11 Online Research Internships for High School Students
Participating in online research internships can be an excellent stepping stone for high school students looking to explore the world of research. These unique opportunities provide hands-on experience in conducting studies, analyzing data, and drafting professional reports, all while offering the flexibility to learn from anywhere. Whether you’re interested in science, technology, humanities, or social sciences, research internships provide a platform to delve deeper into your fields of interest.
One of the greatest advantages of online internships is their flexibility, allowing students to balance schoolwork, extracurricular activities, and other commitments. These programs test your discipline, independence, and communication skills and push you to adapt to new challenges, develop critical thinking, and sharpen your analytical abilities.
However, securing an online research internship can be competitive, often requiring strong grades, relevant coursework, and a passion for the subject matter. However, with dedication and strategic preparation, high school students can participate in cutting-edge research projects that enrich their understanding and set them apart in college applications.
Here are 11 online research internships for high school students to help you build your research skills, gain a head start on academic pursuits, and prepare for future success.
Location: Remote! You can work from anywhere in the world
Eligibility: Students who can work for 10-20 hours/week for 8-12 weeks. Open to high school students, undergraduates, and gap year students!
Program Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year
Application Deadline: Varies depending on the cohort. The deadline for the Winter cohort is November 24, 2024.
Cost: Starting at $2,490. Financial aid is available.
Ladder Internships is a selective internship program that connects you with high-growth startups and organizations worldwide. These opportunities span across diverse industries, such as AI/ML, journalism, marketing, consulting, tech, and more.
During this program, you receive one-on-one training in communication, time management, and other valuable skills, and you also attend group training sessions with other interns. Typically 8 weeks long, this immersive experience requires you to research and work on a real-world project.
You will also receive mentorship and guidance from a Ladder Coach, and a manager from the organization will supervise you as you work on your project. Students also attend training sessions and get to present their projects at the end of the internship, making it a solid opportunity to gain hands-on experience.
2. The Johns Hopkins Internship in Brain Science Program (JHIBS)
Location: Virtual
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors from underrepresented populations.
Program Dates: Runs for 5 weeks, typically from early July to mid-August
Application Deadline: Applications for Summer programs are open from December 1 to March 1 annually.
Stipend: $500 for successful completion.
If you’re interested in conducting neurological research, the JHIBS program is a highly prestigious option where you will learn about various techniques used in research labs. You will learn through hands-on research projects, educational presentations, and professional development sessions.
Participants collaborate with leading neuroscientists and complete projects in behavioral and cognitive sciences, enhancing their understanding of neurological research. The program aims to increase diversity in neuroscience and mental health fields by focusing on students from underrepresented backgrounds. This is an exceptional opportunity that offers a holistic research experience.
3. Summer Internships for High Schoolers at Stanford University (SHTEM)
Location: Virtual
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors; applicants must be at least 14 years old by the start of the program.
Program Dates: Typically in June - August.
Application Deadline: Applications typically close in January.
Cost: Participation is free, but there’s a $50 application fee, which can be waived based on financial need.
The SHTEM Internship at Stanford is a prestigious eight-week virtual program designed to expose high school students to research across disciplines. Students work closely with Stanford faculty and researchers on projects in STEM and humanities, fostering interdisciplinary learning.
The program includes seminars, workshops, and hands-on projects, emphasizing how humanities play a role in STEM research. You will work remotely and collaborate with peers while receiving guidance from your mentors. Participants present their research findings to the Stanford community at the end of the program.
This intensive experience will give you a glimpse of what conducting university-level research entails, and you are expected to commit to 40 hours per week. All the necessary hardware will also be provided.
4. EnergyMag Research Internship
Location: Virtual
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
Program Dates:
Half-time: 2 to 8 weeks in increments of 2 weeks, available in summer.
Quarter-time: 1 to 9 months in increments of 1 month, available all year round.
Application Deadline: Applications are open year-round.
Cost: Free
This internship is a noteworthy opportunity for both high school and college students. It is for students with a keen interest in the renewable energy and sustainability industries. It enables you to engage in real-world research projects and develop research writing and analytical skills, which are critical to research and reporting.
The program offers both half-time summer internships (lasting between 2 to 8 weeks) and quarter-time internships (lasting up to 9 months), providing flexibility to fit personal schedules. This internship has a highly competitive selection process, which makes it a valuable distinction if you are selected for the program. You will also work on personalized tasks based on your career interests and academic background, thus ensuring an appropriately customized experience to build your research career.
Further, you will be guided by a mentor who will ensure that you can efficiently gather, synthesize, and analyze your findings, as well as generate a draft analysis report. This report may be published on the organization’s website, allowing you a concrete platform to publish your research.
5. Horizon Academic Research Program (HARP)
Location: Virtual
Eligibility: High school students with good academic standing (>3.67/4.0 GPA) can apply. Most accepted students are 10th/11th graders! Only a couple of tracks require formal prerequisites, more details of which can be found here.
Program Dates:
Winter 2024: Starts December 2, 2024
Spring 2025: Starts March 3, 2025Lab dates are flexible, but students must apply 4 weeks in advance
Application Deadline: November 10, 2024, for winter; February 9, 2025, for spring.
Cost: Varies by program type, with financial aid available.
Horizon offers trimester-long research programs for high school students across subject areas such as data science, machine learning, political theory, biology, chemistry, neuroscience, psychology, and more. Horizon is one of the few research programs for high school students that offers you the choice to engage in either quantitative or qualitative research.
Once you select a particular subject track and the type of research you wish to carry out, Horizon pairs you with a professor/PhD scholar from a reputed university who acts as a mentor throughout your research journey. As a participant, you will be expected to give about 10 hours of weekly commitment to developing a 20-page research paper that can be submitted to academic journals or competitions.
This program is a solid opportunity for you to pursue a research program in highly specialized fields under the guidance of a top scholar. The program can also provide a letter of recommendation for each student and detailed project feedback that you can use to work on future projects. Apply here!
6. Internships at the American Psychological Association (APA)
Location: Virtual
Eligibility: Interns must be eligible to work in the U.S. (as verified by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s e-verify service) and must reside in one of the states where APA is already registered as an employer.
Program Dates: Year-round
Application Deadline: Rolling; opportunities open throughout the year.
Cost: No cost to participate; both paid and unpaid positions are available.
The APA offers various internships, including research opportunities that offer diverse learning outcomes and the chance to explore careers in psychology. These internships range from policy-related roles to research, communications, and more. Participants work alongside professionals in the field, enhancing their understanding of psychology and gaining skills that support future academic and professional goals.
Beyond conducting research, you can also participate in workshops, collaborative group projects, and networking events. These will ensure that you receive holistic academic and professional experience while offering valuable insights into what psychology careers entail. Depending on the role, some internships are intended for academic credit, while others may come with a stipend.
You must submit a cover letter, resume, and a writing sample. A letter from your institution on their official letterhead may also be required for academic credit internships. You can find a sample letter here.
7. NASA Office of STEM Engagement (OSTEM) Internships
Location: Virtual
Eligibility: U.S. high school students who are at least 16 years old and have a minimum GPA of 3.0.
Program Dates: Offered in 3 sessions:
Fall: 16 weeks (late August/early September to mid-December)
Spring: 16 weeks ( mid-January to early May)
Summer: 10 weeks (late May/early June to August)
Application Deadline: October 25, 2024 (early decision for Summer session) February 28, 2025 (Final Summer deadline)
Stipend: Provided; amount varies based on education level and session length.
NASA’s OSTEM Internships offer hands-on experience with space science, engineering, and technology projects, guided by NASA professionals. The program includes mentorship, technical writing, data analysis, and presentation skills, providing interns with practical experience and networking opportunities.
You will work on real projects alongside NASA engineers, scientists, and other professionals. You will contribute to the agency’s missions while also gaining insights into STEM careers and space exploration. There are all kinds of opportunities available, and you can explore them here. The list is constantly updated, so check for opportunities that align with your interests.
Location: Virtual
Eligibility: High school students around the world; minimum commitment of 1 article or 2 hours per week.
Program Dates: Open year-round; minimum commitment of one article or two hours per week.
Application Deadline: Rolling basis throughout the year
Cost: Free
A student-led non-profit organization, Medicine Encompassed offers various internships for students interested in healthcare, public health, and medical education. This online internship offers a range of roles, including content creation, research writing, and curriculum development.
Interns work within 18 committees, contributing to educational resources that enhance public knowledge about medicine. They also have various specialized committee projects, the most noteworthy of which is the Project Cultivation Outreach Initiative, which focuses on improving accessibility and raising awareness about medical education.
Interns develop various materials, such as blog posts, study guides, and presentation slides, which are shared across the organization’s platforms to promote awareness in medicine and public health. The internship also provides flexibility, making it suitable for students balancing other commitments.
9. Online Internships at the Oxford Scholastica Academy
Location: Virtual
Eligibility: Students aged 15 to 18.
Program Dates: Internships are offered year-round
Application Deadline: Applications are assessed on a rolling basis until the cohort is full.
Cost: £595 for a one-week course; £995 for a two-week course; financial aid available.
The Oxford Scholastica Academy offers virtual internships across fields such as medicine, law, psychology, and international relations. The program allows students to work closely with professionals, solve real-world problems, and co-author research papers for publication.
The internships are highly interactive, involving live sessions and collaborative projects with peers from around the world. At the end of the internship, your mentor will review your paper and if it may be submitted to the OxJournal, an in-house academic journal, should it meet the publication standards. Your mentor may also submit it to external academic publications.
Students receive personalized mentorship throughout the program, leading to a final presentation, Oxford Scholastica Academy certificate, and a letter of recommendation from your mentor. The organization also hosts an online Graduation Ceremony.
10. Lumiere Research Scholar Program
Location: Remote — you can participate in this program from anywhere in the world!
Eligibility:
You must be currently enrolled in high school
Students must demonstrate a high level of academic achievement. (Note. students have an unweighted GPA of 3.3 out of 4)
No previous knowledge of your field of interest is required!
Program Dates: The summer cohort runs from June to August, the Fall cohort from September to December, the Winter cohort from December to February, Spring from March to June
Application Deadline: Varies by cohort, with the next deadline being November 24, 2024, for the winter cohort.
Cost: Starts at $2,990. Financial aid is available.
This is a rigorous program tailored to offer high school students extensive 1-on-1 research opportunities with Ph.D. mentors as they explore a wide range of subjects.
You can conduct in-depth research in data science, biology, business and entrepreneurship, international relations, gender studies, engineering, economics, and more.
This program accommodates flexible schedules and is conducted entirely online, allowing students worldwide to participate. The program spans 12 weeks to 1 year, depending on the chosen track. At the end of the 12-week program, you will have developed an independent research paper! You can find more details about the application here.
11. Summer Internships at the Foreign Policy Research Institute (FPRI)
Location: Remote or in-person options are available.
Eligibility: High school students with U.S. work authorization
Program Dates:
Fall: September – December
Spring: February - May
Summer: June - August
Application Deadline: Applications for Spring close on November 1, 2024
Stipend: Varies by internship; some positions offer a stipend based on financial need, while others are unpaid.
The Foreign Policy Research Institute (FPRI) offers remote and in-person internships focusing on areas such as international relations, national security, and regional studies (e.g., Asia, Middle East, Eurasia, Africa). Interns working at the FPRI are exposed to the nuances of foreign policy as they engage in meaningful work under the supervision of a scholar or professional.
This program will enable you to understand how foreign policy is shaped and debated. You will experience working in various departments, including special events/development, operations, and communications. For research in particular, you will collaborate with scholars and conduct research under the supervision of an FPRI staffer working on various projects. Those interested can choose research, editorial, or special events internships, with the chance to have their work published on FPRI’s platform.
Participants also attend foreign policy seminars, career panels, and events that allow them to interact with experts in the field.
If you’re looking to build a project/research paper in the field of AI & ML, consider applying to Veritas AI!
Veritas AI is founded by Harvard graduate students. Through the programs, you get a chance to work 1:1 with mentors from universities like Harvard, Stanford, MIT, and more to create unique, personalized projects. In the past year, we had over 1000 students learn AI & ML with us. You can apply here!
Image Source - Horizon Academic Research Program (HARP) Logo