25 Biology Internships for High School Students in 2023
Many high schoolers aspire to careers in biology as lab researchers, physicians, or naturalists. Nowadays, there are ample opportunities for high school students to explore these career paths well before college and even use their experiences to clarify their college prospects.
This blog post will go over 25 different internship opportunities across different areas of biology to give you a sense of the breadth of options available to high school students in a variety of biological fields. For students specifically interested in biomedical opportunities or premed activities, see our blog post on medical internships for high schoolers.
Also, to learn more about how computer science and artificial intelligence can serve as powerful tools for biological research, check out some of the featured projects from InspiritAI’s AI Scholars Program, including projects on COVID-19 genomics and mental health. InspiritAI has strong programs both in AI + Biology and AI + Healthcare. Now without further ado…
25 Biology Internships for High School Students
1. Introductory College Level Experience in Microbiology (ICLEM)
Hosted by the Joint BioEnergy Institute (JBEI) of the U.S. Department of Energy, iCLEM is a paid summer science intensive for economically disadvantaged high school sophomores and juniors in Alameda, Contra Costa, and San Francisco Counties. The program seeks to broaden students’ understanding of biotechnology, microbiology, and biofuels. In addition to completing a research project, the program exposes students to career to career exploration and preparation for the college application process.
2. Biotech Academy
A partner of JBEI, Biotech Partners organizes 6-8 week paid summer internships for high school students interested in exploring biotechnology at Berkeley, Oakland Tech, Antioch, and San Marin. Biotech Academy includes academic curriculum and hands-on lab training designed to give students the knowledge and skills necessary to gain access to careers in biotechnology. Students receive tutoring in science and study skills, resumé writing and job interview workshops, and talks from industry professionals and university researchers.
Upon completion of the Biotech Academy Program, students are eligible to enroll in the Bioscience Career Institute. BCI is a two-year program consisting of a year-long biotech job and courses which lead to a certificate of achievement in bioscience.
3. Wave Hill Youth Internships
Wave Hill provides paid youth internship programs that prepare high school students for future studies and careers related to community engagement, environmental stewardship and education. Students can participate in a year-long paid internship as arts, community and environmental stewards; in a summer internship in ecological restoration and urban ecology; or in a 14-month woodland ecology research mentorship.
4. Student Conservation Association (SCA) Youth Programs
By joining an SCA crew, high school students can plug themselves into a nationwide network of young conservationists. SCA offers a range of programs from the community to national level, through which students will build community, work on park restoration, develop leadership skills and prepare for a career in conservation.
5. Hutton Junior Fisheries Biology Program
Sponsored by the American Fisheries Society, the Hutton Junior Fisheries Biology Program is an eight-week paid summer internship and mentoring program for high school students, intended to stimulate interest in aquatic science among underrepresented groups. Participating students receive a $3,000 stipend and an all expense paid trip to the Hutton Scholars Summit.
6. Oregon Health and Science University(OHSU) Volunteer Opportunities in Research
OHSU is Oregon’s only academic health center, with breakthrough research leading to new cures, new standards of care, and a better understanding of the basic science that drives biomedical discovery. The university offers volunteer opportunities such as clinical research in pulmonary and critical care & sleep medicine, novel interventions in children’s healthcare, and solid tumor and hematological malignancies clinical trials.
7. Linking Individuals to their Natural Community (LINC) Summer High School Program
This six-week program for high school students is focused on service learning and conservation in local communities and parklands. Projects and activities vary week by week and may include habitat restoration, career development, leadership workshop, iNaturalist practice, and technical job skills, among others. At the conclusion of the program, all participants receive up to a $2300 education award.
8. United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Student Intern Program
Student employees with the USDA gain valuable professional experience as assistants in scientific, professional, technical, and/or administrative areas. Internships can be paid or unpaid, giving students insight into future careers with USDA. Every year USDA employs thousands of students nationwide throughout 7 mission areas, 19 agencies, and 16 administrative offices.
9. Brooklyn Botanic Garden Apprentice Program
The Garden Apprentice Program (GAP) at Brooklyn Botanic Garden is a great way for teens to learn about agriculture and the environment. Apprentices can work their way up a four-tier program from 8th-12th grade as they develop job skills, facilitate lessons to teach children, and learn about botany and environmentalism. Students make a nine-month commitment to GAP, from March to November, which includes spring training, summer programming, and a weekly commitment throughout the spring and fall.
10. Marine Advanced Technology Education (MATE) Internships
The MATE Center is a national partnership of organizations working to improve marine technical education and to prepare high school students for ocean occupations. Internships vary from locations such as Santa Catalina Island, CA and Wallops Island, VA to Key West, FL and South Bimini, Bahamas.
11. Iowa State University George Washington Carver Internship Program
The George Washington Carver Summer Research Internship Program promotes “science with practice” by exposing interns to research opportunities under the direction of College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) research faculty members. The internship program seeks to bridge the gap between lack of access to technology/information and opportunities to engage in experiential learning.
Projects and research activities are available in a wide range of disciplines including agricultural engineering, agronomy, animal science, molecular biology, genetics, horticulture, microbiology and sociology.
12. Cornell Boyce Thompson Institute (BTI) High School Research Internships
Currently, BTI offers internship positions to students interested in plant science research and computational biology. Positions require no prior lab experience and accepted students join an international community of scientists and attend seminars and workshops to learn from mentors in their fields of study. Selected students will have at least one research mentor and work alongside their mentors to complete a pre-determined project appropriate for the six-week program.
13. Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC) Citizen Science Projects
SERC seeks to actively involve citizen scientists in such projects as the Chesapeake Bay Otter Alliance, Chesapeake Bay Parasite Project, and Salt Marsh Census. Other seasonal projects include Bluebird Monitoring, Project Owlnet, and River Herring Conservation. Check out other past and current projects at the website linked above.
14. UC Davis Young Scholars Program
The summer program at UC Davis is a residential research program designed to expose approximately 40 high-achieving high school students to the world of original research within the fields of the biological, agricultural, environmental, and natural sciences. Participants work one-on-one with research faculty in state of the art laboratories for six weeks.
Each student will work on an individual project and prepare a journal quality paper and symposium presentation about their work. Participating high school students will also receive five units of university group study credit.
15. UC Santa Barbara Research Mentorship Program
Students in the Research Mentorship Program are paired up with a graduate student, postdoc, or faculty and choose a research project from a large list of disciplines including biology, engineering, and astrophysics. In addition to forging a deep relationship with their mentor, high schoolers will spend the seven-week program learning research techniques, gaining insight into professional research-based opportunities, and maturing their academic goals.
16. Roswell Park Summer Cancer Research Experience Program
High school juniors will receive classroom instruction on cancer basics, seminars with invited speakers, and professional development opportunities in addition to conducting an independent research project. Applicants can rank their preferred field of focus among such options as biostatistics, cancer genetics, epidemiology, and tumor immunology.
Previous Roswell Park summer program researchers have studied topics like “Dissecting the Neural-Vascular link in Head and Neck Cancer” and “The Role of Heat Shock Protein in Prostate Cancer Progression.”
17. Rockefeller University Summer Science Research Program (SSRP)
SSRP is a mentored biomedical research program for current high school juniors and seniors to design and conduct their own research project as part of a themed research track. Research tracks include topics such as RNA Virus Discovery and Bioinformatics, Coronavirus Immune Response, and Ant Social Biology. As SSRP scholars, high schoolers should expect to spend up to 35 hours per week (M-F) for seven weeks engaging in the scientific process.
18. Idaho National Laboratory (INL) Internships
As a Department of Energy facility, INL offers a diverse array of paid internship positions to high school students. The INL headquarters building is located in Idaho Falls, Idaho––area attractions include Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks and Craters of the Moon National Monument. Internships include a nationally competitive wage based on the number of credits completed.
19. Hofstra University Summer Science Research Program (HUSSRP)
For more than 15 years, HUSSRP has provided selected research-oriented high school students the opportunity to work with Hofstra science faculty during the summer in an on-campus research program. The program culminates in a poster session in the fall in which students display their summer research. Students are selected for this program based on their academic qualifications and the availability of research mentors in their area of interest.
20. George Mason University Aspiring Scientists Summer Internship Program (ASSIP)
The nationally known ASSIP provides transformative research opportunities for high school students. Selected participants work one-on-one with faculty researchers at George Mason University using state-of-the-art technology across many disciplines. As part of the 8-week, full-time internship, students will develop scientific writing and communication skills and explore STEM career choices through discussion forums.
21. Exploratorium High School Explainers
High School Explainers, the Exploratorium’s youngest employees, are a diverse group of students who engage visitors at exhibits, lead demonstrations, and run museum operations. Three groups of High School Explainers fill over 130 paid positions a year. For many students, the work-based learning program is a first-time work experience.
22. National Science Foundation (NSF) Pathways Program
The internship program at the NSF is for current high school students to explore paid opportunities in federal careers while completing their education. Interns may work either part or full-time. Interns on indefinite appointments may be converted to a permanent position within 120 days of successful completion of the program, though conversion is not guaranteed.
23. Monell Science Apprenticeship Program
The Monell Center’s mission in the apprenticeship program is to stimulate an interest in biomedical science, particularly in groups typically underrepresented in science. The program is consistently listed in the 50 best pre-college summer science programs for high school students.
The current summer program includes at least seven weeks of paid full-time structured research activity with a Monell scientist, a public conference where apprentices present their research, and enrichment activities including lectures, public speaking, and ethical principles guiding human and animal research.
24. Los Alamos National Laboratory High School Internship Program
Qualified northern New Mexico high school seniors are invited to participate in this program to gain work experience and conduct research in either theoretical biology and biophysics or biosecurity and public health. Students in the theoretical biology division will work on developing epidemiological models of disease transmission focused on fitting COVID-19 data. Interns in the biosecurity division will participate in an experimental biology project requiring preparation of microbiological media.
25. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) Internships
During the academic year, PNNL offers internships to high school students interested in research. High school research interns receive mentorship in a laboratory setting from PNNL scientists and engineers. PNNL offers elective credits through work-based learning programs at students’ schools.
The Summer Research Apprenticeship and Young Women in Science summer programs last 10 weeks and give students interested in STEM fields opportunities to conduct laboratory research with PNNL mentors.
