15 Winter Internships for High School Students
If you are a high school student looking to gain some work experience during the school year, winter internships can be a great option to explore. These internships allow you to test out career interests without spending a lot of time or money. As winter internships are typically less time-consuming than summer programs, you can fit them in after school or during school breaks while still getting real-world experience in a field of interest!
By participating in an internship, you can build skills that extend beyond the classroom, from technical abilities to communication and teamwork. Many programs also place you in professional settings, where you learn how organizations operate on a day-to-day basis.
During the internship, you will meet mentors and other students who can become valuable connections for the future. The experience can be an accessible, skill-focused way to begin preparing for future academic and career goals.
To help you with your search, here is a list of 15 winter internships for high school students.
1. U.S. Department of State's Pathways Internship Program
Location: Several U.S. Department of State facilities
Stipend: Paid
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Varies by internship
Application deadline: Varies by internship; opportunities available year-round
Eligibility: U.S. citizens or nationals who are at least 16 years of age and currently enrolled in an accredited educational institution (high school to graduate school) with a minimum 2.0 GPA
The Pathways Internship Program offers internships throughout the year to high school students. Here, you can explore different aspects of federal careers while gaining paid work experience. Its Internship Experience Program (IEP) places you in longer-term roles tied to your academic timeline, where you can see how professional qualifications connect to real-world career progression. On the other hand, the Internship Temporary Program (ITEP) is designed for shorter, seasonal work and introduces you to the pace of government offices during school breaks. Both options expose you to workplace structures, federal employment systems, and the responsibilities of public service.
2. Veritas AI
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies by program; financial aid available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: Several cohorts year-round, including in the winter
Application deadline: Varies by cohort; Winter I cohort’s deadline is October 19
Eligibility: High school students; the AI Fellowship program requires completion of the AI Scholars program or experience with Python
Veritas AI programs allow you to build a foundation in artificial intelligence concepts before applying them to a hands-on project. The AI Scholars program takes you through a structured set of lessons where you practice coding, teamwork, and problem-solving with peers. If you want a more personalized path, the AI Fellowship pairs you one-on-one with a researcher or practitioner to guide you in creating your own project from scratch. Mentors come from leading institutions, which means you get exposure to the kind of work being conducted in advanced AI research labs. During each program, you will focus on understanding how AI models work as well as what it takes to translate technical knowledge into usable outcomes.
3. American Psychological Association Internships
Location: Virtual (in states where APA is registered as an employer) or Washington, D.C.
Stipend: Paid and unpaid positions
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Available in the spring, summer, fall, and winter; dates vary by opportunity
Application deadline: Varies by opportunity
Eligibility: Students who are enrolled at least part-time in an academic institution; applicants under the age of 18 must submit an official District of Columbia Work Permit with their application
During the APA Internship Program, you will gain exposure to nonprofit organization work that supports education and training in psychology. Depending on your department, your tasks may involve research, policy, communications, publishing, or operations, providing you with exposure to multiple professional tracks within psychology. You will apply classroom ideas to practical assignments, whether that means analyzing data, helping with outreach, or contributing to projects in education. Supervisors will provide guidance to help you carry out daily work as well as connect you to professional development activities like workshops and discussions. Your learning outcomes will depend on the department you join.
4. Ladder Internships
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies by program; financial aid available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: Several cohorts year-round; the Winter cohort starts on December 8
Application deadline: Varies by cohort; the Winter cohort deadline is November 16
Eligibility: High school students, undergraduates, and gap year students who can commit 5–10 hours per week for 8–12 weeks
Ladder Internships place you within startup environments, where you will work on defined projects over an eight-week timeline. You will meet regularly with mentors, who are often startup founders or executives, and a dedicated Ladder Coach, to shape deliverables and present your work progress. The structure is project-based, so you will move from planning to drafting, revising, and final presentation over the course of the program. This setup helps you see how ideas turn into tangible outcomes in real business contexts. For high school students seeking winter internships, this option highlights the realities of startup culture and the responsibilities that come with contributing to small teams.
5. Met High School Internship Program
Location: The Met Fifth Avenue, New York, NY
Stipend: $1,100
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: January 11 – June 13
Application deadline: October 28
Eligibility: 10th- and 11th-graders who live and attend high school in New York, New Jersey, or Connecticut
The Met’s High School Internship Program introduces you to the inner workings of a major museum. As an intern, you will spend time in a specific department, such as marketing, conservation, or education, where you observe and assist professionals. Workshops and labs provide additional professional context, showing you different career paths connected to art and cultural institutions. Throughout the internship, you will also collaborate with peers on events like Teens Take The Met!, where you will help run a large-scale program for visitors. In the process, you will gain public-facing experience, practice teamwork, and understand how museums engage with diverse communities.
6. Penn State Research Internships and Observation
Location: Penn State College of Medicine (PSCOM), Hershey, PA
Stipend: Both paid and unpaid opportunities available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Flexible dates based on your choice of research mentor
Application deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: High school students living in the U.S. who are sponsored by a faculty member of the Penn State College of Medicine
During the Research Internships and Observation program at Penn State College of Medicine, you will experience the day-to-day work of biomedical researchers through either short shadowing sessions or longer-term internships, which include winter internships designed for high school students. Shadowing opportunities will let you observe experiments, data collection, and lab routines for a few days, while extended internships will offer you weeks or months of lab immersion. Your role may include following a mentor as they explain their research process and demonstrate methods in real time. You will see firsthand how experiments are designed and how analysis connects to ongoing projects. This setup provides both quick exposure for those just starting and deeper engagement for students who want more time in the lab.
7. Student Historian Internship Program @ The New York Historical
Location: The New York Historical, New York, NY
Stipend: $700
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 25 interns/cohort out of 150–200 academic year applications
Dates: October 29 – June 24
Application deadline: August 24
Eligibility: Students in grades 10–12 who live in and attend school in the NYC metro area
As a Student Historian at The New York Historical, you will take on the role of researcher, writer, and digital creator. Using museum and library resources, you will develop historical projects that become educational tools for the public. You will meet with professional staff, exchange ideas with peers, and practice sharing your work through creative formats. The program emphasizes both academic rigor and applied skills, especially in writing, communication, and digital media. Each year, the program focuses on a historical theme, which guides the research you will complete and present. This is one of the winter internships for high school students that combines scholarship with public engagement.
8. Sandia National Laboratories Internships
Location: Varies by internship
Stipend: Varies by internship
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not provided
Dates: Year-round; co-op internships allow you to choose your internship period in coordination with Sandia and your school
Application deadline: Open throughout the year
Eligibility: Students enrolled full-time in an accredited college, university, or high school who are at least 16 years old and are U.S. citizens; students interested in R&D, technical, or business roles must have a minimum 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale
As an intern at Sandia National Laboratories, you will have the chance to contribute to projects connected to national energy, security, and technology goals. Internships vary in format: some run year-round with part-time work during school, while others are co-op positions lasting multiple months. Depending on your placement, your focus may be in areas such as cybersecurity, engineering design, software development, or energy research. Mentors will guide you through technical work, offering support as you participate in active research teams. These internships offer opportunities to work alongside experts in government labs and see what applied science looks like in practice.
9. U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Pathways Internship Program
Location: Multiple locations in the U.S.
Stipend: Provided
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Year-round opportunities
Application deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: Students who are 16 or older with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5 (for indefinite interns) or 2.0 (for temporary interns)
The Bureau of Land Management’s Internship Program provides year-round opportunities, including winter internships for high school students. Here, you will work on projects related to public lands and natural resource management. The program offers two tracks: indefinite internship, which allows you to hold long-term positions that include structured training and mentorship, and temporary internship, consisting of brief appointments for short-term projects. In either format, you gain exposure to the work of federal agencies in managing conservation, land use, and environmental planning. Some roles emphasize career development planning, giving you structured goals to follow, while others place you directly on field or office assignments.
10. U.S. Senate Page Program
Location: United States Senate, Washington, DC
Stipend: Paid on the basis of an annual salary of $35,360
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 30 positions
Dates: Opportunities available during winter months—Fall (September 1 – January 23) | Spring (January 25 – June 5)
Application deadline: Varies by the chosen senator’s office
Eligibility: High school juniors who will be 16 or 17 years old on or before the date of appointment with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0/B and are U.S. citizens/permanent residents
The Senate Page Program places you directly inside the daily operations of the U.S. Senate. Your tasks may include delivering legislative materials, preparing the chamber, assisting during roll call votes, and supporting senators during debates. Here, you will also attend the Page School, which offers an honors-level curriculum designed to complement your academic studies at home. The program emphasizes mentorship, as cloakroom staff and sponsoring senators guide you through both your duties and your studies. If you’re interested in government service, this program is among the few winter internships for high school students that allow you to observe the legislative process up close.
11. U.S. Department of Education's Internship Opportunities
Location: Washington, D.C.
Stipend: None
Cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Year-round opportunities, including in winter/spring (January – May); commitment of 8–10 weeks
Application deadline: November 30 for winter/spring internships
Eligibility: High school students who are at least 16 years old
The Department of Education (ED) offers internships for students interested in gaining work experience in federal education, policy, and administration. The experience will be tailored to your interests and skills, allowing you to choose opportunities from areas like Education Policies, Data Analytics, Grants Management, and more. You will commit to working 20 to 40 hours/week during the winter; however, you can set different start/end dates based on your availability. Alongside office work, you will get access to networking and social activities like brownbag lunch series with senior ED officials, tours of D.C. landmarks, and professional development and resume-writing workshops.
12. NASA Internship Programs
Location: NASA centers across the country
Stipend: Most interns receive a stipend
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Year-round opportunities, including during the Mid-January–early-May period
Application deadline: September 12
Eligibility: High school students (16 or older) with a minimum 3.0 GPA and U.S. citizenship
NASA’s Office of STEM Engagement (OSTEM) internships allow you to take part in projects that advance science, technology, aeronautics, and space exploration. You will work alongside mentors ranging from engineers and research scientists to writers, project managers, and IT specialists. Internships are available in both technical and non-technical areas, which means your contributions might involve laboratory research, programming, or administrative and program support. Some positions run part-time while others are full-time, depending on the NASA center or facility offering the internship. In each case, you will gain exposure to professional environments that combine teamwork, problem-solving, and long-term mission planning.
13. EnergyMag Internships
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Quarter-time (1–9 months) internships available during the school year; flexible dates
Application deadline: Open year-round
Eligibility: High school sophomores, juniors, and seniors who have taken at least one honors science or honors English class and hold a GPA of at least 3.25
EnergyMag offers flexible, year-round virtual opportunities to high school students who are interested in learning about energy storage. During the internship, you will research and analyze a given company, tech, market, or activity/topic with the help of a mentor to gain insights into energy use and storage. While investigating the assigned topic, you will find sources of relevant information, compile and assess the data you collected, and produce an analysis report, which can be published on the EnergyMag website. This experience can help you develop various on-the-job skills, including research and professional communication.
14. United Planet Virtual Internship and Volunteer Quests
Location: Virtual
Cost: $800/month; scholarships available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not provided
Dates: Year-round opportunities
Application deadline: Varies
Eligibility: Students who are 16 and older
United Planet is a nonprofit that offers virtual internships, allowing you to collaborate with international organizations on projects in global health, environmental sustainability, or education. As the program is remote, you will contribute from home while still collaborating with partners and teams from different countries. Your responsibilities depend on the placement but may involve research, communications, or project support designed to meet real community needs. In addition to building technical skills, you will gain experience in practicing adaptability, collaboration, and professional communication in a global context. This virtual option can offer practical work experience and a wider perspective on international issues.
15. Stanford AIMI Academic Year Research Internship
Location: Virtual
Cost: $4,800; full need-based scholarships are available. Check scholarship eligibility details here.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not provided
Dates: September 29 – June 5
Application deadline: First-come, first-served registration
Eligibility: High school students; first preference given to Stanford AIMI Summer Research Internship alumni
This winter internship is an opportunity for high school students to gain hands-on research experience in health AI. Over 30 weeks, you will work on projects with real-world data, learning from Stanford mentors and researchers, collaborating with peers, and gaining insights and experience in the responsible use of AI to improve healthcare. You will commit three to five hours each week to group project work, mentorship sessions, and independent work. You can choose between a technical project, consisting of scientific research work, and a non-technical project that explores the social, ethical, legal, and policy dimensions of AI in healthcare. Quarterly “Meet the Experts” sessions with professionals in healthcare AI can provide career insights. At the end of the program, you will deliver an oral presentation and a written summary discussing your project.
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