12 Summer Internships for High School Students in the Bay Area
Internships are a great way to gain real-world experience, build new skills, and explore different career paths—all without the high cost of traditional programs. Whether you're interested in tech, business, healthcare, or the arts, many top colleges and organizations offer several summer internships for high school students in the Bay Area.
These internships give you hands-on learning, industry exposure, and valuable connections that can help shape your future. Plus, working alongside professionals can boost your confidence and help you discover what truly excites you. If you're serious about growing your skills and getting a head start on your career, participating in summer internships for high school students in the Bay Area is one of the best ways to do it!
Here’s a comprehensive list of summer internships for high school students in the Bay Area that you can check out!
1. UCSF’s CURE Research Internship Program
Location: The University of California, San Francisco, CA
Stipend: Paid
Acceptance Rate: Highly selective
Deadline: February 16
Internship Dates: June 12 & 13 (Orientation) + June 16 – August 8
Eligibility: Currently in 11th grade (high school) or enrolled at CCSF (community college); at least 16 years old by program start; minimum GPA of 2.5; completed Biology or Chemistry with a grade of B or higher
In the CURE Program, you will gain hands-on research experience under the guidance of UCSF faculty, post-docs, and graduate students. The program is designed to support educationally disadvantaged students and provide them with opportunities in biomedical research, including basic, clinical, behavioral, and population sciences. You will learn how to conduct experiments, analyze data, and present your findings. At the end of the program, you will showcase your research at the Research Symposium, gaining valuable experience in scientific communication.
In addition to research training, this is one of those summer internships for high school students in the Bay Area that also offers college and career planning support. You will receive advice, application guidance, and professional skills training to help you succeed in science and healthcare.
2. Ladder Internship Program
Location: Remote
Cost: Starting at $2,490 (financial aid available)
Acceptance Rate: Highly selective
Deadline: Deadlines vary. April 13 for regular admission to the summer cohort
Internship Dates: Multiple cohorts; the summer cohort starts on June 2
Eligibility: High school students who can work for 10-20 hours/week
Ladder Internships is a selective start-up internship program where ambitious high school students get the chance to work with a high-growth start-up on an internship. These start-ups offer internships across a variety of industries, from tech/deep tech and AI/ML to health tech, marketing, journalism, consulting, and more. Ladder’s start-ups are high-growth companies on average raising over a million dollars. During the program, you’ll get to work closely with your managers and a Ladder Coach on real-world projects and present their work to the company. Here is the application form.
3. UCSF’s High School Intern Program
Location: The University of California, San Francisco, CA
Stipend: 25 hours/week: $3,200; 35 hours/week: $4,500
Cohort Size: 25 students
Deadline: March 2
Internship Dates: June 9 – August 1
Eligibility: Current high school junior; enrolled in an SFUSD high school or SF charter school
The UCSF High School Intern Program (HIP) is a summer internship for San Francisco high school seniors. As a participant, you’ll get to conduct original biomedical research with guidance from UCSF scientists. You’ll also gain experience in fields like neuroscience, immunology, cancer, and stem cell research while improving your science communication skills.
HIP focuses on students from underrepresented backgrounds, helping them explore careers in biomedical sciences. The program offers strong mentorship and rigorous training.
4. Science Internship Program (SIP) at UC Santa Cruz
Location: University of California, Santa Cruz, CA
Cost: $65 application fee (non-refundable) | $600 deposit (non-refundable) | $4,250 tuition ($4,850 minus $600 deposit) | Scholarships available; see here for more details
Acceptance Rate: Highly selective
Deadline: March 6
Internship Dates:
Online research: June 10 – 20
In-person research: June 23 – August 8
Final presentations: August 9
Eligibility: High school students entering grades 10-12; at least 14-17 years old
The Science Internship Program (SIP) at UC Santa Cruz gives high school students the chance to work with UCSC faculty and researchers for eight weeks. You’ll take part in real research across fields like astronomy, environmental science, computer science, and bioinformatics. Instead of following pre-designed exercises, you’ll be contributing to active projects.
As an intern, you’ll gain hands-on research experience, improve communication skills, and present your findings to peers and mentors. Your mentors will guide you through research, project work, and final presentations. There are also opportunities to write research papers for competitions like the Regeneron Science Talent Search.
5. The Pediatrics Internship Program at Stanford
Location: Institutes of Medicine, Stanford University, CA
Cost/Stipend: Free; students with financial needs may receive a $3,000 stipend
Cohort Size: Around 40 students
Deadline: February 23
Internship Dates: June 16 – July 25
Eligibility:
Rising high school juniors or seniors; 16 years old by program start
Must live and attend high school in select Northern California counties (San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Marin, Alameda, Contra Costa, Santa Cruz)
GPA: Minimum cumulative unweighted 3.0 (including Fall 2024 grades)
Must have a computer and internet for the internship
The Pediatrics Internship Program at Stanford (PIPS) is a six-week program for rising high school juniors and seniors from diverse backgrounds. During the program, you will learn about science, medicine, and research by working with Stanford faculty, postdoctoral fellows, students, and researchers. You will also complete a research project.
PIPS is designed for those with little or no prior research experience. You will explore the biological sciences and medicine while learning how scientific research is done. The program is one of those summer internships for high school students in the Bay Area that aims to support diversity in medicine and science by encouraging students from different backgrounds to pursue careers in these fields.
6. STaRS Internship Program
Location: Stanford University, CA
Cost/Stipend: Free; you might be able to apply for stipend support
Acceptance Rate: Selective
Deadline: November (tentatively)
Internship Dates: June 23 – August 8
Eligibility: Must be at least 16; high school or community college students; no lab experience required; students from low-income, under-resourced, or underrepresented backgrounds are preferred
The Stanford Science, Technology, and Reconstructive Surgery Program (STaRS) is a research internship for high school students interested in medicine and biomedical research. As a participant, you will work on advanced lab research with a professional clinician or scientist and collaborate with Stanford undergraduates. The program is built on the idea that mentoring plays a key role in personal and academic growth.
STaRS is for students interested in biomedical science, biology, and healthcare. As an intern, you will learn lab basics, work on research projects, and present your findings. You will practice lab techniques, use research software, read scientific papers, and prepare case studies. Each week, you will spend four days in the lab and one day on other activities. These may include lab tours, lectures, scavenger hunts, or team-building exercises.
7. Stanford Center for Artificial Intelligence in Medicine and Imaging (AIMI) Summer Research Internship
Location: Remote
Cost: $850 + $40 application fee
Acceptance Rate: Selective
Deadline: February 28
Internship Dates: June 16 – 27
Eligibility: U.S. high school students over the age of 14 at the start of the program; students with a mathematical/computer science background or students with experience in the healthcare sector are given preference
Stanford’s AIMI Summer Health AI Bootcamp is a two-week virtual program for high school students. During the program, you will learn about machine learning in healthcare, including key concepts, evaluation methods, and real-world challenges. Topics include foundation models, generative AI, and how algorithms help with diagnosis and predictions. The program includes live lectures, group discussions, coding workshops, and career talks with experts from academia, industry, and government. You will also work in teams to analyze healthcare data and see how AI can improve patient care and medical research.
8. Stanford Institutes of Medicine Summer Research Program (SIMR)
Location: Institutes of Medicine, Stanford University, CA
Stipend: $500 stipend
Acceptance Rate: Competitive; around 50 students accepted
Deadline: February 22
InternshipDates: June 9 – July 31
Eligibility: Students who are juniors or seniors as of fall are eligible to apply
SIMR gives students hands-on experience in biomedical research as well as mentorship from top faculty, scientists, and researchers. You will explore fields like genetics, immunology, neuroscience, and bioengineering. Through research projects, you will develop critical thinking skills, learn lab techniques, and contribute to real scientific studies. This isn’t a typical internship but more of a research program with the university also offering you a stipend. Moreover, it’s one of those highly competitive summer internships for high school students in the Bay Area to get into, and would be an excellent opportunity to network and gain clarity about your career in medicine.
9. Student Internship Program at the County of Santa Clara
Location: Various departments
Stipend: $15-19 per hour
Acceptance Rate: Moderately to highly selective
Deadline: No deadline; applications are always open
Internship Dates: Throughout the calendar year depending on the department
Eligibility: High school students who have a work permit and a GPA of at least 2.5 out of 4; more details here
The Student Internship Program at the County of Santa Clara offers a great chance to gain practical experience and explore different career paths. You'll work in various county departments, including governance, healthcare, and public safety, alongside professionals. It provides hands-on learning, real-world exposure, and opportunities to build valuable skills and networks. Those from disadvantaged backgrounds are encouraged to apply.
10. Meta Summer Academy
Location: Meta Summer Academy, San Francisco, CA
Stipend: Varies from year to year
Acceptance Rate: Selective
Deadline: February 14
Internship Dates: June 16 – July 25
Eligibility:
Sophomores in high school during the 2024-2025 academic year
Residents of East Palo Alto, Belle Haven, North Fair Oaks, or Redwood City
A minimum 2.0 cumulative GPA
The Meta Summer Academy (formerly Facebook Summer Academy) gives San Francisco high school students the chance to gain hands-on experience in the tech industry via a leading tech company. As a participant, you’ll learn coding, financial literacy, art, and media, along with networking and career skills. Through workshops, mentoring, and interactions with Meta employees, you’ll get to explore tech and non-tech career paths and gain skills for economic stability and growth.
11. Project Pull – SF Govt Internship
Location: Various govt department offices in San Francisco with a hybrid option
Stipend: $19.25/hour
Acceptance Rate: Competitive
Deadline: February 17
Internship Dates: June 9 – August 1
Eligibility: High school juniors or seniors or college-bound freshmen in Fall 2025; live or attend high school in San Francisco; have a minimum 2.75 GPA from the last completed semester
Project Pull, sponsored by the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC), offers paid summer internships for high school and college students in San Francisco. This hybrid program provides mentorship in STEM fields, helping you build leadership, teamwork, and creativity while exploring public sector careers. As a participant, you’ll work on meaningful projects, gain confidence, and prepare for college and jobs.
12. Internship at the San Jose Stage Company
Location: San Jose Stage Company, CA
Stipend: Hourly rate of minimum wage
Acceptance Rate: Selective
Deadline: Open all year round
Internship Dates: Based on your availability, which you can provide when applying
Eligibility: High school students
The San Jose Stage Company internship offers hands-on experience for aspiring theater enthusiasts. As an intern, you will work with industry professionals in stage management, technical production, marketing, and administration. You’ll learn how a professional theater company operates, collaborates with artists, and contributes to San Jose’s arts community. Whether interested in acting, directing, design, or arts management, you will gain valuable skills in a supportive environment.
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