15 Internships for High School Students in Delaware
If you're a high school student looking to learn beyond the classroom, an internship is a great way to explore careers while building practical skills. Whether you are interested in healthcare, engineering, finance, environmental science, or law, internships let you work on meaningful projects, connect with professionals, and experience fields that a typical high school curriculum rarely covers. Along the way, you'll clarify your career interests, develop transferable skills, and strengthen your college applications. Many of these opportunities are offered by universities, government agencies, and healthcare systems, which means you'll be working alongside experienced professionals from day one.
Why should you intern in Delaware?
Delaware's compact size and strong network of major institutions make it a good state for structured student internship programs. Universities such as the University of Delaware and Delaware State University offer research-based internships for high school students throughout the summer, covering topics from materials science to aquatic biology. You can also gain supervised experience in fields such as public health, government, finance, the legal system, and environmental conservation through internships with state government agencies, federal courts, and healthcare systems. Whether you live in Delaware or are an out-of-state student looking to explore competitive programs, the state offers opportunities spanning STEM research, public health, and other professional fields.
We've narrowed this list down to 15 internships for high school students in Delaware to help you find the best fit.
If you’re looking for STEM programs in Delaware, check out our blog here.
Key takeaways
These 15 internships span environmental conservation, materials science, aquatic biology, healthcare, law, government, public health, technology, and workforce development, so students with a wide range of career interests can find a relevant opportunity in Delaware or online.
Several internships are paid or offer stipends, including Hutton Junior Fisheries Biology Program ($3,000), U.S. District Court Fellowship ($1,600), City of Wilmington Green Jobs Program (minimum wage), New Castle County Youth Workforce Development ($15 per hour), Delaware State Parks Youth Conservation Corps (hourly), and RISE at The Warehouse (paid throughout training and placement), making professional experience financially accessible.
Many programs specifically prioritize underrepresented students or income-eligible youth, including Hutton Junior Fisheries (underrepresented groups in environmental science), DELREC Law Internship (first-generation aspiring lawyers), New Castle County Workforce Development (income-eligible youth), and RISE at The Warehouse (Wilmington community youth), so eligible students should take note of these targeted opportunities.
Programs vary significantly in format, from two-week clinical exploration programs, such as DHCC at ChristianaCare, to year-round research internships, such as Delaware Academy of Medicine Public Health Internship, so students can choose based on their schedule and depth of interest.
Application deadlines for several programs fall early, including Hutton Junior Fisheries (January 25), DELREC Law Internship (February 15), U.S. District Court Fellowship (April 1), and ChristianaCare VolunTeen (February), so students should begin researching options in the fall.
1. City of Wilmington Green Jobs Program
Location: Multiple sites, Wilmington, DE
Cost/Stipend: Paid; minimum wage
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: 6 weeks, late June to early August
Application Deadline: April
Eligibility: Ages 14–18
The Green Jobs Program is a summer employment program coordinated by the University of Delaware Water Resources Center and led by the City of Wilmington's Department of Parks and Recreation. As an intern, you'll split your time between fieldwork and classroom environmental education, testing water quality, conducting stream assessments in First State National Historical Park, removing invasive plant species, and building community gardens. You'll work alongside host organizations, including the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, Delaware Sea Grant, The Nature Conservancy, and the Stroud Water Research Center; more than 30 organizations have hosted interns since the program began. The program also builds in canoeing and fishing trips on local waterways, exposure to university research programs, and sessions on environmental careers.
2. Ladder Internships
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: Cost varies by program type; up to 100% financial aid available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective
Dates: Multiple cohorts year-round
Application Deadline: Multiple deadlines based on cohorts
Eligibility: High school students, undergraduates, and gap-year students
Ladder Internships is a selective virtual program that connects high school students, undergraduates, and gap-year students with startups and early-stage companies for structured, project-based internships. You'll work directly with a startup team on projects in areas such as technology, AI, marketing, health tech, journalism, or consulting, depending on the company you're matched with. The program runs across multiple cohorts throughout the year and includes weekly mentorship and check-ins with your manager, so you receive regular guidance throughout your internship. Ladder's partner startups are high-growth companies that have raised an average of over a million dollars, meaning you'll contribute to organizations with active product development and business priorities.
3. HighRise at UD CHARM
Location: University of Delaware, Newark, DE
Cost/Stipend: Stipend provided (amount not publicly listed)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective
Dates: July 6–17
Application Deadline: No direct open application; contact CHARM at jmadanat@udel.edu
Eligibility: High school students selected through HighRise's partner organizations in Delaware
HighRise is a two-week materials science research program hosted by the University of Delaware's NSF-funded Center for Hybrid, Active, and Responsive Materials (CHARM). As a participant, you'll rotate through soft- and hard-materials laboratories, gaining hands-on exposure to polymers, semiconductors, and nanomaterials through structured lab modules and daily faculty-led lectures. You'll work alongside University of Delaware graduate students and faculty who will walk you through university-level lab techniques, giving you a firsthand look at what STEM research looks like in a college environment. HighRise covers topics typically not included in high school STEM curricula, providing an introduction to advanced materials science for students interested in engineering or the physical sciences.
4. Hutton Junior Fisheries Biology Program
Location: Local mentor sites in Delaware (matched within a 45-minute commute of your home)
Cost/Stipend: $3,000 stipend
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective
Dates: 8 weeks between June and August (flexible dates set between mentor and student)
Application Deadline: January 25
Eligibility: Rising high school seniors; age 16 or older by the start of the program; residents of the U.S., Canada, Mexico, or Puerto Rico
The Hutton Junior Fisheries Biology Program is an eight-week paid internship sponsored by the American Fisheries Society that pairs high school students with professional mentors in aquatic science and conservation. Depending on your placement, you might assist with activities such as electrofishing surveys, snorkeling expeditions, water quality testing, habitat assessments, or laboratory analysis under the supervision of a working scientist. The program also pairs you with an active researcher rather than placing you in a general observation role. All Hutton Scholars attend an all-expenses-paid summit at the end of the program, where you'll present your work and connect with peers and fisheries professionals from across the country. The program specifically encourages applications from students from underrepresented groups in fisheries and environmental science.
5. The RISE Program at The Warehouse
Location: The Warehouse, Wilmington, DE
Stipend: Paid throughout training and externship; rate not published
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: 12 weeks/cohort
Application Deadline: No published deadline; enrollment begins at Warehouse Wednesdays info sessions
Eligibility: Ages 14–18 and currently enrolled in school (in-school track)
RISE (Reaching and Investing in Youth for Sustainable Employment) is a workforce program at The Warehouse, a teen center in Wilmington's Riverside neighborhood. The first eight weeks cover structured training: a community service project with Multiplying Good, career exploration and resume building, sessions with representatives from Historically Black Colleges and Universities, entrepreneurship basics, and mock interviews with staff and program partners. Before your placement begins, you'll earn industry certifications such as ServSafe or First Aid/CPR at no cost. The final four weeks are an externship with an employer partner in your area of focus, such as The Buccini/Pollin Group or Planting to Feed. A case manager works with you individually to map an education or career pathway that continues after the program ends. You'll be paid for the full program, and not just the placement.
6. Delaware State Parks Youth Conservation Corps (DSPYCC)
Location: Various Delaware State Parks (New Castle, Kent, and Sussex Counties)
Stipend: Paid; hourly rate
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive
Dates: Varies depending on cohort
Application Deadline: Varies depending on cohort
Eligibility: Ages 14–16 for select teams; ages 16–21 for standard member positions; team leader positions require ages 20–26
The Delaware State Parks Youth Conservation Corps (DSPYCC) is a paid summer program that gives young people the opportunity to work in conservation and park management across Delaware's state park network during the summer. As a corps member, you'll join a regional team conducting trail maintenance, invasive species removal, habitat restoration, shoreline cleanup, and visitor services work at parks in New Castle, Kent, or Sussex County, working 28 hours each week throughout the season. The program combines practical fieldwork with environmental education, with approximately 75% of your time spent on hands-on conservation work and 25% on outdoor learning and environmental education, covering topics including water quality monitoring, coastal ecology, and the range of careers available in natural resources management. All DSPYCC members also attend Statewide Career Days. Hours served in the program may count toward high school Career Pathway credit, depending on your school's participation in the Delaware Pathways initiative.
7. U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware High School Fellowship Program
Location: J. Caleb Boggs Federal Building, Wilmington, DE
Stipend: $1,600 stipend ($400 / week for 4 weeks)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly competitive
Dates: July 6–31
Application Deadline: April 1
Eligibility: Current high school sophomores or juniors in New Castle County (who will be juniors or seniors in the following school year); U.S. citizens or Green Card holders
The U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware runs a four-week summer fellowship that places high school students inside the federal court system in Wilmington, where you'll work in judicial chambers alongside District Court judges and other federal employees. During the program, you'll assist with administrative tasks, conduct legal research, and gain an understanding of how the federal judiciary operates within an active court. Fellows also have the opportunity to observe live District Court proceedings and meet with leaders in Delaware's legal community during the four weeks. As one of the few paid judicial internships for high school students in Delaware offered by a federal institution, the fellowship is selective while remaining financially accessible for students across New Castle County. Applications require a completed application form, a school transcript, and at least one letter of recommendation from a teacher or counselor.
8. Future Leaders Internship Initiative (FLii)
Location: Various Delaware state government agencies
Cost/Stipend: Stipend provided (exact amount not publicly specified)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive
Dates: 6 weeks, early July to mid-August (tentative based on previous years)
Application Deadline: Typically late spring (tentative)
Eligibility: High school freshmen, sophomores, or juniors; ages 15–17
The Future Leaders Internship Initiative (FLii) is a six-week summer program run by the Delaware Department of State that places high school students in state government agencies for professional development and structured project work. Depending on your placement, you might work in the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Technology and Information, the Department of Public Health, or another state agency, and contribute to a case study developed by LYTE Scholars and the Reed Development Group. Throughout the internship, you'll participate in workshops and sessions with government officials, entrepreneurs, and executives from both the public and private sectors. The program's stipends are funded externally rather than by participating agencies, so the agencies can host interns without using their own program budgets.
9. Delaware Health Career Collaborative (DHCC)
Location: ChristianaCare facilities, DE
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive
Dates: 2 weeks in the summer
Application Deadline: March (tentative based on previous years)
Eligibility: Rising 10th, 11th, or 12th grade high school students
The Delaware Health Career Collaborative (DHCC) is a two-week clinical exploration program run by ChristianaCare that introduces high school students to the wide range of careers available within a large health system. You'll rotate through different departments and participate in simulation labs using high-fidelity mannequins, where you can practice skills such as CPR, airway management, and wound care in a controlled, supervised environment. The program includes exposure to advanced surgical technology, including the da Vinci Robotic Surgery System, and a Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) module where you examine how factors such as housing stability, food access, and education affect patient outcomes in Delaware communities. DHCC offers a structured overview of clinical, administrative, and research roles within a major hospital network without requiring any prior medical knowledge or coursework.
10. New Castle County Youth Workforce Development Program
Location: Various worksites, New Castle County, DE
Cost/Stipend: Paid; $15 / hour
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: Vary by placement; no published schedule
Application Deadline: No published deadline; apply at nccyouthjobs.newcastlede.gov
Eligibility: Income-eligible youth ages 14–21; work permit required if 17 or younger
New Castle County's Youth Workforce Development Program places you in paid positions across county worksites and partner organizations. Placements span a variety of fields, including coding, early childhood education, aquatics, agriculture, museums and libraries, construction, and health careers. The program is run by the county's Department of Community Services and funded in partnership with the Delaware Department of Labor and the Delaware Workforce Development Board. Applying requires a photo ID and documentation of household income, such as a recent W-2 or pay stubs, submitted with the online application. Auxiliary aids and services are available on request if you have a disability.
11. Delaware Law Related Education Center Summer Internship
Location: Wilmington, DE (eight rotating legal nonprofit organizations)
Stipend: Paid (exact amount not publicly specified)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Extremely selective; 2 interns/year
Dates: 8 weeks in the summer
Application Deadline: February 15
Eligibility: High school students who will be the first in their families to become lawyers
The Delaware Law Related Education Center (DELREC) offers a summer program for high school students in the state, accepting only two paid interns each year who aspire to become the first lawyers in their families. Over eight weeks, you'll rotate through eight legal nonprofit organizations in Wilmington, spending one week at each site and gaining exposure to a wide range of legal service environments in a single summer. During each rotation, you may assist with client intake, legal research, document preparation, and community legal education under the guidance of attorneys and program staff. The rotating structure allows you to observe how legal nonprofits operate across different practice areas, from housing rights to civil litigation. With only two interns selected each year, DELREC provides structured mentorship and feedback throughout the eight-week program.
12. LYTE Career Pipeline Internship
Location: Partner organizations across Delaware
Cost/Stipend: Paid; where a placement is unpaid, LYTE facilitates payment
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: Vary by placement; no published schedule; contact olivia.terzian@lytescholars.org
Application Deadline: No published deadline; contact olivia.terzian@lytescholars.org
Eligibility: Current LYTE Scholars
The Leading Youth Through Empowerment (LYTE) Career Pipeline places you in internships co-developed with community partners across eight fields: science and engineering, business and finance, education, government and public administration, health sciences, IT and computer science, law, and mental health and social services. Partner organizations include ChristianaCare, the Delaware courts, state government departments, and the ChristianaCare Gene Editing Institute. Beyond your placement, you'll join career panels, guest speaker events, and field trips, including visits to Georgetown's medical and law schools and to Legislative Hall in Dover. LYTE also covers free certifications in your prospective field, such as Basic Life Support training for the health sciences pipeline. Workshops build practical skills, which the program calls professional acumen, including financial literacy, workplace culture, and completing tax forms, and LYTE helps you open a DE529 education savings account so your earnings go toward college fees.
13. Apollo: Youth in Medicine
Location: Various physician offices and clinical settings across Delaware
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: Sessions in fall, spring, and summer
Application Deadline: Application opens each fall; rolling based on multiple cohorts
Eligibility: Delaware high school juniors and seniors
Apollo Youth in Medicine is a student-run program based in Delaware that connects high school juniors and seniors with physician shadowing experiences across 17 medical specialties at no cost. After a competitive fall application process, accepted students attend a mandatory education session covering medical career pathways, specialty options, and HIPAA training before becoming eligible for shadowing placements. Throughout its "The Match" system, Apollo connects you with physicians in primary care and specialties, including surgery, internal medicine, and pediatrics, with shadowing sessions available throughout the fall, spring, and summer. Apollo also offers Enhanced Experiences, including access to a cadaver knee dissection lab that is typically reserved for physical therapy graduate students. Offered at no cost, the Apollo program is designed to lower entry barriers for students who do not have connections within Delaware's healthcare community.
14. ChristianaCare Summer VolunTeen Program
Location: ChristianaCare hospital campuses, Delaware
Cost/Stipend: No stipend (volunteer program)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive
Dates: 9 weeks, June 15–August 14
Application Deadline: Typically February
Eligibility: At least 14 years old by the program start date; completed 9th grade; currently enrolled in a high school academic program
ChristianaCare's Summer VolunTeen Program is a nine-week, hospital-based placement for high school students who want to explore healthcare careers in an active clinical environment across Delaware. You'll work in departments throughout ChristianaCare's hospital campuses, supporting staff with patient wayfinding, comfort rounds, hospitality services, and other departmental tasks appropriate for your age and training level. The program requires a minimum two-shift commitment each week, totaling eight hours, helping you build the consistency, responsibility, and professional habits expected in a hospital environment. As one of the larger health systems in the Mid-Atlantic region, ChristianaCare offers a high-volume environment for observing how clinical and administrative teams work together to deliver patient care.
15. Delaware Academy of Medicine / Delaware Public Health Association Student Internship Program
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: Summer: May 18–August 14; Spring: January 15–April 15; Fall: September 15–December 15
Application Deadline: Varies by cohort; Fall: July 1–15
Eligibility: High school students from any academic institution
The Delaware Academy of Medicine and the Delaware Public Health Association (DPHA) run a student internship built around a public health research project that you design in collaboration with the program's internship coordinator. After an interview, you and the coordinator shape a project that fits your schedule and any academic requirements you need to meet. Along the way, you'll learn to reference public health data sources, collect and analyze qualitative and quantitative data, and build a logic model for program implementation and evaluation. Past interns have researched topics including infant mortality, health literacy, microplastics, concussions, and LGBTQ health care disparities. Some interns' work has been published in the Delaware Journal of Public Health, giving you the chance to finish the program with a citable publication.
Frequently asked questions
1. What internships are available for high school students in Delaware?
Options include environmental and conservation internships, such as City of Wilmington Green Jobs, Delaware State Parks Youth Conservation Corps, and Hutton Junior Fisheries Biology Program, research internships, such as HighRise at UD CHARM and Delaware Academy of Medicine, healthcare programs, such as DHCC, ChristianaCare VolunTeen, and Apollo Youth in Medicine, government and law programs, such as U.S. District Court Fellowship, FLii, and DELREC Law Internship, and virtual programs, such as Ladder Internships and Veritas AI.
2. Are there paid internships for high school students in Delaware?
Yes, Hutton Junior Fisheries Biology Program pays a $3,000 stipend, U.S. District Court Fellowship pays $1,600, New Castle County Youth Workforce Development pays $15 per hour, City of Wilmington Green Jobs pays minimum wage, RISE at The Warehouse pays throughout training and placement, and Delaware State Parks Youth Conservation Corps pays an hourly rate.
3. Which Delaware internships are best for students interested in healthcare?
DHCC at ChristianaCare offers two weeks of clinical simulation and department rotations, ChristianaCare VolunTeen provides nine weeks of hospital-based experience, Apollo Youth in Medicine connects students with physician shadowing across 17 specialties, and LYTE Career Pipeline offers placements at ChristianaCare and the Gene Editing Institute.
4. Are there internships in Delaware open to students outside the state?
Ladder Internships and Veritas AI are fully virtual and open to students regardless of location, Delaware Academy of Medicine Public Health Internship is virtual and open to students from any academic institution, and Hutton Junior Fisheries Biology Program accepts residents of the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and Puerto Rico.
5. Which Delaware internships can lead to publications or formal research outputs?
Delaware Academy of Medicine interns have had their work published in the Delaware Journal of Public Health, Ladder Internships involve presenting work to company stakeholders; and Veritas AI supports students in publishing AI research projects through its in-house publication team.
6. When should I apply to internships for high school students in Delaware?
Hutton Junior Fisheries closes January 25, DELREC Law Internship closes February 15, ChristianaCare VolunTeen and DHCC typically close in February and March, respectively, and U.S. District Court Fellowship closes April 1, so students should begin researching options in the fall and preparing applications over winter break.
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