10 Paid Computer Science Internships for High School Students
If you are a high school student in New York who is interested in pursuing computer science, you should definitely consider opting for an internship. Internships can provide you with adequate skills and practical experiences that enhance personal, academic, and career excellence. Moreover, they are an excellent add-on to any college application as they signal your ability to apply your theoretical knowledge to practical situations.
Another bonus of some internships is the stipend or wage that you can utilize for applying to university, or even to offset the cost of university as a whole! In this blog, we outline 9 paid computer science internships for high school students.
1. CUNY’s STEM Research Academy
Cost: No cost; stipend provided ($1,000 for 6 weeks)
Location: CUNY Campus
Application Deadline: While not specified, expect it to be in the fall.
Program Dates: Spring semester + 6 weeks in the summer.
Eligibility:
Be a NYC public high school sophomore or junior in good academic standing:
CUNY Eligibility Benchmarks (75+ ELA Regents and/or 80+ Math Regents)
Primarily high school juniors; however, it is open to all high school students.
The STEM RA program is an opportunity for NYC high school students to participate in a 2-semester program. The program's first section is a pre-college College Now science course in the spring, and the other half is the chance to conduct hands-on research with CUNY faculty in the summer.
The pre-college course will strengthen your basic research skills, such as formulating researchable questions, reading scientific literature, and more. An added bonus is that you will receive 2 college credits for the course!
Upon successful completion of this course, you can participate in a 6-week summer research experience with CUNY research faculty. Following this program’s completion, you can apply to participate in the New York City Science & Engineering Fair (NYCSEF)!
2. California Academy of Sciences - Careers in Science (CiS) Intern Program
Cost: No cost; stipend provided
Location: California Academy of Sciences
Application Deadline: April 1, 2025 (tentatively, based on previous year’s deadline)
Program Dates: Multi-year, year-round participation
Eligibility:
Open to freshmen or sophomores enrolled in San Francisco Unified School District schools
Maintain a GPA of 2.5 (Grade of C or higher in science and math)
The CiS Intern Program is targeted towards San Francisco students from underrepresented communities in the field of STEM. Through this internship, you can explore science and sustainability while also benefiting from mentorship opportunities and guidance in the college admission process!
Your role in this program will include conducting fieldwork outdoors and facilitating learning experiences for Academy visitors. As you advance through the program, you will also gain the opportunity to research environmental action!
Topics that have been previously covered are Python for scientific programming, astronomy, science communication, biomimicry, environmental justice, and California conservation. If you are interested in environmental engineering, the CiS program is a great opportunity!
Cost: No cost; salary of $16.20 provided.
Location: Fermilab site, Illinois.
Application Deadline: TBD
Program Dates: TBD
Eligibility:
Illinois high school enrollment.
Must be a sophomore or junior at the time of application.
Minimum of a 3.0 grade average.
Eligible to work in the United States.
Fermi National Accelerator Lab is managed by the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Sciences, which offers multiple research and internship opportunities for high school students. One of these is the TARGET program, a six-week summer internship opportunity for Illinois high school sophomores and juniors interested in engineering, physics, mathematics, and computer science. Each TARGET program cohort consists of approximately 15-25 interns.
In this internship, you will work with Fermilab scientists and engineers to conduct research and create content on Fermilab research. An example of a Fermilab project is Kentandu Cheidu, who interviewed her mentor (Lauren Biron) about the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment.
4. National Security Agency’s High School Work Study
Cost: No Cost; wage provided
Location: NSA-Fort Meade, Maryland
Application Deadline: Rolling Admissions
Program Dates: Throughout the year, September-June (20-32 hours a week)
Eligibility:
Must be eligible to be granted a security clearance.
Must be a U.S. citizen.
An unweighted GPA of 2.5 or higher is preferred.
Must have an interest and aptitude in business computing, office technology, or the Chinese language.
Must be a high school junior enrolled in either business, technical computer classes, printing/graphic arts or manufacturing classes, or Chinese language classes with plans to participate in a school-sponsored work experience program throughout your senior year.
Must be 16 years of age by December 31st of your junior year.
Must have reliable transportation to and from work.
The National Security Agency in Maryland offers a high school work-study program for students enrolled in technical computer classes. The NSA offers on-the-job training specific to your skill set, and you will gain work experience with the NSA, which is valuable for any college application!
If you’re interested in computer science - you should opt for the Computer Aide position. As a computer aide intern, you will operate the NSA’s data processing equipment for data collection.
5. Science and Engineering Apprenticeship Program (SEAP) - Department of Navy
Cost: No Cost + stipend of $4,000 (new participants) or $4,500 (for returning participants)
Location: Varies depending on lab choice
Application Deadline: November 1, 2025 (tentatively, based on previous year’s dates)
Program Dates: Varies from lab to lab (expect it to be conducted in the summer months).
Eligibility:
Open to rising Juniors and Seniors (at the time of the program).
Must have turned 16 years old by the start date of the program.
Must be a U.S. Citizen
Note: Eligibility changes based on lab to lab (with some labs changing the grade and age minimum and others opening the program for permanent residents and dual citizens).
If you are interested in conducting naval research and technology, you should look at the SEAP program by the Department of Navy (DoN). You can choose between the 30 labs spread over the country and will have the opportunity to conduct research of your choice while simultaneously being mentored by current DoN scientists and engineers! You can view the mentor list over here!
Your lab choice is based on your subject of interest. Computer Science is a popular area of research, so you will have the flexibility to choose labs all over the country!
6. University of New Hampshire’s High Tech Bound
Cost: No Cost, Stipend provided
Location: University of New Hampshire Campus
Application Deadline: February 29, 2025 (tentatively, based on previous year’s dates).
Program Dates: During summer, for 4-6 weeks.
Eligibility:
Open to rising seniors who are U.S. residents.
High Tech Bounce by the University of New Hampshire is a 4-6 week summer internship for rising seniors to experience network technologies in a real-world environment.
As an intern, you will work in the computer laboratory with mentors on software and hardware projects from companies such as Apple, Dell, and Cisco. Apart from the internship itself, you will also benefit from field trips to high-tech companies where you can see first-hand how engineers develop their latest products and software while benefiting from their expertise.
While the actual projects you will work on are not specified, you will work with technology used in smart cars, internet decisions, and concert stadiums! Some projects by previous interns include rebuilding a Java-based test tool (IOL INTERACT) on Python, creating CnC validation tests in the EmBase working group, and creating License Tracking Software.
7. Syracuse University Engineering and Computer Science Research Internship
Cost: No cost; stipend provided
Location: Greater Syracuse Area
Application Deadline: While the dates for the next cohort have not been announced, expect the deadline to be 2 months before the internship.
Program Dates: 6 weeks during the summer months
Eligibility:
Be a rising senior in the Greater Syracuse area.
Be in good academic standing.
Syracuse University offers a 6-week, non-residential summer internship for rising seniors in the greater Syracuse area. Interns are exposed to advanced engineering and computer science research by participating in laboratory safety training, learning college-level research techniques, and displaying and presenting data in a poster format.
In the program, you will participate in a university-level research project while receiving mentoring from SU research faculty and graduate and undergraduate students. The program culminates with you presenting your research at a symposium with other high school and undergraduate research interns!
8. Air Force Research Laboratory Scholars Program
Cost: No Cost + stipend provided ($468.80/week)
Location: Varies based on the program
Application Deadline: January (based on previous years)
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:
Upper High School Student (Over 16 years old)
Must be a U.S. Citizen
Have a minimum of a 3.0 GPA.
Must be available full-time (40 hours a week) and work in their physical offices over the summer.
Another internship, if you’re interested in computer science or engineering, is the AFRL program. This is a paid internship opportunity for upper-level high school students, where you will receive guidance from AFRL scientists and work on cutting-edge research!
Each mentor in the program is highly knowledgeable, and you can find a list of mentors here. The topics in the AFRL program are centered around aerospace/ mechanical design and complex electromagnetic structures; however, some projects involve computer science!
9. The Intern Project Summer Internship
Cost: No Cost + stipend provided
Location: Virtual
Application Deadline: March 25, 2025 (tentatively, based on previous year’s dates).
Program Dates: June 14, 2025 - August 4, 2025 (tentatively, based on the previous year’s dates).
Eligibility:
Open to students completing their sophomore, junior, or senior.
Must study in an LA County high school.
Must have a record of high academic achievement, consistent attendance, knowledge, and use of social media.
The Intern Project offers students from LA County the chance to participate in paid, virtual 4-week (or more) internships during the summer. They offer internships in numerous fields, including engineering and tech, business, healthcare and medical technology, philanthropy/government/non-profit, and more!
Although your responsibilities are not specified (especially as they depend on the company you are matched with), expect to apply all the theoretical knowledge you’ve learned in practical situations. TIP has specified that matching internships depend on your skills, career interests, and the company’s requirements and values!
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!
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