8 Chicago Summer Internships for High School Students
Summer break is a great time to explore your interests beyond the classroom, and one way to do that is to intern! Chicago is home to many well-known universities and organizations that offer internships to high school students over the summer.
Internships designed for high school students offer early exposure to various disciplines, professional experiences, and opportunities to build soft skills. As an intern, you can contribute to meaningful projects and learn from and interact with professionals in your field of interest. The internship experience can also help you assess your interests and make informed decisions regarding your college major and career path you want to pursue.
To help you get started, here is a list of 8 Chicago-based summer internships for high school students.
1. UChicago Youth Internship Program
Location: University of Chicago, Chicago, IL
Stipend: Hourly Chicago minimum wage paid for up to 20 hours/week for 6 weeks
Eligibility: Students who are at least 16 years old, authorized to work in the U.S., residents of Chicago, enrolled in or recent graduates from a Chicago public high school, including charter schools
Dates: June 23 – July 31
Application deadline: April 24
The University of Chicago Youth Internship Program offers paid summer internships to high school students. Designed as a two-year opportunity, the first summer focuses on college and career readiness through seminars, workshops, college visits, and guest talks from STEM professionals. Here, you will attend sessions on leadership, workplace exposure, and post-secondary planning while earning a stipend. If you complete the first year, you can apply for the Year 2 program to secure an internship within university departments like health sciences, computer science, or IT services. Your internship tasks could include summarizing research, shadowing professionals, assisting with scheduling, etc. You will also work on a formal presentation, where you share your internship experience.
2. Ladder Internships
Location: Virtual
Cost: $2,490 – $7,400, depending on the program format you choose; complete need-based financial assistance is available
Eligibility: High school students
Dates: Several cohorts run each year, including Summer cohorts that start in June/July
Application deadline: Multiple deadlines each year. Summer cohort applications close in May/June.
Ladder Internships offers high schoolers opportunities to work with high-growth start-ups in various fields, including environmental science, software engineering, deep tech, web design/UX, finance, artificial intelligence, healthcare, and mental health. As an intern, you will work under the supervision and guidance of a start-up manager and a Ladder Coach on projects that align with your interests and the organization’s goals. The experience can help you contribute to real-world projects in a professional setting and access opportunities to build professional skills. While applying, you can choose the Startup Internship and work with an organization’s representative, or opt for the CEO Internship, where you will work directly with a start-up CEO from a FAANG (Facebook, Google, etc.) background. You can also choose the Combination program, which combines the CEO Internship format with a mentored research opportunity.
3. Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) Summer Internships
Location: Hybrid internships conducted online and at various locations in Chicago, IL
Stipend: $16.20/hour + free CTA, Metra, and Pace travel
Eligibility: High school students (including rising sophomores to recently graduated seniors) with a 2.5+ GPA who are 16 – 18 years old and eligible to work in the U.S.
Dates: June 23 – August 8
Application deadline: April 18
The City of Chicago provides 250 high school students with paid internships at CTA as well as access to professional development, mentorship, and college credit. Here, you will intern in a hybrid format, engage with transportation industry leaders, attend workshops on financial literacy and career planning, and get a chance to earn credit through Olive-Harvey College. You will receive technology support for the program’s virtual components and free public transit throughout the program. You will also get to explore careers in public transportation and infrastructure.
4. PAWS Chicago High School Internship
Location: PAWS Lincoln Park Adoption Center, Medical Center, or Blazer Building in Chicago, IL
Stipend: Unpaid
Eligibility: High school students who are at least 16 and enrolled in a formal job-readiness program through a school or community organization
Dates: May – September; flexible dates
Deadline: March 15
PAWS Chicago offers in-person internships to high school students who are passionate about animal welfare and want to gain work experience in a nonprofit environment. As an intern, you will assist with shelter operations, animal care (walking, feeding, cleaning, etc.), community outreach, and administrative tasks. You may be assigned to the Lincoln Park Adoption Center, the Medical Center, or the Blazer Building. You will get insights into careers like animal science, veterinary care, customer service, and nonprofit operations.
5. After School Matters Program: Internships and Apprenticeships
Location: Various sites across Chicago, IL
Stipend: Varies as per program; $16.60/hour for internships
Eligibility: High school students who are 14 to 18 years old, living in Chicago, and enrolled in a Chicago school
Dates: Late June to early August (summer session)
Application deadline: Not specified, but summer applications typically open in April
After School Matters offers summer internships and apprenticeship opportunities to Chicago high school students across diverse fields, including STEM, visual and performing arts, sports, and communication. During the program, you will gain real work experience and career insights while earning a stipend, working 16 to 20 hours per week, and participating in skill-building workshops and mentorship sessions. You will also engage in individual or team-based projects while collaborating with peers and industry professionals. Programs are available across Chicago neighborhoods.
6. Army Educational Outreach Program (AEOP) High School Internships
Location: Multiple U.S. universities and labs, including Chicago and Evanston (50 minutes away from Chicago), IL
Stipend: An educational stipend is offered; exact details not specified
Dates: 6 to 10 weeks in the May–August period; dates vary based on the opportunity
Application deadline: Rolling basis
Eligibility: High school students; additional requirements may vary for each internship
AEOP’s High School Internships are Army-sponsored, research-oriented opportunities for high school students interested in STEM fields. Here, you will conduct or assist with research under the guidance and supervision of a university researcher or a Department of Defence scientist. You may be assigned tasks such as experimentation, data collection, analysis, and comparison of datasets. The Chicago internship sites offer research opportunities in fields like synthetic biology and engineering. Here, you may assist with experiments, modeling, data analysis, and developing materials. During the program, you will attend workshops, online tutorials, and webinars, and get access to learning materials to develop professional skills.
7. Northwestern University Kimberly Querrey Summer Research Program
Location: Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL
Stipend: A competitive stipend is provided; the amount is not specified
Eligibility: Rising high school seniors who are 16+
Dates: June 23 – August 1
Application deadline: January 26
Hosted by Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine, the Kimberly Querrey Summer Research Program offers high school students six-week paid opportunities to explore biomedical fields. Here, you will work in a lab on real medical studies. You will be paired with a faculty mentor and spend the summer contributing to lab or clinical research projects focused on lung disease. The program also offers weekly seminars on topics like college readiness, scientific communication, and professional development. You will shadow clinicians, attend career panels, and present your research at a closing symposium.
8. Adler Planetarium Teen Programs: Summer Internships
Location: Adler Planetarium, Chicago, IL
Stipend: Not specified
Eligibility: High school students enrolled in a Chicagoland school
Dates: Summer; dates TBA
Application deadline: TBA; applications typically open in spring (April)
The Adler Planetarium offers a variety of enrichment programs, including internships, to high school students interested in science, space, technology, and education. Through these after-school summer opportunities, you will contribute to real scientific work, participate in hands-on projects, build professional skills, and learn about science communication. Participants have previously led initiatives such as the first-ever light pollution survey of Chicago and contributed to projects like the ThinSat program, through which Adler became the first planetarium to launch a satellite into space. In addition to scientific engagement, the program offers resume workshops, career development, and opportunities to collaborate with peers and professionals in STEM fields.
If you are looking to develop a project or work on a research paper in the field of AI & ML, consider applying to Veritas AI!
Veritas AI, founded by Harvard graduate students, offers a chance to work 1-on-1 with mentors from universities like Harvard, MIT, Stanford, and more, and create unique, personalized projects. In the past, we had over 1,000 students learn AI & ML with us. You can apply here!
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