15 AI Internships for High School Students
Artificial intelligence is one of the fastest-growing fields today. For many high school students, the field is exciting - but it can be hard to find ways to get started. If you're an ambitious high school student considering a career in artificial intelligence or just curious about it, you may want to consider AI internships before you get to college!
An internship can expose you to the real-world applications of the field and give you a glimpse of what a career in AI might look like! Not to mention, internships demonstrate your passion and determination to go beyond your classroom curriculum and learn and engage with the subject – something college admissions officers look for.
While the prospect of an AI internship is undeniably exciting, it's essential to recognize that securing such an opportunity is competitive. They demand a certain level of knowledge and skill, setting a high bar for aspiring interns.
In this blog, we’ve compiled a list of 15 AI internships tailored for high school students.
New to AI internships? Compare all fifteen at a glance — cost, location, dates, and eligibility — then jump to the ones that fit you.
Key takeaways
Several internships are free or pay a stipend, including the NLM DSI Scholars Program, AFRL Scholars Program, Microsoft's High School Discovery Program, UNH HighTech Bound, Carnegie Mellon AI Scholars (fully funded), Stanford AI4ALL (free), MIT Beaver Works (free under a $200K income threshold), and NYU ARISE (free with a $1,000+ stipend), making this a strong list for students seeking no-cost AI experience.
Programs span a wide range of formats, from fully virtual options like Veritas AI, Ladder, and Stanford AIMI to on-site lab internships (NIST, AFRL, UNH, NYU ARISE) and residential university programs (Carnegie Mellon AI Scholars, MIT Beaver Works), so students can choose based on location and commitment level.
Several internships are hosted at leading universities and research institutions, including Stanford, MIT, Carnegie Mellon, NYU, George Mason, the NIH, NIST, and Air Force research labs, giving students direct access to faculty mentors, graduate researchers, and professional lab environments.
Students looking for the most prestigious, selective research experiences can apply to Carnegie Mellon AI Scholars (fully funded, four weeks), MIT Beaver Works (project-based with a required prerequisite course), Stanford SHTEM (eight weeks of interdisciplinary research), and the NLM DSI Scholars Program (paid biomedical AI research at the NIH).
Beginners and younger students have strong entry points too: Stanford AI4ALL is built for 9th graders with no prior experience, while Veritas AI's AI Scholars program, Ladder Internships, and the George Mason NASA program are open to all high school students looking to build foundational AI skills.
Deadlines cluster early in the year, with NIST closing January 26, Carnegie Mellon AI Scholars and Stanford SHTEM on February 1, ASSIP on February 15, AFRL in mid-January, and Stanford AIMI and NYU ARISE on February 20, while flexible options like Veritas AI and Ladder run rolling, cohort-based admissions throughout the year, so students should begin identifying programs in the fall and prioritize January and February deadline programs first.
1. Ladder Internship Program
Cost/Stipend: Varies depending on program type. Full financial aid available.
Location: Remote! You can work from anywhere in the world.
Application Deadline: Deadlines vary depending on the cohort. Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September), and Winter (November).
Program Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year, including Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter.
Eligibility: Students who can work for 10-20 hours/week for 8-12 weeks. Open to high school students, undergraduates, and gap year students!
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. Ladder’s start-ups are high-growth companies on average, raising over a million dollars. Interns work closely with their manager at the startup on real-world projects and present their work to the company. The virtual internship is usually 8 weeks long. Apply now!
2. The Stanford Center for Artificial Intelligence in Medicine and Imaging (AIMI) - Summer Research Internship
Cost/Stipend: $2,400 program fee + $45 application fee. Need-based financial aid available.
Location: Virtual
Application Deadline: February 20 (standard); February 13 (financial aid).
Program Dates: Session A: June 15 – June 26 | Session B: July 6 – July 17.
Eligibility: Interns must be high school students over the age of 14 by the start of the program (entering 9th through 12th grade in the fall) and must be attending a U.S. high school. All interns must reside in the U.S. for the full duration of the program; international students are not accepted.
This 2-week virtual internship by the Stanford Center for Artificial Intelligence in Medicine and Imaging is a solid opportunity if you’re interested in exploring the technical and clinical aspects of AI in healthcare. The program combines lectures on AI in healthcare fundamentals, hands-on research projects, and mentoring activities with Stanford researchers. If you’re interested, you can even opt for an extended independent research internship opportunity. While you can apply as a regular intern, you can additionally apply for the ’Student Lead’ role where you can also assist with project leadership along with an AIMI mentor.
As an intern, you will engage in a variety of activities, including introductory lectures on AI fundamentals, technical sessions, mentoring with Stanford Student Leads and researchers, collaborative group research projects, social activities, and Career Lunch and Learns featuring guest speakers from academia, industry, non-profit organizations, and government agencies.
3. NLM Data Science and Informatics (DSI) Scholars Program
Cost/Stipend: No cost; DSI Scholars are paid according to the NIH Intramural Research Training Award stipends, which are updated annually based on education and experience.
Location: NIH Campus, Bethesda, MD.
Application Deadline: Reviewed on a rolling basis; applications close in mid-February (reference letters due about a week later).
Program Dates: Starts in June and runs for 8–12 weeks. Start dates and durations are flexible.
Eligibility: Applicants must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, and at least 18 by the start date (or 17 if their permanent home address is within 40 miles of an NIH campus) | Must be enrolled at least half-time as a high school senior, in an accredited U.S. college or professional school, or be accepted into one for the fall | A cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher is preferred; a lower GPA can be addressed in the personal statement.
With the NLM DSI Scholars Program, interns will get to contribute their skills and perspectives to computational research projects in the biological sciences. As an intern, you will have the opportunity to gain valuable experience in a collaborative research environment while training one-on-one with a research mentor.
Apart from your training, you will also have the chance to participate in seminars and professional development workshops that will help you develop scientific communication skills. The program culminates with your presentation at NLM’s Summer Poster Day, and you might have an opportunity to present your poster at the NIH-wide Summer Poster Day as well.
4. National Institute of Standards and Technology Internships
Cost/Stipend: No participation cost, but the internship is unpaid, and students must cover their own housing and transportation.
Location: On-site at NIST's labs in Gaithersburg, MD, or Boulder, CO (varies by lab).
Application Deadline: January 26, with letters of recommendation due January 30.
Program Dates: June 22 through August 7.
Eligibility: Applicants must be U.S. citizens and current high school juniors or seniors (11th or 12th grade) during the application period. A strong academic record and coursework in STEM subjects is expected, and selected students must be able to commit to the full eight-week summer program.
The Summer High School Intern Program by NIST is ideal for students who are interested in STEM research. In this program, you gain the opportunity to participate in cutting-edge research at NIST and work closely with NIST staff scientists and engineers on a specific research topic. Students can choose to intern at one of these 6 NIST laboratories: Communications Technology Lab | Engineering Lab | Information Technology Lab | Material Measurement Lab | NIST Center for Neutron Research | Physical Measurement Lab
If you are interested in AI, ML or data science, we recommend opting for the Information Technology Laboratory where you will help research to support the development and advancement of measurement science, standards infrastructure, and computer technology. For instance, your research activities could include digital data retrieval and preservation, bioinformatics, data mining, machine learning, information visualization, and image analysis.
5. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) Scholars Program
Cost/Stipend: No cost; weekly stipends are provided based on the student's education level and the GS pay scale.
Location: On-site at AFRL research sites across the U.S., including Kirtland AFB (Albuquerque, NM), Eglin AFB (Valparaiso, FL), and the Air Force Maui Optical and Supercomputing Site (Hawaii); locations vary by program.
Application Deadline: Applications open in October and typically close in mid-January; exact deadlines vary by site and project.
Program Dates: Roughly eight weeks over the summer; exact dates vary by site.
Eligibility: Applicants must be U.S. citizens and at least 16 years old by the application deadline (18 for California locations) | Valid government ID and a GPA of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale | Must be enrolled or accepted at least half-time at an educational institution in the semester immediately preceding the internship | Available full-time (40 hours/week) on-site over the summer, willing to relocate and arrange their own transportation to the worksite| Able to pass a background check that may require a security clearance.
The AFRL Scholars Program is a paid internship opportunity for academically motivated high school students who are interested in aerospace engineering. Scholars receive guidance from full-time AFRL scientists and engineers, tour AFRL laboratories and work on cutting-edge research and technology. Each mentor in the program is highly knowledgeable and you can find a list of mentors here.
While AFRL research topics are mainly centered around aerospace engineering, several research projects offer elements of AI, ML and data analysis where you will can build your foundational knowledge in the subjects.
6. George Mason University - NASA Data Science Analysis and Scholarly Research Paper Writing
Cost/Stipend: Fees are not published; interested students should email execed@gmu.edu for the fee structure. Need-based scholarships are available.
Location: Hybrid — primarily virtual, with optional in-person sessions at GMU's Fairfax Campus, VA.
Application Deadline: Rolling; seats are offered first-come, first-served (the first 50 students).
Program Dates: June 15 – August 16.
Eligibility: Open to all high school students.
The Young Scholars NASA Data Science Analysis and Research Paper Program offers you an engaging and authentic professional, cutting-edge research experience in NASA space data science and statistical analysis. You will engage in a comprehensive program delving into astronomy and space sciences through a combination of research projects and lectures. Working collaboratively on current NASA mission research, you will receive guidance on crafting professional-quality scholarly papers to enhance your research and communication skills.
During this program, you will be participating in a guided astronomy-based research project applying some of the following methods, including but not limited to: Astronomy data analysis on NASA missions | Observational astronomy and statistical analysis | Quantitative Research | Scientific methods of inference | Observational data collection and management | Statistical science inference | The private space revolution and its impact on astronomy and space policy
You can check the different software and data used for research - here.
Your research paper will be posted on the official George Mason University webpage. See the Schar School Young Scholars Journals page.
7. Microsoft’s High School Discovery Program
Cost/Stipend: Paid (full-time, hourly).
Location: On-site in Redmond, WA, or Atlanta, GA.
Application Deadline: Applications open in early February and are reviewed on a rolling basis, with interviews beginning in March.
Program Dates: 4 weeks in summer — Atlanta: July 6 – July 31 | Redmond: July 13 – August 7.
Eligibility: Open to rising college first-years (graduating high school seniors) who have completed pre-calculus or equivalent before the program | Redmond applicants must live and attend high school within 50 miles of Redmond and be members of a Microsoft-sponsored organisation | Atlanta applicants must attend a participating school district in the metro Atlanta area | Students must have the legal right to work in the U.S. and be available for the full four weeks.
Microsoft’s High School Discovery Program offers an excellent opportunity for high school students curious about technology and AI to explore their potential applications at one of the world’s leading tech companies. During the 4-week internship, participants gain a comprehensive understanding of the product development design phase, engaging in hands-on experiences with innovative AI-powered solutions. Expert guidance from Microsoft AI engineers assists interns in honing their skills and exploring diverse career paths in the tech industry, both within and beyond Microsoft.
As an intern, you will explore various AI domains such as machine learning, natural language processing, and computer vision, acquiring both theoretical knowledge and practical skills in AI.
8. HighTech Bound Summer Internship by the University of New Hampshire
Cost/Stipend: Paid (hourly); students can also earn 0.5 high school credit through VLACS. Note: housing is not provided.
Location: On-site at the UNH InterOperability Laboratory, Durham, NH.
Application Deadline: February 28.
Program Dates: July 6 – August 7 (a four- to six-week program).
Eligibility: Open to high school students entering their senior year who reside in the U.S.
The University of New Hampshire’s InterOperability Laboratory (IOL)’s annual summer internship program for high school students selects around 10 interns who work at IOL (a computer lab) under experienced mentors. Interns will work on advanced software technologies and hardware projects from companies like Dell, Apple, and Cisco.
Students can expect to work with technologies used in smart cars and internet devices while also participating in field trips to local tech companies. Interns will further earn 0.5 high school credits through the Virtual Learning Academy Charter School (VLACS). This experience provides hands-on training in network technologies and AI. Under expert mentorship, interns collaborate in an advanced computer lab, engaging in team-based projects aimed at innovating AI integration. Access to state-of-the-art software used by industry leaders like Apple, Dell, and Cisco ensures participation in cutting-edge AI research.
9. Veritas AI Internship
Cost/Stipend: Varies depending on program type. Full financial aid available.
Location: Virtual
Application deadline: Rolling. Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September), and Winter (November). You can apply to the program here.
Program dates: Multiple 12-15-week cohorts throughout the year, including spring, summer, fall, and winter.
Eligibility: High school students. AI Fellowship applicants should either have completed the AI Scholars program or exhibit experience with AI concepts or Python.
Veritas AI, founded and run by Harvard graduate students, offers programs for high school students who are passionate about artificial intelligence. Students who are looking to get started with AI, ML, and data science would benefit from the AI Scholars program. Through this 10-session boot camp, students are introduced to the fundamentals of AI & data science and get a chance to work on real-world projects.
Another option for more advanced students is the AI Fellowship with Publication & Showcase. Through this program, students get a chance to work 1:1 with mentors from top universities on a unique, individual project. A bonus of this program is that students have access to the in-house publication team to help them secure publications in high school research journals. You can also check out some examples of past projects here and read about a student’s experience in the program here.
10. Carnegie Mellon University – AI Scholars (Pre-College)
Cost/Stipend: Fully funded — tuition, housing, meals, and activities are covered; there is no application fee or out-of-pocket tuition. Limited travel assistance is available.
Location: Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA (residential).
Application Deadline: February 1 (early deadline; scholarships are only considered under this deadline).
Program Dates: June 20 – July 18 (four weeks).
Eligibility: Rising high school seniors (juniors at the time of application) who are at least 16 by the start date. Open to U.S. citizens, permanent residents, and DACA-registered students; designed for students with limited prior access to AI or financial need.
Carnegie Mellon's AI Scholars is one of the most academically rigorous AI programs a high schooler can attend, and because it's fully funded and merit-based, it's also one of the most competitive. Over four weeks on CMU's campus, you take college-level courses taught by Carnegie Mellon faculty, work in small teams on real-world AI projects, and get an in-depth introduction to ongoing research led by faculty and graduate students. The curriculum covers foundational machine learning, data analysis, and the ethical dimensions of AI, and it culminates in a final symposium presentation. Alongside the technical work, you'll get college-prep seminars on admissions and financial aid, plus mentorship from CMU faculty and grad students. If you're strong in math and computer science and want a genuinely college-level AI experience, this is a standout.
11.MIT Beaver Works Summer Institute (BWSI)
Cost/Stipend: Tuition-free for students whose family income is under $200,000 (a fee applies above that threshold); housing is not included.
Location: MIT, Cambridge, MA, with both in-person and online course tracks.
Application Deadline: Online prerequisite courses open in early February; the summer application follows for students who complete the prerequisite, with enrollment decisions in early May.
Program Dates: Roughly four weeks in July (most recently July 6 – August 2).
Eligibility: High school students living or attending school in the U.S., generally rising seniors (juniors at the time of application). Admission depends on completing a required online prerequisite course.
MIT Beaver Works Summer Institute is a rigorous, project-based program run jointly by MIT's School of Engineering and MIT Lincoln Laboratory, and its two-phase structure sets it apart. Before the summer even begins, you complete an online prerequisite course that builds the foundational skills for your track, and strong performance there is part of how you earn admission. Once on campus, you work in teams on real engineering and computer-science challenges in fields like machine learning, autonomous air-vehicle racing, cybersecurity, and quantum software. Because it's tied to MIT and Lincoln Laboratory and demands serious technical preparation, it functions as a "proof of work" credential rather than a survey camp. It's best suited to students who already love to build, code, and solve technical problems and want exposure comparable to undergraduate-level study.
12. Stanford SHTEM Summer Internship
Cost/Stipend: Unpaid; a small commuting stipend may be available for select students. Housing is not provided.
Location: In person at Stanford University, CA (hosted by the Stanford Compression Forum).
Application Deadline: February 1.
Program Dates: June 22 – August 14 (eight weeks).
Eligibility: Current high school juniors or seniors (11th or 12th grade at application) who are at least 14 by the program start. Open to U.S. citizens and permanent residents only.
Stanford SHTEM (Science, Humanities, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) is a selective, interdisciplinary research internship that pairs you with Stanford faculty, graduate students, and postdocs on a guided project. What makes it distinctive is the "H": rather than pure technical training, SHTEM pushes you to connect AI and engineering work to human questions like ethics, communication, and design. You'll be placed in a small collaborative group, spend most of your time doing real research (roughly 20–30 hours a week), and present your findings at the end. Past interns have even had their work accepted at academic conferences. It's a strong fit if you want a genuine research experience under Stanford mentorship and are interested in how AI intersects with real-world and human-centered problems.
13. Aspiring Scientists Summer Internship Program (ASSIP) – George Mason University
Cost/Stipend: $25 application fee plus $1,299 tuition for 3 college credits; both can be waived with demonstrated financial need. No stipend.
Location: George Mason University, Virginia — remote, in-person, or hybrid depending on the mentor.
Application Deadline: February 15 (applications open in December).
Program Dates: June 18 – August 12 (eight weeks, full-time).
Eligibility: High school and undergraduate students (15+ for remote or computer-lab roles, 16+ for wet labs). International students may apply but must manage their own logistics.
ASSIP at George Mason is a competitive, eight-week research internship that matches you one-on-one with a faculty mentor on an original, cutting-edge project — and you earn three college credits on completion. Research areas span AI, data science, neuroscience, bioengineering, environmental science, and robotics, so you can go deep in a specific area or explore a new one. You'll work full-time (about 30 hours a week) using advanced equipment, learn scientific writing and communication, and present your work at a closing research symposium. Because the application requires no transcript or recommendation letter and instead hinges on matching with a mentor, it rewards genuine, specific research interest. It's one of the few entries here open to international students, making it a great choice for authentic lab experience that signals initiative on competitive STEM college applications.
14. Stanford AI4ALL
Cost/Stipend: Free to attend; need-based financial support is available. No stipend.
Location: Stanford University, CA — offered as a residential or online program.
Application Deadline: Applications open in January, with regular submissions in mid-February and an extended round in early March; decisions by May 1.
Program Dates: June 15 – June 26 (two weeks).
Eligibility: Students currently in 9th grade at the time of application who will be 14–15 during the program. No prior AI or programming experience required.
Stanford AI4ALL, hosted by the Stanford Institute for Human-Centered AI, is the most accessible entry point on this list — built specifically for 9th graders with no prior experience, with a mission to widen access to AI. Over two weeks, you're immersed in AI through lectures from Stanford faculty, hands-on research projects, and mentorship from graduate students and postdocs. You'll rank and join one of four research groups — Computer Vision, Medical AI, Natural Language Processing, or Robotics — and explore how AI applies to areas like medicine, disaster response, and fighting poverty. Because it requires no background and emphasizes social good, it's an ideal first step if you're curious about AI early in high school and want exposure to real research and a supportive, diverse cohort.
15. NYU Tandon – ARISE (Applied Research Innovations in Science and Engineering)
Cost/Stipend: Free (funded by the Pinkerton Foundation); students receive a stipend of at least $1,000 upon successful completion.
Location: NYU Tandon School of Engineering, Brooklyn, NY.
Application Deadline: February 20 (applications open in early January).
Program Dates: 10 weeks over the summer — four weeks of workshops followed by a six-week lab placement.
Eligibility: Current 10th and 11th graders who live in New York City (attending school in NYC is not sufficient) and are at least 16 by the program start. Open to U.S. citizens and permanent residents.
NYU's ARISE is one of the most prestigious fully funded STEM opportunities for NYC high schoolers, pairing rigorous training with a genuine research placement. You spend the first four weeks in college-level workshops covering research methods, scientific ethics, data analysis, lab safety, and public speaking, then move into a six-week placement in one of NYU Tandon's 80+ research labs — spanning computer science, AI, robotics, biomedical engineering, and more — working alongside faculty and graduate mentors on real projects. You'll present your findings at a concluding colloquium (recently held at the American Museum of Natural History) and earn a stipend on completion. Because it's designed to widen access for students underrepresented in STEM, it actively encourages applicants from a range of backgrounds. It's an excellent fit if you're an NYC student who wants authentic, mentored AI and engineering research without cost barriers.
Frequently asked questions
What types of AI internships are available for high school students?
Options include virtual research and mentorship programs (Ladder, Veritas AI, Stanford AIMI), paid government lab internships (NLM DSI at the NIH, AFRL, NIST), industry internships (Microsoft's High School Discovery Program), residential university programs (Carnegie Mellon AI Scholars, MIT Beaver Works), interdisciplinary research internships (Stanford SHTEM, NYU ARISE, ASSIP), and beginner-friendly programs (Stanford AI4ALL). They cover everything from machine learning and data science to AI in healthcare, cybersecurity, and autonomous systems.
Are there free AI internships for high school students?
Yes, several are free or pay a stipend. Carnegie Mellon AI Scholars and Stanford AI4ALL are free, MIT Beaver Works is tuition-free for families under a $200,000 income threshold, and NYU ARISE is free with a stipend of at least $1,000. The NLM DSI Scholars Program, AFRL, Microsoft, and UNH HighTech Bound all pay or provide stipends. Programs like Stanford AIMI and ASSIP charge a fee but offer need-based financial aid.
Which AI internships are best for students interested in research?
Carnegie Mellon AI Scholars offers four weeks of college-level AI coursework and faculty-led projects. Stanford SHTEM provides eight weeks of interdisciplinary research connecting AI to human-centered questions. The NLM DSI Scholars Program offers paid biomedical AI research at the NIH, ASSIP matches students one-on-one with a George Mason faculty mentor for eight weeks, and NYU ARISE places NYC students in NYU Tandon research labs.
Which programs are best for beginners or younger students?
Stanford AI4ALL is the most accessible, built specifically for 9th graders with no prior AI or programming experience. For students who want to build a foundation before applying to selective, research-heavy internships, Veritas AI offers an AI Scholars boot camp covering AI, machine learning, and data science fundamentals, along with an AI Fellowship where more advanced students work 1-on-1 with mentors on an individual project. Ladder Internships and the George Mason NASA program are also open to all high school students.
Do these internships accept international students?
Most are limited to U.S. citizens, permanent residents, or students residing in the U.S. — including NIST, AFRL, the NLM DSI Scholars Program, Stanford SHTEM, and Carnegie Mellon AI Scholars. ASSIP at George Mason is one of the few that accepts international students, though they must manage their own logistics. Fully virtual programs like Ladder and Veritas AI are open to students anywhere.
When should I apply to AI internships for high school students?
Many of the most competitive programs close earliest. AFRL closes in mid-January, NIST on January 26, Carnegie Mellon AI Scholars and Stanford SHTEM on February 1, ASSIP on February 15, and Stanford AIMI and NYU ARISE on February 20. Others, like Ladder, Veritas AI, and the George Mason NASA program, run rolling or cohort-based admissions. Students should begin researching in the fall and apply to January and February deadline programs well before winter break.