15 Best Data Science Summer Internships for High School Students
If you’re curious about data science, participating in summer internships for high school students can be an accessible way to get started. These programs offer more than just academic enrichment—they give you a chance to work with real data, contribute to ongoing projects, and learn directly from researchers, developers, and industry professionals. Unlike some costly pre-college courses, many internships are free or paid, making them a practical option for students looking to gain meaningful experience without a heavy financial burden. They also open doors to mentorship, peer collaboration, and early exposure to technical tools like Python, R, and machine learning frameworks.
If you’re aiming to explore careers in data science, artificial intelligence, or quantitative research, internships offer a grounded, hands-on path to discovering what the work looks like. To make your search easier, we’ve compiled 15 standout data science summer internships for high school students that are especially suited to motivated high schoolers!
1. University of Chicago’s DSI Summer Lab
Location: John Crerar Library at the University of Chicago, Hyde Park campus, IL
Acceptance Rate: Highly selective
Program Dates: June 16 – August 8
Application Deadline: January 12
Eligibility: Current high school seniors starting college in the fall and residing in Chicago; Applicants familiar with at least 1 programming language are preferred
Stipend: $4,800 (As per 2024)
At the University of Chicago’s DSI Summer Lab, you will spend eight weeks working on real-world data science research under the guidance of experienced mentors. The program offers summer internships for high school students that place you in a research team where you’ll contribute to projects in fields like public policy, biomedical science, computer science, or environmental studies, using data science as the common tool across disciplines. You’ll gain exposure to research methods, programming practices, and data analysis techniques while learning how to collaborate effectively in a research setting. It’s also a paid opportunity, which makes it more accessible if you’re looking to combine learning with on-field experience over the summer.
2. Veritas AI Internship
Location: Virtual
Acceptance Rate: Selective
Program Dates: Multiple 8-week cohorts throughout the year, including summer
Application Deadline: Varies based on cohort; the upcoming summer cohort deadline is May 25
Eligibility: High school students who have prior experience with AI/ML or have completed a Veritas AI program
Cost: $2,490; Financial aid available
The Veritas AI Internship Program is an eight-week experience developed and led by Harvard alumni. It’s designed for high school students with prior exposure to artificial intelligence and machine learning. As a participant, you will be matched with venture-backed startups and contribute to real-world projects that apply AI/ML in practical settings. Mentorship is a key feature of the program, with guidance provided by professionals from institutions and companies such as Harvard, Wharton, Google, Microsoft, and McKinsey & Company.
This internship is especially suited for students aiming to deepen their understanding of AI in a professional context, while also building connections in the tech industry. You’ll collaborate with startup teams, engage with company leaders, and apply your technical skills to real challenges. Upon completion, you’ll receive a letter confirming your participation. You can learn more about the program here and apply here!
3. The Stanford Center for Artificial Intelligence in Medicine and Imaging’s Summer Research Internship
Location: Remote
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Highly selective; around 25 students/year
Program Dates: June 16 – 27
Application Deadline: December 9 – February 28
Eligibility: High school students who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents and are 14 years or older by the start of the program
Cost: $840 + $40 application fee
If you're interested in how data science intersects with healthcare, the Stanford Center for Artificial Intelligence in Medicine and Imaging (AIMI) offers a two-week virtual summer research internship designed to give high school students like you a close look at the role of AI in medical research. Through a combination of introductory and technical lectures, you'll explore key concepts in AI applications to clinical settings such as medical imaging, diagnostics, and health data analysis.
You'll also participate in group-based research projects, gaining experience in real-world problem-solving under the mentorship of Stanford researchers and student leads. The program’s summer internships for high school students include career talks from professionals across academia, industry, and public sectors, as well as a Certificate of Completion for your participation.
4. Ladder Internship Program
Location: Remote
Acceptance Rate: Highly selective
Program Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year; The upcoming summer cohort starts on June 2
Application Deadline: Deadlines vary depending on the cohort. May 11 for the upcoming summer cohort
Eligibility: Students who can work for 10-20 hours/week
Cost: Starting at $2,490; Financial aid available
Ladder Internships is a selective program that offers summer internships for high school students interested in learning from fast-growing startups across a range of industries, including AI, deep tech, health tech, and more. For roughly eight weeks, you'll work remotely on real-world projects under the guidance of both a startup manager and a dedicated Ladder coach.
The companies involved in the program are typically early-stage ventures that have raised over a million dollars in funding, offering a dynamic and entrepreneurial environment. You will be expected to actively contribute to your teams and present your work at the end of the internship. This experience not only helps build practical skills but also offers insights into startup culture and the early tech landscape.
Here is the application form!
5. Meta Summer Academy
Location: Menlo Park, CA
Acceptance Rate: Selective
Program Dates: June 16 – July 25
Application Deadline: February 14
Eligibility: High school sophomores; A minimum 2.0 cumulative GPA; Year-round residents of East Palo Alto, Belle Haven, or Redwood City
Stipend: Paid; Amount varies yearly
The Meta Summer Academy offers summer internships for high school students interested in gaining exposure to the inner workings of a major tech company while building foundational skills relevant to data science and the broader tech industry. Although not exclusively focused on data science, this internship introduces you to coding, problem-solving, and project-based learning that often parallels what data scientists do—working with data, writing scripts, and thinking analytically.
You'll also explore various tech career paths and interact with Meta employees, which can give you a clearer understanding of how data is used in areas like social media, content moderation, and user behavior analysis. Furthermore, the program emphasizes career readiness, especially for students from underrepresented backgrounds in tech.
6. MIT’s Research Science Institute
Location: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Highly selective; 100 students/year
Program Dates: June 22 – August 2
Application Deadline: December 11
Eligibility: High school juniors with the following scores are preferred:
PSAT Math Scores: At least 740
Evidence-Based Reading and Writing Scores: 700 or higher
ACT math Scores: At least 33
Verbal scores: At least 34
Stipend: Paid
For students aiming to explore the dynamic world of data science through hands-on research, the Research Science Institute (RSI) at MIT is a highly immersive summer experience. The first week will start with intensive STEM coursework that’s led by distinguished faculty, covering topics foundational to data science.
You'll then spend five weeks working on an independent research project, guided by a mentor in an academic or research setting, where you will get to work on actual ongoing projects. In the final week, you'll present your findings in both written and oral formats, preparing you for future scientific communication.
7. Simons Summer Research Program
Location: Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY
Acceptance Rate: Highly selective
Program Dates: June 30 – August 8
Application Deadline: February 7
Eligibility: Current high school juniors; U.S. citizens and/or permanent residents; At least 16 years by the start of the program
Stipend: Paid at the end of the program
The Simons Summer Research Program at Stony Brook University offers summer internships for high school students looking to work directly with faculty mentors on original research in science, math, or engineering—areas that increasingly overlap with data science. As a Simons Fellow, you’ll join an active research team where you might engage with topics like computational biology or mathematical modeling, depending on your area of focus.
You’ll be expected to take on real project responsibilities, learn research methods, and develop technical skills such as coding, data visualization, and analysis. Throughout the program, you’ll also attend faculty lectures, workshops, and lab tours that expose you to a wide range of scientific disciplines and career paths. Your experience will culminate in a research abstract and a poster presentation at a final symposium, giving you the chance to practice communicating complex work to an academic audience.
8. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Summer High School Intern Program
Location: IST laboratory at Gaithersburg, MD, or Boulder, CO
Acceptance Rate: Highly selective
Program Dates: June 23 – August 8
Application Deadline: November 1 – February 6
Eligibility: High school juniors or seniors with a minimum GPA of 3.0; U.S. citizens
Stipend: Unpaid
The NIST Summer High School Intern Program (SHIP) offers summer internships for high school students interested in working alongside scientists in one of the six specialized NIST research labs, including the Information Technology Laboratory (ITL). If placed in ITL, you could be involved in projects focused on machine learning, data mining, software quality testing, or computer forensics—areas that require applying programming, statistical reasoning, and analytical thinking to solve real-world problems. You'll need to specify your lab preferences in your application. It helps if you have experience in subjects like computer science or math, or if you've done any programming before.
9. NLM Data Science and Informatics (DSI) Scholars Program
Location: NIH Campus, Bethesda, MD
Acceptance Rate: Highly selective
Program Dates: 8-12 weeks starting June (flexible dates)
Application Deadline: November 18 – February 19
Eligibility: Enrolled in high school at least half-time as a senior or be accepted into an accredited program for the upcoming fall; Must be at least 18 years old by June 1; U.S. citizens or permanent residents; Have a cumulative GPA of 3.2 or higher on a 4.0 scale; Have completed coursework in computer science, data science, informatics, mathematics, or related fields
Stipend: Paid
Designed for those wishing to explore how data science is applied to health and biomedical research, the NLM Data Science and Informatics (DSI) Scholars Program is an immersive full-time summer internship for high school students lasting 8 to 12 weeks. As a DSI Scholar, you’ll work closely with a mentor on computational projects in areas like biomedical informatics or health data analysis, gaining practical experience in data-driven research. You’ll be part of a collaborative environment at the National Library of Medicine, contributing to ongoing work involving machine learning, large-scale data processing, or algorithm development using real biomedical datasets. Alongside your research, you’ll build scientific communication skills through presentations and workshops and share your findings at the NLM and NIH Summer Poster Days.
10. NASA OSTEM Internships
Location: Varies, depending on the internship
Acceptance Rate: Highly selective
Program Dates: Varies, depending on the internship
Application Deadline: Based on cohort; the summer cohort deadline is February 27
Eligibility: U.S. high school students; 16+ at the time of application; 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale
Stipend: Paid and unpaid internships available
NASA’s Office of STEM Engagement (OSTEM) offers summer internships for high school students interested in doing field work in areas ranging from space science to data analysis. During your internship, you’ll collaborate with NASA professionals, including engineers, research scientists, and IT experts, to support NASA’s research and space exploration efforts.
These summer internships for high school students offer you the chance to gain valuable experience in both technical and professional skills, with opportunities to learn from some of the leading experts in science and engineering. As a paid intern, you’ll have the flexibility to work full-time or part-time, depending on the project, and the work will directly contribute to advancing NASA’s ambitious goals in aeronautics and space. With three sessions a year, the program offers multiple chances to get involved and build a solid foundation in STEM.
11. George Mason University’s Aspiring Scientists Summer Internship Program (ASSIP)
Location: George Mason University; Remote & hybrid options available
Acceptance Rate: Highly selective
Program Dates: June 18 – August 8
Application Deadline: February 2
Eligibility: Students must be at least 15 years old for remote internships and at least 16 years old for in-person or hybrid wet-lab internships
Cost/Stipend: $25 application fee (Can be waived); No program costs; Unpaid
George Mason University’s Aspiring Scientists Summer Internship Program (ASSIP) immerses you directly into the flow of ongoing scientific research. You’ll be placed in a lab where your contributions matter, whether that means writing scripts to clean and analyze data or using machine learning in areas like cybersecurity or public health.
The scope of topics is unusually broad, spanning from computational neuroscience to environmental modeling, giving you the chance to apply data science techniques to topics that align with your interests. You’ll also sharpen your ability to communicate research, as you prepare abstracts, contribute to scientific posters, and present your findings to peers and faculty.
12. Texas Tech University's Anson L. Clark Scholars Program
Location: Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Highly selective; 12 students selected
Program Dates: June 22 – August 7
Application Deadline: February 24
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors who will be at least 17 years old by the start of the program
Cost/Stipend: $25 application fee; $750 stipend
The Anson L. Clark Scholars Program at Texas Tech University offers research-driven summer internships for high school students. Over seven weeks, you’ll work one-on-one with a faculty mentor on a research project tailored to your interests, which could fall within various disciplines depending on your placement.
The program emphasizes deep engagement with the research process—from literature review and methodology to analysis and presentation. Aside from lab work, you’ll also attend seminars and discussions that explore various academic and career pathways. The experience concludes with a formal research report and includes a stipend, rewarding your successful participation.
13. Stanford University: Stanford AI4ALL
Location: Virtual
Acceptance Rate: Highly selective
Program Dates: June 18 – July 2
Application Deadline: January 24
Eligibility: 9th graders or rising 10th graders; 14+ by the start of the program
Cost: $4,000; Financial aid is available
Stanford AI4ALL is a two-week online summer program that introduces participants to the fundamentals and applications of AI through a mix of lectures, mentorship, and guided research. If you're looking to explore how data and algorithms can shape the future, you'll get to study topics like machine learning, computer vision, natural language processing, and medical AI, all with an emphasis on using technology for social good.
The program is structured to help you not only understand core concepts but also apply them in small group research projects. You’ll also have the chance to learn directly from Stanford researchers and industry professionals, gaining insight into both technical paths and broader career options in AI. While the program is not solely focused on data science, it gives you meaningful exposure to its tools and thinking through the lens of AI.
14. New York University’s ARISE Program
Location: New York University Tandon School of Engineering, Brooklyn, NY
Acceptance Rate: Selective
Program Dates: June 2 – August 18 (preceded by 4 weeks of remote workshops)
Application Deadline: February 21
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors; Full-time NYC residents attending NYC schools in the upcoming school year
Stipend: $1,000 upon completing the program
At NYU’s ARISE program, you’ll spend your summer not just learning about science, but actually doing it! For students curious about data science, this means the chance to work directly with researchers who use algorithms, models, and real-world datasets in fields like computational neuroscience, network science, or bioinformatics.
The first part of the 10-week summer internship will prepare you with essential research skills—everything from writing scientifically to staying safe in a lab. Then, for six weeks, you’ll be placed in an NYU lab where you contribute to active research projects, gaining roughly 120 hours of experience far beyond the classroom. You’ll also get support with college applications, build presentation skills, and share your work at a public symposium at the American Museum of Natural History.
15. University of California, Santa Barbara’s Research Mentorship Program
Location: University of California, Santa Barbara, CA
Acceptance Rate: Competitive
Program Dates: June 16 – August 1
Application Deadline: December 15 – March 17; Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis
Eligibility: 10th to 11th graders with a minimum 3.80 academic weighted GPA; Exceptional 9th graders are accepted on a case-by-case basis
Cost:
Commuter: $5,175
Residential: $12,474
Limited need-based scholarships are available
At the University of California, Santa Barbara’s Research Mentorship Program (RMP), you’ll spend six weeks working closely with a mentor, faculty member, postdoc, or graduate student, on a real university-level research project in a field you choose. You’ll actively participate in the full academic research process, from refining research questions and conducting literature reviews to applying field-specific methods and presenting your findings.
Along the way, you'll develop key skills in data analysis, critical thinking, and academic writing, while earning college credit. Through the GRIT Talks series, you’ll hear directly from UC Santa Barbara researchers about their current work in cutting-edge areas, including AI, sustainability, neuroscience, and other interdisciplinary fields. Workshops will also support you in navigating college applications and setting academic goals, and you’ll have access to UCSB’s resources, including libraries and research tools.
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