Top 10 STEM Internships for High School Students in 2025–2026

If you’re dreaming of getting into a top STEM college like Caltech or MIT,or becoming the next great engineer, researcher, or innovator, STEM internships for high school students are one of the best ways to level up. These programs enable you to step out of the classroom and into real labs, research centers, government agencies, and even major tech companies. Many STEM internships also offer paid positions, allowing you to gain experience while being compensated and can add value to your college applications.

In this guide, we’ll walk through ten of the best STEM internships for high school students.

• What Are the Best STEM Internships for High School Students?
• Science and Engineering Apprenticeship Program (SEAP)
• National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Internship
• Broad Summer Scholars Program (BSSP)
• Los Alamos National Laboratory High School Internship Program
• Stanford Institutes of Medicine Summer Research Program (SIMR)
• J. Craig Venter Institute Internship
• Memorial Sloan Kettering HOPP Summer Student Program
• Lockheed Martin Space High School Internship
• Microsoft Discovery Program
• Hutton Junior Fisheries Biology Program
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Takeaways

What Are the Best STEM Internships for High School Students?

STEM internships for high school students offer early exposure to real scientific, engineering, and technical environments.

These programs let you build hands-on skills through tasks like lab research, engineering projects, and coding tasks, all while exploring potential STEM career paths before you even apply to college. They also help you strengthen your resume and connect with mentors who work in STEM fields.

Below, we’ve highlighted ten of the best STEM internships for high school students.

Now, let’s break down each program individually.

1. Science and Engineering Apprenticeship Program (SEAP)

• Dates: May–June (8 weeks)
• Location: 38+ Department of Navy laboratories across the U.S.
• Benefits: Paid internship ($4,000–$4,500), hands-on research, mentorship

The Science and Engineering Apprenticeship Program (SEAP) gives high school students the chance to spend eight weeks working in Department of Navy (DoN) research labs.

If you’re interested in any STEM field, SEAP lets you experience what these careers look like inside a professional laboratory. With more than 38 labs nationwide and about 300 students selected each summer, you’ll work directly with Navy scientists and engineers on projects connected to national defense and advanced technology.

Your tasks depend on your assigned lab, but you may assist with engineering design work, coding, data analysis, prototype testing, or communications systems projects. You’ll also attend tech talks, workshops, and presentations, and most labs require interns to share progress in mid-program or final showcases.

SEAP is competitive, and selections are based on academics, recommendations, personal statements, and your demonstrated interest in STEM. To apply, you must be enrolled in high school, have completed at least Grade 9, and—at most labs—be a U.S. citizen who is 16 or older by the start date. New interns earn $4,000, and returning interns earn $4,500.

Applications run from August 1 to November 1, so plan ahead if you’d like to join one of the most respected paid STEM internships for high school students.

2. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Internship

• Dates: June–August (8 weeks)
• Location: NIST Boulder, CO & NIST Gaithersburg, MD
• Benefits: Unpaid research internship, mentorship, independent project experience

If you want research experience in physics, engineering, computer science, or materials science, the NIST Summer High School Intern Program (SHIP) is one of the strongest STEM internships available.

SHIP places you directly in world-class federal research labs in Boulder, Colorado or Gaithersburg, Maryland, where you spend eight weeks working alongside professional scientists and engineers on a dedicated research project.

You’ll join one of NIST’s major research divisions—such as the Physical Measurement Laboratory, Material Measurement Laboratory, Engineering Laboratory, or Information Technology Laboratory—depending on your interests and background. Along the way, you’ll attend seminars, participate in lab tours, receive professional feedback, and present your project at SHIP’s final poster session.

To qualify, you must be a U.S. citizen, a rising junior or senior, have at least a 3.0 GPA, and live near the NIST campus you apply to (since housing and transportation are not provided). SHIP is competitive, with applications opening November 1 and closing in late January each year.

3. Broad Summer Scholars Program (BSSP)

• Dates: June 29 – August 7, 2026 (6 weeks)
• Location: Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA
• Benefits: $3,600 stipend, free to attend, project-based research, college/career support

If you’re a rising senior attending high school in Massachusetts and you’re excited about exploring biomedical or computational research, the Broad Summer Scholars Program (BSSP) is one of the most rewarding STEM internships you can join. This six-week program places you inside the Broad Institute—a world-renowned genomics and biomedical research center connected to MIT, Harvard, and major Boston hospitals.

During the program, you’ll be paired with a Broad scientist who mentors you through your own original research project. .

Outside the lab, you’ll attend scientific talks, a college fair, hands-on workshops, and team-building activities. You’ll also receive support from an on-staff instructor who helps you understand key scientific concepts and prepares you to present your findings at a scientific poster session at the end of the summer.

To apply, you must be a rising senior, attend a Massachusetts high school, have a strong academic record in math and science, and be able to commute daily to the Broad Institute. Applications open November 24, 2025, and are due January 21, 2026.

4. Los Alamos National Laboratory High School Internship Program

• Dates: Fall, Spring, or Summer sessions (10–20 hrs/week during school year; full-time 10-week summer option)
• Location: Los Alamos National Laboratory, New Mexico
• Benefits: $16.89/hour pay (annualized at $35,143); hands-on technical and research experience; mentorship from LANL scientists and engineers

If you’re a high school student in New Mexico looking for STEM or technical experience, the LANL High School Internship Program is one of the strongest opportunities you can pursue. LANL offers part-time internships during the school year and full-time placements in the summer.

You apply in the spring of your junior year, and if selected, you’ll intern as a senior. LANL internships are mentor-driven, meaning your daily activities are guided closely by professionals working in cutting-edge divisions across the laboratory. So, depending on your assigned project, you may help with tasks like conducting nuclear physics experiments, supporting IT and hardware teams, or assisting with environmental assessments, among others. To qualify, you must be 16+, hold at least a 2.75 GPA, attend a New Mexico high school, and pass a drug test. Application windows vary by season: Fall (Aug 1–Sept 30), Spring (Dec 1–Feb 13), and Summer (Jan 5–Apr 15).

Beginning February 2026, high school interns earn $16.89 per hour, equivalent to an annualized rate of $35,143 (for technical and professional tracks).

5. Stanford Institutes of Medicine Summer Research Program (SIMR)

• Program Dates: June 8 – July 30, 2026 (8 weeks)
• Location: Stanford University, CA
• Benefits: $500–$2,500+ stipend (needs-based), full-time lab research, mentorship from Stanford researchers, college-level scientific training

The Stanford Institutes of Medicine Summer Research Program (SIMR) is an eight-week biomedical research internship designed for high school students who want to explore medicine, biology, and cutting-edge scientific discovery.

As a SIMR participant, you’ll work directly in a Stanford research lab alongside graduate students, postdocs, and faculty mentors. Your summer begins with safety training and morning lectures, followed by full days of hands-on lab work. The program ends with a campus-wide presentation event where students showcase their work to faculty, families, and the Stanford community.

SIMR is highly selective, accepting 50 students only. Applicants must be 16+, living in the U.S., and U.S. citizens or permanent residents. However, the program strongly prioritizes Bay Area students. The online application and program packet will be released on December 19, 2025 (5 PM PST), and applications are due February 21, 2026. Admissions decisions are emailed in early April 2026.

All accepted students receive a minimum $500 stipend, with needs-based awards of $2,500+ available. Updated stipend details will be published in December 2025 when applications open.

If you’d like to learn more about the SIMR program, check out our full guide here.

6. J. Craig Venter Institute Internship

• Program Dates: May – August (Summer 2026 postings release March 2026)
• Location: Rockville, MD & La Jolla, CA
• Benefits: $17.50/hr stipend and/or school credit, hands-on genomic research, mentorship with world-class scientists, poster presentation, workshops & seminars

The J. Craig Venter Institute (JCVI) Summer Internship Program is a highly selective research experience designed for students who want to dive into genomics, biotechnology, and computational biology.

As a JCVI intern, you’ll work directly inside a cutting-edge research lab known for pioneering DNA sequencing and advancing modern genomics. Projects blend both wet-lab experimentation and bioinformatics.

Each intern is paired with a dedicated mentor and joins a research team. Throughout the 10–15-week internship, you’ll attend seminars, journal clubs, and professional development workshops, leading up to a judged research poster presentation.

To apply, you must be at least 16 years old, be a full-time student, living in the U.S., with a GPA of 3.0/B average, and able to commit to the entire program. Interns earn $17.50 per hour, and school credit is optional; if your school requires academic approval, you’re responsible for arranging it. JCVI does not issue credit but will assist with any required documentation.

Applications follow a rolling admissions model once posted, and include a resume, transcripts, and a 500-word statement of interest explaining your scientific goals.

7. Memorial Sloan Kettering HOPP Summer Student Program

• Program Dates: June 29 – August 21, 2026 (8 weeks)
• Location: New York, NY
• Benefits: $1,200 summer stipend, full-time lab research, mentorship from MSK scientists, professional development sessions

The Memorial Sloan Kettering HOPP Summer Student Program (SSP) is an eight-week, research-intensive internship designed for high school juniors who want real experience in biomedical science and cancer research.

As a HOPP student, you’ll join one of MSK’s world-class labs and work directly with a scientist mentor on a project that supports ongoing research in areas such as cancer biology, immunology, and engineering-focused research tools.

The program also includes professional development events—like career panels, clinical department visits, and sessions hosted by MSK’s education and training teams—so you can explore how scientific discoveries move from the lab into real-world medical solutions.

HOPP is highly competitive and only open to current high school juniors who live within 25 miles of MSK’s Manhattan campus. Applicants must have a 3.5 GPA in science, be legally eligible to work in the U.S., and commit to all eight weeks. The program is full time with 40 hours/week duration, and requires onsite participation.

Applications open December 1, 2025 and close February 6, 2026 at 8:00 AM EST.

8. Lockheed Martin Space High School Internship

• Program Dates: June – August 2026 (9+ weeks)
• Location: Multiple sites — Denver, CO; Sunnyvale, CA; Cape Canaveral, FL; King of Prussia/Valley Forge, PA; Huntsville, AL; Herndon, VA
• Benefits: On-the-job training, mentorship, facility tours, professional workshops, networking events

The Lockheed Martin Space High School Internship Program is a 9+ week summer internship that places you directly inside one of the world’s leading aerospace and defense companies, where you’ll work alongside real engineers and scientists on projects that shape space exploration, national security, and advanced technology.

During the program, you’ll also have the chance to tour Lockheed Martin facilities and see the tech behind satellites, spacecraft, robotics, and defense systems up close.

To qualify, you must be aged 16 or older, currently enrolled in high school, and able to commute to one of the participating Lockheed Martin Space locations. (If you’re graduating in May 2025, you’ll need to apply to the college-level program instead.)

Applications for Summer 2026 open November 3 and close December 19, with interview notifications sent in January.

9. Microsoft Discovery Program

• Program Dates: July 7 – August 1, 2025 (4 weeks)
• Location: Redmond, WA & Atlanta, GA
• Benefits: Paid internship, hands-on tech project experience, mentorship from Microsoft employees, team collaboration & professional skill-building, health benefits

The Microsoft Discovery Program is a paid, four-week summer internship designed to help high school seniors explore what a future career in technology might look like.

As a Discovery intern, you’ll work onsite at Microsoft’s Redmond, WA or Atlanta, GA campus, joining a small project “pod” where you and other students collaborate on a real challenge from a Microsoft product team. You’ll learn the early stages of product design, explore programming fundamentals, develop teamwork and problem-solving skills, and get mentorship from software engineers, product managers, and UX designers. No prior coding experience is required.

Along the way, you’ll attend workshops, tech talks, and community-building sessions that introduce you to Microsoft’s culture, its growth-mindset approach, and the wide range of careers available in tech.

To qualify, you must be a graduating high school senior, have completed pre-calculus or equivalent math, and either live within 50 miles of Redmond or attend a partner school district in the Atlanta area.

Applications open in early February 2025 and are reviewed on a rolling basis, with interviews starting in March. If selected, you’ll also gain access to Microsoft’s intern health benefits. You’ll have 30 days to enroll or decline coverage, and if you take no action, you’ll be automatically placed in the Surest Plan, which covers 100% of preventive care.

10. Hutton Junior Fisheries Biology Program

• Program Dates: June – August 2026 (8 weeks, flexible schedule)
• Location: Nationwide — all 50 U.S. states, Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and the Pacific Islands
• Benefits: $3,000 stipend, one-on-one mentorship, field and lab experience, flexible placement near home

The Hutton Junior Fisheries Biology Program is one of the best ways to explore hands-on STEM research on environment, wildlife, or aquatic science. This 8-week paid internship pairs you with a fisheries professional who works within commuting distance of your home, allowing you to dive into real conservation and aquatic biology work all summer.

Each internship is unique because your experience depends entirely on your mentor’s research and fieldwork. You might sample fish populations, go snorkeling, or assist with educational programs for kids. Some sites also include long field days or multi-day environmental trips—giving you an authentic look at what fisheries science careers are really like.

To qualify, you must be a current junior or senior, at least 16 years old, and committed to the full 8-week program. No prior research experience or specific coursework is required.

Applications for Summer 2026 open November 21, 2025, and close January 25, 2026. Notifications are released by April 30, with internships running June through August.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is considered the most prestigious STEM internship for high school students?

Some of the most prestigious STEM internships for high school students include SEAP, NIST SHIP, SIMR, BSSP, LANL, and HOPP. These programs stand out because of their rigorous research environments, competitive selection processes, and opportunities to work directly with scientists and engineers in world-class labs, universities, and government facilities.

2. Do these programs require previous STEM experience?

Not always. While programs like SIMR, NIST, and BSSP often look for strong science and math backgrounds, many STEM internships for high school students—including SEAP, LANL, Hutton, and the Microsoft Discovery Program—welcome motivated beginners. What matters most is curiosity, effort, and a demonstrated interest in STEM fields.

3. Are there virtual options available?

Some programs, especially tech-focused ones like the Microsoft Discovery Program, have offered hybrid or virtual components in certain years. Most research-focused internships—such as SEAP, NIST, SIMR, BSSP, LANL, and HOPP—require full onsite participation because of laboratory and fieldwork requirements.

4. How competitive are high school STEM internships?

Extremely competitive. For example, SIMR accepts 50 students only, with most programs reviewing academic strength, essays, recommendations, STEM coursework, and your demonstrated commitment to scientific or technical fields.

5. Can STEM internships improve my college application?

Absolutely. Completing STEM internships for high school students shows colleges that you’re proactive, academically prepared, and serious about pursuing science, engineering, technology, or biomedical research. These programs help you build hands-on experience, mentorship connections, and impressive project work—making your applications stand out at selective universities.

Takeaways

• This guide showcases the best STEM internships for high school students, featuring elite national labs, top universities, medical centers, and major tech companies that offer competitive and impactful hands-on experiences.
• Students gain real research and technical skills, working on projects in engineering, coding, biomedical research, genomics, environmental science, and more—experiences that go far beyond classroom learning.
• Mentorship is a core part of nearly every program, giving students direct access to scientists, engineers, and researchers who help shape their academic growth and career direction.
• Many of these opportunities qualify as paid STEM internships for high school students, offering stipends or hourly pay while preparing students for future STEM majors.
• If you want help strengthening your application for these highly competitive programs, our Private Consulting Program can guide you step-by-step—from essays to resumes to securing top-tier STEM opportunities.