what you hope to learn Prepare a simple resume - Include academics, activities, skills, and any work experience Follow up professionally - Send a thank-you email after interviews and check in politely if you don't hear back Be flexible - Offer to start with a trial period or flexible hours to reduce risk for the employer Explore all internship opportunities at our Internships Hub, and take our Find My Fit quiz to find internships matched to your interests. What If You Cannot Find a Formal Internship? Not every student has access to formal internship programs, particularly those in smaller towns or rural areas. If traditional internships are not available in your area, here are equally valuable alternatives: Job shadowing - Even a single day spent observing a professional in your field of interest can provide valuable insight and a potential mentor. Contact local professionals directly and ask if you can shadow them for a day or two Virtual internships - Many organizations now offer remote internship experiences that you can complete from anywhere. These are especially common in fields like marketing, data analysis, software development, nonprofit management, and content creation Independent projects - Create your own internship-equivalent experience by taking on a real project in your field of interest. Build a website for a local business, conduct a research study, create a marketing campaign for a nonprofit, or develop an app that solves a community problem Micro-internships - Platforms like Parker Dewey offer short-term project-based work experiences that last one to four weeks. These provide real professional experience without the extended time commitment of traditional internships The key insight is that admissions officers care about initiative, learning, and impact rather than the formal label of internship. A self-directed project where you built something meaningful can be more impressive than a structured internship where you mainly observed or completed routine tasks.Frequently Asked Questions
Can high school students actually get internships?
Yes. Many organizations actively seek high school interns, including NASA, NIH, Congressional offices, Bank of America, local businesses, hospitals, and nonprofits. Some are paid, others are unpaid volunteer experiences. The key is applying early and being professional.
Are unpaid internships worth it for high school students?
Yes, if they provide meaningful experience, mentorship, and skill development. Unpaid internships at prestigious organizations (NASA, museums, government offices) carry significant weight on college applications. However, if finances are a concern, look for paid programs like Bank of America Student Leaders or SYEP.
When should I start looking for internships?
Start researching 3-6 months before your desired start date. For summer internships, begin looking in October-December and apply by January-March. Some competitive programs (NASA, NIH) have even earlier deadlines. Year-round internships often have rolling applications.
How do I find internships if nothing is listed for high school students?
Contact organizations directly with a professional email expressing your interest and what you can contribute. Many companies don't formally advertise high school internship programs but will create opportunities for motivated students who reach out. Networking through parents, teachers, and community members is also effective.