Top 15 Summer Internships for High School Students in New York City (NYC)
If you’re a high school student in New York City looking for a productive way to spend your summer, consider doing a summer internship! Participating in summer internships in high school is a great way to get hands-on experience in the field of your choice. You’ll also get the chance to apply theoretical knowledge to practical scenarios. A bonus of summer internships for high school students is that many of them are paid, meaning you’ll get to earn a stipend while preparing for higher education or your future career!
Many top colleges and organizations in New York City offer valuable internship opportunities, and we understand how overwhelming it can be to sift through all that information. That’s why we’ve curated a collection of 15 of the best summer internships for high school students in New York City. Let’s dive in!
1. The New York Historical Society: Student Historian Internship Program
Location: The New-York Historical Society
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Highly competitive; 25 interns per cohort
Dates: July 8 – August 14
Application Deadline: February 3 – March 30
Eligibility: Students in grades 10-12; must live in and attend school in the NYC metro area; more info here
Stipend: $700
The New York Historical Society’s Student Historian Internship Program provides summer internships for high school students interested in learning about the museum, library, digital humanities, and history fields. During your internship, you will conduct research, meet with professional staff, and collaborate with peers, developing your historical thinking, academic writing, and digital media skills. You’ll also get to participate in community-building activities, tech workshops, peer exchanges with participants from other institutions, and more. You’ll learn about American history, touring the museum’s galleries and going on field trips to other institutions. Check out this blog for more information on this program!
2. Veritas AI Internship
Location: Virtual
Cost: $2,490
Application Deadline: Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September) and Winter (November).
Program Dates: Multiple 8-week cohorts throughout the year, including Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter.
Eligibility: Open to high school students who have prior experience with AI/ML or have completed a Veritas AI program
The AI Internship Program by Veritas AI is founded and run by Harvard graduate students. Through the 8-week internship, students have the opportunity to work with VC-backed startups on real-world AI/ML projects. Students work directly with mentors from Harvard, Wharton, Google, Microsoft, McKinsey & Company, and more. This program is a great opportunity for students who have prior experience with AI/ML and are looking to gain real-world exposure to a career in the field. Students get a chance to network with industry professionals, work closely with company leadership, and receive a letter of completion from the company at the end of the internship. You can learn more about the program here and apply here.
3. Manhattan District Attorney’s Office High School Internship Program
Location: Manhattan District Attorney's Office
Acceptance Rate: Selective
Dates: June 30 – August 1
Application Deadline: March 8
Eligibility: Current high school sophomores, juniors, or seniors residing in Manhattan
Stipend: Paid minimum wage
The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office High School Internship Program offers summer internships for high school students looking to understand the criminal justice system. As an intern, you’ll participate in workshops and discussions that cover topics like police brutality, gender-based violence, criminal justice, and more. You’ll also have the opportunity to attend a mock trial program, where you’ll learn about legal procedures and courtroom dynamics.
4. Ladder internships
Location: Remote
Acceptance Rate: Selective
Dates: Multiple 8-12-week cohorts in a year; the summer cohort starts on June 2
Application Deadline: Depends on the cohort; the summer cohort deadline is May 11
Eligibility: High school students who can work 10-20 hours/week for the duration of the internship
Cost: Starting at $2,490 (financial aid available)
Ladder Internships is a selective program that offers summer internships for high school students looking to work with high-growth start-ups on internships ranging across a variety of fields, including tech/deep tech, AI/ML, health tech, marketing, journalism, consulting, and more. Many of Ladder’s start-ups are companies that, on average, raise over a million dollars. As an intern, you will get to work closely with a manager from the start-up as well as with a Ladder Coach. You will be able to work on real-world projects relevant to the company and present your work to them at the end of the internship. You can apply here!
5. Thurgood Marshall Summer Law Internship Program
Location: Various legal institutions across NYC
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Fairly selective; around 35 students per cohort
Dates: 6-8 weeks starting March; specific dates vary by employer
Application Deadline: January 13
Eligibility: NYC high school students with a strong interest in law
Stipend: $16/hour or more
Participating in the Thurgood Marshall Summer Law Internship Program (TMSLIP) gives you the chance to work with NYC law firms, corporations, nonprofits, or government organizations and undergo professional development training. TMSLIP is a prestigious program with a rigorous selection process. As an intern, you’ll get hands-on experience, working on real legal cases and research, and attending court proceedings. Some of your responsibilities will include assisting with documentation preparation and administrative tasks, such as record-keeping and managing phone calls. To learn more about this program, check out this blog!
6. Apollo Theater Academy Technical Theater Production Internship
Location: The Apollo
Acceptance Rate: Selective
Dates: July 7 – August 15
Application Deadline: April 7
Eligibility: Current 11th graders; New York City residents in the five boroughs
Stipend: $16.50/hour
The Apollo is a non-profit organization located in Harlem that seeks to create and celebrate work that centers Black artists and voices from the African Diaspora. As one of the largest performing arts institutions committed to representing Black culture, The Apollo offers summer internships for high school students interested in exploring careers in the arts and entertainment industries. As an intern, you’ll work alongside members of The Apollos production crew as well as other professionals in the field. You’ll learn what it takes to create an event at The Apollo—from conception to curtain call—including the technical elements of theater like lighting design, audio engineering, production design, and more.
7. Memorial Sloan Kettering: Summer Student Program
Location: Memorial Sloan Kettering (MSK) research labs
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: 2%; 20 interns per summer
Dates: June 30 – August 22
Application Deadline: February 7
Eligibility: High school juniors with a 3.5 GPA in science subjects; 14 or older by June; must live within a 25-mile radius of NYC
Stipend: $1,200
This is an eight-week biomedical or computational lab-based internship that’s split into two distinct areas: independent research and professional and personal development. During the independent research phase of the program, you’ll work on finishing a self-directed project that’s supplementary to the Principal Investigator’s overall research objectives. Areas of research include cancer biology, structural biology, computer science, immunology, and more. You will be paired with a mentor who will supervise your work and teach you the necessary technical skills. The professional and personal development phase of the internship will see you learning more about non-lab-related work, such as translational medicine and research.
8. Alley Pond Park: Field Biology Internship (FBI)
Location: Alley Pond Park
Acceptance Rate: Low selectivity
Dates: Various cohorts in a year; July 1 – August 6 (Tuesdays or Wednesdays only)
Application Deadline: Depends on cohort; May 1 for the summer cohort
Eligibility: High school students who are at least 14; more info here
Cost: $150 (financial aid available)
The Field Biology Internship (FBI) is ideal for high school students interested in developing their STEM skills and exploring careers in sustainability, biology, environmental science, and related fields. It’s a great opportunity to establish and strengthen your foundation in research and experimental design. During the internship, you’ll learn about local ecosystems and life in Alley Pond Park and other parts of Queens, NYC. You’ll gain experience in collecting field data and keeping records by studying the local flora and fauna.
9. The New York City School Construction Authority (SCA): High School Summer Internship Program
Location: Various SCA departments and partner companies in NYC
Acceptance Rate: Selective
Dates: 6 weeks; specific dates depend on the host sites
Application Deadline: March 7
Eligibility: New York City public high school students with good academic standing
Stipend: $16.50/hour
The New York City School Construction Authority (SCA) offers summer internships for high school students interested in exploring careers in various fields, including architecture, engineering, IT, construction, business, and more. As an intern, you’ll work four days a week with one of their many partner companies or at an SCA department in NYC. On the remaining day, you will have the opportunity to participate in educational programming, including career and college-related workshops and panel discussions. You’ll also have access to free 10-Hour OSHA construction safety training and SCA construction site tours.
10. Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai: Center for Excellence in Youth Education (CEYE) Internships
Location: Icahn School of Medicine, Mount Sinai Hospital
Acceptance Rate: Selective
Dates: July 1 – August 8
Application Deadline: March
Eligibility: NYC high school students
Stipend: Paid (amount unspecified)
The Center for Excellence in Youth Education offers academic-year programs as well as summer internships for high school students who want to explore careers in science and healthcare. Their three summer programs are the Introduction to Bioinformatics program, the Medical and Scientific Exploration Program (MSEP), and the Internship Placement (IP) Program. Unlike the other two, the Internship Placement (IP) Program is a highly competitive in-person internship. It has four tracks that you can participate in: the Hospital Placement (HP) Track, the Veterinary Sciences Track, the NeuroSurgery Scholars (NSS) Track, and the Cultivating Neurological Scholars (CNS) Track.
11. DOROT Summer Teen Internship Program
Location: DOROT's Manhattan offices
Acceptance Rate: Low selectivity
Dates: Session 1 (Manhattan): June 23 – July 16 | Session 2 (Manhattan): July 23 – August 14 | Suffolk Y JCC Session (Long Island): July 21 – August 14
Application Deadline: Rolling; December to June
Eligibility: Rising sophomores, juniors, and seniors in high school
Stipend: Unpaid
If you want to create a meaningful impact this summer, then DOROT’s summer internships for high school students are for you. For over four weeks, your work will improve older adults' lives by teaching them how to use technology, participating in art-based projects that engage them, playing games with them, and more. You’ll also get to learn about non-profit management. Aside from that, you’ll participate in weekly leadership trainings and team-building activities. While this internship is unpaid, you can earn over 112 community service hours.
12. The Met: Summer High School Internships
Location: The Met Fifth Avenue
Acceptance Rate: Selective
Dates: July 7 – August 8
Application Deadline: February 3 – March 7
Eligibility: 10th to 11th graders residing in New York, New Jersey, or Connecticut
Stipend: $1,100
The Met offers summer internships for high school students interested in art. As a participant, you’ll work 1-1 or in small cohorts with art or museum professionals in fields like editorial, marketing, social media, education, scientific research, conservation, and more. You’ll get a behind-the-scenes look at life in the Museum and the chance to network with professionals in the field and your peers. The Met also offers interactive workshops, called the Career Labs, that arts, museum, and creative professionals host.
13. Zuckerman Institute Brain Research Apprenticeships in New York at Columbia University (BRAINYAC)
Location: Columbia Laboratories
Acceptance Rate: Selective
Dates: 5 weeks in the summer
Application Deadline: Applications open in October
Eligibility: 10th and 11th graders enrolled in one of their partner programs; preference given to applicants from Upper Manhattan and the Bronx
Stipend: Paid
The Zuckerman Institute Brain Research Apprenticeships in New York at Columbia University (BRAINYAC) program seeks to give high school students from Upper Manhattan and the Bronx the chance to participate in a summer research experience at Columbia. As an intern, you will spend around five weeks in the summer learning essential research skills from Columbia neuroscientists. Through a mentored research project, you will also learn how laboratory research leads to discoveries.
14. The Rockefeller University: Summer Science Research Program (SSRP)
Location: RockEDU laboratories
Cohort Size: 32 students
Dates: June 23 – August 7
Application Deadline: October 14 – January 3
Eligibility: Current juniors and seniors in high school; 16+ at program start
Cost/Stipend: Free; stipends available to applicants with financial hardship
The Rockefeller University’s Summer Science Research Program (SSRP) is a team-based, mentored research program that encourages students to explore independent research in biomedical science. As an SSRP scholar, you will be placed in a group of 8-10 peers with 3 dedicated research mentors from the Tri-Institutions (Rockefeller, MSK, and WCMC). The research topics will be based on the expertise and interests of your mentors. These groups are meant to reflect the structure of a research laboratory and will provide you with experience in lab research. In addition to this, you will attend elective courses, guest lectures, workshops, networking opportunities, and social events.
15. Museum of Arts and Design (MAD): Artslife Internship
Location: Museum of Arts and Design
Cohort Size: 10 interns
Dates: 6 weeks in the summer; July 9 – August 16
Application Deadline: April 21
Eligibility: NYC public and charter high school rising sophomores and juniors
Stipend: $16.50/hour
If you’re interested in pursuing a career in the arts, then this internship might be for you. The MAD Artslife internship combines art and design, leadership training, museum studies, and community engagement. As an intern, you’ll be introduced to the different aspects of running the museum. You will participate in its various departments, including security, communications and marketing, education, curatorial, and more. For over six weeks, you’ll participate in team bonding activities with your peers, work on projects with local and visiting artists in the Artist Studios, create and run a podcast, lead peer-to-peer tours, and more. This internship is a good opportunity to strengthen your public speaking and communication skills. You’ll also get to go to other cultural institutions in New York City.
Image Source - Columbia University Logo