12 Biomedical Engineering Internships for High School Students
If you're a high school student curious about biomedical engineering, internships are an invaluable opportunity to gain industry exposure, develop practical skills, and connect with experts in the field. Many prestigious organizations across the country offer these internships, providing firsthand insight into cutting-edge healthcare technology and research.
These programs not only deepen your understanding of biomedical engineering but also serve as stepping stones for future opportunities in a rewarding career. Additionally, some internships offer stipends, allowing you to earn while you learn. To make your search easier, we’ve curated a list of 12 biomedical engineering internships for high school students.
Location: John Hopkins School of Medicine, Homewood Campus, Baltimore, MD.
Stipend: A one-time stipend is available to a subset of ISPEED participants based on financial need and individual household circumstances.
Eligibility: High school sophomores and juniors who are at least 15 years old at the start of the program are eligible to apply.
Application deadline: February 28.
Program dates: June 30 – July 25.
ISPEED is a four-week residential summer program designed to equip high school students with practical STEM skills through hands-on learning, research, and presentations. You'll gain real-world experience in biology and life sciences research at the Cell & Tissue Engineering lab, as well as healthcare design projects in the BME Design Studio.
The program also includes training in computer programming, machine learning, and scientific computing. Students also have the opportunity to network with faculty and like-minded peers while learning about the college admission process.
2. Veritas AI
Location: Virtual.
Cost: $2,290 for the 10-week AI Scholars program | $5,400 for the 15-week AI Fellowship with Publication & Showcase | $6,900 for both. Need-based financial aid is available for AI Scholars. You can apply here.
Eligibility: Ambitious high school students located anywhere in the world. AI Fellowship applicants should either have completed the AI Scholars program or exhibit experience with AI concepts or Python.
Application deadline: On a rolling basis. Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September) and Winter (November).
Program dates: Multiple 12-15-week cohorts throughout the year, including spring, summer, fall, and winter.
Founded and run by Harvard graduates, Veritas AI offers multiple programs for high school students keen on exploring artificial intelligence. If you are looking for AI, ML, and data science, the AI Scholars program would be the correct fit. The 10-session boot camp introduces the selected students to the fundamentals of AI & data science while working on real-world projects.
Another option for more advanced students is the AI Fellowship with Publication & Showcase. During this program, you work 1-on-1 with mentors from top universities on a unique, individual project. You’ll also have access to the in-house publication team that helps you secure publications in high school research journals. Check out examples of past projects here.
3. Stanford Institutes of Medicine Summer Research Program - Bioengineering
Location: Stanford University, Stanford, CA.
Stipend: Interns receive a stipend between $500 to $1500.
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors who are at least 16 years old and from the Bay Area are eligible to apply. Students outside of the Bay Area will need to provide a local family member’s name and address.
Application deadline: February 24.
Program dates: June 9 – July 31.
The Stanford Institute of Medicine Summer Research Program (SIMR) is an eight-week internship within the Institutes of Medicine and select university departments. One of the available research tracks is bioengineering, where you will work in teams of four to five on a real-world biomedical design project addressing a medical need.
Under the guidance of graduate students, interns practice engineering and critical thinking skills by developing solutions, evaluating technical pros and cons, building prototypes, and testing key aspects of their designs. In addition to project work, the program includes lectures and workshops on topics such as protein engineering and brain-machine interfaces. The program culminates in a poster session where each team presents its innovative prototype.
Location: Remote! You can work from anywhere in the world.
Cost: Starting at $2,490. Financial aid is available.
Eligibility: Students who can work for 10-20 hours/week, for 8-12 weeks are eligible to apply. Open to high school students, undergraduates, and gap year students!
Application deadline: Deadlines vary depending on the cohort. Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September) and Winter (November).
Program dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year, including Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter.
Ladder Internships is a selective virtual internship program that pairs ambitious high school students with a high-growth start-up. The companies that offer internships range across a variety of industries, from biomedical engineering, tech/deep tech, and AI/ML to health tech, marketing, journalism, consulting, and more. You can find all the options here on the application form. During the 8-week program, you work closely with the startup’s managers and a Ladder coach on a real-world project, which is presented at the end to the company.
5. HiSTEP – High School Scientific Training and Enrichment Program
Location: National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD.
Stipend: $2,530.
Eligibility: High school juniors who are at least 17 years old by June 1, have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher, attend a school where 30% or more of the student body participates in the Federal Free and Reduced Lunch Program, and live in Washington DC, Maryland, or Virginia within 40 miles of the main NIH campus in Bethesda, Maryland are eligible to apply.
Application deadline: January.
Program dates: July 7 - August 7.
The National Institutes of Health’s HiSTEP program offers high school juniors an opportunity to explore biomedical research, the scope of the scientific enterprise, and various STEM careers. You will conduct hands-on science experiments in laboratory settings while learning foundational science skills, research methodologies, and insights into healthcare careers.
The program includes lectures, research group visits, networking events, group discussions, and projects that provide a deeper understanding of the roles played by healthcare professionals, scientists, and public health experts. Additionally, you will attend resilience and well-being sessions that help prepare you for college, offering guidance on the application process and career readiness.
6. University of Minnesota - BME High School Internship Program
Location: University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN.
Stipend: Interns receive a stipend.
Eligibility: Rising high school seniors who are at least 16 years old at the start of the program are eligible to apply.
Application deadline: There is no information available.
Program dates: June 24 - August 1.
The BME High School Internship Program is a six-week paid internship in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Minnesota. It offers rising high school seniors valuable hands-on research experience under the guidance of faculty members, graduate students, and industry professionals.
You will gain exposure to scientific writing and effective communication while touring research labs, including the Visible Heart Lab. The program concludes with a poster session where you will present your research findings to family, friends, and peers.
7. Harvard Medical School - Project Success
Location: Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA.
Stipend: Interns receive a stipend.
Eligibility: High school students who have completed their junior or senior year, are at least 16 years old at the start of the program, have a minimum GPA of 2.70, and reside in Boston or Cambridge are eligible to apply. Preference will be given to students from a racial or ethnic background underrepresented in medicine and/or from a disadvantaged background.
Application deadline: February 3.
Program dates: June 30 – August 15.
Harvard Medical School’s Project Success is a six-week paid internship program that places high school students in research labs at Harvard Medical School or affiliated institutions. During the program, you will attend seminars with researchers and physicians, visit hospitals and biotechnology companies, develop writing and speaking skills, and receive computer training.
Each student is paired with a mentor who provides career guidance and research support. The program also offers networking opportunities with students from other Harvard summer programs.
8. University of Arizona - KEYS Research Internship
Location: The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ. Virtual internships are available for a limited number of students.
Stipend: Unpaid.
Eligibility: High school students who are at least 16 years old at the start of the program are eligible to apply. Students must be US citizens or legal residents with a minimum of 1 year of Arizona residency.
Application deadline: January.
Program dates: June 2 – July 18.
The Keep Engaging Youth in Science (KEYS) Research Internship at the BIO5 Institute trains high school students in bioscience methodology and research techniques through real-world projects. Prior to the internship, you will complete science literacy, data science, and biotechnology assignments between April and June. The first week of the program includes an intensive crash course that applies these foundational concepts.
During the remaining weeks, you will work with university researchers on interdisciplinary projects and attend weekly faculty-led seminars and networking events. The internship concludes with a research showcase where you will present your findings to family, friends, and the academic community.
9. Oregon Health & Science University - Fluorescence Molecular Imaging Internship Program
Location: Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR.
Stipend: The first summer is unpaid. Successful interns may be invited back for a paid position the following year.
Eligibility: High school students are eligible to apply.
Application deadline: March 15.
Program dates: Flexible start and end dates. Internship typically runs for a minimum of 10 weeks.
The Fluorescence Molecular Imaging Internship Program, conducted at the Gibbs Lab of Oregon Health and Science University, offers high school students a hands-on learning experience in developing novel contrast agents to enhance imaging technologies. This highly selective internship accepts only 6-8 students per year who learn about cell culture, spectroscopy, fluorescence microscope, immune staining, and antibody conjugation, among others.
10. Boston University - RISE Internship Track
Location: Boston University, Boston, MA.
Cost: Residential: $8,940 - $9,246 | Commuter: $5,820. Limited need-based financial aid is available.
Eligibility: Rising high school seniors who are US citizens or permanent legal residents are eligible to apply.
Application deadline: February 14.
Program dates: Residential: June 29 – August 8 | Commuter: June 30 – August 8.
Boston University’s RISE program offers rising high school seniors six weeks in its research laboratories, advancing their STEM knowledge and skills. You can choose from 15 different subject areas, including biomedical engineering, and work full-time on research projects under the mentorship of faculty, postdoctoral fellows, and graduate students.
You will gain technical and analytical skills while developing a deeper understanding of the scientific process. The program also includes weekly workshops designed to build academic and professional skills. The internship concludes with a poster symposium where you present your research findings.
11. Washington University - The Young Scientist Program (YSP) Summer Focus
Location: Washington University, St. Louis, MO.
Stipend: $4,500.
Eligibility: High school juniors in the Greater St. Louis area, Missouri and Illinois, are eligible to apply.
Application deadline: January 27.
Program dates: June 2 – July 25.
The YSP Summer Focus program provides high school students with an opportunity to conduct intensive biomedical research, including biomedical engineering, under the mentorship of university scientists. Each intern is paired with a mentor to work on a research project and a tutor to guide them through the background knowledge necessary for their studies.
You will take two courses: a writing course that teaches how to read and critique scientific literature, improve research writing skills, and communicate complex scientific findings, and the NextUp course, which prepares you for college applications, standardized tests, career exploration, and financial aid navigation. The program concludes with a symposium where you present your research findings.
12. Short-Term Research Experience Program to Unlock Potential (STEP-UP)
Location: Students work with their coordinating center to identify and secure a research institution.
Stipend: $2,500. Stipend amount varies by location.
Eligibility: High school juniors or seniors who are at least 16 years old, and are a U.S. citizen, a non-citizen national, or a legal permanent resident are eligible to apply.
Application deadline: February 15.
Program dates: The start dates are determined by your coordinating center and research mentor, and should be no later than June 6 with a minimum of 8 weeks of research experience.
The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) offers the STEP-UP program, a paid summer research opportunity open to high school students across the country. You can select research areas ranging from biomedical engineering to public health. Once accepted, you will identify a research mentor and location, which can be a local college, hospital, private research lab, or a well-known institution.
Following an online training course, you will conduct research full-time for eight to ten weeks under the guidance of your mentor. The program concludes with a virtual symposium where students present their findings. A nine-month post-program mentorship is also provided to support students in their academic and career pursuits.
Image source - Harvard logo