18 Biology Internships for High School Students
If you're a high school student interested in biology, an internship is a great way for you to gain hands-on experience in the field. As an intern, you'll have the opportunity to work alongside industry professionals, develop new skills, and gain insights into the latest trends in the industry.
Biology is one of the most interdisciplinary and versatile fields of academic research. Whether you’re interested in the lives of people, plants, or animals - the study of biology offers several interesting opportunities to conduct research. An internship can help you narrow down future study paths and potential careers. Internship programs in the field of biology can be grouped into three categories: laboratory work, fieldwork, and academic-focused internship (research work).
An internship will also showcase your dedication to the subject and prove to admission officers that you can apply theoretical concepts in practical situations. It can also help you network with professionals who are at the top of their field.
We’ve curated a list of 18 opportunities in various areas of biology for you. This list will give you an insight into the wide range of options available for high school students in different biological fields.
1. Stanford Institutes of Medicine Summer Research Program (SIMR)
Location: Stanford University, Stanford, CA.
Eligibility: Applicants must:
- Be juniors or seniors at the time of application (as of the spring of 2024). Students must be in the graduating class of 2024 or 2025.
- Be 16 years old or older by the start of the program.
- Be living in and attending school in the U.S. and must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents with a green card to apply.
Program Dates: June 10 - August 1, 2024 (8 weeks).
Application Deadline: February 24th, 2024.
Stipend: Students earn a stipend of $500 - $2,500. Housing and transportation are not provided.
Note: There is a $40 application fee, which can be waived. Stipends of $2500 and above are given on a needs-based system from special grants.
The Stanford Institutes of Medicine Summer Research Program (SIMR) is an eight-week program in which high school students with a broad range of experiences, interests, and backgrounds are invited to perform basic research with Stanford faculty, postdoctoral fellows, students, and researchers on a medically-oriented project. The goals of the program include increasing interest in biological sciences and medicine in high school students and helping students understand how scientific research is performed.
You must select one of eight study fields – Immunology, Neurobiology, Cancer Biology, Bioengineering, Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Cardiovascular Biology, Bioinformatics, and Genetics and Genomics. Once selected, you will be assigned a particular field of study (branch) based on your preference, and spend two months as a mentee. You will be mentored by eminent scholars, researchers, and PhD fellows in the field of medicine. This is a fairly competitive program with a cohort size of about 50 students – at an acceptance rate of less than 3% (approximately).
2. NIH High School Summer Internship Program (HS-SIP)
Location: Students can choose from NIH campuses across the country. The NIH campus and labs are located in Bethesda, Baltimore and Frederick, MD; Research Triangle Park, NC; Hamilton, MT; Framingham, MA; and Phoenix, AZ.
Eligibility: Applicants must:
- Be a U.S. citizen or a permanent resident.
- Be 17 years of age or older on June 15, 2024.
- Be enrolled in high school as a junior or senior. U.S. citizens may apply if they are enrolled at least half-time in high school. U.S. permanent residents must be enrolled in a high school in the U.S. to be eligible.
- Be under 18 years old by June 15, and live within 40 miles of the NIH campus.
Application Deadline: Applications typically close in February.
Program Dates: May 14, May 21, or June 5 - August 2, 2024 (The students can choose one of the three start dates).
Cost/Stipend: No cost; $2,300 - $2,530 (monthly stipend before graduation)
$2,570 - $2,840 (monthly stipend after graduation).
Are you seeking an internship opportunity to conduct full-time research in the field of biomedicine? With the HS-SIP program, conducted at NIH facilities, you can carry out cutting-edge research under the guidance and mentorship of world-renowned researchers. This program offers research opportunities in biomedical, behavioral, and social sciences with opportunities to explore basic, translational, and clinical research.
HS-SIP is extremely competitive, the acceptance rate of HS-SIP is ~7%. The program length is 8 weeks and offers a monthly stipend.
Location: Virtual! You can work from anywhere in the world.
Eligibility: Open to all high school students, who can work for 10-20 hours/week, for 8-12 weeks. These internships are also open to undergraduates and gap-year students!
Application Deadline: Multiple deadlines throughout the year.
- Spring cohort: February 18, 2024
- Summer cohort: February 18, 2024 (Early Admission) | April 14, 2024 (Regular Admission 1)
Program Dates: 8-week programs with multiple cohorts throughout the year, including summer.
Cost/Stipend: Starting at $1,990. Financial assistance is available.
Ladder Internship is a selective program for high school students to work with startups. Ladder startups work in fields including healthcare and medicine, technology, machine learning and AI, finance, environmental science and sustainability, business and marketing, media and journalism, and more. You can explore all the options here on their application form.
As part of their internship, each student will work on a real-world project and present their work at the end of their internship. In addition to working closely with their manager from the startup, each intern will also work with a Ladder Coach throughout their internship - the Ladder Coach serves as a second mentor and a sounding board, guiding students through the internship and helping them navigate the startup environment.
Note that as a Ladder Intern, you will engage in a coaching + work-based model. Students can choose the field they wish to work in. Interns usually require 5-10 hours a week to work on assigned tasks and to meet company management. The virtual internship is usually 8 weeks long.
4. Project Success by Harvard Medical School (DICP)
Location: Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA.
Eligibility: Applicants must:
- Reside in Boston or Cambridge, Massachusetts.
- Be a high school student, particularly a student from a racial or ethnic background underrepresented in medicine and/or from a disadvantaged background.
- Have completed the junior or senior year of high school and be at least 16 years old on July 8, 2024.
Application Deadline: Applications typically close in February.
Program Dates: July 8 - August 16th, 2024.
Cost/Stipend: No cost; Stipend is provided after the successful completion of the program.
Project Success is a program for BOSTON and CAMBRIDGE high school students only, particularly underrepresented in medicine and/or disadvantaged students, to participate in paid, mentored, summer research internships at Harvard Medical School and its affiliated institutions. The program is augmented by seminars and workshops given by faculty and administrators, site visits, and career guidance.
As an intern, you will get placement and mentoring in a Harvard Medical School or affiliated institution research lab; seminars with researchers and physicians; site visits to hospitals and biotechnology organizations; computer training; development of writing and speaking skills; academic year seminars and special programs.
5. NIH High School Scientific Training and Enrichment Program (HiSTEP)
Location: NIH main campus in Bethesda, MD.
Eligibility: Applicants must:
- Be high school juniors who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents.
- Have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher. Students with a GPA between 2.75 and 3.0 should apply if their grades have shown steady improvement.
- Live in Washington DC, Maryland, or Virginia within 40 miles of the main NIH campus in Bethesda, Maryland.
Application Deadline: Applications typically close in January.
Program Dates: July 2 - August 1, 2024.
Cost/Stipend: No cost; $2,300 - $2,530 (monthly stipend before graduation)
$2,570 - $2,840 (monthly stipend after graduation).
Conducted by the National Institute of Health, the HiSTEP program offers internships in the areas of biomedical engineering and healthcare. The program aims to expand the pipeline of students interested in biomedical and healthcare careers by expanding opportunities for high school students.
Spanning over 5 weeks in Bethesda, MD, you'll delve into the scope of the scientific enterprise and the importance of biomedical research and other STEM-M careers. You’ll get a chance to learn about research and healthcare careers through lectures, research group visits, networking events, small group discussions, and group projects.
6. Fred Hutch Cancer Center Summer High School Internship Program (SHIP)
Location: Fred Hutch campus in the South Lake Union neighborhood of Seattle, Washington.
Eligibility: Applicants must:
- Be high school students entering senior year or final term after the summer.
- Be U.S. citizens or permanent residents.
Application Deadline: March 31, 2024.
Program Dates: June 24 - August 16, 2024.
Cost/Stipend: No cost; Interns receive a stipend if they complete the internship.
The Summer High School Internship Program (SHIP) is a competitive, eight-week, full-time paid internship for students between 11th and 12th grade. The program is specifically designed for students from backgrounds underrepresented in biomedical science.
The internship begins with two weeks of hands-on training on laboratory safety techniques and skills in the Fred Hutch Training Labs. For six weeks, you will be paired and immersed in mentored activities in a Fred Hutch research group in Seattle. You will also participate in research seminars, attend professional development workshops focused on college and careers, and enjoy social activities with your teams and peers.
7. Introductory College Level Experience in Microbiology (ICLEM) by JBEI
Location: JBEI Laboratories, Emeryville, CA.
Eligibility: Applicants must:
- Be 15 years old by December 31, 2023;
- Be currently enrolled as a sophomore or junior at a high school in Alameda, Contra Costa, or San Francisco County;
- Be a US citizen, permanent resident, or DACA recipient;
- Have a GPA of at least 2.5 and passed Algebra 1 and Biology;
Application Deadline: March 17, 2024.
Program Dates: June 10 - July 26, 2024.
Cost/Stipend: No cost; The interns receive a stipend of $3,000 for the program from June 14, 2024 to July 26, 2024.
Hosted by the Joint BioEnergy Institute (JBEI) of the U.S. Department of Energy, iCLEM is a 7-week, paid high-school internship program targeted to rising juniors and seniors from underrepresented, low-income backgrounds in Alameda, Contra Costa, or San Francisco Counties. The program seeks to broaden students’ understanding of biotechnology, microbiology, and biofuels. In addition to completing a research project, the program exposes students to career to career exploration and preparation for the college application process.
8. City Of Hope Cancer Center Eugene and Ruth Roberts Summer Student Academy
Location: City of Hope Medical Center
Eligibility:
- Applicants must be at least 16 years old before their internship begins.
- Applicants must be high school or undergraduate students.
- Applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents.
Application Deadline: March 13, 2024
Program Dates: June 3 - August 9, 2024.
Cost/Stipend: Fully funded; Students receive a stipend of $4,000 for completing the 10-week program.
Eugene and Ruth Roberts Summer Student Academy at City of Hope aims to provide young people (high school and university students) with an opportunity for a "hands-on" research experience in biomedical science. This is a highly prestigious program. Last year, only 82 students were accepted out of 2,100 applicants.
You will have an opportunity to design and work on your research projects in areas of your specific interests. City of Hope faculty members act as mentors providing valuable guidance and support, while also encouraging independent thought and exploration. You will get to work closely with post-doctorates, graduate students, and lab personnel of the Irell & Manella Graduate School of Biological Sciences.
9. MIT Research Science Institute (RSI) Science and Engineering Program
Location: Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Cambridge, MA)
Eligibility:
- Those who are entering their final year of high school are allowed to apply. This typically describes high school juniors or those in the third year or grade 11. High school seniors are not allowed to apply.
- It is recommended that PSAT Math Scores be at least 740 or higher and the Evidence-Based Reading and Writing Scores be 700 or higher. ACT math scores should be at least 33 and verbal scores at least 34. Those with lower scores must show strong indicators of potential in other areas of STEM and academics, such as in recommendations, high school grades, and science activities.
Program Dates: June 23 - August 3, 2024.
Application Deadline: Applications typically close in December/January.
Cost/Stipend: Fully funded, stipend provided (exact amount is undisclosed).
The Research Science Institute (RSI) is an internship program that invites 100 high school students to participate in scientific research at MIT’s main campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The program is hosted by its large parent organization, the Center for Excellence in Education, which focuses on STEM careers.
The first week at the RSI is preparatory. The program highlights the importance of being strong communicators and well-rounded learners, so you’ll take a few humanities courses within this time.
After this, the internship focuses on guided research for six weeks, honing the students and their passions. You’ll be paired up with an MIT mentor while taking biology, chemistry, engineering, and math courses. You’ll then apply what you learn to your research project. After, the final research presentation wraps up the internship.
10. Human Oncology & Pathogenesis Program (HOPP) at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
Location: Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY.
Eligibility:
- Completion of at least the 9th grade by June 2024.
- Must be 14 or older by June 27, 2024.
- A genuine interest in science and laboratory research.
- 3.5 GPA in science subjects.
Application Deadline: Applications typically close in February.
Program Dates: June 27 - August 22, 2024.
Cost/Stipend: No cost; Students will receive a stipend ($1,200) upon completion of the program.
This is a highly competitive summer program for high school students. Each participant in the HOPP Summer Student Program is assigned to an 8-week, biomedical or computational lab-based internship at MSKCC. As a HOPP participant, you will engage in independent research projects under the direct mentorship of a postdoctoral fellow, graduate student, or research technician. At the end of the program, you will be expected to present your research in a poster presentation session. You will also be required to attend tours and training sessions by experts in the field.
11. Honors College - The Anson L. Clark Scholars Program
Location: Honors College, Lubbock, TX.
Eligibility: Applicants must:
- Be at least 17 years of age by the program start date, and should graduate in 2024 or 2025. (This means they will participate the summer before senior year or the summer after senior graduation from high school.)
- Must be a U.S. Citizen or Permanent Resident.
Application Deadline: February 15, 2024
Program Dates: June 16 - August 1, 2024
Stipend: Upon completion of a successful research project report, the interns will receive a $750 stipend.
The Anson L. Clark Scholar Program is an intensive seven-week summer research program for twelve highly qualified high school juniors and seniors. The program allows students the opportunity to work hand-in-hand with outstanding faculty on the general academic campus and the Health Science Center in a research-intensive setting. Under this program, you may apply to the following research areas in 2024 - Nutritional Sciences, Biology/Cellular & Microbiology, Computer Science, Neurobiology, Mechanical Engineering, History, Chemistry, or Electrical and Computer Engineering.
The program also includes weekly seminars, discussions, and field trips. Students are selected based on their academic accomplishments, teacher recommendations, and career objectives. You can find a detailed list of research areas here.
12. Hutton Junior Fisheries Biology Program
Location: The 2024 Hutton Program is available to students in all 50 states, Puerto Rico, Canada, Mexico, and the Pacific Islands. (The program aims to match students within a 45-minute commute of their home).
Eligibility: Eligible students must be rising high school juniors, seniors, or rising college freshmen. Students must be 16 years old by application closing, on January 16th, 2024.
Application Deadline: January 16, 2024.
Program Dates: June to August (It depends on the Scholar's schedule).
Cost/Stipend: No cost; Participating students receive a $3,000 stipend and an all-expense paid trip to the Hutton Scholars Summit.
The Hutton Junior Fisheries Biology Program is an 8-week paid summer internship and mentoring program sponsored by the American Fisheries Society to help inspire students to consider pursuing careers related to fisheries and aquatic sciences.
Mentored by fisheries professionals, Hutton Scholars gain an awareness of conservation issues and the importance of healthy aquatic systems; participate in projects that benefit habitat restoration, protection, and management; and gain an understanding of what is involved in being a fisheries biologist and of the career opportunities available in the field.
13. SUNY Oneonta Biological Field Station Internships
Location: SUNY Oneonta campus, Buffalo, NY.
Eligibility:
- Open to all high school students.
- Must have a solid academic background in environmental or natural sciences.
Application Deadline: April 12, 2024.
Program Dates: Late May-August (9 weeks).
Cost/Stipend: No cost; Upon successful completion of the internship, interns receive $3,000.
SUNY Oneonta offers 9-week summer research internships for New York State residents. SUNY Oneonta internships are highly selective, with only 1-3 positions available for high school students (with one place awarded to a resident of Otsego County, NY).
In the internship, you will aid faculty and staff at the BFS central lab with their research projects or work on your research projects. Through the summer, you will experience a mix of fieldwork, laboratory analyses, data analysis, and writing. You can view previous publications here! Previous fieldwork and laboratory analysis experiences include fisheries and plant surveys, water sampling, water chemistry, zooplankton ID, and fish dissection. The program concludes with you producing a poster to display your research findings to your mentor, BSF faculty, and other interns!
14. The University of Michigan Aspirnaut Program
Location: University of Michigan, Ann Arbor Campus.
Eligibility: The program is open to rising seniors in the state of Michigan. Aspirnaut interns must be 16 years of age or older by the start of the program.
Application Deadline: March 1, 2024.
Program Dates: June 17 - July 26, 2024.
Cost/Stipend: No cost; The interns receive a monthly stipend.
The Aspirnaut program is an internship offered by the University of Michigan. It is open to all Michigan high schools interested in hands-on research experience in the life sciences. It is a highly selective program and only accepts 8-10 interns each year.
You will spend 6 weeks on the U-M Ann Arbor campus, working alongside a team of researchers to conduct your life science project. U-M aims to expand interest in basic science research so students are recruited from select communities across Michigan, including rural and socioeconomically disadvantaged areas.
Through this program, you will be able to contribute to cutting-edge research conducted at a leading university. Moreover, U-M offers professional development and enrichment opportunities alongside networking events through cultural and social activities.
15. Boyce Thompson Institute Internships
Location: Cornell University Campus, Ithaca, New York.
Eligibility: Applicants must:
- Be a current high school student, who is regional to Ithaca, NY year-round.
- Be 16 years of age before the first day of the program.
- Not be graduated by the first day of the program, June 25, 2024.
Application Deadline: Applications open in March 2024 (Dates TBA).
Program Dates: June 25 - August 9, 2024. (Tentative dates)
Cost/Stipend: No cost; High school researchers receive a stipend, paid bi-weekly, totaling $4,000 for 7-weeks.
Internships at the Boyce Thompson Institute (BSI) are done alongside Cornell University and the USDA. This 7-week internship offers a variety of projects spanning plant science, plant molecular biology, plant biotic interactions, bioinformatics, and biological engineering of plant systems.
As an intern, you will be paired with a research mentor (typically a graduate student or a postdoctoral researcher) and a faculty mentor. You will work alongside your mentors on a predetermined project.
Apart from conducting research, you can join undergraduate researchers for professional development lectures and discussions. Moreover, Boyce Institute organizes local field trips and training sessions as well!
16. Monell Science Apprenticeship Program
Location: Monell Chemical Senses Center, Philadelphia, PA.
Eligibility: Applicants must:
- Be currently enrolled in a high school or undergraduate institution.
- Be able to prove eligibility to work in the United States.
- Applicants need to be from the greater Philadelphia area, including Camden, NJ.
Application Deadline: Applications typically close in January.
Program Dates: June 18 - August 16, 2024.
Cost/Stipend: No cost; Stipend is provided to the participants.
The Monell Science Apprenticeship Program’s mission is to stimulate an interest in biomedical science or medicine as careers – particularly in groups typically underrepresented in science, including females, ethnic or racial minorities, and the economically disadvantaged.
The summer program includes:
At least seven weeks of paid full-time structured research activity with a Monell scientist.
A public conference where apprentices present their research to scientific staff, family members, and friends.
Enrichment activities that include lectures on scientific topics; public speaking and written communication; and ethical principles guiding human and animal research.
Opportunities to learn about different careers in medicine and science.
MSAP is highly competitive and about 10% or less of applicants are accepted. You can check the various research opportunities available under MSAP here.
17. Apprenticeships in Science & Engineering (ASE) Program by Saturday Academy
Location: Varies depending on the internship.
Eligibility: Applicants must:
- Be a rising 10th, 11th, or 12th grader (or equivalent).
- Be the minimum age by June 17th, but for the VA Healthcare System, they must be 16 by May 15.
Application Deadline: March 8, 2024.
Program Dates: June to August (8-10 weeks).
Cost/Stipend: $40 application fee; A learning stipend of $1,100, or $650 for part-time positions is provided to the interns.
Apprenticeships in Science and Engineering (ASE) Program typically offers about 75 internships each year. Mentor partners vary but usually fall under one of the following general disciplines: Biology, Health or Medicine, Environmental Science, Chemistry, Computer Science, Engineering, Mathematics, and Physics.
As an intern, you will contribute to the projects conducted at the mentor’s organization throughout the summer. Your role as an intern will vary depending on your organization. A few roles this summer include:
Unravel the complexities of extreme viruses through genetics and genomics.
Develop bio-inspired robotics through 3D printing, assembly, and coding.
Research to better understand who develops neurodegenerative movement disorders.
Your primary responsibilities can include working alongside leading scientists on a research project, receiving training and mentorship from scientists, and even conducting your experiments in some cases!
18. Rockefeller University Summer Science Research Program (SSRP)
Location: RockEDU Science Outreach Laboratory, The Rockefeller University, NY.
Eligibility: To be eligible for SSRP participation, students must be enrolled as a junior or senior in high school and must be at least 16 years old at the start of the program.
Application Deadline: Applications typically close in January.
Program Dates: June 24 - August 8, 2024.
Cost/Stipend: No cost; Stipends may be awarded to students experiencing financial hardship, and who meet all the attendance and research requirements of the SSRP. (Applications for stipends will be made available on the first day of the program and are due before the end of the program.)
SSRP is a mentored biomedical research program for current high school juniors and seniors to design and conduct their research projects as part of a themed research track. The topics of each SSRP Research team are based on the expertise and scientific interests of the research team leader. The SSRP cohort is composed of 32 SSRP Scholars. Approximately 8 SSRP scholars are assigned to each research team. Scholars are matched to a team that aligns with their scientific interests.
Research tracks include topics such as RNA Virus Discovery and Bioinformatics, Coronavirus Immune Response, and Ant Social Biology. As SSRP scholars, you will be expected to spend up to 35 hours per week (M - F) for seven weeks engaging in the scientific process.
Bonus!
Here are a few more internship opportunities for you to consider:
If you’re looking for a competitive mentored research program in subjects like data science, machine learning, political theory, biology, and chemistry, consider applying to Horizon’s Research Seminars and Labs!
This is a selective virtual research program that lets you engage in advanced research and develop a research paper in a subject of your choosing. Horizon has worked with 1000+ high school students so far and offers 600+ research specializations for you to choose from.
You can find the application link here!
Looking for an immersive internship experience?
Check out Ladder Internships!
Ladder Internships is a selective, virtual internship program where students work with startups and nonprofits from around the world! The startups range across a variety of industries, with a large number of them in tech. As part of their internship, each student will work on a real-world project that is of genuine need to the startup they are working with, and present their work at the end of their internship. In addition to working closely with their manager from the startup, each intern will also work with a Ladder Coach throughout their internship. Apply now!
Stephen is one of the founders of Ladder Internships and a Harvard College graduate.