5 Data Science Internships for High School Students in Chicago
If you’re a high school student from Chicago and looking to pursue data science in university, you should consider doing an internship! Internships are an excellent opportunity to showcase your ability to apply your previously learned theoretical knowledge in practical situations.
In this blog, we’ve outlined 5 internships that are either based out of Chicago or completely virtual. These internships will give you first-hand experience in potential careers in data science and is a great opportunity to network with professionals in your dream field!
Ladder Internship is a selective program for high school students to work with start-ups on data science related topics. The program is run by Harvard alumni and you get a chance to work with companies from places like YCombinator and Stanford.
Ladder Startups work in fields including machine learning and AI, technology, finance, environmental science and sustainability, business and marketing, healthcare and medicine, 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. Throughout the duration of the program, you will receive guidance and support from your managers who will either work with you 1-on-1 or in a group (depending on a project). They’ll help you navigate the ins and outs of your internship!
Note that as a Ladder Intern, you will engage in a coaching and work-based model - a component that sets it apart from most internships in this list. The virtual internship is usually 8 weeks long. To know more about Ladder Internships and whether it’s a good fit for you, check out this blog post!
Cost: $1990 (Financial Aid Available)
Location: Remote! You can work from anywhere in the world.
Application Deadline: Applications for cohorts in June, September, December, and February (4 cohorts throughout the year). The upcoming application deadline is February 18, 2024.
Program Dates: 8 weeks, June to August, cohorts run year round
Eligibility: Students who can work for 10-20 hours/week for 8-12 weeks. Open to high school students, undergraduates and gap year students.
The DSI Summer Lab by the University of Chicago is a 10-week, paid summer research opportunity for high school and undergraduate students that focuses on applied, interdisciplinary data science research.
In this program, you will be paired with a data science mentor in various domains, including - data science, computer science, climate and energy policy, and more! Your research mentor will engage and hone your skills in research methodologies, practices, and teamwork. You will develop an understanding of fundamental data science methodologies and be given specialized training within the application areas.
The program culminates with a presentation of your final videos - a video created by you that outlines your research findings throughout the summer. These videos will be presented in a professional conference format where you can interact with your peers and field questions on their projects and vice versa.
Cost: No cost; stipend provided ($4,800)
Location: University of Chicago Campus, IL
Application Deadline: January 16, 2024
Program Dates: June 10 - August 5 , 2024
Eligibility:
Open to all high school students.
Familiarity with at least one programming language and relevant coursework (e.g., computer science, statistics, and math) is preferred.
Note: International students are welcome to apply but are responsible for gaining authorization to work in the U.S. and providing all the necessary documentation to earn their stipend.
3. The Stanford Center for Artificial Intelligence in Medicine and Imaging’s Summer Research Internship
This 2-week virtual internship by the Stanford Center for Artificial Intelligence in Medicine and Imaging is a solid opportunity if you’re interested in exploring the technical and clinical aspect of AI in healthcare.
The program is a combination of lectures on AI in healthcare fundamentals, hands-on research projects and mentoring activities with Stanford researchers. If you’re interested, you can even opt for an extended independent research internship opportunity.
While you can apply as a regular intern, you can additionally apply for the ’Student Lead’ role where you can also assist with project leadership along with an AIMI mentor!
Cost: No Cost
Location: Virtual
Application Deadline: March 31, 2024
Program Dates: June 17 - June 28, 2024
Eligibility:
Summer Research interns must be high school students over the age of 14 by the start of the program.
Student leads must also be students over the age of 14 and may also be undergraduate students with a computer science background.
Student leads must be California residents. Student interns must reside in the U.S.
NASA’s Office of STEM Engagements provides internship opportunities at all their locations around America. If you’re located near a NASA facility, you can opt for an internship in a research facility near you. However, if you live away from one, NASA also conducts virtual internships! You can filter through their database for opportunities open to high school students.
One internship we recommend is the Supply Chain Quality internship. This internship is completely virtual and you will focus on assisting the supply chain quality team with their objectives, and your workload will include navigating the Meta supply chain database, along with tracing, reporting and analyzing the data to support the team!
If you are interested in an internship with NASA, check out this ultimate guide to NASA internships!
Cost: No cost; stipend provided
Location: Varies, different for each internship offered
Application Deadline: Varies from internship to internship
Program Dates: Varies from internship to internship, but should be in one of these three cohorts -
Fall - from late August/early September to mid-December (16 weeks)
Spring - from mid-January to early May (16 weeks)
Summer - from late May/early June to August (10 weeks)
Eligibility:
High School Students
Must be a U.S. Citizen
Have a minimum of a 3.0 GPA.
The After School Matters (ASM) Program is open to Chicago teens ages 14-18, and you can explore internships in a field of your choice. While they don’t specify the areas for your internship, they do mention that they cover a variety of STEM internships (and they’re flexible with offering internships in your desired area).
There are 3 kinds of internships you can opt for:
Apprenticeship - This is a hands-on program where you will cover a skill in only one specific area. This is open to any student who is 14 or above.
Assistantships - This is more of an introduction to a workplace where you will create team-based projects under the guidance of mentors. This opportunity is open to anyone above 16!
Internships - This follows the traditional internship format where you can lead team-based projects or develop your own! Do note that this is only open to high schoolers who are 16 or above.
Do note that you will be paid a stipend (or an hourly wage for the internship) for every experience.
An added bonus is that After School Matters revolves around using data to evaluate their impact and develop new consumer programs. We recommend you definitely reach out to them to see where you can help with the analytics for ASM!
Cost: No cost; stipend provided
Location: Varies, all locations in Chicago
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions - opens for each cohort in different months:
Spring - Opens late November
Summer - Opens early April
Fall - Opens late August
Program Dates:
Spring - from late February - mid-May
Summer - from early July - mid-August
Fall - from late September - mid-December
Eligibility:
Must be a Chicago resident/ attend a Chicago Public High School
Open to teenagers from ages 14 to 18.
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. 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!
Image Source - University of Chicago Logo