10 Paid Internships for High School Students in Boston, Massachusetts
Internships offer high school students the opportunity to gain practical experience in their fields of interest, bridging the gap between classroom learning and the professional world. These experiences can help you explore potential career paths, develop critical skills, and build a strong network. Internships can also enhance college applications, showing admissions officers that you’re motivated and driven to boost your education outside the classroom.
Paid internships come with additional benefits — a stipend allows students from diverse backgrounds to participate, as it can help cover transport and accommodation costs. Also, paid internships can foster a sense of professionalism, as you’re compensated for your work, instilling a stronger sense of responsibility and work ethic. Moreover, paid internships can boost your confidence as you gain both experience and financial independence.
Whether you're interested in STEM, healthcare, technology, or research, there's a paid internship in Boston that you can consider. Here’s 10 we’ve shortlisted for you!
1. High School Apprenticeship Challenge by Massachusetts Life Sciences Center
Location: Boston, Cambridge, and a few other cities in Massachusetts.
Eligibility: High school students who are at least 16 years old and attending school in Massachusetts.
Application Deadline: This information is not available at the moment.
Dates: 6 weeks between May and April.
Stipend: $17 per hour.
The High School Apprenticeship Challenge provides paid internship opportunities to underrepresented and low-income high school students in Massachusetts. The program provides internship opportunities to around 100 students every year by reimbursing host companies up to $4,080 per intern.
Interns are placed with host companies, where they work for 6 weeks (either full-time or part-time) and participate in research, projects, skill-building activities, and hands-on learning experiences. Additionally, the program offers a pre-internship lab training session for some school districts, where students can work on developing their biotechnology/biomedical and professional skills.
2. Massachusetts General Hospital – Youth Scholars Program
Stipend: Provides scholarships ranging from $1,000 to $5,000 to all MGH College Scholars.
Location: Boston, Massachusetts.
Application Deadline: January.
Program Dates: June – August.
Eligibility: Open to high school sophomores and juniors from Boston Public Schools.
Massachusetts General Hospital’s Youth Scholars Program offers high school students a comprehensive introduction to careers in healthcare through an immersive, hands-on experience. As a participant, you will gain exposure to various aspects of healthcare, including clinical practices, medical research, and healthcare administration. Students are paired with mentors—experienced professionals from different departments within the hospital—who provide guidance, share their knowledge and offer valuable insights into their specific areas of expertise.
The program is structured to include a combination of hands-on learning, academic enrichment, and career development activities. You will engage in job shadowing, observing healthcare professionals in their day-to-day roles, including doctors, nurses, researchers, and administrators. You will also engage in interactive workshops and seminars on topics such as medical ethics, patient care, and the latest advancements in medical technology. At the end of the program, you will present a capstone project to your peers and the hospital staff. The program also provides academic support to help students succeed in their studies and prepare for college. This includes tutoring in STEM subjects, SAT/ACT prep, and college application guidance.
3. Boston Public Schools – Tech Apprentice Program
Stipend: Paid internship with stipend.
Location: Boston, MA
Application Deadline: April
Program Dates: July 1 – August
Eligibility: Open to high school juniors and seniors from Boston Public Schools with an interest in technology.
This program offers high school students the opportunity to dive into innovative research projects in the fields of genomics and computational biology. As a participant, you will conduct research alongside some of the top scientists in the two fields. These projects often focus on understanding the genetic basis of diseases, developing new computational methods to analyze biological data, and exploring how genomic information can be used to advance personalized medicine. You will play an active role in these projects, engaging in tasks such as data analysis and laboratory experiments and contributing to the development of new research techniques.
The program is structured to provide a comprehensive research experience, combining hands-on work in the lab with educational seminars and workshops. These sessions cover a wide range of topics, including the latest advancements in genomics, ethical considerations in genetic research, and career paths in biomedical science. Students also have the opportunity to present their findings at the end of the program, gaining valuable experience in scientific communication. Mentorship is a key component of the program — you will be paired with a scientist who provides guidance, shares their expertise, and helps you navigate the complexities of research in genomics and computational biology.
Interested students should apply through the Boston Private Industry Council (BPIC).
4. Continuing Umbrella of Research Experiences (CURE) at Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center
Stipend: Paid (amount not specified)
Location: Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center, Boston, MA
Application Deadline: Applications typically close in February each year. Applications will open in fall.
Program Dates: 8-12 weeks starting June
Eligibility: Massachusetts high school sophomore, junior, or senior at least 16 years old and from an underrepresented/financially disadvantaged background
The CURE program encourages high school students to conduct cancer research by placing them in real-world research settings of the Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center and other local cancer research institutions. Students will work on research projects while learning from and working with experts in preventing, curing, and treating cancer.
Interns will also attend scientific and professional development seminars and journal clubs and will further prepare and present an abstract and a poster or a PowerPoint presentation at the end.
5. Brigham and Women’s Hospital – Student Success Jobs Program (SSJP)
Cost/Stipend: $2,500 - $4,000
Location: Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA
Application Deadline: April
Program Dates: Year-round program; specific start dates vary.
Eligibility: Open to Boston public high school students from selected partner schools with a strong interest in healthcare, science, or medical professions.
The Student Success Jobs Program (SSJP) at Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH) is a year-round internship designed to introduce Boston high school students to the medical, health, and science professions. Each year, 100 students from selected Boston public high schools are matched with mentors at BWH, providing them with work experiences and exposure to a variety of career paths within the hospital.
Participants are fully integrated into the hospital’s workforce, gaining hands-on experience that is both educational and impactful. The program’s structure emphasizes several key areas of learning and professional development. SSJP also provides comprehensive support to its participants, including tutoring in math and science, SAT preparation courses, college guidance, and scholarship opportunities. In addition to the high school internship experience, SSJP continues to support its alumni with summer internships in BWH departments related to their college majors, academic support, career development, and mental health resources. This continuity ensures that students not only succeed during their high school years but also have the support they need throughout their college journey and beyond.
6. Federal Reserve Bank of Boston’s Today’s Interns, Tomorrow’s Professionals (TIP) Internship Program
Location: Federal Reserve Plaza, Boston, MA
Eligibility: High school students who have completed their sophomore year in Boston Public Schools
Application Deadline: March/April
Dates: June-August (exact duration and dates may vary)
Stipend: Paid (amount unspecified)
This annual paid summer internship program is a great option for high school students looking for a developmentally rich first summer work experience. This internship places an emphasis on job coaching and skill-building workshops, ideal for students interested in "first-job" experiences like problem-solving and conflict resolution. At the end of this internship, depending on available openings and individual interest, effort, and performance, you also may be selected for an extended 3-year year-round internship program. TIP aims to explore avenues that could address barriers to the economic success and stability of lower-income youth.
Throughout the internship, you will be entrusted with real-world projects and tasks, enabling you to apply your classroom knowledge to practical situations, thus fostering your problem-solving skills and analytical thinking. One of the distinctive features of the TIP internship program is the strong emphasis on networking and professional development. You will have access to experienced mentors and professionals who offer guidance and valuable insights.
Interested students should apply through the Boston Private Industry Council (BPIC).
7. Summer Teen Internship Program at the New England Aquarium
Location: New England Aquarium, Boston, MA
Eligibility: High school students at least 14 years old and residing in Boston and Cambridge
Application Deadline: Applications typically close in late March.
Dates: June-August (7 weeks: 1 week of training + 6 weeks of work)
Stipend: Paid (amount not specified)
The New England Aquarium’s Summer Teen Internship Program provides students with extensive training in marine science and climate science, along with a chance to improve their public speaking and communication skills. Interns are required to participate in weekly professional development and ocean advocacy courses alongside a week of training and 6 weeks of work in one of the following roles:
Visitor Services Assistant: This involves greeting visitors, providing educational information, and offering additional customer service.
Conservation Learning Aquarium Guide: As part of this role, interns will facilitate activities, interact with groups, help interpret exhibits, and provide insight into animals and ocean conservation.
8. Architecture/Design High School Internship by Boston Society for Architecture (BSA)
Location: Local architecture firms in Boston, MA
Eligibility: High school students attending Boston Public Schools
Application Deadline: Applications typically close in March/April.
Dates: July - August (6 weeks)
Stipend: Paid (amount not specified)
BSA’s Architecture/Design High School Internship is a chance for public high school students to explore architecture as a career by interning with local firms. The architecture firms differ from each other in size, focus, and approach, allowing interns to choose an internship experience based on their specific interests while also expanding the range of experience if they choose to reapply in the following years.
Interns will get to assist professionals in formulating designs and planning and undertaking projects. Interns will also receive access to a Summer Fridays series to receive design education through firms like Sasaki Foundation and The Designery/YouthBuild Boston.
Interested applicants should apply through the Boston Public Industry Council (BPIC).
9. Camp Zon by Zon Lab (Boston Children’s Hospital)
Location: Virtual + some in-person components at Zon Lab, Boston, MA
Eligibility: High school students or rising college freshmen at least 16 years of age and residing in Massachusetts
Application Deadline: April
Dates: July - July (2 weeks)
Stipend: Paid (amount not specified)
Camp Zon allows selected interns to learn about and carry out research using zebrafish as the model organism. Interns are divided into teams to design research projects to study anemia. This includes formulating a hypothesis, designing experiments, and analyzing the data. Scientists at the Zon Lab will then perform those experiments live, with teams then getting a chance to present their research findings at the end of the internship.
Interns will further attend facility tours, mentoring sessions, career panels, lectures ranging from basic biology to clinical translation of research, and tutorials on reading scientific literature and coding.
10. Teen Jobs by Artists for Humanity
Location: Boston, MA
Eligibility: High school students or teens at least 14 years of age, attending a Boston Public School, and/or residing in Boston
Application Deadline: Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.
Dates: July - August (7 weeks)
Stipend: Paid (amount not mentioned) after the first 36 hours of unpaid training
Artists for Humanity hires teens to work alongside mentors on real-world projects for their clients. Based on your interests and preferences, you will be placed in one of Artists for Humanity’s creative studios—painting, 3D design, graphic design, creative technology (animation and coding), video production, and photography.
Interns will work with various media in collaboration with professional artists and designers with a chance to learn new skills and contribute to impactful projects. Interns will receive initial unpaid training (including demonstrations and basic principles of art and design) and will then move on to paid work in one of the studios.
Looking for a hands-on 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!