12 STEM Internships for High School Students in San Diego
Engaging in STEM internships as a high school student offers an opportunity to gain hands-on experience in the dynamic fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. More than just a boost to your resume, internships help you narrow down your specific areas of interest, guiding you as you make informed decisions about future academic and career paths.
You’ll have the chance to work alongside professionals, gaining exposure to cutting-edge projects and industries, from biotechnology and engineering to computer science and environmental science. Internships offer valuable mentorship and networking opportunities, helping you build a network of contacts and secure recommendations from industry experts.
STEM internships foster problem-solving, teamwork, and adaptability—qualities highly valued by college admissions committees and future employers. By immersing yourself in these experiences, you’ll better understand the STEM industry, positioning yourself for future academic and professional success.
Explore these 12 STEM internships for high school students in San Diego that can help set you on a path toward a promising STEM career!
Location: Virtual
Cost: Starts at $2490 (financial aid available).
Dates: 8-week programs with multiple cohorts throughout the year, including summer, fall, winter, and spring.
Application Deadline: Multiple deadlines throughout the year.
Eligibility: Open to all high school students who can work for 5-15 hours/week for 8-12 weeks. These internships are also open to undergraduates and gap-year students!
Ladder Internships, a fairly selective program founded by Harvard alumni, pairs high school students with startups and nonprofits around the world for virtual internships. This internship program allows you to choose the field you wish to work in from a wide range of industries, including technology, health tech, healthcare, medicine, machine learning, AI, computer science, finance, environmental science, sustainability, business, marketing, media, journalism, and more.
As an intern, you will work on projects that contribute to the startup or nonprofit’s larger mission and present your work at the end of the program. This internship program includes one-on-one training in communication and time management, among other skills, and group training sessions with fellow interns. You will be paired with a manager at the startup and with a Ladder coach, who serves as a second mentor.
2. Science and Engineering Apprenticeship Program (SEAP) by the Department of Navy (DoN)
Location: While there are several lab locations to choose from, students in San Diego may select the Naval Information Warfare Center, San Diego, CA.
Stipend: $4,000 (new participant) | $4,500 (returning participant)
Dates: Varies by lab; typically conducted during the summer months for eight weeks. Applications will open on August 1
Application Deadline: November 1
Eligibility: U.S. high school students who have completed at least grade 9 and are at least 16 years old when the internship begins can apply. Graduating seniors are eligible as well. There is room for some exceptions. Students are recommended to check whether their preferred lab choice has any other particular requirements.
The Science and Engineering Apprenticeship Program (SEAP) is a prestigious, selective program that places high-achieving high school students in Department of Navy (DoN) laboratories across the country. This eight-week paid internship provides valuable exposure to real-world applications of science and engineering, fostering a deeper understanding of STEM fields.
As a SEAP intern, you will be provided the opportunity to expand your STEM horizons in a number of disciplines, such as computer science and aeronautics, while learning about Naval research and technology and receiving mentorship from the country’s top scientists and engineers.
Highly competitive, SEAP accepts around 300 interns and places them in more than 38 laboratories around the country. The program also aims to increase DON STEM internship opportunities for underrepresented groups, so students from these groups are encouraged to apply!
3. NASA Office of STEM Engagement (OSTEM) Internships
Location: NASA centers across the country. Virtual options are offered as well.
Cost/Stipend: No cost. A stipend will be awarded based on academic level and session duration.
Dates: Spring session (Mid-January to Early May) | Summer session (Late May to August) | Fall session (Late August to mid-December)
Application Deadline: July (Fall session) | November (Spring session) | April/May (Summer session).
Eligibility: Applicants must:
- Be a U.S. citizen.
- Have a cumulative 3.0 GPA (on a 4.0 scale).
- Be a full-time student (high school through graduate level) or a part-time college-level student enrolled in at least 6 semester hours.
- Be at least 16 years of age at the time of application (no exceptions).
NASA’s Office of STEM Engagement (OSTEM) offers paid internships to high school and college-level students based in its various sites across the country as well as virtual opportunities. These prestigious internship programs are tailored to provide hands-on experiences in tech fields, allowing you to engage with state-of-the-art technologies used in space exploration, satellite communication, and aerospace engineering.
These internships also offer you an opportunity to gain practical work experience while working side-by-side with mentors who are research scientists, engineers, and individuals from many other professions. Opportunities are available in a range of subjects and disciplines, including astrophysics, aeronautics, engineering, technology, space biology, climate science, geological science, artificial intelligence, space microbiology, and even outreach and communications.
Internships may be full-time or part-time; they may be in-person at a NASA center or even remote. You can check out a complete list of positions here - you may have to use the “Filter” option to see opportunities only open to high school students.
4. Heithoff-Brody High School Scholars Program at the Salk Institute
Location: Salk Institute, La Jolla, CA (about 20 minutes from San Diego)
Stipend: $17 per hour
Dates: June 17 - August 9 | 30-40 hours per week
Application Deadline: April 5
Eligibility: Students must:
- Be San Diego County residents who are at least 16 years old on or before June 17, 2024
- Have completed their most recent semester of high school at a public or private high school within San Diego County
- I have completed at least one year of high school level chemistry and biology, and I can apply.
- Have a minimum grade point average of 2.75 (exceptions will be considered).
Check the page for all the program requirements.
The Heithoff-Brody High School Scholars Program is an 8-week, paid internship where you will get practical experience in conducting research, helping you figure out which STEM field you wish to pursue. This program is an opportunity for you to dive into cutting-edge research projects in a competitive environment with scientists, researchers, and scholars at the renowned Salk Institute. Apart from conducting research, the program focuses on guidance and is designed to be a supportive and passionate learning environment for its scholars.
During this program, you will learn laboratory techniques and work alongside mentors and peers on research projects. This means you will have the opportunity to gain real-life laboratory and research experience, which will help you sharpen the mental tools needed for both an academic and professional STEM career. During the internship, you will also find yourself honing your critical thinking and problem-solving skills, along with your communication skills. You can apply through their website!
5. Stanford University: SHTEM Summer Internships
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: None. Financial aid is available.
Dates: June 17 - August 9 (8 weeks)
Application Deadline: Applications typically close in January.
Eligibility: The applicants must be current high school juniors or seniors at the time of application and at least 14 years old by June 17.
Hosted by Stanford University, this prestigious virtual summer internship offers valuable insight into several fields. Themes will span and combine the science of information and communication, engineering, the arts, linguistics, psychology, biology, neuroscience, computer science, technology, philosophy, and design, among other areas.
This 8-week internship program is aimed at providing high school students early exposure to cutting-edge research in an academic environment as well as introducing students to the diversity of research topics in STEM subjects. As an intern, you will be engaged in projects and collaborative work, providing hands-on experiences and equipping you with practical skills. You may expect 30-40 hours of work a week.
Stanford's distinguished faculty and industry experts will be your guides as you deepen your understanding of STEM and network within Stanford’s community. Teams can choose to work on research projects in various areas, including the science of information and communication, technology, computer science, artificial intelligence, and more. At the end of the program, you will present your projects as part of your teams. You can find more information on their website and fill out this form to be notified when applications for Summer 2025 open!
6. Project SEED by American Chemical Society
Location: Varies based on lab choice. Opportunities are available at the University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA (20 minutes away from San Diego). Check here.
Cost/Stipend: No cost; $4000 is awarded to the interns.
Dates: 8-10 weeks, typically June to August
Application Deadline: Applications typically close in April.
Eligibility: Applicants must:
- Be current high school sophomores, juniors, or seniors (and recent graduates).
- Have completed one course in high school chemistry.
Project SEED is a paid summer fellowship program for high school students interested in chemistry. Once accepted, interns work on independent projects in research labs, allowing them to gain hands-on experience in various scientific tasks and experiments. These internships are designed to support students from underrepresented backgrounds, providing them with practical lab experience to enhance their future academic and career prospects. This program offers an opportunity for students keen on working in laboratories and conducting work in the field of chemistry. You will get to work in real laboratories at universities and other sites, including the U.S. Department of Agriculture lab.
As an intern, you will work on an independent project at a research lab located in the nearest Project SEED location. You get to choose the type of project you’re interested in – from a wide range of choices. Depending on your project site, you might have the chance to go on field trips and campus tours, attend career panels, and more! A bonus is that your coordinator can choose to register you for the American Chemical Society National Meeting – where you can present your work.
7. Student Research Internship Program at Scripps Research Translational Institute
Note: The institute offers two internships under this program: one focused on translational science (I - Student Research Internship Program and the other on precision medicine (II - Medical Student Research Internship Program). Both have substantial overlap in the subjects covered.
Location: Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA (about 20 minutes away from San Diego). The institute provides resources to help students find housing.
Cost/Stipend: For Internship I, information on funding is yet to be updated. For Internship II, a stipend will be provided; travel and housing expenses will be covered.
Dates:
- Internship I: June 3 – August 9 OR June 17 - August 23
- Internship II: May 20 - July 29
Please note: If these dates do not work for you, the institute recommends you note your specific available dates in your application (You are required to give 10 weeks for I, 8 weeks for II).
Application Deadline: March 30 (I) and February 29 (II)
Eligibility: Highly motivated students in high school who will be at least 16 years old before the internship begins can apply.
The Scripps Research Translational Institute (SRTI) offers two internship programs under its Student Research Internship Program. These competitive 10-week internships bring together 40 talented and motivated students (high school, undergraduate, graduate, and professional) from across the country for an immersive, college-level research experience in the realm of translational medical research. Interns work closely with researchers and scientists, gaining hands-on experience in clinical genomics, health data analysis, and community engagement.
Interns are assigned a primary mentor who guides them through the process of designing, conducting, and analyzing clinical trials. During the program, you will gain knowledge about current topics in translational science and precision medicine, focusing on digital health, clinical genomics, and community engagement. You will also study design and analysis procedures relevant to translational research, including genomic/genetic association studies. You will observe the steps of proposing, designing, undertaking, and analyzing clinical trials. At the end of the program, you will present a scientific concept to your peers and mentors in the intern poster symposium.
8. J. Craig Venter Institute’s High School Internship
Location: J. Craig Venter Institute, La Jolla, CA (20 minutes from San Diego)
Stipend: $17 per hour
Dates: May-August, with occasional opportunities offered throughout the year.
Application Deadline: Rolling applications, accepted as positions are posted
Eligibility: High school students aged 16 and above can apply. Applicants must have a 3.0/B average.
The JCVI Summer Internship Program is held during the summer months for motivated high-school, undergraduate, and graduate students. The program provides an in-depth, structured research experience in STEM that includes working with a mentor, the opportunity to collaborate with world-class scientists, exciting projects tailored to your academic experience, and access to state-of-the-art equipment and technology.
During the course of this internship, there are multiple workshops offered that are designed to help develop your scientific and professional skills. These include journal clubs, career development sessions, and multi-disciplinary scientific seminars. With the goal of mentoring and inspiring the next generation of great scientists, this internship would be a great option for any student interested in pursuing an academic career in STEM. To apply, you must submit your resume, a cover letter, your school transcript, and a 500-word statement of interest. You can check out the rest of the requirements on their website.
9. Johns Hopkins Internship in Brain Sciences (JHIBS): Virtual Experience
Location: Virtual
Stipend: $500
Dates: July-August (5 weeks)
Application Deadline: Applications typically close by March 1 every year.
Eligibility: Current high school juniors and seniors from underrepresented populations anywhere in the United States can participate in the 5-week virtual summer research experience.
The John Hopkins Internship in Brain Sciences (JHIBS) is a highly prestigious opportunity for high school students interested in biology and neurological science. Apart from its in-person internship, the program also supports an entirely virtual experience for students across the United States. It particularly looks to host interns from underrepresented communities.
As part of the five-week virtual internship, you will participate in activities like educational presentations, basic laboratory experiments and techniques, mentorship training, professional development training, and networking with professionals in the healthcare industry. Throughout the program, students engage in group discussions that enhance their public speaking and teamwork abilities. You can check out the past projects here.
All interns will receive a stipend of $500 upon successfully completing the program. You can keep an eye out for the applications on the website.
10. Aspiring Scientists Summer Internship Program (ASSIP) by George Mason University
Location: Remote internships are available.
Cost/Stipend: There is a $25 application fee, which can be waived based on financial need. This is an unpaid internship.
Dates: June 18 - August 9 (8 weeks)
Application Deadline: The applications typically close at the beginning of February.
Eligibility: Students who are at least 15 years old by June 18 can apply. Interns for “wet lab” or hybrid internships should be at least 16 years old.
George Mason University’s ASSIP offers several remote internship opportunities that allow students to work one-on-one with faculty researchers at the university, who will act as mentors, as well as its collaborating institutions. This prestigious eight-week program is designed to provide students with hands-on experience in various scientific fields, such as biomedical research, environmental science, and computational modeling. Students work with cutting-edge equipment and technologies, allowing them to develop critical skills in scientific inquiry, data analysis, and technical writing.
The internship provides project opportunities in numerous fields, including chemistry and biochemistry, drug discovery, bioengineering, forensic science, neuroscience, mathematical modeling, physics, biology, disease diagnostics, STEM education, nanoscience, machine learning, cybersecurity, women's health issues, software engineering, robotics, and more. You can apply for the program through their website.
11. Palomar Health Pathmaker Internship
Location: Virtual
Cost: No cost to apply. Internships are unpaid.
Dates:
- Half-time: 2 to 8 weeks (available during summer)
- Quarter-time: 1 to 9 months (available year-round)
Application Deadline: Applications are open all year round; you can apply here.
Eligibility: High school sophomores, juniors, and seniors who have taken at least one honors science or honors English class, with a minimum GPA of 3.25, can apply.
The Pathmaker internship offered by Palomar Health aims to provide hands-on experience to high school and college-level students interested in pursuing careers in all fields of the healthcare industry. As a Level I intern, you will work in patient care settings, helping with daily rehabilitation exercises and administrative tasks and interacting with patients under the supervision of experienced staff. This program is especially valuable for students interested in exploring careers in healthcare.
You will have to go through 16 hours of training/orientation and will be expected to commit to four hours of weekly service and a total of 96 hours by the completion of the program. You will attend shifts and gain practical experience in different departments, such as acute care, imaging, rehabilitation, intensive care, and emergency. You can check the details of the upcoming recruitment cycle here and apply through their website!
12. EnergyMag Research Internship
Location: Boston, Chelsea, or Revere, MA
Dates: Summer or throughout the academic year (specific dates vary)
Stipend: Some internships are paid (The exact amount is not specified).
Eligibility: Local high school students
Deadline: Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.
EnergyMag offers virtual research internships designed for high school and college students interested in delving into the renewable energy sector. These internship programs allow you to immerse yourself in company research, technology analysis, and market exploration. EnergyMag's internship selection process is highly competitive, as college students also apply, making it a valuable distinction for those selected.
The internships are flexibly structured, catering to various academic commitments. Students can opt for half-time internships, spanning 2 to 8 weeks with 20 hours per week commitment, or quarter-time opportunities, ranging from 1 to 9 months with 8 hours per week dedication. They are guided by a mentor who provides support throughout the research process, from gathering and synthesizing information to drafting reports.