14 Summer Internships for High School Students in New York State
Participating in an internship as a high school student gives you the chance to develop skills that go beyond the classroom. You spend time working in structured environments where you learn how professional teams operate, how projects are planned and completed, and how expectations differ from school assignments. You also have the opportunity to build relationships with mentors and peers, helping you establish an early professional network that can support future academic and career goals.
Why should you intern in New York State?
New York offers opportunities across a broad range of fields, from medicine and research to media, business, and the arts. The state is home to major research institutions, museums, and global companies, which means you can find internships that expose you to fields not always available in school. Whether you’re interested in learning lab techniques, exploring design and engineering, or developing creative and communication skills, New York’s diversity of industries provides an unmatched environment for exploration.
To help you discover what’s out there, we’ve compiled a list of 14 summer internships for high school students in New York State.
If you're looking for STEM programs in New York State, check our blog here.
1. Ladder Internships
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies by program (financial aid available)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: Four cohorts annually: spring, summer, fall, and winter
Application Deadline: Varies by 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 range across a variety of industries, from tech/deep tech and AI/ML to health tech, marketing, journalism, consulting, and more. Ladder’s start-ups are high-growth companies on average, raising 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.
2. Student Historian Internship Program
Location: The New York Historical, Manhattan, NYC
Stipend: $700
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 25 interns
Dates: July 8 – August 14
Application Deadline: March 30
Eligibility: Students entering grades 10–12 who live and attend school in the New York City metropolitan area and surrounding areas
As a Student Historian, you’ll use archival resources at the New-York Historical Society to investigate American history through a focused theme. You’ll research and turn your findings into public-facing digital projects that combine writing, analysis, and creative presentation. Collaboration is a key part of the experience, since you’ll work alongside peers and professionals in history, libraries, and digital humanities. Over the course of the summer, you’ll gain practice with both primary sources and digital tools, making the internship valuable for anyone curious about how history connects to modern technology.
3. Manhattan District Attorney’s Office High School Internship Program
Location: Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, New York, NY
Stipend: Minimum wage
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: June 30 – August 1
Application Deadline: March 12
Eligibility: Current high school sophomores, juniors, or seniors residing in Manhattan
This summer internship for high school students in New York State places you in the middle of New York’s criminal justice system, where you’ll see how law is practiced beyond textbooks. The program combines workshops, office-based tasks, and interactive experiences like mock trials, giving you a range of perspectives on prosecution and defense. Through daily involvement in an office environment, you’ll build workplace skills while also developing an understanding of professional ethics and responsibility. By the end of the five weeks, you’ll have both practical insight into the justice system and experience in presenting arguments in a structured format.
4. Memorial Sloan Kettering: Summer Student Program
Location: Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
Stipend: $1,200
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 2%; 20 interns
Dates: June 30 – August 22
Application Deadline: February 6
Eligibility: High school juniors with a 3.5 GPA in science subjects, aged 14 or older, and living within 25 miles of the Main Campus of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
Through this summer internship for high school students in New York State, you step into a biomedical research environment at one of the country’s leading cancer centers. You’ll conduct a self-directed project under the guidance of a mentor, learning technical skills that match the lab’s focus. Areas of research include computational biology, immunology, pharmacology, and molecular development, allowing you to see how different disciplines intersect in cancer studies. Beyond experiments, professional development activities show how lab discoveries connect to medicine and patient care.
5. Met Summer High School Internship Program
Location: The Met Fifth Avenue, New York, NY
Stipend: $1,100
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Around 36 students
Dates: June 21 – August 8
Application Deadline: March 7
Eligibility: Rising 11th or 12th graders who reside in or attend school in New York, New Jersey, or Connecticut
At the Metropolitan Museum of Art, you’ll explore career paths that range from curatorial and conservation to editorial, marketing, and scientific research. The internship includes orientations, workshops, and weekly placements within departments, where you’ll assist staff and contribute to ongoing projects. Career Labs and Teen Fridays give you additional opportunities to learn directly from professionals across the museum and test aspects of their work yourself. You’ll also have regular check-ins with your cohort and mentors, which makes reflection and feedback a built-in part of the experience. The program culminates in a final presentation where you share what you’ve learned and created during your time at the Met.
6. Apollo Theater Academy Technical Theater Production Internship
Location: Apollo Theater, Harlem, New York City
Stipend: $16.50/hour
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: July 7 – August 15
Application Deadline: April 7
Eligibility: 11th graders who live in NYC and are interested in careers in technical theater production
At the Apollo Theater Academy, you’ll see how live performances come together by working directly with professionals behind the scenes. Over six weeks, you rotate through departments like audio engineering, lighting design, videography, and carpentry, learning how each area contributes to stage productions. Tasks range from setting up soundboards and operating light cues to filming performances and building set pieces. By the end of this summer internship for high school students in New York State, you’ll have applied technical theater skills to actual events at the Apollo.
7. Thurgood Marshall Summer Law Internship Program (TMSLIP)
Location: New York City
Stipend: $16/hour or more
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 35 students
Dates: 6–8 weeks from March to August
Application Deadline: January 6
Eligibility: New York City public high school students who are at least 16 years old
Through this program, you’re placed with legal employers ranging from law firms and nonprofits to government agencies and corporations. While much of the work involves administrative tasks like recordkeeping, preparing documents, and supporting paralegals, you also gain exposure to the legal world through training sessions and professional development programs. Some placements include opportunities to visit courts, attend hearings, or sit in on client meetings, which gives you a more complete view of legal practice. You’ll also participate in networking and educational activities organized by the New York City Bar Association.
8. Museum of Arts and Design’s Artslife Internship
Location: Museum of Arts and Design, Columbus Circle, NYC
Stipend: $16.50/hour
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 10 students
Dates: 6 weeks in the summer
Application Deadline: April 21
Eligibility: Rising sophomores and juniors enrolled in New York City public and charter high schools
Artslife blends art, design, and leadership training in a six-week museum-based summer internship for high school students in New York State. You’ll spend your time exploring museum careers across curatorial work, education, communications, visitor services, and more. Alongside professional staff, you collaborate on projects with artists and designers, creating artwork and contributing to exhibitions or events. The program includes creative output as well as media work, such as producing a podcast series and designing peer-led tours for visitors. You’ll also build practical skills in communication and public speaking through workshops and presentations.
9. Hearst High School Media Internship
Location: The Paley Center for Media, New York, NY
Stipend: $16.50/hour
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: 4 days each week from July 14 to August 14
Application Deadline: March 31
Eligibility: Rising 11th and 12th grade students
This summer internship for high school students in New York State introduces you to the media industry by combining literacy, career development, and mentorship over a period of five-weeks. You’ll gain practical skills in public speaking, research, script writing, editing, and audio production while also building a professional network. Site visits to newsrooms, studios, and production sets show you how different parts of the industry operate, while workshops connect those experiences to your own projects. A key feature of the internship is producing original work, such as writing a column for the Paley Education newsletter or creating a podcast from scratch. You’ll also meet and receive feedback from industry professionals to further develop your understanding of career pathways in media.
10. Futures and Options Internship Program
Location: Various locations in NYC
Stipend: Provided
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: July and August
Application Deadline: Applications open on January 5
Eligibility: Students aged 16–19 who attend a New York City high school
Futures and Options gives you both work experience and structured career preparation through internships matched to your interests. You may be placed in organizations as varied as nonprofits, government agencies, small businesses, or multinational corporations. To complement the job placement, the program includes workshops that cover communication, financial literacy, and resume development. Career exploration trips to employer sites let you see what daily work looks like in different industries. Regular check-ins with a program coordinator mean you receive mentoring throughout the internship, including feedback on your professional growth.
11. Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai’s Internship Placement (IP) Program
Location: Various departments in the Mount Sinai Health System
Cost/Stipend: Not specified
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Summer
Application Deadline: Not specified; check the website in the Fall for updates
Eligibility: NYC high school students
Through Mount Sinai’s Center for Excellence in Youth Education, you’ll take part in a placement that pairs you with mentors in different departments. Each track offers a different focus: working with patients and staff in hospital settings, shadowing neurosurgeons, assisting in neurological studies, or observing veterinary medicine in biomedical contexts. Day to day, you’ll join your mentor in clinical and research activities while also participating in structured programming designed to strengthen your scientific skills. For students interested in science and healthcare, this summer internship for high school students in New York State provides a direct look into the professional world of medicine.
12. Brooklyn Navy Yard Internship Programs
Location: Businesses within the Brooklyn Navy Yard, New York City, New York
Stipend: Provided
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: 8 weeks in the summer
Application Deadline: Typically mid-March
Eligibility: College-bound high school seniors
At the Brooklyn Navy Yard, you’ll work with businesses across a variety of industries. This summer internship for high school students in New York State matches you to a company or department that fits your skills and career interests, allowing you to explore a specific field while contributing to real projects. Since the Yard houses a wide range of businesses, no two placements are alike; you may find yourself in a design studio, a tech firm, or an industrial workshop.
13. DOROT’s Summer Teen Internship
Location: DOROT’s Manhattan office, New York City, NY
Cost/Stipend: None (travel costs may be covered)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: July 23 – August 14 (tentative)
Application Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: Rising high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors
This program focuses on intergenerational connection by pairing you with older adults in a structured four-week internship. Each week is guided by a theme, starting with training and ending with group reflections that encourage you to think critically about your experiences. Activities range from assisting with technology and leading discussions to collaborating on art, music, and craft projects. You’ll also engage in recreational activities with participants, such as chess and Scrabble. Beyond the direct work, you’ll practice leadership skills through workshops and group activities with fellow interns.
14. New York City School Construction Authority (SCA) High School Summer Internship Program
Location: Various SCA departments and partner companies throughout NYC
Stipend: $16.50/hour
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: 6 weeks in the summer
Application Deadline: March 7
Eligibility: NYC public high school students
The SCA Summer Internship places you with departments and partner companies working in architecture, engineering, IT, business, and construction management. For six weeks, you’ll spend four days a week with your host site and one day in programming that covers workshops, panels, and design challenges. Assignments vary, but can include administrative support, technical tasks, or project contributions, depending on your skills and placement. You’ll also receive OSHA safety training if your placement involves construction sites.
If you’re looking to build a project/research paper in the field of AI & ML, consider applying to Veritas AI!
With Veritas AI, which was founded by Harvard graduate students, you can work 1-on-1 with mentors from universities like Harvard, Stanford, MIT, and more to create unique, personalized projects. In the past year, we had over 1000 students learn AI & ML with us. Check out a past student’s experience in the program here. You can apply here!
Image source - Ladder Internships