8 AI Internships for High School Students
Artificial intelligence is one of the fastest growing fields today. For many high school students, the field is exciting - but it can be hard to find ways to get started. If you're an ambitious high school student considering a career in artificial intelligence, or just curious about it, you may want to consider AI internships before you get to college!
An internship can expose you to the real-world applications of the field, and give you a glimpse of what a career in AI might look like! Not to mention, internships demonstrate your passion and determination to go beyond your classroom curriculum, and learn and engage with the subject – something college admissions officers look for.
While the prospect of an AI internship is undeniably exciting, it's essential to recognize that securing such an opportunity is competitive. They demand a certain level of knowledge and skill, setting a high bar for aspiring interns.
In this blog, we’ve compiled a list of 8 AI internships tailored for high school students.
Founded by Harvard alumni, Ladder Internships is a selective program that offers students the opportunity to intern with startups and nonprofits across the world in a remote setup. The organizations you can intern with work in a wide range of industries, and you can select which field you wish to explore! You can choose from options that include AI, technology, business, engineering, media, journalism, sustainability, healthcare and more. During the internship, you will undertake a tangible project, and present your findings at the end of the program.
What makes it unique is its focus on mentorship, providing students the chance to collaborate with experienced professionals and industry experts. This immersive experience exposes participants to various technology fields like AI, machine learning, and programming, facilitating a well-rounded educational experience. This internship also includes one-on-one training in communication and time management, among other skills, and group training sessions with fellow interns.
Location: Virtual!
Dates: 8-week programs with multiple cohorts throughout the year.
Application Deadline: Multiple deadlines throughout the year. Summer cohort: April 14, 2024 (Regular Admission 1) | May 12, 2024 (Regular Admission 2).
Cost: Starting at $1,990. Financial assistance is available
Eligibility: Open to all high school students, who can work for 10-20 hours/week, for 8-12 weeks. These internships are also open to undergraduates and gap-year students.
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 aspects of AI in healthcare. The program combines 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.
As an intern, you will engage in a variety of activities including introductory lectures on AI fundamentals, technical sessions, mentoring with Stanford Student Leads and researchers, collaborative group research projects, social activities, and Career Lunch and Learns featuring guest speakers from academia, industry, non-profit organizations, and government agencies.
Location: Virtual
Dates: June 17 - 28, 2024
Application Deadline: March 31, 2024
Cost: No cost
Eligibility:
Summer Research interns must be high school students over the age of 14 by the start of the program (entering 9th grade through 12th grade in Fall 2024).
Student leads must be California residents. Student interns must reside in the U.S.
Student leads must also be students over the age of 14 and may also be undergraduate students with a computer science background.
3. NLM Data Science and Informatics (DSI) Scholars Program
With the NLM DSI Scholars Program, interns will get to contribute their skills and perspectives to computational research projects in the biological sciences. As an intern, you will have the opportunity to gain valuable experience in a collaborative research environment while training one-on-one with a research mentor.
Apart from your training, you will also have the chance to participate in seminars and professional development workshops that will help you develop scientific communication skills. The program culminates with your presentation at NLM’s Summer Poster Day, and you might have an opportunity to present your poster at the NIH-wide Summer Poster Day as well.
Location: NIH Campus, Bethesda, MD
Dates: Starts in June and runs for 8-12 weeks. Start dates and internship durations are flexible.
Application Deadline: Rolling
Cost/Stipend: No cost; DSI Scholars are paid according to the NIH Intramural Research Training Award stipends, which are updated annually and based on education and experience.
Eligibility: Applicants must:
- Be at least 17 years of age by June 15, 2024.
- Be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident.
- Be enrolled at least half-time in an accredited U.S. college (including community college), university, or professional school (e.g., medical, dental, pharmacy)
OR
Be accepted into an accredited college, university, or professional program for fall 2024.
- Have a cumulative GPA of 3.2 or higher on a 4.0 scale.
4. National Institute of Standards and Technology Internships
The Summer High School Intern Program by NIST is ideal for students who are interested in STEM research. In this program, you gain the opportunity to participate in cutting-edge research at NIST and work closely with NIST staff scientists and engineers on a specific research topic. Students can choose to intern at one of these 6 NIST laboratories:
Communications Technology Lab
Engineering Lab
Information Technology Lab
Material Measurement Lab
NIST Center for Neutron Research
Physical Measurement Lab
If you are interested in AI, ML or data science, we recommend opting for the Information Technology Laboratory where you will help research to support the development and advancement of measurement science, standards infrastructure, and computer technology. For instance, your research activities could include digital data retrieval and preservation, bioinformatics, data mining, machine learning, information visualization, and image analysis.
Location: Varies from lab to lab.
Dates: June 17, 2024 - August 9, 2024
Application Deadline: February 9, 2024
Cost/Stipend: No participation cost (but students must cover housing and transportation costs); Unpaid.
Eligibility: Applicants must:
Be U.S. citizens
Be juniors or seniors in high school during the application period
Have a minimum GPA of 3.0
5. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) Scholars Program
The AFRL Scholars Program is a paid internship opportunity for academically motivated high school students who are interested in aerospace engineering. Scholars receive guidance from full-time AFRL scientists and engineers, tour AFRL laboratories and work on cutting-edge research and technology. Each mentor in the program is highly knowledgeable and you can find a list of mentors here.
While AFRL research topics are mainly centered around aerospace engineering, several research projects offer elements of AI, ML and data analysis where you will can build your foundational knowledge in the subjects.
Location: AFRL Scholar internship opportunities are offered at several locations across the United States depending on the program.
Dates: The dates vary for different programs.
Application Deadline: The applications typically close in January.
Cost/Stipend: No cost; weekly stipends are provided based on the education level of the students and the GS pay scale.
Eligibility: Applicants:
Must be a US Citizen
Must be enrolled or accepted at an educational institution taking at least a half-time academic course load leading to a degree or certificate for the semester immediately preceding the internship session.
Must have a grade point average of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale
Must be at least 16 years of age (by session application deadline) and have a valid Government ID
Must be available full-time (40 hours a week) and work in their physical offices over the summer.
6. George Mason University - NASA Data Science Analysis and Scholarly Research Paper Writing
The Young Scholars NASA Data Science Analysis and Research Paper Program offers you an engaging and authentic professional, cutting-edge research experience in NASA space data science and statistical analysis. You will engage in a comprehensive program delving into astronomy and space sciences through a combination of research projects and lectures. Working collaboratively on current NASA mission research, you will receive guidance on crafting professional-quality scholarly papers to enhance your research and communication skills.
During this program, you will be participating in a guided astronomy-based research project applying some of the following methods, including but not limited to:
Astronomy data analysis on NASA missions
Observational astronomy and statistical analysis.
Quantitative Research
Scientific methods of inference
Observational data collection and management
Statistical science inference
The private space revolution and its impact on astronomy and space policy
You can check the different software and data used for research - here.
Your research paper will be posted on the official George Mason University webpage see Schar School Young Scholars Journals page.
Location: Hybrid (primarily virtual, with in-person options at the GMU Fairfax Campus)
Dates: June 15, 2024 - August 16, 2024
Application Deadline: Available seats are on a first-come, first-served basis. (For the first 50 students)
Cost: The fees have not been mentioned (they have asked interested students to reach out to execed@gmu.edu for the free structure), however, they do mention that need-based scholarships are available.
Eligibility: Open to all high school students.
7. Microsoft’s High School Discovery Program
Microsoft’s High School Discovery Program offers an excellent opportunity for high school students curious about technology and AI to explore their potential applications at one of the world’s leading tech companies. During the 4-week internship, participants gain a comprehensive understanding of the product development design phase, engaging in hands-on experiences with innovative AI-powered solutions. Expert guidance from Microsoft AI engineers assists interns in honing their skills and exploring diverse career paths in the tech industry, both within and beyond Microsoft.
As an intern, you will explore various AI domains such as machine learning, natural language processing, and computer vision, acquiring both theoretical knowledge and practical skills in AI.
Location: Redmond, WA
Dates: 4 weeks, July - August (tentatively, based on previous years)
Application deadline: Applications typically close in March (tentatively, based on previous years)
Stipend: $20 per hour
Eligibility: Rising first-year students of a bachelor’s degree program (graduating high school seniors) that live within 50 miles of Redmond, Washington. Students must be at least 16 years old and have a legal right to work in the U.S. for the duration of the program.
8. HighTech Bound Summer Internship by the University of New Hampshire
The University of New Hampshire’s InterOperability Laboratory (IOL)’s annual summer internship program for high school students selects around 10 interns who work at IOL (a computer lab) under experienced mentors. Interns will work on advanced software technologies and hardware projects from companies like Dell, Apple, and Cisco.
Students can expect to work with technologies used in smart cars and internet devices while also participating in field trips to local tech companies. Interns will further earn 0.5 high school credits through the Virtual Learning Academy Charter School (VLACS). This experience provides hands-on training in network technologies and AI. Under expert mentorship, interns collaborate in an advanced computer lab, engaging in team-based projects aimed at innovating AI integration. Access to state-of-the-art software used by industry leaders like Apple, Dell, and Cisco ensures participation in cutting-edge AI research.
Location: University of New Hampshire campus laboratory, Durham, NH
Dates: June-August (4-6 weeks)
Application Deadline: February 29, 2024
Stipend: Provided at a competitive hourly rate (amount not specified)
Eligibility: Rising high school seniors who reside in the U.S.
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 - Ladder Internships Logo