Best Paid & Free Engineering Internships for High School Students

Engineering Internships for high school students help them gain work experience and build their careers. Besides, it is a great tool for those students interested in a Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering. As a high school student taking an engineering internship will make it easier for you to get accepted into any job or college you apply to. In this article, we will discuss different engineering Internships for high school students, their eligibility criteria, and application procedures.

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Engineering Internships for High School Students

Although most engineering internships are only for undergraduate students or graduate school students, there are some for high school students. Whether it is an online or in-person internship, it can go a long way in building your profession.

Starting an internship in high school will give you an experience and skills in engineering and help to strengthen your resume. Many of these internships assign you to a mentor who will guide you on the path to your career. If you are a high school student, below is a list of engineering internships that you should consider.

Summer Engineering Internships for High School Students

Whatever branch of engineering you are interested in, you can take an internship during your summer holidays. During summer, you can do your internship without having to worry about your academic work. Some of these summer internships even pay you for being a participant. Below are some summer engineering internships for high schoolers.

NASA Internship Program at Langley Research Center

NASA Internships, Fellowships & Scholarships offers an internship program for high school students at Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia. This scholarship is for those interested in aerospace engineering.

Some of the research topics of the internship are Statistical Engineering, Public Affairs Multimedia, Space Hardware Design Testing, and lots more. To participate in this program, you must be at least 16 years of age and a full-time high school student. Asides from those, you must hold a:

S. citizenship.
A Grade Point Average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.
Be a high school sophomore at the time of the internship.
Letter of recommendation.

The program lasts for 8-10 weeks and you get paid for participating. You can find out more about the NASA Internship Program at Langley Research Center at the official website at https://www.nasa.gov/langley/education/internships.

Boston University’s Research in Science & Engineering Program

Boston University’s Research in Science & Engineering Program is an internship program for engineering students that assigns them to a mentor. For 6 weeks, the student and his/her mentor will do research for 40 hours a week in a BU’s laboratory.

Also, these weekly workshops will cover topics on how to write a research paper and STEM community networking. At the end of the program, the student will do a presentation. Find out more at the website at https://www.bu.edu/summer/high-school-programs/?utm_campaign=mysummer&utm_medium=online&utm_.

Boyce Thompson Institute High School Internship

Boyce Thompson Institute High School Internship is a seven-week internship program in genome research, bioinformatics, and science communications. To participate, you must be:

A resident of the Ithaca region or surrounding counties.
A graduating senior.
16 years old or older at the time of the internship.

Find out more about the application procedure at https://btiscience.org/education-outreach/high-school-research-internships.

Software Engineering Internships For High School Students

Are you interested in pursuing a career in software engineering? If yes, you should check out the internship programs below.

Google Computer Science Summer Institute (CSSI)

The Computer Science Summer Institute (CSSI) is a four-week internship program that gives students an introduction to computer science. It aims at connecting historically excluded students with the skills, confidence, and agency to thrive in the tech industry.

The CSSI includes a project-based curriculum, developmental workshops, interaction with Google engineers, and an insight into Google’s internship programs. To be an eligible applicant, you must:

Have a computer.
Complete the application and required essays.
Be a full-time student in a 4-year BA/BS program in the US or Canada.
Be able to participate in the virtual program from the US, Canada, or Mexico.
Exhibit an interest in studying computer science.

As of 11^th of September, 2022, applications for the CSSI are currently closed. However, you can visit the CSSI website at https://buildyourfuture.withgoogle.com/programs/computer-science-summer-institute from time to time to find out when applications will reopen.

Research in Science & Engineering (RISE) Internship

The Boston University’s RISE Internship is a 6-week program designed for high school seniors who are interested in science courses. It covers 40 hours per week of research with faculty mentors. Once a week, RISE students come together for workshops. To apply, you must be a coed between the ages of 15 and 18. It also requires a minimum cost of $3000. You can view the website at https://www.bu.edu/summer/high-school-programs/rise-internship-practicum/internship-track?utm.

Anson L. Clark Scholars Program

The Anson L. Clark Scholars Program is a seven-week summer research program for 12 eligible high school juniors and seniors. It is a program that does not require payment of fees. It is designed to give scholars an experience in practical research.

Scholars will be given a $500 meal card in addition to a room and board. Also, fun activities such as weekly seminars and field trips are included. It offers research in all academic areas. At the end of the program, scholars will be given a $750 tax-free stipend. Applicants must be:

At least 16 years old.
High school seniors.

As of 11^th September 2022, applications for the program are closed. You can visit the Anson L. Clark Scholars Program portal at https://www.depts.ttu.edu/honors/academicsandenrichment/affiliatedandhighschool/clarks/ to learn more.

Biomedical Engineering Internships for High School Students

Several institutions offer summer internship programs for high school students interested in biomedical research. Are you interested in biomedical engineering and want to do an internship before the main course? Then, you should read about the internship programs below:

National Institutes of Health Summer Internship Program (SIP)

The National Institutes of Health Summer Internship Program (SIP) is an 8-week biomedical research program. Interns undergo research supervised by top biomedical scientists. All interns must complete an orientation before joining their research groups.

There are three dates for the orientation: June 13^th, 20^th, and 27^th, 2022. The NIH’s SIP features career/professional development workshops, college readiness events, health programming, and Summer Poster Day. To be considered for the program you must be:

17 years of age or older by June 15, 2022.
A high school junior or senior at the time of application.
A U.S. citizen or permanent resident.

Candidates can apply online via the website at https://www.training.nih.gov/programs/hs-sip.

Stanford Institute of Medical Research (SIMR) Bioengineering Internship

Stanford University offers an 8-week internship program for high school students. It includes a four-day-per-week Bioengineering Bootcamp for an 8-week duration. Also, it enables students to participate in research, attend preliminary lectures and present their work at a poster session open to the Stanford community.

It does not require any fees to participate. Interns earn at least a $500 stipend. Learn more at https://simr.stanford.edu/.

George Washington University Summer Immersion Program

George Washington University Summer Immersion Program is an academic course for high school students with limited laboratory experience. It teaches students biomedical laboratory skills and techniques. Before you can get a position in this program, you must have completed:

Algebra 1 with a letter grade of B or better.
Biology with a letter grade of B or better.

Visit the website at https://bls.smhs.gwu.edu/programs/summer-immersion-program/high-school-application to learn more.

Paid Engineering Internships for High School Students

Are you interested in partaking in an internship program that pays you to participate? You can take a look at these paid engineering internships for high school students.

Air Force Research Laboratory Scholars Program

The Air Force Research Laboratory Scholars Program is an internship program for high school students that covers all areas of engineering. It takes place at all locations of the Air Force Research Laboratory and varies in duration based on the area of interest. Scholars are opportune to receive training from experienced engineers and mentors.

The Air Force Research Laboratory Scholars Program also pays stipends to scholars. As of 11^th of September, 2022, the application for the program is closed. However, applications will reopen in late February. You can find out more about this program at the website at https://afrlscholars.usra.edu/.

Idaho National Laboratory Student Internships

The Idaho National Laboratory Student Internships is a 6-week internship program that takes place in Idaho Falls ID, USA. It is a paid internship program that focuses on nuclear energy, renewable energy, and national security. Interns undergo training at the INL lab.

Although the program does not offer a house, students earn $3,500 at the end of the program. If they decide to go for another internship at INL for the second time, their pay will be raised to $4,000. More about this program, including eligibility and application procedure, can be found on the INL website at https://inl.gov/inl-initiatives/education/internships/.

Office of Naval Research’s Science and Engineering Apprentice Program (SEAP)

Office of Naval Research’s Science and Engineering Apprentice Program (SEAP) is a summer internship program for high school students. SEAP interns are opportune to learn from top scientists and engineers. The internship has a period of eight weeks (with the likelihood of extending up to two extra weeks).

The stipends given will be determined by the number of years the student participates in SEAP and will be paid bi-weekly through direct deposit. A new participant will receive $4,000 while a returning participant will get $4,500. To apply for this program, you must be:

A US citizen.
A high school student who has at least completed Grade 9 or is a graduating senior.
16 years of age or older at the time of the internship.

Applications for the Office of Naval Research’s Science and Engineering Apprentice Program (SEAP) will close on the 1^st of November, 2022. Visit the website at https://navalsteminterns.us/seap/ to apply now.

Frequently Asked Questions

Below are some frequently asked questions about Engineering Internships for High School students

What is the Best Internship for Engineering Students?

There are so many internships available for Engineering students and it’s hard to tell which one is the best. Some of these internships include Technical Intern at Intel, an Internship opportunity at Honeywell, a Software Engineering intern at Salesforce, etc. Some of these programs are paid while some are not.

Is Internship Good for Students?

Yes, going for an internship as a student is very essential. It helps you gain experience in your field of study. In addition to this, you have a better chance of getting a good job offers when you apply. It also gives you an experience of different working environments.

How do I Get an internship?

It’s not hard getting an internship as a student. You need to first identify what you are interested in. After this, you can reach out to friends if there are any opportunities available for you. Also, make use of online resources, go through the opportunities you have, and apply.

Is Internship Good for Sophomore Students?

Yes, as a sophomore student, you should apply for an internship. It gives you job and research experience. It also helps you to build the right career goals and create the right connections with people. Lastly, getting an internship helps you build a good work resume and you earn references and ex-communication.