If you’re a high school student passionate about coding, problem-solving, or building tech projects, computer science may already be your favourite subject. But beyond classroom assignments, you may still wonder what working in computer science actually looks like. One of the most impactful ways to find out is through a computer science internship.

Imagine spending your summer contributing to real software projects, assisting with debugging and testing, or learning how development teams collaborate to build applications. Picture sitting in on team meetings, understanding how ideas move from concept to deployment, and gaining insight into how companies approach security, scalability, and user experience. Computer science internships for high school students offer a rare opportunity to bridge the gap between theory and real-world practice.

How do you choose the right computer science internships for high school students?

With many opportunities available, it’s important to distinguish between internships that provide meaningful hands-on work and those that are primarily observational. Thoughtful research ensures you find a role that challenges you while still offering structured mentorship.

Computer science internships can span areas such as software development, web design, cybersecurity, data science, artificial intelligence, game development, or IT support. Depending on the organisation, you might help test applications, write basic scripts, assist with database management, or collaborate on user interface improvements. 

You’ll learn from experienced developers and engineers, collaborate with peers or professional teams, and gain exposure to workplace expectations in the tech industry. Along the way, you’ll strengthen technical skills, improve communication, and build confidence in professional environments.

To help you get started, we’ve curated a list of 15 Computer Science Internships for High School Students. They’ve been selected for their hands-on opportunities, mentorship quality, and ability to help you turn your interest in technology into meaningful, real-world experience.

To learn computer science skills, you can consider participating in computer science summer programs. If you’re looking for more options, you can also have a look at online coding summer programs for high school students. 

15 Computer Science Internships for High School Students 

1. Research Science Institute

Location: Massachusetts
Cost/Stipend: Free, application fee USD 75
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Limited to 100 students
Dates: Not disclosed
Application Deadline: mid-December
Eligibility: Only for high school juniors; applicants from abroad may apply

If you deeply love math, science, and engineering, one amazing opportunity to dive deeper in the summer is by applying to the Research Science Institute at MIT. The RSI is a six-week summer program that allows you to conduct your own research as preparation for college. Participating students spend their time attending lectures, working with mentors, and doing research projects or housework.

In the first week, you will be assigned a mentor, and that mentor will assign research projects. From the second week onwards, you will work in laboratories to complete these projects. Outside of a rigorous schedule, you can also enjoy cultural trips and explore Boston and its surroundings, such as a weekend trip in New England or joining Boston’s July 4th celebration.

Why it stands out: You’ll have the opportunity to complete actual research projects at RSI’s cutting-edge labs that are ordinarily inaccessible to high school students.

2. Immerse’s Software Development & AI Summer School

Location: Toronto, Sydney, Boston, Singapore, and San Francisco
Cost/Stipend: Varies; summer school scholarship available through their bursary programme
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; an average of 7 participants per class
Dates: Rolling admission
Application Deadline: Rolling admission
Eligibility: High school students worldwide aged 15 to 18 years old

If you want to take the first step into technology, Immerse Education’s Software Development and AI Summer School is the perfect option for a summer of learning.In this summer school, you will engage with core topics in AI and software development through a series of practical problem-solving, AI projects, and collaborative challenges. The curriculum of this school includes activities such as group workshops, 1-on-1 tutoring, personal research projects, seminars by industry experts, and day excursions.

You will learn the basics of programming and artificial intelligence, and apply that new knowledge by developing and presenting a prototype/demo in which your skills in software, design, and the practical application of AI will be assessed. At the end of the school, you will receive a recognised certificate of completion that you can use for college applications.

Why it stands out: Combining rigorous AI academics with one-on-one mentorship and a final assessed prototype project that strengthens college applications.

3. CUNY STEM Research Academy

Location: New York City, New York
Cost/Stipend: Students will receive a competitive stipend.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not disclosed
Dates: Two-semester program (pre-university classes in spring, followed by six-week summer research experience)
Application Deadline: Not disclosed
Eligibility: Motivated high school students from 10th to 11th grade who go to school in a New York City public school, interested in STEM fields. International students are not eligible.

The STEM RA is a two-semester program for New York City Public Schools high school students to embark on their STEM journey, presented by City University of New York. You will make use of CUNY’s research facilities to work on a research question and present your findings at a summer exhibition at the American Museum of Natural History. In this program, you can choose which campus you want to work at, because CUNY open their campus doors for you.

This means you can explore courses from mechanical technology to biology at all CUNY campuses in the four boroughs of New York City. You will receive a stipend and an MTA MetroCard to travel around the city, and you will also become alumni of the New York City Science Research Consortium once you graduate from this program.

Why it stands out: You’ll be exposed to different kinds of STEM subjects through all campuses of CUNY in the whole of New York City.

4. SPARK

Location: Greater Seattle
Cost/Stipend: Not disclosed
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not disclosed
Dates: Not disclosed
Application Deadline: April
Eligibility: Students in grades 9 through 12 can apply. International students are not eligible; only for US citizens and residents of Greater Seattle.

The SPARK program is a volunteer-run mentorship initiative that has connected motivated high school students in the Greater Seattle area with professionals across business, academia, technology, and community leadership for over a decade, making it one of the more mentorship-driven computer science internships for high school students. Through structured, project-based mentorships, you work directly with experienced mentors who define clear scopes, expectations, and timelines. Rather than passive observation, you will engage in hands-on learning that exposes you to real research, innovation, and professional practice.

SPARK alumni have gone on to enrol in top universities, co-author IEEE research papers, compete in prestigious events such as ISEF, and continue independent research or software development beyond the program. By bridging you with industry and academic mentors, SPARK fosters both immediate skill development and long-term academic and career growth.

Why it stands out: Connecting students with professionals, making students learn hands-on about STEM and making them confident to study STEM in top universities.

5. MIT FutureMakers

Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not disclosed
Dates: 2026 dates coming soon
Application Deadline: TBD, registration opens in February/March
Eligibility: High school and early college students from the US and Puerto Rico

If you are in high school or a freshman in college and want to know more about how to design with AI to create positive change in your community, the MIT FutureMakers is a great program for you. It is a totally free, six-week program that teaches you technical, leadership, design, and entrepreneurial skills with expert mentors in AI.

The program includes hands-on classes, webinars with industry experts, create-a-thon events, and mentoring support. To be eligible for this program, you don’t need to have prior coding experience; even if you have some, MIT has other programs for you. Alumni of the MIT FutureMakers often continue their education in STEM fields and are statistically more competitive and ready for future tech internships.

Why it stands out: It blends AI education with leadership, design, and entrepreneurship in a fully funded program backed by MIT mentorship and long-term student outcomes. 

6. Anson L. Clark Scholars Program

Location: Texas
Cost/Stipend: Free (there’s a USD 25 application fee), and upon completion, each student will receive a USD 750 stipend
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Limited to 12 students
Dates: June 21st – August 6th
Application Deadline: February 16th
Eligibility: Must be 17 years of age by the program start date, and must be a U.S. citizen or a permanent resident

The Anson L. Clark Scholars Program is a highly selective research-based career readiness program for high school students, with a history spanning over three decades. You’ll conduct intensive research across a wide range of disciplines, including mathematics, engineering, humanities, and fine arts. Hosted at Texas Tech University, the seven-week program admits only twelve students each year, allowing for close faculty mentorship and focused academic work.

You’ll live on campus and receive meals, accommodation, and weekend activities at no cost. While there is a non-refundable application fee of USD 25, the program itself is fully funded. Upon completion, you’ll also receive a USD 750 stipend in recognition of your research contributions.

Why it stands out: It offers one-on-one mentorship with Texas Tech faculty, so you’ll be able to deepen your subject understanding and craft a better research project report.

7. NIST Research

Location: Boulder, CO and Gaithersburg, MD
Cost/Stipend: Unpaid internship
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 35 students on average
Dates: From June to August for 7 weeks
Application Deadline: 26th January
Eligibility: High school students in 11th grade, 12th grade, or recently graduated, only for US citizens; international applicants aren’t eligible to apply

The NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology) opens its doors each year to high school US citizens who can enrol in its NIST Research program, and it is one of the most research-intensive computer science internships for high school students on this list. In this highly competitive program, you may choose one out of six laboratories and be placed in Gaithersburg or Boulder. If you are into computer science, the best bet is to enrol as an intern in their Information Technology Laboratory (ITL) facility.

This laboratory supports the development of science through focus areas like networking and communication, computer security, software engineering, and human interaction with computers. You will participate in research activities such as computer network modelling, cryptography, computer forensics, machine learning, and more.

Why it stands out: You will get hands-on skills by joining a real-life lab facility and assisting in real, impactful projects of the country.

8. Year 12 Work Experience

Location: London, England
Cost/Stipend: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Limited number of spaces
Dates: 29th June – 3rd July
Application Deadline: 6th March
Eligibility: High school students in year 12 and enrolled in a state, non-paying school

The Imperial Year 12 Work Experience Programme is a one-week non-residential summer program for British high school students to give them work experience as a researcher and in other careers in higher education. You can choose from Bioengineering, Grantham Institute for Climate Change and the Environment, Materials, Mathematics, Physics, Chemical Engineering, Biomedical Research and National Heart and Lung Institute. The programme will be made to simulate real-life working experience. You will have to commute back and forth each day, have lunch with other peers, and meet deadlines.

During the programme, you also get full access to labs, research facilities, and workshops, depending on your department. Besides experiencing the world of research, you will also be given talks with topics about preparing for your life in university, such as writing effective personal statements for your university entrance.

Why it stands out: It places you in functioning labs, divides you into research groups, and prepares you for presenting at a formal academic conference, mirroring how academia works.

9. Carnegie Mellon University AI Scholars

Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Cost/Stipend: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not disclosed
Dates: 20th June – 18th July
Application Deadline: 1st February
Eligibility: Be at least 16 years old by the program start date, be in grade 11 when you submit your application, and be a US citizen or a permanent resident with a US green card. International students may not apply.

AI Scholars, in partnership with Carnegie Mellon University, offers this program as part of its Pre-University program for US high school students. For four weeks, you will be staying at the CMU dormitories and dive deeper into lectures and workshops about Artificial Intelligence. One month before the residential program starts, you will need to attend their virtual Pre-Python Course to prepare.

During the program, you will attend classes such as Core AI Curriculum, Research Exposure, Writing Workshops, discussions about Career Development, and join group research projects. On evenings when you are free, you are welcome to join group study sessions or social activities, and on weekends, you are welcome to participate in city tours and field trips.

Why it stands out: This program gives you a university experience (live-in dorms) as well as college-level classes and workshops about AI.

10. Summer Internships for High Schoolers

Location: Stanford, CA
Cost/Stipend: Unpaid internship
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not disclosed
Dates: 22nd June – 14th August
Application Deadline: 1st February
Eligibility: Must be a high school junior or senior and be at least 14 years old, must be a US Citizen or permanent resident. International students may not apply.

The Science, Humanities, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (SHTEM) program by Stanford University is a summer program for you who are interested in pursuing a fun research program over the summer. This program is intended to provide early exposure to research, where you will be grouped to work on real-life projects around engineering, communication, the arts, linguistics, psychology, biology, and so much more.

What is interesting about this program is that it emphasises Humanities in the title to make a statement that the human element is inseparable and supposed to be part of STEM. You will be placed on the Stanford University campus, where you will get exposure to the topics above in a research environment. This is an unpaid internship, but there will be a small stipend for students to commute to and from their accommodation (accommodation is not included in the program). 

Why it stands out: Emphasises “H” in “Humanities” as part of STEM, and students can learn about the human touch and human aspects in STEM.

11. Girls Who Code Code At Home Program

Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not disclosed
Dates: Registration is open all-year long
Application Deadline: Rolling admission
Eligibility: General high school students, girls and non-binary teenagers from around the world

The Girls Who Code “Code at Home” program is a virtual computer science activity aimed at girls and non-binary teenagers to spark interest in computer science from a young age. In this program, you can take part in different activities from the Activist Toolkit Series (HTML, CSS, and web design), Python Activities, and Scratch Activities (code by moving blocks).

What’s cool about this program is that adults can also take part in the activities, so you can make this into quality time with your older siblings or your parents. All of the series in the Code at Home program is available in different languages other than English, such as Canadian French, Spanish, Hindi, Italian, German, and Japanese.

Why it stands out: The series is available in different languages for non-English speakers.

12. Microsoft Discovery Program

Location: Microsoft Office
Cost/Stipend: Free, and students will get a stipend at a base rate of USD 20/hour
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not disclosed
Dates: 10th July – 4th August
Application Deadline: March
Eligibility: High school graduating seniors who live and attend high school within 50 miles of Redmond, WA or live and attend high school around Atlanta, Georgia. International students are not eligible to apply

Every year, this prestigious technology company opens its doors for high school graduating seniors to join their Microsoft Discovery Program, one of the most easily recognised computer science internships for high school students. During this 4-week internship, you get the opportunity to gain experience and knowledge from Microsoft employees through project-based experiences. These projects come from various disciplines within the company, so you don’t have to be interested in tech to be admitted to the program.

You will work in a small team to complete a small project, and while working on the project, you will touch base with areas such as Software engineering, project management, and UX design disciplines. Meaning there will be plenty of opportunities to attend discussions about Microsoft and pick the brains of their employees.

Why it stands out: It stands out for its project-based approach across multiple disciplines, allowing students to explore technology, design, and management roles inside one of the world’s leading tech companies.

13. NYU Computer Science for Cyber Security (CS4CS)

Location: New York City, NY
Cost/Stipend: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not disclosed
Dates: 13th July – 7th August
Application Deadline: 15th May
Eligibility: High school students currently in 10th and 11th grade, living in NYC and specific New Jersey and Nassau County, international students aren’t eligible

Every summer, NYU opens its doors for New York high school students to learn deeper about cybersecurity through the CS4CS program. In this four-week program, you will master cybersecurity through hands-on competitions, learn security-focused scripting, conduct academic research, and build a professional network and mentorship possibilities.

This free program (thanks to the Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation) bridges theory and practice. Every day, you will get hands-on cybersecurity training, scripting and automation exercises, theatre-based workshops, and case-driven security learning. This program is only valid for high school students living in the NYC boroughs and specific areas of New Jersey and Nassau County.

Why it stands out: This program solely focuses on cybersecurity, and students focus on this subject throughout the four-week summer school.

14. Applied Research Innovations in Science and Engineering (ARISE)

Location: Brooklyn, NY
Cost/Stipend: Free, and participants will receive a USD 2000 stipend at the end of the program
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not disclosed
Dates: 1st June – 14th August
Application Deadline: 27th February
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors for the upcoming school year, only for full-time NYC residents attending NYC schools; international students aren’t eligible to apply

ARISE is a 10-week summer program funded by the Pinkerton Foundation. During the program, you will gain up to 150 hours of lab experience, develop public speaking skills, network with professionals, and present your research to the NYU community. For the first 4 weeks, you will be focused on safety training, college writing workshops, and research skills development.

For the remaining 6 weeks, you will work in NYU research labs to assist faculty with real-world research. Orientation starts on 29 May, followed by two months of workshops and lab work. At the end of the program, you will have to present your academic poster at the AMNH Symposium.

Why it stands out: This program allows you to really experience what it’s like to work in a lab, and at the end of the program, you will receive a stipend.

15. New York Historical Tech Scholars

Location: New York
Cost/Stipend: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not disclosed
Dates: July – August
Application Deadline: 17th May
Eligibility: NYC area high school students in grades 9 to 12 who live in the New York City metro area (including the five boroughs of NYC, as well as areas of New York state, Connecticut, and New Jersey). International students cannot apply

The New York Historical Society offers a digital humanities program, Tech Scholars, for high school students living in the NYC metro every year. During this program, students lead digital projects, including podcasts, websites, and digital games. For their summer programs, they have projects in Podcasting, Exhibition Design, and Web Design.

In Podcasting, you will be challenged to develop skills in scriptwriting, recording, and editing as you research art and history to create your own podcast episode. In the Web Design track, you will be taught HTML and CSS to design, code, and build your own website. If you choose Exhibition Design, you get to research and discuss historical themes to make art with the help of curators, designers, and conservators.

Why it stands out: A digital humanities program that allows high school students to learn alternative forms of tech, such as podcasts, websites, and making digital games.

AI, Cybersecurity, and Emerging Tech Roles

Internships turn curiosity into capability: you debug, ship small features, and learn how teams think about users, security, and scale before your first college course.

The computer science internships for high school students listed here range from research labs to product teams, so you can match interests with real tasks.

You will practice professional habits too: writing clear updates, asking precise questions, documenting code, and presenting results that make mentors trust your work every day.

For fresh perspectives on edtech, emerging learning models, and career pathways, head to our Educational Innovation blogs and keep building momentum after your internship ends.