Ladder Internships 2026: What Students Need to Know

Ladder Internships places ambitious secondary school students in eight week remote roles with fast-growing start-ups working in AI, software engineering, finance, media, health tech, and environmental science.

The programme runs across spring, summer, autumn, and winter cohorts, allowing students to participate from any location and balance school commitments.

Founded by Harvard-affiliated entrepreneurs, it offers weekly guidance from company managers and project work that includes coding prototypes, analysing data, and developing market strategies.

This guide outlines what students can expect from Ladder Internships in 2026.

Course Breakdown

Note: Check their official website for their current pricing.

Why Choose Ladder Internships

Ladder Internships places ambitious students into fully virtual, eight-week roles with start-ups and NGOs, focused on real project outputs.

Projects span AI, software engineering, finance, media, health tech, and environmental science. Hosts include SoftenMind and JuneBrain, where interns support digital mental health tools and wearable eye-scanning technology for remote diagnostics.

Weekly supervisor meetings keep work on track. The CEO Internship offers direct founder mentorship with FAANG backgrounds, and the Combination Programme adds a mentored research project. Ladder reports that alumni surveyed were 1.66 times more likely to enter a Top 20 university. 

If Ladder’s model of learning directly from industry experts appeals to you, but you also want an in-person academic experience, Immerse Education offers residential programmes in Cambridge, Oxford, London, Boston, New York, San Francisco, Toronto, Singapore, Sydney, and Tokyo.

Career Insights runs for two weeks and gives you project briefs, workshops, and industry visits. You can also join Academic Insights if you want university-style study taught by tutors from top global universities. 

If you prefer a research pathway, you can choose the Online Research Programme, where you work one-to-one with a PhD-level researcher on an original project. Finally, TED Summer School helps you build communication and storytelling skills and ends with your own recorded TED-style talk.

Key Features of Ladder Internships

Ladder Internships stands out because it combines real start-up work with a clear structure that keeps you moving week by week. 

You join an eight-week, fully online placement and contribute to projects across 50+ partner organisations, including start-ups and NGOs in AI, software, finance, media, health tech, and environmental science.

Ladder also keeps the experience practical and supported. You meet weekly with a supervisor or CEO, work towards defined deliverables, and finish with a final presentation. Most students spend around 5–10 hours per week, so the programme can fit alongside school.

If you want a higher level of access, Ladder offers tiered tracks. The Start-up Internship costs USD $2,990, the CEO Internship costs $4,990, and pairs you with a founder with a FAANG background, and the Combination Programme costs $7,400 and adds a mentored research component.

You also receive a letter of completion from the host company, and students with demonstrated need can access full financial aid. Ladder reports that surveyed interns were 1.66 times more likely to gain admission to a Top 20 university.

Advantages

• Direct start-up matching. You join a real company or NGO team rather than working on a simulated case study.
• Founder access. The CEO track gives you direct exposure to a start-up CEO with a FAANG background.
• More affordable entry point. Fees start at USD $2,990, and you avoid extra costs linked to travel and accommodation.
• Employer-style recognition. You finish with tangible project outputs and a letter of completion from the host company.
• Fully online access. You can participate from anywhere without travel, visas, or residential logistics.
• Full financial aid. Students with demonstrated need can receive full support, which improves access for families on tighter budgets.

Disadvantages

• No in-person immersion. You do not get the independence, community, and city-based experience that residential programmes provide.
• Limited wider industry exposure. You typically work with one host organisation, so you may miss broader, multi-company industry visits and sector exploration.
• Less peer-led learning. Online work can feel more individual, while residential formats often build collaboration through shared workshops and daily activities.
• Fewer academic tutorial elements. The programme prioritises project delivery over seminar-style teaching, structured subject content, and detailed written academic feedback.
• Duration can be a barrier. The 8-week commitment, often 5–10 hours per week, can feel demanding alongside school, exams, or other activities.

Ladder Internships vs Immerse Education

Immerse Education offers three core pathways: Academic Insights, Career Insights, and the Online Research Programme (ORP), combining university-style learning, real-world experience, and one-to-one research mentorship across global locations.

Is Ladder Internships Worth It?

Ladder Internships suits you if you want real start-up experience without travelling. The programme runs fully online for eight weeks and focuses on deliverables that you can show.

It can also feel cost-effective compared with many in-person options. Fees start at USD $2,990, and Ladder offers full financial aid for students with financial need. The $200 deposit and pay-after-match model also reduces risk.

The CEO and Combination tracks make sense if you want higher-touch support. Ladder prices these at $4,990 and $7,400, which can suit students aiming for a more intensive experience.

If getting into a Top 20 university matters to you, Ladder claims its interns may have an edge. In a survey of 85 participants, Ladder reported interns were 1.66 times more likely to gain admission to a Top 20 university than the average applicant.

If you want campus life, an in-person peer community, and broader cultural exposure, Ladder’s online-only model may feel limiting. In that case, Immerse Education offers residential programmes across Boston, Cambridge, London, New York, Oxford, San Francisco, Singapore, Sydney, Tokyo, and Toronto, alongside online options.

In addition to Career and Academic Insights, Immerse also offers the Online Research Programme with one-to-one Oxbridge or Ivy League tutoring on an original project, plus TED Summer School, which ends with a recorded TED-style talk.

Alternatives to Ladder Internships

• Immerse Education – Academic Summer School: Academic Insights offers university-style teaching in subjects such as Medicine, Law, Engineering, and Psychology, taught in small groups within historic university settings.
• Immerse Education – Career Insights: Career Insights blends project-based learning with industry exposure, including site visits and expert guidance in major global cities.
• Immerse Education – Online Research Programme: This programme provides one-to-one or small-group mentorship with a PhD-level tutor to help you design and complete an original research project.
• Empowerly – Startup Internship Program: A remote internship pathway that connects students with start-ups for hands-on project work and early career exploration.
• The Intern Group – Virtual Internships for High School Students: Remote internships with flexible scheduling, skills training, and career coaching for students seeking guided professional experience.

How to Apply for Ladder Internships

1. Choose your programme and cohort – Select the Start-up Internship, CEO Internship, Combination Programme, or University Internship Programme. The Spring 2026 deadline is 8 February 2026.
2. Fill out the online application form – Provide your personal details, school information, time zone, and contact details for a parent or guardian.
3. Complete the written responses – Explain why you are a strong candidate, choose your preferred internship area, describe the role you want, and share your weekly availability.
4. Request financial aid if needed – Financial aid is available for the Start-up Internship and is typically offered to families earning around $50,000 USD or less, though Ladder may be flexible.
5. Interview, decision, and company match – Successful applicants interview, receive an admissions decision, pay a $200 deposit, and approve their company match before completing full payment and starting the eight-week programme.

Final Thoughts

Ladder Internships offers a strong pathway for students who want meaningful start-up experience without travelling. Its eight-week structure, clear deliverables, and tiered tracks support motivated learners building practical skills.

Its affordability, pay-after-match system, and full financial aid help reduce barriers, while the CEO and Combination tracks provide higher-touch mentorship.

Because it is fully online, students miss campus life, in-person community, and wider cultural or industry exposure.

Immerse Education provides those elements through residential programmes in major global cities, university-style learning, and one-to-one research opportunities, creating a well-rounded complement to Ladder’s remote model.