As a high school student thinking about your future, internships can feel like a big, unreachable step. You might wonder what practical work in your field of interest looks like. Internships in Canada for high school students can help you test your interests, build practical skills, and gain experiences that classrooms alone cannot provide.

Picture yourself doing research at renowned labs, or solving tech problems at a startup. Imagine spending your evenings exploring Canada’s natural landscapes or vibrant neighbourhoods with newfound friends. Internships in Canada offer immersive professional experiences that broaden your perspective and help you grow personally and academically.

And if you already live in Canada, these internships can help you explore a new side of the country. You could gain fresh insight through Toronto’s innovation corridors, Vancouver’s research hubs, or the cultural and policy centres of Montreal and Ottawa, seeing firsthand how professionals collaborate across industries.

What are the internships in Canada for high school students?

It’s true, opportunities vary widely. Some internships can feel too generic or disconnected from your goals. That’s why it’s important to get the right guidance, so you can identify the internships that are best for you.

Across Canada, respected organizations and companies offer internships in STEM, business, heath sciences, government, arts, and sustainability. These internships can give you a clear sense of direction for your future college life and career choices.

You’ll collaborate with professionals, observe workflows, develop new competencies, and gain confidence in navigating workplace environments. Along the way, you’ll build connections that can support you long after the internship ends.

You’ll need to work hard once your internship begins, but we’ll save you some effort now. To help you get started, we’ve curated a list of 15 Internships in Canada for High School Students. They’ve been handpicked for their academic value, mentorship, and professional development opportunities.

15 Internships in Canada for High School Students 

1. Computers for Schools Plus (CFS+) Internship

Location: Across multiple provinces/territories in Canada
Cost/Stipend: Paid internship
Acceptance rate/cohort size: An average of 279 interns were hired annually over the six-year evaluation period
Dates: Varies; you need to contact your local centre
Application Deadline: Varies by centre
Eligibility: Canadian citizens/residents aged 15-30 years

If you join the CFS+ Internship, you’ll participate in a paid experience of refurbishing and preparing donated computers and other digital devices for reuse. The internship provides you with an insider’s view of a national program dedicated to reducing e-waste and promoting digital inclusion throughout Canada.

At a typical centre, you might repair hardware, format and test software, package equipment for shipment, and help with installations or community outreach. Alongside technical tasks, you’ll also work on communication, teamwork, and project-management skills. With this internship, you not only beef up your resume but also contribute to an environmental and social mission.

Why it stands out: It gives you hands-on technical experience refurbishing devices, strengthening real-world IT and hardware skills.

2. Immerse Education’s Online Research Programme

Location: Fully remote
Cost/Stipend: Varies by program type
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Average class size is 7
Dates: Flexible; multiple cohorts in a year.
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions; multiple dates throughout the year
Eligibility: Students aged 13-18 around the world (accredited options require age 14+)

The Online Research Programme gives you the chance to develop practical, employable skills through structured academic research, guided by tutors from Oxford, Cambridge, and Ivy League universities. You will work closely with your tutor to investigate a subject in depth, design a research question, analyse evidence, and produce a formal academic paper. These research and writing skills are highly valued across fields such as science, technology, policy, law, and business, where critical thinking, data interpretation, and clear communication are essential.

While it is conducted online, the programme functions much like a research internship. You follow a defined project timeline, receive expert supervision, produce a tangible final output, and gain experience similar to working in a university lab or research group. The virtual format also makes this opportunity accessible from anywhere in Canada, removing geographical barriers while offering one-to-one or small-group mentorship. By the end of the programme, you receive a written evaluation, the option to publish your work, and an invitation to present at the Immerse Online Symposium, giving you credible outcomes that reflect real-world research experience.

Why it stands out: You’ll get access to 1:1 Oxbridge- or Ivy-style research supervision culminating in a publishable academic paper.

3. Saskatchewan Youth Apprenticeship (SYA) Program

Location: Saskatchewan, Canada
Cost/Stipend: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Varies by school
Application Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: High school students in Saskatchewan

If you join the SYA program, you’ll explore skilled trades while still in high school and get a head start on a future apprenticeship and real-world work experience. Over the course of up to three years, you complete a set of 12 challenges. Tasks include interviewing a journeyperson, researching a trade, writing reports, and doing at least some trade-related work or class hours.

By completing all levels of the program, you build a strong resume, earn a trade-time credit (300 hours) that counts toward future apprenticeships, and may have your first-year technical training tuition and registration fees waived. SYA gives you both a structured way to test out different trades and tangible benefits if you choose to continue in a skilled trade career path.

Why it stands out: It introduces you to skilled trades through structured steps, helping you understand apprenticeship pathways early.

4. Hutton Junior Fisheries Biology Program

Location: U.S., Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico; placed near your home (within a ~45-minute commute)
Cost/Stipend: Paid; you receive a stipend of $3,000
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive
Dates: 8 weeks during the summer
Application Deadline: January 25
Eligibility: Rising high school seniors, or rising college freshmen aged 16 and above

If you join the Hutton Junior Fisheries Biology Program, you’ll spend a full summer working alongside experienced fisheries and aquatic-science professionals, either in freshwater or marine environments. During the course of the program, you’ll get exposure to real research and conservation work. You’ll assist and participate in tasks like fish population surveys, water-quality testing, habitat restoration, electrofishing, lab analysis, and data processing, depending on your site and mentor.

The internship gives you a chance to explore issues like aquatic ecology, conservation, and environmental management. As a Hutton Scholar, you’ll gain both practical skills and insight into what a career in fisheries science or aquatic biology could look like. The program can significantly strengthen your resume and display your commitment to environmental science.

Why it stands out: It pairs you with fisheries scientists, giving you authentic field and lab exposure to environmental and marine biology research.

5. Xavier Pelletier High School Internship Program

Location: Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
Cost/Stipend: Free; upon completion, selected students receive a CAD 3,000 bursary toward post-secondary education
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective
Dates: 8-week summer internship
Application Deadline: March 3
Eligibility: You must be in Grade 11 at a secondary school on Southern Vancouver Island

If you’re selected to join the Xavier Pelletier High School Internship Program, you’ll spend a full summer working alongside researchers at BC Cancer’s Deeley Research Centre. You’ll be getting a close perspective of cancer biology and lab-based research. You’ll be participating in a research project from start to finish, under the supervision of experienced scientists, giving you exposure to the methods and rigour of biomedical science.

Over eight weeks, you may have to assist with experiments, engage in data collection or analyses, attend seminars, and learn about how research connects to clinical outcomes and patient care. As a Grade 11 student, you’ll get the opportunity to explore science and research beyond the classroom, potentially guiding you to decide if a future in medicine or biotech is your thing.

Why it stands out:  It immerses you in cancer research labs, offering rare early access to biomedical techniques and mentorship from active scientists.

6. Sunnybrook Focused Ultrasound High School Summer Research Program

Location: Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Cost/Stipend: Paid internship
Acceptance rate/cohort size: ~25 students
Dates: 8 weeks during the summer
Application Deadline: February 13
Eligibility: High school students in Grades 10–12 aged 16+

If you join the Focused Ultrasound High School Summer Research Program, you’ll spend eight weeks working in a biomedical-research lab at Sunnybrook, collaborating with scientists and engineers in a professional hospital-research environment. You’ll gain firsthand experience with cutting-edge medical technologies (focused-ultrasound device development) and learn lab protocols. You’ll have an opportunity to understand how interdisciplinary research in physics, engineering, and biology comes together to inform real-world medical innovations.

The program also offers seminars, mentorship, and often ends in a poster presentation or lab report, giving you a tangible output and a strong credential for future applications. It’s a unique chance to experience hospital-based research that can help clarify whether a career in medicine or biomedical engineering & research is for you.

Why it stands out: It lets you explore cutting-edge medical technology, giving you firsthand experience with translational research in healthcare.

7. seed2STEM Summer Research Program

Location: Metro Vancouver and Kelowna, British Columbia
Cost/Stipend: Paid; students receive minimum wage for working about 25 hours/week
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: July 6 – August 14
Application Deadline: February 20
Eligibility: Indigenous high-school students in Grades 9–12

If you take part in seed2STEM, you’ll spend six weeks working in a university or hospital research lab, gaining first-hand experience in STEM. Per your interest, you may choose neuroscience, chemistry, engineering, physics, biology, or environmental science. The internship offers paid work and additional supports like transit passes, loaner laptops, some meals, and youth-support workers.

Over the course of the program, you’ll also take part in weekly group-learning modules. You’ll go on field trips to scientific or cultural sites, meet guest speakers (including Indigenous STEM professionals), and build community with peers. At the end, you present a research poster at a symposium, giving you academic exposure and a credential for future applications. 

Why it stands out: It places you in spinal cord injury research environments, helping you engage with advanced biomedical science at a professional level.

8. SickKids StAR (Students Advancing Research) Program

Location: SickKids hospital/research campus & labs, Toronto, Ontario
Cost/Stipend: Paid internship
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Six weeks during the summer
Application Deadline: January 12
Eligibility: Students in grades 11 and 12, aged 16+

If you take part in the SickKids Kids Science StAR program, you’ll spend six weeks immersed in biomedical research labs at a leading children’s hospital. You’ll be working alongside scientists and researchers to contribute to ongoing projects. You’ll get practical experience with lab techniques, data collection, and research procedures.

The program also gives you exposure to how medical research works in practice and the intersection of science, medicine, and patient care. As part of a supportive and inclusive environment, you’ll be surrounded by peers from underrepresented communities, which can help build a sense of belonging and mentorship in STEM. 

Why it stands out: It introduces you to pediatric medicine and hospital-based science, giving you a deeper understanding of clinical and research careers.

9. RBC Summer Tech Labs

Location: Toronto
Cost/Stipend: Paid intership
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: July 2 – August 20
Application Deadline: Applications typically open in the spring
Eligibility: Students currently in Grade 11 or 12 at an Ontario-based high school

If you get accepted into RBC Summer Tech Labs, you’ll spend eight weeks over the summer working in small teams, tackling real-world business challenges identified by the Royal Bank of Canada. You’ll design, develop, test, and deploy prototypes using current technologies (for example, JavaScript, React.js, GitHub), applying coding and problem-solving skills.

Throughout the internship, you’ll receive mentoring from RBC professionals, take part in workshops, and practice agile software-development practices such as team collaboration, sprint planning, and weekly deliverables. You’ll present your working prototype, giving you a tangible project to add to your resume and strong insight into how tech solutions are built within a large organization. 

Why it stands out: It lets you work on tech and innovation challenges, helping you develop industry-relevant coding and problem-solving skills.

10. ELITE Program for Black Youth

Location: Various sites across Canada
Cost/Stipend: Paid internship
Acceptance rate/cohort size: ~53 interns
Dates: 8 weeks during the summer
Application Deadline: Applications open around November
Eligibility: Black youth aged 15–22

With the ELITE Program for Black Youth, you’ll step into a paid, work-integrated internship that blends technical training with entrepreneurship and leadership development. The program is designed to help you build real-world skills in STEM fields while still in high school. Over 8 weeks, you’ll work with universities, industry firms, or government agencies on meaningful projects using industry-relevant equipment.

Alongside the technical work, the program offers weekly sessions in entrepreneurship, wellness, and coaching. Finally, you’ll produce a project report and present your work, giving you tangible credentials and a strong foundation for future study or a career in STEM. For many Black youth, the ELITE Program offers an entry point into professional networks, workplace culture, and long-term opportunities in high-demand fields.

Why it stands out: It provides mentorship and STEM project experience, helping you build confidence, technical skills, and university readiness.

11. Blueprint by the University of Toronto

Location: University of Toronto, St. George campus
Cost/Stipend: Free program
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: July 6 – July 31
Application Deadline: March 29
Eligibility: Students who identify as black in grades 10 and 11

When you join Blueprint, you’ll spend four weeks on U of T’s campus in a high-energy engineering environment. Here, you’ll take two engineering-focused summer courses, work on design challenges, and get exposed to real-world problem-solving. You’ll be taught by Master’s and PhD students and mentored by undergraduates, giving you early exposure to university-level engineering thinking. Beyond summer, the program keeps going with year-long engagement, including monthly webinars, workshops, and peer meetups.

The process helps you build skills, prepare for post-secondary education, and stay connected to other aspiring engineers. The sense of community is strong as you meet other motivated Black students interested in STEM and develop support networks that may last through university and beyond.

Why it stands out: It immerses you in engineering design principles, giving you early exposure to the problem-solving mindset used in top engineering programs.

12. University of Calgary: Centre for Health Informatics: Summer Studentship Program

Location: Centre for Health Informatics, University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Cost/Stipend: Paid internship
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: High-school students undertake an 8‑week summer placement
Application Deadline: December 23
Eligibility: Open to high‑school, undergraduate, and graduate students

In the CHI Summer Studentship Program, you’ll get the chance to work on health informatics or data‑science research under the supervision of a faculty member.You might work on projects related to health services, data visualization, basic data science, or health informatics, depending on your interests.

The experience gives you exposure to how data, computing, and health intersect. The process will offer you insight into fields like digital health, epidemiology, and medical data analytics. Over the term, you’re expected to maintain standard work‑week hours and complete a final report.

Why it stands out: It introduces you to data-driven healthcare research, helping you understand how technology and medicine intersect.

13. fem+ Mentorship Program

Location: Edmonton, Alberta
Cost/Stipend: No program fees
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: 7-month duration
Application Deadline: Typically around September
Eligibility:  High-school students in Canada who identify as women, non-binary, or 2SLGBTQ+

If you love math and science or just want to explore your options in engineering, the fem+ Mentorship Program offers you a chance to get real insights over a full 7-month period. You’ll be paired one-on-one with a current University of Alberta engineering student who becomes your mentor.

You’ll learn through everything, starting from what university life and engineering studies look like to how to apply and prepare for post-secondary education in engineering. The program emphasizes support, community, and honest sharing of experiences, and you’ll also have the opportunity to interact with peers and professionals through a mix of various events. It’s a low-pressure, exploratory space meant to help you decide if engineering might be the right path for you.

Why it stands out: It pairs you with engineering mentors, helping you explore engineering fields while supporting young women in STEM.

14. Federal Student Work Experience Program (FSWEP)

Location: Across Canada; at various departments and agencies of the federal public service
Cost/Stipend: Paid
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Varies
Application Deadline: Varies
Eligibility: Must be enrolled full-time in high school or post-secondary education and intend to return the following academic term

If you join FSWEP, you get access to a broad range of paid job opportunities within the Canadian federal public service, from administrative support to scientific, IT, or policy-related work, depending on your field of study and interests. Because the program runs across many departments and agencies nationwide, you can potentially find placements in a variety of geographic locations and fields.

You may work full-time during non-academic periods (like summer) or part-time during the school year, giving you flexibility around your studies. The experience helps you build workplace skills, understand how government functions, and explore what a public-service career might look like. This participation can be a strong advantage if you plan to apply for post-secondary education or a future job in the public sector. 

Why it stands out: It gives you early access to paid government roles, helping you gain professional experience and explore public-sector careers.

15. Future Tech Summer Internship – Nokia Canada

Location: Various Nokia offices across Canada
Cost/Stipend: Paid internship; $17 per hour
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: July 7 – August 22
Application Deadline: Opens in spring
Eligibility: Grade 12–bound students with at least a 75% Grade 11 average 

If you join the Nokia Future Tech Summer Internship, you’ll spend the summer working alongside Nokia engineers on technical problems. The experience will give you early exposure to software/hardware development in a global tech company. Over the 7–8 weeks, you’ll get mentorship from a Future Tech Mentor, contribute to meaningful engineering tasks, and learn what it’s like to function inside a high-tech team environment.

You’ll also attend Lunch & Learn sessions and interact with peers who share your interest in technology. The program helps you build skills that could shape your post-secondary choices or future career in computer science or engineering. 

Why it stands out: It exposes you to real telecommunications and software projects, giving you tangible industry experience with a global tech company.

Turning Early Experience Into Future Direction

Early exposure to real work environments helps you understand what learning looks like beyond the classroom. It builds confidence, curiosity, and a clearer sense of direction.

The 15 Internships for High School Students in Canada listed in this article show how early work experiences can offer real responsibility, mentorship, and hands-on learning across diverse fields.

Just as importantly, internships encourage reflection. Seeing how professionals work day to day can shape your academic choices and long-term goals.

If you’re ready to explore what comes next, our Career Exploration blogs offer insights and guidance to help you plan your future with clarity.