14 Internships for High School Students in Virginia
If you're a high school student looking to gain experience in a technical or professional field before college, an internship can be a good option to explore. These opportunities often place you directly in a lab, company, or agency, giving you exposure to how projects are managed, tested, and executed in professional settings. Whether your interests lie in cybersecurity, aerospace, biomedical research, or software engineering, internships can help you build skills that go beyond what a classroom setting typically offers.
Why should you intern in Virginia?
Virginia is home to a strong concentration of government labs, aerospace companies, cybersecurity organizations, and research universities. Depending on the internship you choose, you could work on aerospace software, cybersecurity infrastructure, or biomedical and computational research. Whether you live in Virginia or are coming from out of state, you can find an internship suited to your interests and experience level.
To make things easier, we have listed 14 internships for high school students in Virginia.
If you’re looking for research programs in Virginia, check out our blog here.
Key takeaways
These 14 internships span aerospace software, cybersecurity, AI, biomedical and cancer research, fisheries biology, neuroscience, IT systems, and defense engineering, so students with a wide range of technical interests can find a relevant option in Virginia or online.
Several internships are paid, including Hutton Junior Fisheries ($3,000), SEAP ($4,000 to $4,500), Commonwealth Cyber Initiative ($2,650), Lockheed Martin (stipend), MITRE (stipend), Janelia Research (stipend), and Leidos (hourly stipend), making professional technical experience accessible without financial barriers.
Many programs specifically prioritize Virginia residents or students within specific counties, including Commonwealth Cyber Initiative (Northern Virginia), VITA Junior Associate (Richmond area), Janelia Research (Loudoun County Public Schools), and Fairfax County Summer Internship (FCPS students), so local students should take note of these targeted opportunities.
Programs vary significantly in length and focus, from two-week oncology programs, such as ACS Cancer Research High School Program, to 16-week engineering rotations, such as BAE Systems WiT, so students can choose based on their availability and depth of interest.
Application deadlines for the most competitive programs fall early, including Hutton Junior Fisheries (January 25), Janelia Research (January 14), AFRL Scholars (January 10), and SEAP (November 1), so students should begin preparing materials in the fall.
1. Hutton Junior Fisheries Biology Program
Location: Various locations across the U.S., including VA
Cost/Stipend: Free; $3,000 stipend
Acceptance rate: Highly competitive
Dates: 8 weeks in the summer
Application Deadline: November 21 – January 25
Eligibility: Rising high school seniors (16+)
The Hutton Junior Fisheries Biology Program gives you the chance to gain practical experience through fisheries research and hands-on environmental fieldwork. Depending on your assignments, you may help assess aquatic ecosystems, gather ecological data, analyze water quality, and support ongoing conservation efforts alongside experienced professionals. The program combines laboratory training with outdoor research, giving you a well-rounded introduction to fisheries biology. It's a good opportunity for students considering careers in ecology, environmental science, or wildlife conservation.
2. Ladder Internship Program
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: Varies (financial aid available); No stipend
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 10-25%; 70-100 students per session
Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year
Application Deadline: Varies by cohort
Eligibility: High school students who can work 10-20 hours per week for 8-12 weeks
Ladder Internships is a selective start-up internship program for ambitious high school students. During the program, you’ll get to work with a high-growth start-up that’s, on average, raising over a million dollars. These start-ups offer internships that range across a variety of industries, from tech/deep tech and AI/ML to health tech, marketing, journalism, consulting, and more. As an intern, you will work closely with your manager at the startup on real-world projects and present your work to the company. The virtual internship is usually 8 weeks long. Apply now!
3. Lockheed Martin Space: High School Internship
Location: Lockheed Martin Space, Herndon, VA
Cost/Stipend: Free; Stipend offered
Acceptance rate: Highly competitive
Dates: 9+ weeks in the summer
Application Deadline: October – January
Eligibility: High school students (16+) who are U.S. citizens living within commuting distance of the facility
This internship gives you direct exposure to aerospace software development in a professional defense setting. You may work on projects involving satellite systems, flight software, cybersecurity tools, or simulation environments. A significant part of the internship involves writing and debugging code while collaborating with engineering teams through peer reviews and technical meetings. You’ll also be introduced to professional development methodologies, such as agile workflows and systems integration. Mentors will guide you through engineering challenges and help explain how aerospace software is tested before deployment.
4. Commonwealth Cyber Initiative High School Internship
Location: Various organizations across Northern Virginia
Cost/Stipend: Free; $2,650 stipend
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective; 25-40 interns per session
Dates: June 22 – August 7
Application Deadline: November 3 – January 31
Eligibility: Rising high school seniors (17+) who are U.S. citizens and living in Northern Virginia
This internship focuses specifically on cybersecurity infrastructure and secure software systems. During the first two weeks, you’ll complete a technical bootcamp covering Python programming, database systems, AWS workflows, and cloud security concepts. After that, you’ll transition into an industry placement where you’ll work on applied cybersecurity tasks with startups or partner organizations. You may interact with smart-grid testbeds, data monitoring systems, or security analysis tools like Splunk. The mentorship structure is interesting because graduate students and university cadets also guide participants throughout the process. If you are interested in cyber defense or cloud engineering, this is one of the more specialized internships for high school students in Virginia.
5. VITA Junior Associate Program
Location: VITA, Richmond, VA
Cost/Stipend: Free; Stipend paid
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; ~8 students
Dates: January – June
Application Deadline: September/October
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors
The VITA Junior Associate Program introduces you to enterprise-level IT systems and public-sector technology operations. During the internship, you’ll explore areas like cloud computing, cybersecurity governance, and infrastructure management through hands-on observation and collaborative projects. You may shadow senior technical professionals while attending agency meetings and workflow reviews. The program also exposes you to enterprise software systems used in state-level operations. Because the cohort is small, you receive more direct mentorship and professional feedback throughout the experience.
6. Science and Engineering Apprenticeship Program (SEAP)
Location: Various DoN labs across the U.S., including VA
Cost/Stipend: Free; New participants: $4,000, returning participants: $4,500
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly competitive; ~300 placements nationwide
Dates: 8-week summer internship, with optional 2-week extension
Application Deadline: August 1 – November 1
Eligibility: U.S. high school students (16+) who have completed at least 9th grade, including graduating seniors
During the SEAP, you’ll work inside Navy-affiliated research labs and contribute to technical projects connected to national defense applications. You may spend your time writing code, debugging systems, conducting software tests, or organizing research findings into technical presentations. The program also introduces you to professional engineering documentation methods like quad charts and structured reporting. Because the work is connected to operational naval systems, you’ll learn how software engineering is applied in high-security environments. You’ll also gain experience in technical writing and systems thinking, which are skills that usually take students much longer to develop.
7. MITRE High School Student Program
Location: MITRE, McLean, VA
Cost/Stipend: Free; Stipend paid
Acceptance rate: Highly competitive
Dates: 8 weeks during the summer
Application Deadline: Mid-to-late February
Eligibility: U.S. 9th-12th graders (14+) who are legally eligible to work in the U.S. without sponsorship
MITRE’s internship focuses heavily on cybersecurity, secure systems, and applied artificial intelligence. During the program, you’ll work on technical challenges connected to national security and advanced computing systems. You may help build software prototypes, analyze system vulnerabilities, or explore data analytics workflows. The internship also exposes you to secure coding practices and systems engineering principles, which are increasingly important across software industries. You’ll work inside specialized labs alongside professionals and get experience with collaborative engineering environments early on.
8. ACS Cancer Research High School Program
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: Free; $500 stipend
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: July 6 – 17
Application Deadline: November 15 – February 6
Eligibility: Rising high school sophomores, juniors, or seniors with an interest in STEM/oncology and residing in Virginia
This program focuses on oncology research methods and scientific career exploration. During the first week, you’ll learn about research methodology, laboratory concepts, and cancer biology fundamentals. The second week shifts toward workshops and discussions involving researchers and healthcare professionals. You’ll also attend presentations and panel sessions that explain different career paths in oncology and medical science. The structure is more academic than industry-focused, but it still introduces students to a scientific research culture.
9. BAE Systems Women in Technology (WiT) Summer Intern Program
Location: BAE Systems facilities, Manassas, VA
Cost/Stipend: Free; Stipend paid
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly competitive; ~15-20 students per session
Dates: 16 weeks from November to February
Application Deadline: October
Eligibility: Female high school students in grades 10-12 who are U.S. citizens
This internship introduces you to several engineering disciplines instead of limiting you to one technical area. During rotations, you’ll explore software engineering, signal processing, electrical systems, and manufacturing technologies. You may also use CAD software, program Arduino systems, or observe specialized hardware analysis workflows. Mentorship from female engineers is a central part of the experience, giving you insight into technical careers in the defense industry. The program combines software and hardware exposure, which helps you understand how interdisciplinary engineering projects operate.
10. Janelia Research Campus High School Internship Program
Location: Janelia Research, Ashburn, VA
Cost/Stipend: Free; Stipend paid
Acceptance rate: Competitive
Dates: June 22 – August 7
Application Deadline: December 2 – January 14
Eligibility: High school students (16+) with strong computational skills who are attending Loudoun County Public Schools
This internship combines biology research with computational analysis in a lab-focused environment. You’ll work with researchers on projects involving neural networks, behavioral analysis, modeling systems, and data annotation. The internship also introduces you to scientific seminars, journal clubs, and collaborative research discussions. Since many projects involve computational workflows, students with coding or analytical experience tend to benefit the most. You may also interact with visualization tools and research datasets connected to neuroscience studies.
11. Fairfax County Summer Internship Program
Location: Various organizations across Fairfax County, VA
Cost/Stipend: Free; Paid approximately $16.67/hour for current high school students
Acceptance rate: Competitive
Dates: July 6 – August 14
Application Deadline: May 16
Eligibility: Currently enrolled FCPS high school student (16+)
This internship combines professional workplace exposure with structured skill development. You’ll work alongside county professionals while learning project coordination, communication, and administrative workflows. The program also includes workshops covering resume writing, networking, and personal finance. Depending on your placement, you may assist with operational tasks, data organization, or community-facing projects. While it is broader than technical STEM internships, you still gain practical workplace experience and professional accountability. The internship works well if you want early exposure to organizational environments before applying to more specialized opportunities.
12. Leidos High School Internship
Location: Leidos, Reston, VA
Cost/Stipend: Free; Hourly stipend
Acceptance rate: Highly competitive
Dates: 8-10 weeks between June and August
Application Deadline: Late February
Eligibility: High school juniors or seniors with a 3.0+ GPA; U.S. citizenship required
Leidos offers a more industry-facing technical internship with exposure to software engineering and cloud systems. During the internship, you may code in Java or Python while working on collaborative technical projects. The program uses agile development workflows, so you’ll participate in sprint meetings, debugging sessions, and technical discussions. You’ll also learn how software systems are designed for infrastructure and defense-related applications. Mentorship is integrated into the experience, which helps you understand how engineers troubleshoot large-scale systems.
13. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) Scholars Program
Location: Air Force Research Laboratory research sites across the U.S., including VA
Cost/Stipend: Free; Paid
Acceptance rate: Competitive
Dates: Varies by project
Application Deadline: January 10
Eligibility: U.S. high school students (16+) with a minimum GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale
During this internship, you'll work with scientists and engineers on active STEM research projects at various Air Force Research Laboratory locations. Your responsibilities will depend on your assigned team and may involve fields such as aerospace technology, advanced materials, electronics, or data science. In addition to hands-on research, you'll attend technical presentations and networking sessions that help expand your knowledge and professional connections. The experience offers valuable insight into how large-scale government research is conducted.
14. Aspiring Scientists Summer Internship Program (ASSIP)
Location: George Mason University, Fairfax, VA + Virtual & hybrid options
Cost/Stipend: $1,299 + $25 application fee (waivable); Unpaid
Acceptance rate: Highly selective
Dates: June 18 – August 12
Application Deadline: December 8 – February 15
Eligibility: High school students (15+) for remote/computer-lab work; High school students (16+) for wet-lab placements
ASSIP is a research-intensive internship that allows you to work with George Mason University faculty on projects related to cybersecurity, computational science, or data analysis, and more. Along the way, you’ll also learn research methodologies like literature review, data interpretation, and technical presentation design, and attend workshops focused on scientific communication and research ethics. The experience ends with a formal poster presentation where you’ll explain your findings and methodology.
Frequently asked questions
1. What internships are available for high school students in Virginia?
Options include defense and aerospace internships, such as Lockheed Martin, MITRE, SEAP, and AFRL Scholars, cybersecurity internships, such as Commonwealth Cyber Initiative and VITA Junior Associate, biomedical and research internships, such as Janelia Research and ASSIP, environmental and fisheries programs, such as Hutton Junior Fisheries, startup internships, such as Ladder Internships, and oncology programs, such as ACS Cancer Research High School Program.
2. Which Virginia internships are paid or offer stipends?
Several internships are paid. SEAP offers $4,000 for new participants, Commonwealth Cyber Initiative provides $2,650, Hutton Junior Fisheries provides $3,000, and Fairfax County Summer Internship pays approximately $16.67 per hour. MITRE, Lockheed Martin, Janelia Research, VITA, BAE Systems, and Leidos also offer stipends or hourly pay.
3. Which internships are best for students interested in cybersecurity or AI?
Students interested in cybersecurity might consider Commonwealth Cyber Initiative for a technical bootcamp and industry placement, MITRE for applied cybersecurity and AI research in a national security context, and VITA Junior Associate for enterprise IT and cybersecurity governance. For AI specifically, Ladder Internships places students at AI and ML startups, and ASSIP offers computational research options.
4. Which programs are open to students outside Virginia?
Ladder Internships is fully virtual and open to students anywhere. Hutton Junior Fisheries places students across all 50 states, SEAP has lab placements nationwide, and AFRL Scholars operates across multiple Air Force Research Laboratory sites. ASSIP also offers remote and hybrid options for students outside the immediate area.
5. When should I apply to internships for high school students in Virginia?
SEAP and Hutton Junior Fisheries both have fall deadlines, closing November 1 and January 25, respectively. Janelia Research closes January 14, AFRL Scholars closes January 10, and Commonwealth Cyber Initiative closes January 31. Programs, such as MITRE (mid-to-late February), ASSIP (February 15), and Leidos (late February), fall slightly later. Students should begin researching in the fall to avoid missing the earliest deadlines.
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