11 Business Internships for High School Students
If you’re a high school student looking to gain professional experience in business, there are multiple options that you can explore! You could take on leadership roles in school clubs, help manage a family business, or participate in a structured internship. If you’re wondering how an internship is different from a pre-college program or immersion, we’ve highlighted the key components of an internship below.
Internships are short-term, hands-on opportunities that allow you to work with professionals, develop new skills, and explore potential career paths.
If you're interested in finance, an internship at a bank (such as the Bank of America Student Leaders Program) might be a good fit. If you want to learn more about marketing or entrepreneurship, consider programs that focus on startup environments or corporate business strategies, such as Ladder Internships.
In the blog below, we’ve highlighted 11 business internships open to high school students. Most of them run in the summer, and are fully funded! The other business internships in this list either offer full financial aid or come at a lower price point, making them pretty accessible.
What are business internships for high school students?
Business internships provide students with exposure to different aspects of the corporate world, from marketing and finance to operations and management.
Some internships focus on specific industries, such as technology or retail, while others offer broader business training.
Why should I do a business internship as a high school student?
A business internship can help you develop essential skills like problem-solving, communication, and teamwork. It also gives you a head start in understanding how companies operate and what career paths might interest you. Beyond strengthening your resume, these internships offer valuable networking opportunities and can make your college applications stand out.
Here are 11 business internships designed for high school students!
Ladder Internships is a selective start-up internship program for ambitious high school students! In the program, you work with a high-growth start-up on an internship. Start-ups that offer internships range across a variety of industries from tech/deep tech, and AI/ML to health tech, marketing, journalism, consulting, and more. You can explore all the options here on their application form. Ladder’s start-ups are high-growth companies on average raising over a million dollars. Past founders have included YCombinator alums, founders raising over 30 million dollars, or founders who previously worked at Microsoft, Google, and Facebook. In the program, interns work closely with their managers and a Ladder Coach on real-world projects and present their work to the company. Here is the application form.
Interns are offered one-on-one training in communication, time management, and other such valuable skills and will also have the opportunity to attend group training sessions with other interns in their cohort. The virtual internship is usually 8 weeks long.
Location: Remote! You can work from anywhere in the world.
Cost: $2490 (Financial Aid Available)
Application deadline: Deadlines vary depending on the cohort
Program dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year
Eligibility: Students who can work for 10-20 hours/week, for 8-12 weeks. Open to high school students, undergraduates, and gap year students!
2. High School Business Internship at PNNL
The PNNL High School Business Internship provides students with an opportunity to gain hands-on experience in a professional environment. Interns work up to 4 hours a day, 5 days a week, under the guidance of a mentor in a specific business area. Students participate in projects that enhance their understanding of business operations while developing skills like communication, leadership, and teamwork. The program also includes educational and leadership development activities, such as laboratory demonstrations, field trips, and career awareness workshops.
The internship also includes field trips, interactive workshops, and elective credits through collaboration with high school work-based learning programs.
Location: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), WA
Cost: Unpaid; elective credits are available.
Dates: August–May (school year).
Application Deadline: Opens in early February.
Eligibility: Open to high school students participating in their school’s work-based learning program.
3. Building-U High School Internship
Building-U offers high school students the chance to join various teams addressing real-world business challenges in an online setting. You can explore roles like Resource R&D, marketing, multimedia, coding, and more while contributing to projects designed to benefit students worldwide. You will gain hands-on experience in fields such as research, marketing, coding, and content creation while collaborating with peers and mentors.
The program offers opportunities to work on impactful projects, including creating a student-focused database, developing YouTube campaigns, and contributing to environmental blogs.
Location: Online.
Cost: Unpaid.
Dates: Year-round; program lengths start at three months.
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions.
Eligibility: Open to high school students (grades 9–12). Applicants should email internships@building-U.com with a brief statement of interest and, if possible, a resume.
While this isn’t a traditional internship, it follows the same work-learn structure as the other programs on this list!
The Young Founder’s Lab is a real-world start-up boot camp founded and run by Harvard entrepreneurs. In this program, you will work towards building a revenue-generating start-up that addresses a real-world problem. You will also have the opportunity to be mentored by established entrepreneurs and professionals from Google, Microsoft, and X.
Apart from building the start-up itself, you will also participate in interactive classes on business fundamentals and business ideations, workshops and skill-building sessions, case studies, panel discussions, and more.
The program is an excellent opportunity to delve into the world of business in high school and have a space to explore multiple theoretical as well as practical frameworks that lead to a successful business. You can check out the brochure for the program here.
Location: This program is 100% virtual, with live, interactive workshops
Cost: The total cost to attend the 4-week program is $2900. There is need-based financial aid.
Dates: Vary according to cohort.
Application Deadline: Varies according to cohort. You can access the application link here!
Eligibility: The program is currently open to all high school students
5. KP LAUNCH High School Internship
The KP LAUNCH program provides high school students with a seven-week paid summer internship in healthcare. You will gain exposure to administrative and supportive roles in healthcare environments while developing personal and professional skills. The program includes weekly workshops, mentorship from healthcare professionals, and networking opportunities. While you do not participate in medical procedures directly, you will gain valuable insight into healthcare careers, making this a solid opportunity for students with no prior exposure to the field. This is a paid internship, and you’ll earn $23 per hour during the seven-week program.
Location: Northern California Kaiser Permanente service areas.
Cost: Paid ($23/hour).
Dates: June 16 – August 1.
Application Deadline: Opens November 18, 12 PM PST.
Eligibility: Students aged 16–19 by June 1, currently in high school or graduating. Must reside in a Northern California Kaiser Permanente service area and be eligible to work in the U.S.
6. Jimerson Birr High School Summer Internship Program
The Jimerson Birr Summer Internship Program provides high school students with an immersive experience at a full-service business law firm. Over 4–6 weeks, you will gain real-world experience in a dynamic environment while working closely with department heads in areas such as accounting, communications and marketing, legal services, and IT. The program is designed to build key skills in business administration, offering insights into professional fields and preparing students for college and future careers.
While this internship is hosted by a law firm, you will gain exposure in fields such as accounting, marketing, legal services, and IT!
Location: Jimerson Birr, P.A., Florida.
Cost: Fully funded.
Dates: 4–6 weeks during the summer.
Application Deadline: Not specified; please check with the firm for updates.
Eligibility: Open to rising high school seniors
7. Emma Bowen Foundation (EBF) Summer Internship
The Emma Bowen Foundation (EBF) Summer Internship offers students of color a pathway to careers in media, entertainment, and technology. You will gain hands-on experience in fields like journalism, production, business, public relations, sales, and web development while working with EBF’s industry-leading partner companies. This program is designed to build a solid foundation for long-term success in competitive industries by fostering professional growth and expanding networks. This is a paid internship with hourly compensation!
Location: Varies (partner companies across the U.S.)
Cost: Fully funded, stipend offered
Dates: The internship typically starts in May or June and lasts a minimum of 8 continuous weeks (35–40 hours per week)
Application Deadline: Typically in early January
Eligibility: High school seniors or undergraduate students graduating in Spring or later.
8. Ladders for Leaders Summer Internship Program
The Ladders for Leaders Paid Summer Internship Program offers high school and college students in New York City the opportunity to gain paid internships at top corporations, non-profit organizations, and government agencies. Through 30 hours of pre-employment training, you’ll learn important business skills like writing professional resumes, crafting persuasive cover letters, and mastering interview techniques. These skills are key to making an impression in the business world. Once you complete the training, you’ll get hands-on experience in different business environments, where you can develop skills in areas like project management, business operations, and teamwork. These experiences will help you understand how companies run and what makes them successful.
Location: New York City, NY
Cost: Fully funded, paid internship
Dates: Summer (specific dates will vary by internship)
Application Deadline: January 20
Eligibility: Must be between the ages of 16–24, Must be enrolled in high school or college, and must be a resident of one of New York City's five boroughs.
9. KPMG Empower High School Experience
The KPMG Empower High School Experience is a three-week paid internship aimed at introducing students to careers in business, public accounting, and professional services. This program provides valuable insights into how businesses operate, particularly in the accounting industry. Interns will develop essential business skills such as teamwork, communication, and project management while engaging in hands-on projects. As part of KPMG’s Community Impact initiative, the program seeks to provide equitable access to career opportunities for students from diverse backgrounds.
Location: Varies
Cost: Fully funded, stipend provided
Dates:
Winter Internship: January to Mid-March
Summer Internship: June to August
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: Rising high school seniors
10. Young Entrepreneurs Program (YEP) - Kansas City
The Young Entrepreneurs Program (YEP) offers high school juniors and seniors a chance to develop essential business and entrepreneurial skills through internships with Kansas City-based companies. While some internships are remote, most require in-person participation, including Friday company visits. This program provides hands-on experience in real business environments, where you’ll gain valuable skills in leadership, communication, and critical thinking, all of which are key to pursuing a future in entrepreneurship.
Location: Kansas City, Missouri
Cost: Paid; compensation varies by company
Dates: Program dates to be announced
Application Deadline: February 1
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors; must be available for in-person work in Kansas City
11. SPARK Business Internship Program
With an acceptance rate of about less than 5%, Spark SIP is a prestigious internship opportunity for budding business majors in high school. A program open to all high schoolers interested in business and related disciplines, the Spark SIP program allows students to immerse themselves in research opportunities in the field, interact and learn from scholars and leaders, and gain real-world experience through a full-time summer internship program. This program provides a $500 stipend upon successful completion.
Location: Greater Seattle area, with some projects outside Washington State
Cost: Fully funded, stipend offered
Dates: Summer 2025 (specific dates to be announced)
Application Deadline: March/April 2025
Eligibility: Open to high school students in grades 9–12 who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents and currently residing in the USA (Washington state students preferred for local projects)