If you’re a high school student in New York City, internships can help you discover interests that go far beyond the classroom. You may already know that internships look impressive on college applications, but they also give you the chance to explore careers, build practical skills, and meet professionals who can guide your future goals. That’s why free internships in NYC for high school students are such valuable opportunities. 

Imagine spending your summer assisting researchers in a laboratory, learning business strategies from professionals, helping nonprofit organizations serve local communities, or gaining experience in fields like technology, healthcare, media, or finance. Instead of only reading about careers online, you experience them firsthand. You also get the opportunity to collaborate with motivated students who share similar ambitions and interests.

Another major advantage is accessibility. Free internships allow you to gain professional experience without worrying about program costs. Many NYC organizations, universities, and nonprofits sponsor these opportunities to help students develop skills and explore future career paths. Free internships can act as a foundation for your academic journey, giving you a direct feel for what a specific subject looks like at the professional level, in a structured setting. 

How do you choose the best free internships in NYC for high school students?

Choosing the right internship can feel overwhelming because every program offers something different. Some internships focus on research and academics, while others emphasize leadership, creativity, business, or community engagement. 

You may prefer a structured university environment, or you might enjoy a more hands-on workplace experience. It is important to look beyond the title of a program. The best free internships provide meaningful learning opportunities, strong mentorship, and real-world exposure instead of repetitive tasks. 

To make your search easier, we’ve created a list of the 15 free internships in NYC for high school students. They’ve been picked based on educational value, career exposure, mentorship quality, and overall reputation.

For related options, consider internships in San Francisco.

15 Free Internships in NYC for High School Students

1. ARISE at NYU Tandon 

Location: NYU Tandon School of Engineering, Brooklyn, NY
Stipend: $2,000
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Highly selective; ~60 students
Dates: June 1st – August 14th
Application Deadline: February 27th
Eligibility: Rising juniors and seniors who are full-time NYC residents attending NYC schools; not open to international students

ARISE allows you to work inside active NYU research labs while exploring advanced STEM fields. During the first four weeks, you’ll complete safety training, research workshops, and college writing sessions that prepare you for independent lab work. You’ll then spend six weeks conducting hands-on research alongside faculty mentors and researchers.

You’ll work in areas such as machine learning, environmental engineering, biology, cybersecurity, and materials science. You’ll present your findings at the NYU Colloquium and the American Museum of Natural History Poster Symposium.

Why it stands out: You receive intensive lab experience, professional mentorship, and a $2,000 stipend while working on real STEM research projects.

2. Immerse Education’s New York Career Insights Summer School

Location: Barnard College, Columbia University, New York
Stipend: Varies; summer school scholarship available through our bursary programme
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Selective; an average of 7 participants per class
Dates: 2-week sessions; dates vary
Application Deadline: Multiple summer cohorts with rolling admissions
Eligibility: High school students ages 15-18; open to international students

The Career Insights Program lets high school students explore careers in major global industry hubs. The Free track is designed to give students direct exposure to real-world Free workflows and professional environments. Participants engage in project-based learning with established companies, attend interactive workshops, and visit offices, factories, and headquarters.

The program also includes weekly 1:1 career coaching sessions and personalized feedback on your resume and overall profile. You’ll 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 gain direct industry exposure, build a professional network, and receive a certificate you can include in your college applications and work profile.

3. The Met High School Internship Program 

Location: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Stipend: $1,100
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Highly competitive (<5%); approximately 36 students per year
Dates: July 1st – August 7th
Application Deadline: March 13th
Eligibility: Students in grade 10 or 11 who reside in and attend a high school or home school in either New York, New Jersey, or Connecticut; not open to international students

The Met High School Internship Program allows you to work closely with museum professionals while exploring careers connected to art, media, education, and design. You are not required to have an art background to participate, which makes the program appealing to students with a wide range of interests.

You collaborate in small cohorts, build professional skills, and gain practical work experience inside one of the world’s most recognized museums. Placement areas may include curatorial work, social media, imaging, education, and other departments across the museum. You’ll discover how your interests connect with creative industries.

Why it stands out: You get paid professional experience at one of New York City’s most iconic cultural institutions while exploring multiple career paths.

4. Jumpstart at Rockefeller University

Location: The Rockefeller University, New York, NY
Stipend: $500 (Spring portion, phase one); $3,250 (Summer portion, phase two SSRP)
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Highly competitive; 16 students
Dates: February 26th – August 6th
Application Deadline: January 2nd
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors attending NYC high schools who are at least 16 years old at the start of the program; not open to international students

Jumpstart at Rockefeller University gives you the chance to build scientific research skills through a combined after-school and summer research experience. During the spring portion, you’ll attend workshops focused on molecular biology, scientific literature, and laboratory techniques.

In the summer, you’ll transition into full-time mentored research through the Summer Science Research Program, where you’ll spend up to 35 hours each week working on research projects. Guidance from a dedicated Jumpstart Advocate will support your academic and professional growth throughout the program. 

Why it stands out: You move from foundational STEM training into full-scale laboratory research while receiving mentorship from working scientists at Rockefeller University.

5. Science Research Mentoring Program (SRMP) 

Location: American Museum of Natural History, New York, NY
Stipend: $2,500
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Highly selective; around 40 students
Dates: August – June
Application Deadline: March 1st
Eligibility: 10th and 11th-grade high school students who live and attend school in New York and are passing classes for the last three or more semesters; taking or completed a course in any one of the programs listed here; not open to international students

The Science Research Mentoring Program at the American Museum of Natural History allows you to spend an academic year conducting original scientific research alongside museum scientists. You’ll meet twice a week with mentors and peers while working on research topics that range from astronomy and genetics to anthropology and environmental science.

You’ll learn practical research skills such as coding, data analysis, reading scientific literature, and working with laboratory tools and datasets. You’ll also strengthen your communication, presentation, and teamwork abilities while becoming part of a larger STEM community. 

Why it stands out: You conduct authentic year-long research with professional scientists while building advanced STEM and coding skills in a museum setting.

6. Futures and Options Internship Program 

Location: Futures and Options, New York, NY
Stipend: Paid; amount not specified
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Selective; ~400-600 interns every year
Dates: 6 weeks between July – August
Application Deadline: Typically January/February
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors aged 16-19 who reside in and attend school in the five boroughs of New York City; have valid US work authorization; not open to international students

The Futures and Options Internship Program is one of the broader free internships in NYC for high school students, connecting you with paid opportunities at nonprofits, government agencies, small businesses, and major corporations across New York City. Alongside hands-on work experience, you’ll participate in career readiness workshops that focus on communication, interviewing, resume writing, and financial literacy.

The program also includes mentoring and support from a dedicated program coordinator who guides you throughout your internship. You’ll attend career exploration field trips with employer partners and build professional networks that can support your future goals. 

Why it stands out: You gain paid professional experience and one-on-one mentorship while exploring career paths across multiple industries.

7. Student Historian Internship Program 

Location: The New York Historical, New York, NY
Stipend: $1,200
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Highly competitive; 25 students per cohort
Dates: Academic Year Cohort: October 28th – June 16th; Summer Cohort: July 7th – August 13th
Application Deadline: August 23rd
Eligibility: Students entering grades 10, 11, or 12 who live and attend school in the New York City metro area, including parts of New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut; valid employment certificate/working papers required; not open to international students

The Student Historian Internship Program is one of the more research-focused free internships in NYC for high school students, allowing you to study American history through writing, digital humanities projects, and archival work at The New York Historical Society. Working alongside museum professionals and fellow interns, you’ll examine historical themes while developing skills in communication, collaboration, and digital storytelling.

The internship includes academically rigorous research using museum and library resources, along with opportunities to learn about museum studies and public history careers. You’ll also create digital projects designed to serve as educational resources for broader audiences. 

Why it stands out: You combine historical research with digital storytelling while working directly with museum archives and professional historians.

8. Artslife at the Museum of Arts and Design (MAD) 

Location: Museum of Arts and Design, New York, NY
Stipend: $17/hour
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Selective; 10 students
Dates: 6 weeks during the summer; typically July – August
Application Deadline: Late April
Eligibility: Rising sophomores and juniors attending New York City public or charter high schools; not open to international students

Artslife introduces you to both the creative and professional sides of museum work through a paid summer internship at the Museum of Arts and Design. Over six weeks, you’ll collaborate with museum staff, artists, and fellow interns while exploring careers in the arts, leadership, and community engagement.

The program combines team-building activities with hands-on projects, giving you behind-the-scenes access to how museums operate. You’ll also create artwork with practicing artists, design peer-led museum tours, and strengthen your communication and presentation skills. 

Why it stands out: You earn a competitive hourly wage while gaining creative, leadership, and museum experience in a highly interactive setting.

9. BRAINYAC

Location: Columbia University Zuckerman Institute, New York, NY
Stipend: Paid, amount not disclosed
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Highly competitive; approximately 20 students per year
Dates: January – August
Application Deadline: Typically fall
Eligibility: NYC students in grades 10 and 11 enrolled in partner programs such as S-PREP, BioBus, Lang Youth Medical, Columbia Secondary School, or Double Discovery Center; not open to international students

BRAINYAC, short for Brain Research Apprenticeships in New York at Columbia, gives you the chance to work inside a Columbia neuroscience laboratory during an immersive summer internship. You’ll be paired with a Columbia scientist who guides you through hands-on research while introducing you to the daily realities of laboratory work.

Throughout the program, you’ll build research skills, learn how scientific discoveries are made, and gain experience working in a professional academic environment. The internship also helps you connect with scientists, mentors, and peers who share an interest in neuroscience and STEM research. 

Why it stands out: You receive direct mentorship from Columbia neuroscientists while gaining hands-on experience inside active research labs.

10. Project TRUE

Location: Bronx Zoo and Fordham University, Bronx, NY
Stipend: Summer: $750 OR $16/hour if eligible through NYC SYEP; Fall: ~$350
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Competitive; 20-25 high school students
Dates: June – August, with a fall continuation program from September – December
Application Deadline: Mid-February/Early March
Eligibility: High school sophomores and juniors who live in the Bronx; not open to international students

Project TRUE, short for Teens Researching Urban Ecology, allows you to study wildlife and environmental issues across New York City through hands-on field research. Run by the Bronx Zoo Education team in partnership with Fordham University, the program focuses on urban ecology topics such as water quality, bird populations, invasive species, and mammal distribution.

You’ll collect and analyze data, build science communication skills, and work through the full research process alongside mentors and peers. Small student teams are paired with Fordham undergraduates who guide research projects throughout the program. 

Why it stands out: You conduct real ecological research across NYC while receiving mentorship from both conservation professionals and university students.

11. Memorial Sloan Kettering Summer Student Program 

Location: Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY
Stipend: $1,200
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Highly selective; 20 interns per summer
Dates: June 29th – August 21st
Application Deadline: February 6th
Eligibility: Current high school junior, 14+ years old by June, 3.5 science GPA, permanent address within 25 miles of MSK Main Campus, and authorized to work in the U.S.; not open to international students

The Memorial Sloan Kettering Summer Student Program allows you to conduct biomedical or computational research inside one of the nation’s leading cancer research centers. You’ll work in an MSK research lab under the guidance of a mentor while contributing to a self-directed project connected to ongoing scientific studies.

You’ll also attend laboratory meetings and professional development sessions that introduce you to translational medicine, cancer research, and scientific careers beyond the lab. Research areas include cancer biology, genomics, immunology, pharmacology, and computational biology. 

Why it stands out: You work on real biomedical research projects while learning directly from scientists and researchers at a world-renowned cancer center.

12. The Bronx Museum Teen Programs 

Location: The Bronx Museum of the Arts, Bronx, NY
Stipend: Paid, amount not disclosed
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Highly selective; 12 students per cycle
Dates: Spring Cohort: Early March through mid-June; Summer Cohort: 4 weeks during the NYC public school summer break; Fall Cohort: varies, typically aligns with the fall academic semester
Application Deadline: Summer: July 5th; Spring: Early February; Fall: Late September
Eligibility: New York City high school students ages 14-19; international students are not eligible unless they attend an NYC high school and meet residency requirements

The Bronx Museum’s Teen Programs give you the chance to explore contemporary art while developing leadership and collaboration skills in a professional museum setting. Through Teen Summer and Teen Council, you’ll work with artists, museum educators, and other teens on projects tied to culture, identity, and community issues.

Participants learn art-making techniques, curate exhibitions, create zines, and even conduct interviews with contemporary artists. You’ll also gain experience in communication, curation, and public speaking while collaborating with peers across New York City. 

Why it stands out: You get paid to combine artistic expression, social engagement, and museum leadership in one of NYC’s most community-driven arts spaces.

13. Manhattan District Attorney’s High School Internship Program (HSIP) 

Location: Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, New York, NY
Stipend: Paid; interns earn minimum wage
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Highly competitive; approximately 25-30 students
Dates: June 29th – July 31st
Application Deadline: Typically late February or early March
Eligibility: Current high school juniors and seniors who reside in Manhattan; not open to international students

The Manhattan District Attorney’s High School Internship Program gives you an inside look at the criminal justice system through a rigorous five-week summer experience. You’ll participate in workshops, discussions, and a mock trial program designed to introduce you to legal procedures and public service careers.

You’ll also develop workplace professionalism while working in an office environment alongside legal professionals and staff members. The program encourages you to think critically about law, justice, and civic responsibility through hands-on activities and collaborative learning. 

Why it stands out: You gain direct exposure to the criminal justice system while participating in mock trials and professional legal workshops.

14. NYC School Construction Authority – High School Summer Internship Program 

Location: Various New York City School Construction Authority departments and partner host companies throughout New York City
Cost/Stipend: $17 per hour
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; limited cohort
Dates: July 6th – August 14th
Application Deadline: March 6th
Eligibility: New York City public high school students in good academic standing, with GPA considered; at least 16 years old by the program start; eligible to work in the U.S. with valid I-9 documentation and age-appropriate working papers; not open to international students

In this program, you join a six-week paid internship with the New York City School Construction Authority, working four days each week at a host SCA department or partner company while spending one day on structured educational programming. You gain exposure to careers spanning architecture, engineering, information technology, business, construction management, and public administration.

Your work mixes project-based assignments, administrative and technical support, workshops, panel discussions, and a design challenge, alongside networking with industry professionals and SCA staff. Before placement, you complete a 10-hour OSHA construction safety training when your assignment involves construction sites. A college-level mentor supervises your development.

Why it stands out: It places public high school students directly inside the agency responsible for building and renovating the city’s public schools, pairing real workplace assignments with OSHA safety certification and structured mentorship.

15. Museum Apprentice Program

Location: Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn, NY
Stipend: Paid; $16.50/hour for first-year apprentices and $17.50/hour for second-year apprentices
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Selective; cohort size not specified
Dates: November – August
Application Deadline: Late September
Eligibility: NYC high school students between the ages of 14 and 19; not open to international students

The Museum Apprentice Program at the Brooklyn Museum allows you to explore museum education while working directly with educators, curators, and artists. Throughout the program, you’ll learn how museums design educational experiences and use art to connect with different audiences.

You’ll assist with family programs, create lesson plans, develop tours, and teach summer camp groups using artworks from the museum’s collection. Along the way, you’ll build skills in public speaking, teaching, collaboration, and research while discussing topics such as social justice and museum accessibility. 

Why it stands out: You gain teaching and museum education experience while getting paid to work closely with curators, educators, and artists.

Turn Free Internships Into Career Direction

The right workplace can surprise you, revealing strengths you had not noticed and questions you would never find in a classroom alone.

These free internships in NYC for high school students can place you inside labs, museums, legal offices, healthcare teams, nonprofits, and creative spaces across industries.

Each setting reveals different skills in action, from research and communication to problem-solving, leadership, design, service, and professional decision-making under real workplace expectations and pressure.

Curious where those experiences could lead next? Visit our Career Exploration blogs for pathways, key skills, industry insights, and study routes before choosing your future.