In high school, summers often feel like a pause button on academics. But they can be much more than just time off. Finance internships in NYC for high school students offer a powerful way to explore real-world interests, build practical skills, and step outside the classroom in ways school usually doesn’t allow, especially within a fast-paced, opportunity-rich field.

Now imagine learning how money moves in one of the world’s biggest financial hubs. You can explore investing, banking, economics, or financial analysis while seeing how these concepts play out in real businesses. You also gain the benefit of professional mentorship, workplace experience, and a clearer sense of whether this field is something you want to pursue long-term.

Even if you already live in or near NYC, these opportunities can still be incredibly valuable. You will meet peers who share your interests, gain insight into competitive career paths, and experience what professional life looks like in college-level or industry settings.

What kinds of finance internships in NYC for high school students are there?

Finding a meaningful finance internship as a high school student can feel overwhelming. Some programs may sound impressive but offer little hands-on learning. That’s why knowing what kinds of opportunities exist and how they differ really matters.

In NYC, finance internships for high school students come in several forms. Some are hosted by banks, investment firms, or financial institutions and focus on core concepts like markets, budgeting, and financial modeling. Others are offered through nonprofits, universities, or summer institutes, blending finance education with mentorship, workshops, and real-world projects. 

To prepare for these internships, you might want to build your skills through finance summer programs for high school students.

To make the search easier, we’ve put together a curated list of 15 Finance Internships in NYC for high school students. These are selected for their learning value, credibility, and student impact.

15 Finance Internships in NYC for High School Students 

1. Futures and Options Internship Program

Location: Interns are placed with organisations across NYC
Cost/Stipend: Paid internship
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive
Dates: 6-week summer session
Application Deadline: Varies by year
Eligibility: High school students in NYC aged 16-19 

The Futures and Options Internship Program is one of the most established finance internships in NYC for high school students, connecting you with meaningful, paid work in real business environments, nonprofit organizations, and government agencies. Alongside your placement, you complete orientations and weekly professional development workshops that build skills in communication, financial literacy, interviewing, and resume writing.

During the internship, you’ll work between 20 and 30 hours each week, gaining hands-on exposure to workplace expectations and networking with professionals. The program also includes career exploration, field trips, and dedicated mentoring from Futures and Options staff who help match you with placements that fit your interests. 

Why it stands out: You’ll gain paid, on-the-job experience in NYC while building professional skills and networks that last beyond the summer.

2. Immerse Education’s Banking & Finance summer school

Location: Barnard College, Columbia University, NYC
Cost/Stipend: Varies; summer school scholarship available through their bursary programme
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Small class sizes; an average of 7 participants per class
Dates: 2 weeks during the summer
Application Deadline: Varies by session
Eligibility: High school students aged 15–18; international students welcome

Immerse Education’s Banking & Finance Summer School gives you a two-week, immersive look at financial markets, investment strategies, and banking operations from inside one of the world’s most dynamic financial cities. You’ll attend interactive workshops, expert-led seminars, and simulations that build your analytical and problem-solving skills while exploring topics like financial analysis and regulatory frameworks.

Small class sizes and personalised mentoring help you connect with both peers and instructors, making complex concepts easier to grasp and more engaging. Completing the programme earns you a Certificate of Achievement, which you can include on your academic profile. The program also includes in-person weekly 1:1 career coaching sessions and sessions where you will receive personalized feedback on your resume and overall profile. You’ll also present your findings to industry experts at the end of the program. You can find more details about the application here!

Why it stands out: You’ll explore real financial concepts in a small-group learning environment while gaining experience in both classroom work and career skills that matter to future internships and business studies.

3. Finance Institute: Wall Street in the Classroom 

Location: Fordham University Gabelli School of Business, Rose Hill Campus, Bronx, NY
Cost/Stipend: $1,300 total ($100 non-refundable deposit + $1,200 program fee)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: July 6th – July 10th
Application Deadline: Priority consideration for applications received by April 1st
Eligibility: High school students; international students can attend virtually

The Finance Institute: Wall Street in the Classroom offers a concentrated, five-day introduction to financial markets and Wall Street fundamentals at Fordham’s Gabelli School of Business. You’ll learn from experienced instructors how financial markets operate, how securities are traded, how valuation works, and how macroeconomic trends influence investment decisions.

Classroom activities blend lectures with hands-on exercises that build your analytical and critical-thinking skills while demystifying complex topics like stocks, bonds, and market cycles. At the end of the week, you’ll leave with a clearer picture of how financial institutions function and foundational knowledge that can strengthen your readiness for future internships or careers in finance.

Why it stands out: You’ll gain a concentrated, practical introduction to Wall Street concepts in a supportive, interactive classroom environment that closely mirrors real market thinking.

4. Bossgirls Summer Program

Location: City College of New York (CCNY), NY
Cost/Stipend: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive
Dates: June 29th – July 30th
Application Deadline:  February 28th
Eligibility: Current high school girls and nonbinary students (grades 9-12) who are residents of the NY tri-state region

The Bossgirls Summer Program invites you to explore entrepreneurship with a clear focus on financial thinking, business planning, and startup strategy over a five-week in-person experience. You’ll work with peers to identify real-world problems, conduct market research, create a business concept, and build a simple financial plan that supports your idea.

Workshops and sessions introduce you to budgeting, revenue models, pricing strategy, and basic financial principles that are directly applicable to both business and finance careers. Throughout the program, mentors from Standard Chartered and the Zahn Innovation Center guide you in developing communication, collaboration, and analytical skills that employers value. Here’s the application link.

Why it stands out: You’ll gain hands-on experience with business finances and startup strategy while building practical skills in teamwork, communication, and financial planning.

5. Invest in Her: Financial Literacy and Leadership for Women (Fordham University)

Location: Fordham University Gabelli School of Business, Rose Hill Campus, Bronx, NY
Cost/Stipend: $1,300 total ($100 non-refundable deposit + $1,200 program fee)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: July 13th – July 17th
Application Deadline: Priority for applications received before April 1st
Eligibility: Female high school students interested in business, finance, and leadership; international students are not eligible

The Invest in Her: Financial Literacy and Leadership for Women program at Fordham’s Gabelli School of Business equips you with foundational financial skills and leadership early in your high school journey. Over five days on campus in the Bronx, you’ll learn basics like reading financial statements, understanding markets, and interpreting key accounting principles while working alongside peers who share your interests. Guest speakers, including successful women alumni and business leaders, offer insights into professional life and leadership challenges faced by women in finance.

You’ll also participate in collaborative activities designed to enhance problem-solving, communication, and executive presence. With a supportive environment focused on confidence building, this experience helps you sharpen both analytical and interpersonal skills before you apply to college or future internships.

Why it stands out: You’ll strengthen financial literacy while developing leadership skills tailored to young women ready to pursue business and finance with confidence. 

6. Columbia University Pre-College: Introduction to Corporate Finance

Location: Columbia University, New York, NY
Cost/Stipend: Fee varies
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: June 22nd – June 26th
Application Deadline: Typically around April start
Eligibility: Current high school students (grades 9-12) interested in finance or business; international students welcome

In this Columbia University Pre-College course, you’ll take a focused dive into how real companies make financial decisions and allocate resources in a competitive market. Over the one-week session, expert instructors will guide you through essential finance concepts like the time value of money, net present value, cost of capital, and risk-return tradeoffs using case studies and practical examples.

You’ll also explore how firms evaluate investment opportunities and fund projects, helping you connect classroom theory with real-world decision-making. The blend of lectures, discussions, and hands-on problem solving helps you sharpen analytical thinking and build confidence with finance fundamentals. Here’s the registration link.

Why it stands out: This course offers you a sound balance of theoretical principles of finance and practical tools of financial decision-making.

7. Athena Summer Innovation Institute at Barnard College 

Location: Barnard College, New York, NY
Cost/Stipend: $8,160 commuter | $10,771 residential
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: June 29th – July 17th
Application Deadline: Typically April 15th
Eligibility: Rising high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors; international students welcome 

The Athena Summer Innovation Institute at Barnard College is a three-week, immersive entrepreneurship bootcamp designed to help you turn big ideas into real ventures while building strong business and financial skills. You’ll work in teams to brainstorm, research, and launch a project that could take the form of a startup, nonprofit, or advocacy initiative, gaining experience in customer research, budgeting, and startup strategy along the way.

Daily sessions blend workshops taught by experienced instructors with guidance from guest entrepreneurs, and you’ll even practice pitching your ideas in front of peers and mentors at the end of the program. Here’s the application link.

Why it stands out: You’ll get real entrepreneurial experience from idea conception through financial planning and pitch delivery in a supportive, project-driven environment. 

8. Brooklyn Navy Yard Internship Program

Location: Brooklyn Navy Yard, Brooklyn, NY
Cost/Stipend: Paid internship
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: 8-week summer sessions
Application Deadline: Varies by session
Eligibility: College-bound high school seniors and college-attending students; international students welcome 

The Brooklyn Navy Yard Internship Program places you inside a dynamic ecosystem of over 550 businesses where you can gain paid, hands-on work experience tailored to interests like business operations, finance, sustainability, marketing, and more. You get exposure to how real companies function day-to-day, cross-department collaboration, and the challenges of problem-solving in a business context.

The program also connects you with peers and mentors across industries, helping you grow your network and see firsthand how diverse career paths can unfold. If you plan to explore finance, business strategy, or entrepreneurship after high school, this internship can give you a foundation in real workplace expectations.

Why it stands out: You get the opportunity to work within a lively business community that spans finance, tech, design, and sustainability. 

9. NYC Ladders for Leaders

Location: New York City, NY
Cost/Stipend: Paid internships
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive placement
Dates: Summer (typically June through August, with internships lasting 6+ weeks)
Application Deadline: Usually around mid-January
Eligibility: High school students ages 16-24 who are residents of one of the five boroughs of NYC

NYC Ladders for Leaders is one of the most accessible pathways into finance internships in NYC for high school students, connecting you with real summer roles at major employers across business, finance, nonprofit, and government sectors. Before you begin, the programme provides structured pre-employment training to prepare you for professional expectations.

Once training is complete, you interview with partner organizations and, if selected, you’ll spend the summer working 25–40 hours per week on real projects that build your professional confidence. The program also gives you access to a growing alumni network that supports you even after your internship ends. The structure is designed to help you explore career interests while earning money and building professional skills in one of the world’s busiest job markets. 

Why it stands out: You get paid, gain practical work experience across many industries, while building professional skills and connections in New York City.

10. NYIT Business Bootcamp (New York Institute of Technology)

Location: On-campus and virtual sessions offered through the NYIT School of Management, NY
Cost/Stipend: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Year-round sessions, including summer
Application Deadline: Rolling registration
Eligibility: High school students interested in business, finance, or entrepreneurship; international students welcome

The NYIT Business Bootcamp is a series of free workshops offered by the New York Institute of Technology’s School of Management that introduces you to key business and finance concepts throughout the year. You may attend in-person or virtual sessions on topics like starting a business, professional communication, workplace skills, leadership, financial literacy, investing basics, and even how to stand out in interviews.

Each session is designed by faculty with real business experience, giving you practical perspectives that go beyond the standard high school curriculum. Participants who complete all sessions receive a certificate of completion from the School of Management, which you can add to your résumé or college applications. 

Why it stands out: You’ll gain business and financial skills through free, flexible workshops taught by university faculty that fit around your schedule and academic year.

11. Introduction to Financial Technology (NYU SPS High School Academy — Career Edge)

Location: NYU School of Professional Studies High School Academy, New York, NY
Cost/Stipend: Total fee varies depending on whether you opt for housing/dining
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Multiple one-week sessions from June through August
Application Deadline: Applications start around January-end or February start
Eligibility: High school students who have completed grades 9, 10, or 11; international students welcome 

In Introduction to Financial Technology as part of NYU SPS’s Career Edge summer program, you’ll explore how digital innovations are reshaping finance and markets while building practical skills that connect technology with money. The curriculum guides you through topics like how digital solutions impact investing, how mobile and algorithmic platforms change trading, and how emerging tech is influencing global financial systems.

You’ll engage with instructors who bring professional experience to the classroom, and you’ll work on interactive projects that help you connect finance fundamentals to real-world FinTech applications. Whether you’re curious about careers in finance, technology, or both, this session helps you develop a clear understanding of how financial services are evolving and how tech skills matter in that process.

Why it stands out: You’ll gain firsthand exposure to how technology transforms finance while practicing analytical and problem-solving skills in an immersive, industry-focused environment.

12. Follow the Money: Business Reporting (The School of The New York Times)

Location: New York City, NY
Cost/Stipend: Approximately $6,195 (day) or $7,695 (residential)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Multiple sessions in June and July
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions
Eligibility: Rising 10-12, and graduating seniors; international students welcome

In Follow the Money: Business Reporting, you’ll explore how the world of business and finance is reported by professional journalists, learning to interpret market trends, economic data, and corporate decisions through compelling stories. You’ll participate in classes that build both financial literacy and journalistic skills, including how to dissect financial news, question sources, and craft narratives that illuminate how money moves in markets.

The program often includes discussions with experienced reporters, hands-on writing assignments, and the chance to learn about the economics behind major headlines. Being based in New York City means you can take advantage of site visits and insights into how major media organizations cover finance and economy-related topics. This experience is especially valuable if you’re thinking about careers that combine writing, critical thinking, and finance.

Why it stands out: You’ll learn to interpret finance through the lens of business reporting, developing both analytical and communication skills that help you understand markets deeply.

13. Bank of America Student Leaders Program

Location: New York City, NY
Cost/Stipend:  Paid internship
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective
Dates: 8-week summer internship (typically June through August)
Application Deadline: Typically around mid-January
Eligibility: Current high school juniors or seniors who are US residents

The Bank of America Student Leaders Program connects you with meaningful work in the nonprofit sector while helping you grow both professionally and personally. You’ll work full-time, contributing to tasks like budgeting, fundraising support, project planning, and community outreach. Alongside your daily responsibilities, you’ll gain structured leadership and financial skills through workshops and mentorship that support your development as a future leader.

Because this experience blends hands-on work with high-level civic engagement and networking, it offers more than a typical internship. Throughout the summer, you’ll earn a competitive stipend and build practical experience to highlight on future applications.

Why it stands out: You’ll gain paid, real-world work experience while building leadership skills and national networks that elevate your future opportunities.

14. CLA High School Internship Program

Location:  CLA office in New York City, NY
Cost/Stipend: Paid internship (stipend provided)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive
Dates: Typically from June through mid-July
Application Deadline: Varies
Eligibility: High school students aged 16-18 who are US residents

CLA’s High School Internship Program gives you a taste of the professional services and finance world by embedding you in a busy firm environment where you work on meaningful projects. Throughout the internship, you’ll have the chance to contribute to client-focused tasks, from financial data support to interactive case studies that mirror real workplace challenges.

You’ll shadow experienced professionals in areas like audit, tax, and wealth management, which helps you see how financial services support business success. Along the way, the program blends hands-on work with workshops and team activities designed to sharpen your collaboration and communication skills. By the end of the summer, you’ll have a clearer sense of the career paths available in business and finance.

Why it stands out: You’ll earn while gaining first-hand experience in financial services and build skills that matter to future employers.

15. Wall Street Stock Market & Investment Experience (New York Institute of Finance)

Location: New York City, NY
Cost/Stipend: Varies by program duration and program type (residential/ commuter)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Group size of up to 100 participants
Dates: Varies
Application Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: High school students in grades 9-12; international students welcome

The Wall Street Stock Market & Investment Experience from the New York Institute of Finance (NYIF) gives you a hands-on introduction to key sectors of the financial world while you’re immersed in New York City’s finance culture. Over one or two weeks, you’ll learn directly from seasoned finance professionals about capital markets, portfolio building, wealth management, hedge funds, private equity, fintech, and investment fundamentals.

You’ll not only sit in engaging classroom sessions but also take part in team challenges where you evaluate companies, design portfolio strategies, and pitch your ideas in front of expert judges. Beyond the curriculum, the program includes guided explorations of the Financial District and networking opportunities with industry speakers that help connect classroom content with real-world practice. Here’s the enrollment link.

Why it stands out: You’ll explore real investment strategies and market structures alongside industry pros while experiencing finance culture firsthand on Wall Street.

How Finance Shapes Everyday Decisions

Finance plays a central role in how businesses grow, markets react, and individuals make everyday choices. Understanding these systems early helps you see how economic forces shape real outcomes.

By working in professional settings, you begin to understand how data, risk, and strategy influence decision-making. You see how theory translates into action across finance, banking, and investment environments.

The finance internships in NYC for high school students highlighted here bridge classroom learning with real-world exposure. They help you build analytical skills, professional confidence, and clarity about future academic and career paths.

To deepen this understanding, explore our Economics Top Books Guide for essential reading that strengthens economic thinking and market awareness as you plan ahead.