13 Internships for High School Students in Colorado
If you’re a high school student looking to turn your interests into experience, internships can be one of the most effective ways to start. Instead of only learning about a field, you get the opportunity to work in professional environments such as hospitals, research labs, aerospace companies, financial institutions, and local organizations. You can develop practical skills that extend beyond academics, including data handling, laboratory methods, professional communication, teamwork, and project management.
Why should you intern in Colorado?
Colorado offers high school students access to a diverse network of hospitals, research centers, universities, government laboratories, and industry employers that provide meaningful internship opportunities. You can participate in internships in clinical research, STEM laboratory work, aerospace systems, AI-driven healthcare projects, banking operations, and community-based programs. These experiences often provide mentorship, professional training sessions, and opportunities to present your work, helping you understand how different career pathways operate in practice.
To help you get started, we’ve put together 13 internships for high school students in Colorado.
If you’re looking for programs in Colorado, check out our blog here.
Key takeaways
This blog lists 13 internships for high school students in Colorado, spanning healthcare, aerospace, finance, and research.
Several internships pay students, including Children's Hospital Colorado ($4,400), Lockheed Martin, and the Emma Bowen Foundation, while others, like NIST SHIP and CU Pre-Health Scholars, are unpaid.
Two programs are fully virtual, Ladder Internships and Stanford AIMI, while the rest involve in-person placements at Colorado hospitals, universities, or companies.
Application deadlines range from November 1 (CU Pre-Health Scholars) to April 12 (Air Academy Credit Union), so students should check individual timelines early.
1. Children’s Hospital Colorado - Summer Child Health Research Internship
Location: Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO
Stipend: $4,400
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: June 1 - July 31
Application Deadline: February 1
Eligibility: Colorado high school seniors aged 18+ years at the start of the program
This internship places you in a clinical research environment, where you work alongside faculty and research teams focused on pediatric healthcare. You support ongoing projects by collecting data, organizing research findings, and observing how research protocols are implemented in a hospital environment. Early exposure to study design and research ethics helps you understand how clinical questions are translated into measurable outcomes. Weekly seminars introduce broader topics in child health and help connect your daily responsibilities to larger healthcare challenges. You’ll also engage with peers and mentors to discuss progress and improve your understanding of research methods. As the program advances, you may take additional ownership of your assigned work or sub-project. This paid internship for high school students in Colorado concludes with a formal presentation where you share your research findings with the group.
2. Ladder Internship Program
Location: Remote
Cost/Stipend: Varies by program (financial aid available)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year
Application Deadline: Deadlines vary depending on the cohort
Eligibility: High school 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 span a variety of industries, from tech/deep tech to AI/ML, health tech, marketing, journalism, consulting, and more. Ladder’s start-ups are, on average, high-growth companies that raise 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.
3. Lockheed Martin Space High School Internship Program
Location: Denver, CO
Stipend: Paid
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective | 5 - 15 students per site
Dates: 9 - 10 weeks during the summer
Application Deadline: January
Eligibility: Currently enrolled high school students who will be 16 years of age at the start of the internship and live within a commutable distance of the Lockheed facility | not open to graduating seniors
Lockheed Martin Space’s internship for high school students in Colorado places them in the aerospace industry, where they work alongside engineers and technical teams and contribute to projects. Interns may assist with software development, systems engineering, or mechanical design, depending on team needs and their interests. Day-to-day work often involves supporting ongoing projects, analyzing data, and assisting with testing and documentation. Mentorship from experienced professionals helps you understand how large-scale aerospace systems are designed and maintained. Additional programming introduces you to career pathways within the defense and space industries, along with expectations for technical roles. You’ll also participate in networking sessions and professional development activities that build workplace readiness.
4. The Emma Bowen Foundation (EBF) Summer Internship
Location: Various locations across the U.S., including CO
Stipend: Paid
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly competitive | 150 students per year
Dates: 8 weeks, May - June
Application Deadline: September - January
Eligibility: High school seniors planning to attend a 4-year accredited U.S. college or university | Must have a cumulative GPA of 3.0+
Emma Bowen Fellows work as paid interns at partner companies spanning media, entertainment, and technology, taking on roles in areas like journalism, engineering, marketing, human resources, or business operations, depending on their placement. Fellows receive hands-on, industry-specific training directly from professionals at their host company rather than a fixed curriculum, since the day-to-day work is shaped by the partner organization and role. Beyond the internship itself, fellows gain access to professional development programming, a yearly conference connecting them with peers and alumni across the country, and ongoing mentorship that can continue through college graduation. Students selected as fellows may also be eligible for need-based scholarships to support their broader education.
5. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST): Summer High School Intern Program (SHIP)
Location: NIST laboratory, Boulder, Colorado
Cost/Stipend: Unpaid
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly competitive
Dates: June 22 - August 7
Application Deadline: January 26 (varies every year)
Eligibility: High school juniors or seniors with a minimum GPA of 3.0 who are U.S. citizens
This research-focused internship places high school students within a federal laboratory, where they work directly with scientists and engineers on technical projects. Your tasks may include assisting with experiments, writing code, and contributing to the development of measurement systems used in national standards. You’ll gain hands-on experience with tools and methodologies used in fields such as materials science, artificial intelligence, and advanced computing. Structured seminars and training sessions help you build foundational knowledge while understanding how large-scale research initiatives operate. Collaboration with mentors and research teams exposes you to interdisciplinary problem-solving approaches. The program concludes with a poster presentation where you communicate your findings to a professional audience.
6. Air Academy Credit Union: The High School Internship Program
Location: Colorado Springs, CO, and surrounding branch locations (Castle Rock, Highlands Ranch, Monument, Parker)
Stipend: Paid
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Limited positions available
Dates: Summer and Saturdays during the academic year
Application Deadline: April 12
Eligibility: Rising 11th-12th graders aged 16+ years who are enrolled in a qualifying local school district
The High School Internship Program at Air Academy Credit Union introduces students to the day-to-day operations of a financial institution. The experience begins with foundational training before transitioning into branch-level responsibilities. You’ll interact with customers, support basic banking services, and learn how financial products are explained and managed in a real-world environment. The experience emphasizes communication, professionalism, and accuracy in handling transactions or customer inquiries. Ongoing mentorship and supervision help you build confidence as you learn workplace expectations. You also gain insight into how financial institutions balance customer service with regulatory requirements. Performance reviews throughout the program provide ongoing feedback on your progress.
7. Children’s Hospital Colorado - Medical Career Collaborative (MC²)
Location: Multiple sites in Colorado
Stipend: Paid
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 11.5% (75 students out of 600 applications annually)
Dates: 6 weeks, varies by site
Application Deadline: March 4
Eligibility: Current high school sophomores in the Denver metro or Colorado Springs area | Must be legally authorized to work in the United States
Designed as a multi-year pathway, this medical internship combines summer internships with ongoing academic and career development support. You rotate through different hospital departments, observing and assisting professionals across a range of healthcare roles. This broad exposure to clinical and non-clinical settings helps you understand how various parts of a healthcare system work together. Weekly seminars introduce key healthcare topics, including medical terminology, patient care workflows, and healthcare systems. Through mentorship from healthcare professionals, you gain valuable insight into career pathways, workplace expectations, and day-to-day responsibilities of various roles. Beyond the internship, continued programming supports your academic planning and skill development through workshops and certifications.
8. The Girls Inc. of Metro Denver Summer Internship Program
Location: Girls Inc. of Metro Denver, Denver, CO
Stipend: Paid
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: Summer (June 7 - July 25) and academic year placements
Application Deadline: April
Eligibility: High school girls in grades 9th to 12th
This internship combines paid work experience with structured career readiness training in a supportive, community-focused environment. You are placed with partner organizations where you contribute to projects while developing workplace skills such as communication, teamwork, and problem-solving. Training sessions focus on leadership development, confidence-building, and professional behavior. Mentorship plays a key role, offering guidance as you navigate workplace responsibilities and reflect on your personal and professional growth. The program also emphasizes civic engagement, encouraging participants to understand how their work contributes to broader community impact. Collaboration with peers further creates opportunities to exchange ideas and build professional networks.
9. CU Pre-Health Scholars Program (CUPS)
Location: Virtual or University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Summer and once-a-month Saturday Academy during the academic year
Application Deadline: November 1
Eligibility: Underrepresented students in grades 6th to 12th in Colorado
Combining academic enrichment with hands-on learning, this program introduces students to healthcare and public health concepts through a mix of summer and year-round sessions. You participate in workshops and laboratories where you learn skills such as measuring vital signs, conducting simple experiments, and understanding research design. The curriculum also explores topics such as health equity and the social determinants of health, helping you connect scientific principles to real-world health challenges. Research projects form a key component, allowing you to investigate a topic of interest and present your findings. You also receive mentorship from faculty and peers that supports both academic growth and career exploration. The program concludes with a presentation that reflects your learning and research experience.
10. STEM Research Experience at the University of Colorado, Boulder
Location: University of Colorado, Boulder, and CU Anschutz, Aurora, CO
Cost: $2,400 (limited scholarship funding available)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: June 3 - July 31
Application Deadline: March 18
Eligibility: Rising juniors and seniors who are at least 16 years old by the start date of the program
In this research-focused program, you are paired with a mentor and contribute to projects across STEM disciplines, including biology, engineering, and environmental science. You spend significant time in a laboratory environment, learning how to design experiments, collect data, and interpret results. Weekly sessions introduce research methods, including how to read scientific literature and validate findings. Collaboration with peers and mentors helps you refine your research approach and deepen your understanding of the research process. You also attend laboratory meetings, gaining insight into how scientific teams communicate and develop new ideas. The program concludes with a public presentation where you share your research outcomes.
11. Summer Science Program
Location: Various universities nationwide, including the University of Colorado, Boulder, CO
Cost: Up to $11,800 (sliding scale) | financial aid available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Mid/late June to early August
Application Deadline: January/February
Eligibility: High school juniors (and exceptional sophomores) who are at least 15 years old and have completed the required coursework
This intensive research program immerses students in collaborative scientific work across disciplines such as astrophysics, biochemistry, or genomics. Working in small research teams, you tackle complex problems that require a combination of theoretical understanding and practical experimentation. Your daily activities will typically include laboratory work, data analysis, and discussions that help you connect concepts across subjects. Faculty-led lectures and guest sessions provide additional context on scientific careers and research applications. The program is focused on teamwork, requiring you to coordinate closely with peers to complete your project. The internship concludes with a final presentation where you share your findings and methodology.
12. Stanford AIMI Summer Research Internship
Location: Online
Cost/Stipend: $850 as participation fee plus $40 application fee | financial aid available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective | About 20 - 25 interns per session
Dates: June 15 - 26 | July 6 - 17
Application Deadline: February 20
Eligibility: U.S. high school students, aged 14 years and above | preference for students with math or computer programming skills or experience working on a healthcare project
Stanford’s virtual internship focuses on the intersection of artificial intelligence and healthcare through a combination of expert lectures and project-based learning. You work in small teams to explore research questions, applying concepts such as data analysis and model evaluation to real-world healthcare challenges. Instructions from researchers and clinicians provide context for how AI tools are developed and used in medical settings. Ethical considerations, including bias and responsible data use, are integrated into the curriculum with guest speakers offering insight into academic and industry pathways in health technology. Dedicated project sessions allow you to apply technical concepts while building collaboration skills. This tech internship for high school students in Colorado concludes with a team presentation in which you share your team’s findings.
13. George Mason University’s Aspiring Scientists Summer Internship Program (ASSIP)
Location: Virtual or in-person at George Mason University, George Mason, VA
Cost/Stipend: $25 application fee plus $1,299 tuition for three course credits | fee waivers available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: June 18 - August 12
Application Deadline: February 15
Eligibility: Students who are at least 15 years old
This online research internship places you on active STEM projects under the guidance of faculty and professional researchers. Depending on your placement, you engage with areas such as robotics, environmental science, cybersecurity, or neuroscience. The experience focuses on developing core research skills, including data analysis, experimental methods, and scientific communication. Workshops introduce you to academic writing and career pathways in STEM disciplines. Some projects may continue beyond the program, with the potential to contribute to larger academic research initiatives. The internship concludes with a presentation where students share their work with peers and mentors.
Frequently asked questions
1. Which internships in this list are paid?
Children's Hospital Colorado's Summer Child Health Research Internship ($4,400), Lockheed Martin Space, the Emma Bowen Foundation, Air Academy Credit Union, Children's Hospital's MC² program, and Girls Inc. of Metro Denver all offer paid positions.
2. Which internships on this list are fully virtual?
Ladder Internships and the Stanford AIMI Summer Research Internship are both offered online.
3. Which internships focus on healthcare or medicine?
Students interested in healthcare can consider Children's Hospital Colorado's research internship and MC² program, CU Pre-Health Scholars Program, and the Stanford AIMI internship for AI in medicine.
4. Which internships are limited to Colorado residents or local students?
Children's Hospital Colorado's research internship requires Colorado residency, Lockheed Martin requires a commutable distance to Denver, and Children's Hospital's MC² program is limited to the Denver metro or Colorado Springs area.