11 Summer Internships for High School Students in San Francisco
Summer internships can help you understand how professional environments function while you are still in high school. By contributing to ongoing projects, supporting teams, and completing structured assignments, you build practical skills such as communication, time management, and problem-solving. You also gain early exposure to potential career paths and expand your network by working alongside supervisors, mentors, and peers.
Why should you intern in San Francisco?
San Francisco is home to various universities and organizations that offer internship programs for high school students across a range of fields. Depending on the program, you might assist with scientific research, support engineering or infrastructure projects, contribute to startup operations, conduct environmental fieldwork, or work directly with the public in education-based roles. Whether you live in the city or are commuting from nearby areas, these internships place you within a dense network of organizations across multiple industries.
To streamline your search, we’ve narrowed things down to 11 summer internships for high school students in San Francisco.
If you’re looking for online STEM programs, check out our blog here.
1. SFUSD Summer Internship Program
Location: San Francisco area
Stipend: Paid
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Approximately 42 students per year
Dates: 6 weeks in the summer
Application deadline: Opens in February
Eligibility: Current high school sophomores and juniors (priority is given to juniors)
This summer internship for high school students in San Francisco offers a paid, six-week work experience with organizations across the city in fields such as law, healthcare, engineering, culinary arts, finance, and computer science. You work a minimum of 20 hours per week at a host site while participating in weekly work-based learning seminars led by an SFUSD supervisor or mentor. Internships are designed to help you apply academic knowledge to professional settings through hands-on tasks, project support, and workplace collaboration. Depending on your placement, you may assist with technical work, research, operations, or client-facing responsibilities. Industry partners range from public agencies to private organizations, offering varied exposure across sectors. The program also covers transferable skills like communication, professionalism, and time management.
2. Ladder Internships
Location: Remote
Cost: Varies by program (financial aid available)
Acceptance rate: Highly selective
Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year
Application deadline: Deadlines vary depending on the cohort
Eligibility: High school students
Ladder Internships matches you with an early-stage or fast-growing startup for a remote internship lasting eight to twelve weeks. You typically commit 10-20 hours per week to clearly defined projects, such as market research, operational analysis, data tracking, or content development. Each intern works directly with a startup manager while also receiving support from a dedicated Ladder Coach who helps manage goals and expectations. Weekly check-ins and progress reviews provide structure and accountability throughout the internship. Your internship concludes with a formal presentation and written summary documenting your contributions and responsibilities.
3. UCSF Summer Student Research Program
Location: San Francisco and Oakland, CA
Stipend: $3,000
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Approximately 35-40 students per year
Dates: June 15 – July 31
Application deadline: February 14
Eligibility: High school juniors or seniors | Age 16+ by June 1 | At least one year of completed math and biology
The UCSF Summer Student Research Program is a nine-week, full-time internship focused on biomedical and clinical research. Interns are paired one-on-one with a UCSF mentor and can contribute to an active lab or clinical research project. The program follows a comprehensive curriculum that includes experimental work, data analysis, and scientific writing. Regular seminars and journal clubs introduce current research topics and methods used in healthcare science. You complete written components, such as a research abstract and a proposal, during the program. Enrichment activities provide opportunities for peer discussion and networking. The internship culminates in a formal Research Symposium where you present your work to the UCSF research community.
4. Immerse Education’s Career Insights Pathway
Location: San Francisco
Cost: Varies according to program; financial aid available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: Two weeks during the summer
Application deadline: Multiple summer cohorts with rolling admissions
Eligibility: High school students, ages 15 – 18
The Career Insights Program offers high school students an introduction to professional environments across multiple industries. As a participant, you can expect to engage in hands-on projects with established companies and connect with industry experts through interactive workshops. You'll also visit operational sites, including offices, factories, and headquarters. At the end of the program, you’ll present your work to industry professionals. You can explore career paths in subjects such as medicine, engineering, law, business, journalism, fashion, and more. The program also includes weekly 1:1 career coaching sessions and sessions for personalized feedback. You can find more details about the application here!
5. Rising Sun Center for Opportunity Climate Careers Externship
Location: Various locations in California
Stipend: $19.50 – $20.50 per hour
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 100 youth per year
Dates: Exact dates vary by year and site, but summer placements start around June and run through July/August, with externships continuing afterwards
Application deadline: Varies annually; applying early in the year or by late winter/spring is advised to secure placement
Eligibility: Must be between the ages of 15-24 | Resident in the City of Stockton or one of the nine Bay Area counties
The Climate Careers Externship places you in a paid role as an Energy Specialist working directly with local residents. Each workday begins at a site office where you prepare equipment and review appointments before heading into the field with a partner. You conduct basic energy and water assessments during scheduled home visits and install efficiency devices such as LED light bulbs and low-flow showerheads. Training provided at the start of the program prepares you to deliver accurate assessments and clear recommendations. Weekly workshops explore environmental topics and green career pathways. This summer internship for high school students in San Francisco also covers professional development and networking opportunities. Participants complete a paid externship with a partner organization upon program completion.
6. CURE Research Internship Program
Location: University of California, San Francisco, CA
Stipend: Paid
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective; 10–11 students
Dates: June 15 – August 7
Application deadline: February 8
Eligibility: Current 11th graders | Must have completed biology or chemistry with a grade B or better | Must be at least 16 years old at the start of the program | Minimum GPA of 2.5
The UCSF CURE Research Internship is an eight-week, paid summer internship for high school and community college students in San Francisco who are interested in science and health careers. Interns work closely with UCSF faculty, postdoctoral fellows, and graduate students on research projects spanning clinical, behavioral, and population sciences. You will gain practical experience in data collection, experimental design, and analysis. Structured workshops help with professional growth, academic planning, and college preparedness. Each participant undertakes an independent research project during the program and presents their findings at a formal Research Symposium.
7. UCSF High School Intern Program (HIP)
Location: University of California, San Francisco, CA
Stipend: Paid
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 25 students
Dates: June 8 – July 31
Application deadline: February 8
Eligibility: Current juniors attending an SFUSD school or an SF charter school
The UCSF High School Intern Program is an eight-week paid biomedical research internship for rising seniors from SFUSD and San Francisco charter schools. You are matched with a UCSF scientist mentor and conduct original lab research in areas such as neuroscience, cancer biology, infectious disease, or molecular biology. In addition to lab work, the program includes workshops on college preparation and career planning. Interns receive individual advising and participate in campus tours, and family information sessions focus on financial aid and higher education planning. Each intern delivers a formal research presentation at the conclusion of the program.
8. High School Explainers Program at Exploratorium
Location: Exploratorium, San Francisco, CA
Stipend: Paid
Acceptance rate/cohort size: ~130 students per year
Dates: Available throughout the year and during the summer
Application deadline: Applications for year-round and summer programs are typically available in July and March, respectively, on the ‘Current Openings’ page
Eligibility: High school students between the ages of 15 and 18 for first-time Explainers, and up to the age of 20 for returning Explainers
This paid summer internship for high school students in San Francisco combines science education with job training at the Exploratorium. Student interns complete more than 60 hours of training in science content, exhibit facilitation, communication, and youth development. After training, you work directly with museum visitors by demonstrating exhibits and supporting daily operations. Explainers develop public speaking and interpersonal skills through frequent interaction with diverse audiences. As you gain experience, opportunities may include mentoring new Explainers or joining specialized projects.
9. Careers in Science (CiS) Intern Program at California Academy of Sciences
Location: California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco, CA
Stipend: Stipend provided above minimum wage
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 44-50 students
Dates: After school and weekends, multi-year and year-round (2-3 years till graduation) starting in June
Application deadline: April 1
Eligibility: High school students in 9th or 10th grade in an SFUSD school | 2.5 GPA | Grade C or higher in math and science | U.S. citizens or authorized to work in the country
The Careers in Science Internship is a multi-year paid program beginning when you are a rising sophomore or junior. You’ll participate year-round, with fieldwork and public engagement during the summer and school-year programming on Saturdays. Intern responsibilities include environmental fieldwork, facilitating learning experiences, and participating in science communication training. Twice-monthly workshops center on leadership, college prep, and career exploration. As interns develop, they become part of project teams led by Academy researchers. They also have chances to present at conferences and contribute to exhibit development. The program extends through high school graduation, with interns taking on more responsibilities as they advance.
10. Hutton Junior Fisheries Biology Program
Location: Available across all 50 U.S. states, Puerto Rico, Canada, Mexico, and the Pacific Islands. Participants are assigned a location that is within a 45-minute commute of their home
Stipend: $3,000
Acceptance rate/cohort size: About 3% | 27-33 students making it to the final cohort each year
Dates: June – August (flexible)
Application deadline: January 19
Eligibility: Rising high school seniors | At least 16 years old by the internship start date
The Hutton Junior Fisheries Biology Program is an eight-week paid internship introducing students to aquatic science and fisheries research. You are matched with a fisheries biologist whose active projects shape your daily responsibilities. Work may include fish population surveys, habitat assessments, water quality testing, or biological sample processing. Many placements focus on outdoor fieldwork, with some requiring extended field assignments. Depending on the host organization, work may also include lab or office-based tasks. The program is designed to support students from underrepresented backgrounds.
11. San Francisco SSIP CityWorks Internship
Location: San Francisco area
Stipend: Paid
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; limited to residents of specific districts
Dates: 20 hours per week in the summer (June–early August)
Application deadline: March (tentative)
Eligibility: Rising high school seniors residing in District 10 or District 11 of San Francisco
The SSIP CityWorks Internship is a paid summer program for high school students from neighborhoods in southeast San Francisco. Interns are placed with the SF Public Utilities Commission or private engineering firms involved in the Sewer System Improvement Program. Your assignments may focus on infrastructure projects, environmental planning, engineering support, or communications work.Furthermore, the summer internship for high school students in San Francisco emphasizes professional skill development through mentorship and supervision. You’ll also participate in resume workshops and networking activities with professionals across government and industry. Field visits provide insight into large-scale public works projects.