Summer internships for 15 year olds expose you to how theoretical concepts are applied in real life. If you are 15 and want to get ahead of students who rely entirely on classroom learning, starting to explore real-world opportunities now is one of the smartest things you can do. School teaches you important concepts, but experience shows you how people actually work, how problems get solved, and how careers are built around genuine interests.

Imagine spending your summer working with a local business, contributing to an environmental project, assisting with research, supporting a nonprofit, or helping out at a media platform. At these internships, you observe professionals doing real work, take on small but meaningful responsibilities, and start to understand how ideas actually turn into outcomes. That perspective is genuinely difficult to develop inside a classroom, no matter how good your teachers are.

How to choose the best summer internships as a 15 year old?

By 15, most students already have a rough sense of what they enjoy, whether that is science, technology, business, law, media, or something else entirely. An internship lets you test those interests in a real setting before you have to make bigger decisions about courses, extracurriculars, and college plans.

You also start picking up skills that matter well beyond the internship itself. Learning how to communicate professionally, work alongside others, manage your own responsibilities, and approach challenges independently are things that stay with you throughout high school and long after. The earlier you start building those habits, the more natural they become. 

Pursuing summer internships also gives you something that becomes increasingly valuable as you get older: a track record. Every experience you collect now builds a story about who you are and what you are capable of. By the time college applications arrive, students who started exploring early have genuine experiences to draw from rather than scrambling to fill a resume with last-minute activities.

To help you find the right fit, we’ve compiled a list of 15 summer internships for 15-year-olds!

For adjacent opportunities, consider summer programs for 15 year olds.

Key Takeaways

• Stipends vary widely, from unpaid opportunities at Akron Children’s Hospital to $5,600 at the Smithsonian’s NMNH Summer High School Internship.
• Several programs are restricted to specific regions, including the Cleveland Clinic’s CYCE program for Ohio residents and the Hideo Sasaki Foundation’s SEED program for Boston-area students.
• Program length ranges from five days, as with the University of Melbourne’s Year 10 Work Experience Program, to eight weeks, as with the Cleveland Clinic’s CYCE program.
• Several programs combine paid work with structured enrichment, including the Mayor’s Summer Youth Employment Program’s college tours and financial literacy training.
• The Regional Business Centre’s Summer Company stands out for letting students start and run their own business with up to CA$3,000 in funding and mentorship.
• Most programs on this list are restricted to US, Canadian, or Australian residents, with limited options open internationally.
• Immerse Education’s Career Insights Programme is one of the few options open to students worldwide aged 15 to 18, combining project-based learning with established companies and 1:1 career coaching.

15 Summer Internships for 15 Year Olds

1. NMNH Summer High School Internship

Location: Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC
Stipend: $5,600 ($700/week)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: June 23rd – August 14th
Application Deadline: February 16th – March 20th
Eligibility: 9th to 12th graders aged 15 to 18 who live within the D.C., Maryland, or Virginia area and within commuting distance of the National Museum of Natural History for the full duration of the internship program; international student eligibility not specified

This internship at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History gives high school students an outlook on working in a museum. With internship positions available in different departments of the museum, you can choose a science or non-science role based on your interests. Depending on the project you choose, you could be writing researched content about the natural world, managing and conserving plant specimens, restoring museum materials, or completing other tasks.

Each year, NMNH will share its available projects for you to potentially get involved in. Some examples include exhibits/communications, botany, anthropology, paleobiology, science education, and more. You will have a museum staff member supervising you while you work on your project.

Why it stands out: In addition to focusing on your project, you will also benefit from field trips, behind-the-scenes tours, career readiness skill development sessions, and more. 

2. Immerse Education’s Career Insights Summer School

Location: Cambridge, London, New York, San Francisco, Singapore, Sydney, and Tokyo
Cost: Varies; summer school scholarship available through our bursary programme
Dates: 2 weeks during the summer
Application Deadline: Multiple summer cohorts with rolling admissions
Eligibility: High school students worldwide aged 15-18

Immerse Education’s Career Insights Pathway lets high school students explore careers in major global industry hubs. Participants engage in project-based learning with established companies, attend interactive workshops, and visit offices, factories, and headquarters.

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 university-level concepts in fields like medicine and psychology, giving you early exposure to the academic pathways behind real careers.

3. The New York Historical Student Historian Internship Program 

Location: The New York Historical, New York City, NY
Stipend: $1,200 for the academic year cohort; $700 for historical summer cohorts
Dates: July 7th – August 13th
Application Deadline: August 23rd
Eligibility: Rising 10th through 12th graders who live in and attend school in the New York City metro area (includes the five boroughs of New York City, as well as areas of New York State, Connecticut, and New Jersey); international student eligibility not specified

As a student historian, your primary responsibility will be to produce digital projects based on information from the museum to educate the public about it. To help you with it, the program will have professionals tell you more details about the museum, library, digital humanities, and history fields. You will be working on the projects in a group with other student interns.

The program’s theme will be chosen based on the museum’s installation, and the latest theme is Our Composite Nation: Frederick Douglass’ America, so you can expect something similar when you apply. This is an intensive program where you will be expected to do a significant amount of research and writing, thus making it suitable for students who are interested in related careers, such as researcher, writer, journalist, historian, and more. 

Why it stands out: Through your involvement in the program, you will advance your knowledge in American history and the digital humanities while enhancing your historical thinking, communication, and digital media skills.

4. Australian Museum High School Work Experience Program 

Location: Sydney, NSW, Australia
Cost: Free
Dates: July 27th – 31st, September 7th – 11th, October 19th – 23th, or November 9th – 13th (make sure to
check if the specialization you are interested in is offered on your selected date
Application Deadline: February 20th – April 24th
Eligibility: NSW secondary school students in Years 10 to 12

By joining the high school work experience program at the Australian Museum, you will have the chance to gain an overview of different career opportunities within the museum. These include science and cultural research, education, public programming, curatorial and exhibition design, marketing, communications, and corporate services.

During your time in the one-week program, you would have the chance to contribute to different departments, including those focused on science and research, audience engagement, administration, creatives, and more. More specifically, each year, the program offers different areas of specializations, with some examples being Ichthyology collection, entomology, marine invertebrates, design, digital, education, genomics, and more.

Why it stands out: You will get to work with the museum staff across the various departments, thus developing your personal and professional skills. 

5. CYCE High School Summer Internship Program

Location: Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH
Stipend: $15 per hour
Dates: June 8th – July 28th
Application Deadline: January 5th – February 2nd
Eligibility: 9th to 12th graders who are at least 15 years old by June 1st; are U.S. citizens, noncitizen nationals, or legal permanent residents; have a preferred minimum GPA of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale; and live and attend school in one of the locations in Ohio listed in the overall application criteria.

The Cleveland Clinic runs this summer internship program, through which high school students who are interested in working in the healthcare field can try out clinical, non-clinical, and advanced technology roles in it. If you choose one of the clinical roles, you will have a duty that requires you to interact with patients regularly. Some of the positions you may take on include laboratory medicine, nursing, OB/GYN, pharmacy, radiology/imaging, respiratory care, and more.

The advanced technology track, on the other hand, will include positions that will help you form a strong understanding of the role that technology plays in healthcare. Think clinical engineering and tech, data science/database development, and more. You will be interning 30 hours per week.

Why it stands out: In this internship, you are constantly next to healthcare professionals from whom you can learn skills that are essential to succeed in the medical field. 

6. The University of Melbourne Year 10 Work Experience Program

Location: The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
Stipend: AU$5/day and financial assistance available to cover travel and accommodation costs
Dates: June 22-26
Application Deadline: Typically opens early in the year
Eligibility: Year 10 students who will be at least 15 years old at the start of the program and are currently studying in Australia (including homeschooled students)  

The University of Melbourne’s Year 10 Work Experience Program, conducted over just five days, is packed with activities designed to give students exposure to a specific field. With the program offering various subject areas to choose from, you can mention your top three picks on your application. The available options include biosciences, chemistry, mathematics and statistics, physics, science communication, and more.

Regardless of which discipline you enroll in, you will be immersed in STEM activities like conducting experiments, attending seminars, working on group research projects, and presenting the outcomes of them. You can find the different research topics available in each department listed on the program page and specify in your application which ones interest you the most. 

Why it stands out: By the end of the program, you know what it is like to work in the STEM field, and as the program takes place at The University of Melbourne, you also gain exposure to college life. 

7. Akron Children’s Hospital Research Internships

Location: Akron Children’s Hospital – Rebecca D. Considine Research Institute, Akron, OH
Stipend: Paid and unpaid opportunities available
Dates: Project-dependent and may vary each term
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions
Eligibility: High school and college students; international student eligibility not specified

Rebecca D. Considine, Research Institute of the Akoin Children’s Hospital, runs this program that offers research opportunities for high school students who dream of stepping into the medical field. The program can be particularly suitable if you are passionate about pediatric healthcare or research.

As a 15 year old in this summer internship, you will have the advantage of working next to professionals such as researchers, physicians, and healthcare professionals. You will work on projects that have a real impact on the medical field while also learning the fundamentals of research and its impact on public health. Besides, this program creates an environment to use your academic knowledge in the real world. 

Why it stands out: You will acquire project management, digital literacy, and professional communication skills through your participation in the program. 

8. Hideo Sasaki Foundation Summer Exploratory Experience in Design (SEED)

Location: Hideo Sasaki Foundation, Boston, MA
Stipend: $16.25 per hour (for up to 27.5 hours per week)
Dates: July 6th – August 14th
Application Deadline: February 18th – April 17th (extended to April 22th)
Eligibility: High school students who are residents of Boston or the Metro North region

For 15 year olds who dream of becoming architects or working in the design field, this summer internship can certainly be worth considering. In it, you gain first-hand exposure to the field by immersing yourself in group projects. Additionally, the program will host sessions in which experts from the Hideo Sasaki Foundation will engage you in design charrettes. Through your participation in the design charrettes, you learn hand sketching, computer drawing skills, and many more.

Moreover, you will learn about the wide range of careers available to you with your passion for design, including architecture, interior design, planning and urban design, landscape architecture, and more, so you can choose the right one for yourself. 

Why it stands out: The program will give you hands-on exposure to the design tools that are used regularly by professionals in the field of architecture. 

9. Museum of Arts and Design Teen Programs: ARTSLIFE

Location: Museum of Arts and Design (MAD), New York City, NY
Stipend: $17 per hour
Dates: 6 weeks in the summer
Application Deadline: Typically in April
Eligibility: Rising 10th and 11th-graders enrolled in New York City public and charter high schools; international student eligibility not specified

In this highly selective summer internship for 15 year olds, you gain exposure to the different departments within the museum. As an intern, you spend the first week participating in team-bonding exercises and learning more about the museum. In the weeks to follow, you will have the opportunity to contribute to art projects while collaborating with museum staff, local designers, and professional artists.

You will even receive mentorship from these experts, thus equipping yourself with presentation, communication, and public speaking skills. Additionally, the museum will invite you to participate in its public and behind-the-scenes events.

Why it stands out: As an intern, you will also engage in career preparedness sessions, field trips to cultural organizations in NYC, and other enriching activities.

10. SpHERES High School Research Program

Location: The Carle Illinois College of Medicine, Urbana, IL
Stipend: $2,400 
Dates: June 17th – July 31th (research period)
Application Deadline: Opens in February and closes towards the end of March or early April; March 31st (Priority Deadline)
Eligibility: Rising 10th through 12th graders from Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, Iowa, or Wisconsin; international student eligibility not specified

SpHERES, also known as Sparking High Schoolers’ Excitement for Research in Engineering & Science, is part of The Grainger College of Engineering’s Young Scholars Summer STEMM Research Programs. The program welcomes students who would like to pursue careers in the fields of medicine, science, and engineering, as it creates a space for you to understand the link among the three.

More importantly, you will be working next to the university’s professors on research projects focused on clinical topics. As a result, you will form an understanding of lab research within a college setting and also gain hands-on science skills and academic confidence. Additionally, the program will also give you the chance to explore clinical skills, healthcare entrepreneurship, holistic, inclusive care, and more. 

Why it stands out: You benefit by networking with professors and medical students who will give you their insightful advice to perform well in medical school. 

11. Fund for the City of New York (FCNY) Summer Internship

Location: Fund for the City of New York, New York City, NY
Stipend: Not publicly available
Dates: July 6th – July 24th
Application Deadline: January 5th – March 6th
Eligibility: Open to high school students; international student eligibility not specified

In this summer internship program organized by the Fund for the City of New York (FCNY), student interns will be able to gain work experience while being involved in community engagement. The internship program commences with training sessions. During this time, you will attend orientations that explain FCNY’s operations and goals in detail.

You will also participate in workshops where you learn how to make the most of your internship experience. After these training sessions, you will start working on FCNY’s project and sometimes partner companies’ projects. As an intern, you will also be invited to participate in field trips and convenings hosted by the Fund for the City of New York.

Why it stands out: You will find that there are opportunities available in project management, human resources, social media, event management, back office operations, and other departments. 

12. Mayor’s Summer Youth Employment Program (MSYEP)

Location: Varies by the internship role
Stipend: $15 per hour
Dates: July 6th – August 14th
Application Deadline: April 15th – May 8th
Eligibility: High school students and graduating seniors who are at least 14 years old by July 6th, reside in Cambridge, and are authorized to work in the US. Priority will be given to students eligible for Free or Reduced Lunch and those from lower-income families

The City of Cambridge started this program as a way to give high school students living in the area their first work experience and introduce them to the professional world. At this summer internship for 15 year olds, you will be working in the public sector or a non-profit in Cambridge or its neighboring communities. You will get to choose from a selection of roles in areas such as arts/theater/music, office/library, STEM, media/web production, landscaping/maintenance, and more.

You will be working 20 hours per week in your selected role. Some students will even join the Summer Work and Learning sites, where they can use community resources to help them decide on their education and careers.

Why it stands out: Your schedule will also include college tours, financial literacy trainings, and other enrichment activities, plus social events. 

13. Regional Business Centre Summer Company

Location: Students can run their business in Greater Sudbury, Manitoulin Island, and the surrounding area
Stipend: Up to CA$3,000 (up to CA$1,500 is given upfront, and the rest is given upon completion)
Dates: June 29th – August 31th
Application Deadline: February 26th – April 30th
Eligibility: Students from ages 15 to 29 who are Canadian citizens or permanent residents living in Ontario and will return to school, college, or university after the program; you should not already be running a business, working another job, or attending school for more than 12 hours per week during the period of the program

If you are someone who has always liked the idea of starting your own business, you can consider this Ontario government program run by the Regional Business Centre. In it, you get the training and resources, including funding, to run a business of your choice. Some examples include car detailing, tutoring, photography, food services, dog walking or kenneling, swimming lessons, and many more. Make sure to also check the program page for the list of businesses you cannot pick.

You will have a mentor to guide you through every aspect of the program, giving you their expert advice on starting and running the business. Your mentor will be a Regional Business Centre employee who will meet you biweekly and give you personalized business training. 

Why it stands out: The program will engage you in a selection of training sessions and workshops where you will learn about branding, marketing & sales, record keeping & marketing check-in, tax tips, and more. 

14. BSA Arch/Design High School Internships

Location: Various architecture firms across Boston
Stipend: Provided
Dates: July 6th – August 14th
Application Deadline: Opens February 20th
Eligibility: Rising 10th graders through newly graduated students from Boston Public Schools; international student eligibility not specified

The Boston Society for Architecture is part of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and runs this internship program that helps high school students who aim to become architects and designers gain work experience in the field. If you get selected, you will be placed as an intern at a Boston-based architecture firm for six weeks in the summer.

Given that you can enroll in the program more than once, it can be a valuable way to gain work experience at different local architecture firms. You will even go on firm crawls where you visit several architecture firms. This exposure will give you insight into each firm’s uniqueness, helping you make career decisions. 

Why it stands out: The program will take you on field trips through which you learn architecture by observing different buildings in the city. 

15. RISE Shore Corps Summer

Location: RISE, New York City (Queens), NY 
Stipend: Up to $1,000
Dates: July 7th – August 14th
Application Deadline: Opens in early April
Eligibility: 9th to 11th graders who live and attend a school in the Rockaway Peninsula in New York; international student eligibility not specified

This internship program by the  Rockaway Initiative for Sustainability and Equity is worth considering if you plan to pursue careers in environmental stewardship, civic engagement, community planning, and similar roles. As a participant in this summer program, you will be working with local businesses or partner organizations. You will primarily be working on projects that focus on areas such as environmental science, civic engagement, food systems, and community planning.

Regardless of the project you are assigned, you will gain leadership skills, learn water safety, and complete CPR training. You even get to surf, kayak, bike, and do other fun activities.

Why it stands out: You learn to appreciate the natural resources at the Rockaway peninsula through your involvement in the program.

Frequently Asked Questions: Summer Internships for 15 Year Olds

What do summer internships for a 15 year olds involve? 

A summer internship for 15-year-olds gives students structured exposure to a professional field, often through museum work, research assistance, or paid community-based roles. Programs typically pair students with a supervisor or mentor and run from one week to eight weeks. Many are restricted to a specific city, state, or region due to work authorization requirements. Most conclude with a presentation, project showcase, or final report.

Is it a good idea to pursue summer internships as a 15 year old?

Yes, many of these programs are specifically designed for students at this age. The Smithsonian’s NMNH internship accepts students aged 15 to 18, and the University of Melbourne’s Year 10 Work Experience Program is built for students who are at least 15 at the start of the program. Immerse Education’s Career Insights Programme also targets this age range, accepting students worldwide from age 15.

Are summer internships for 15-year-olds paid? 

Many are paid, though amounts vary considerably. The Smithsonian’s NMNH internship pays $5,600 across the summer, while the Cleveland Clinic’s CYCE program and Mayor’s Summer Youth Employment Program both pay $15 per hour. Some programs, including Akron Children’s Hospital’s research internships, offer both paid and unpaid placements depending on the role.

Can international students apply to these internships? 

Most US-based programs, including the Smithsonian’s NMNH internship and the Cleveland Clinic’s CYCE program, require US citizenship or residency in a specific state. The Regional Business Centre’s Summer Company is open to Canadian citizens and permanent residents living in Ontario. Immerse Education’s Career Insights Programme is open to students worldwide aged 15 to 18.

What kinds of summer internships can I explore as a 15 year old? 

The range spans museum and cultural work, healthcare, architecture and design, and entrepreneurship. The New York Historical Society’s Student Historian Internship Program focuses on digital humanities and history, while the Hideo Sasaki Foundation’s SEED program introduces students to architecture and design careers. Immerse Education’s Career Insights Programme lets students explore university-level concepts in fields like medicine and psychology through hands-on workshops.

Will I work directly with professionals? 

Yes, most programs pair students with mentors from the field. The Akron Children’s Hospital internship has students working alongside researchers and physicians, and the BSA Arch/Design internship places students at real Boston architecture firms. Immerse Education’s Career Insights Programme similarly includes weekly 1:1 career coaching and visits to offices and headquarters.

How do summer internships help with future college applications? 

Building a track record of genuine experience at 15 gives students concrete material to draw on well before application season. Programs like SpHERES have students network directly with professors and medical students who offer advice on performing well in future applications, while the Regional Business Centre’s Summer Company gives students a completed business venture to discuss. Immerse Education’s Career Insights Programme provides personalized resume feedback and a final presentation to industry experts, both useful early steps.

Build Real Experience before College Applications Arrive

The summer internships for 15 year olds listed here help you test whether healthcare, architecture, environmental science, or museum work genuinely excites you before university.

Programs here range from the Smithsonian’s NMNH internship in Washington D.C. to Cleveland Clinic’s healthcare roles and the Hideo Sasaki Foundation’s design programme in Boston.

Writing a research abstract, presenting a digital history project, or pitching your own business gives you stronger material for personal statements, interviews, and supercurricular reflection.

To turn those early experiences into lasting university readiness, explore our University Preparation blogs for personal statements, interviews, academic writing, entry requirements, and supercurriculars.