11 Competitive Business Internships for High School Students
For high school students interested in business, internships offer a powerful way to explore the field and gain professional experience. These programs help you build skills in areas like finance, marketing, consulting, entrepreneurship, and management while working alongside professionals who can mentor you and expand your understanding of how businesses operate.
Unlike classroom-based learning, business internships let you engage with projects, analyze market trends, attend meetings, and contribute to business decisions. They're also a great way to strengthen your college applications, build your resume, and gain confidence as you prepare for future studies or a career in business. In this blog, we’ve compiled 11 competitive business internships for high school students.
1. Bank of America Student Leaders Program
Location: Local nonprofit organizations and Washington, D.C. (Student Leaders Summit)
Stipend: Paid; exact amount varies by placement
Dates: 8-week program, including the Student Leaders Summit (July 21 – 26)
Application Deadline: January 15
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors who are legally authorized to work in the U.S., are in good academic standing, and permanently reside in an eligible location
The Bank of America Student Leaders Program is a paid summer internship that gives high school juniors and seniors the chance to make a real impact in their communities. As a participant, you’ll work with a local nonprofit organization on meaningful projects that help address community needs while gaining professional experience. Every year, more than 300 students from approximately 100 communities take part in the paid internships with local nonprofit organizations such as Habitat for Humanity and the Boys & Girls Clubs of America. In addition to your internship, you’ll attend a national leadership summit in Washington, D.C., where you’ll meet other student leaders and learn how businesses, governments, and nonprofits work together to create positive change.
2. Ladder Internship Program
Cost: Varies depending on program type. Full financial aid available.
Location: Remote! You can work from anywhere in the world.
Application Deadline: Deadlines vary depending on the cohort. Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September), and Winter (November).
Program Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year, including Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter.
Eligibility: Students who can work for 10-20 hours/week for 8-12 weeks. Open to high school students, undergraduates, and gap year 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. Ladder’s start-ups are high-growth companies on average, raising over a million dollars. Interns work closely with their manager at the startup on real-world projects and present their work to the company. The virtual internship is usually 8 weeks long.
3. Warner Bros. Discovery Reach Honorship Program
Location: Warner Bros. Discovery Studios, Burbank, CA
Stipend: $5,000 scholarship towards college
Dates: TBA
Application Deadline: TBA
Eligibility: High-school seniors from Burbank or Los Angeles County with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 who plan to attend an accredited college or university
The Warner Bros. Discovery Reach Honorship Program is designed for graduating high school seniors who are curious about the business side of media and entertainment. This is a strong option for those interested in exploring the intersection of the corporate and creative sectors to produce popular media. Throughout the program, you'll gain insights into business domains such as finance, human resources, operations, marketing, and communications. You’ll also delve into creative and technical disciplines, including content development, post-production, sound editing, and game design.
4. KP LAUNCH Internship
Location: Varies, usually at the KP office closest to your home address
Stipend: $24/hour
Dates: June 15 – July 31
Application Deadline: January 9
Eligibility: High school students (16–19) with permanent residence in a KP Northern California service area
The Kaiser Permanente (KP) Launch Program is a summer internship for high school students interested in exploring the business and administrative side of healthcare. You will focus on developing essential professional and workplace skills through practical projects and training. Throughout the program, you can gain hands-on experience in finance, accounting, administration, compliance, marketing, and program management. You’ll also learn how different departments within a large healthcare organization work together to support patient care and operational efficiency.
5. Emma L. Bowen Foundation (EBF) Fellows Program
Location: Various locations across the U.S.
Stipend: Stipend determined by EBF partners with whom you will intern
Dates: May – June
Application Deadline: Typical in early January
Eligibility: High school seniors who are students of color, are at least 18 years old, have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0, plan to attend a 4-year accredited college or university, and are U.S. citizens or permanent residents
The EBF Fellowship connects high school and college students of color to paid internships at top media, tech, and entertainment companies. You’ll gain experience in fields such as journalism, production, engineering, PR, business, or web development. Beyond the internship, you’ll attend workshops, conferences, and receive mentorship from professionals in the field. Each year, fellows join a national network of over 150 peers, building long-term support and career insight across a rapidly evolving industry.
6. CliftonLarsonAllen LLP (CLA) High School Internship Program
Location: Various CLA offices across the U.S.
Stipend: Paid internship; specific amount not publicly disclosed
Dates: 4 weeks in the summer; typically starting in June
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: High school students aged 16 – 18 authorized to work in the U.S.
The CLA High School Internship Program offers paid opportunities for students interested in business, accounting, and professional services. As an intern, you’ll support client-facing teams, assist with administrative and analytical tasks, and observe how a national firm operates behind the scenes. This program also allows you to discover career options within accounting and consulting while receiving guidance from experienced mentors. Internships are available at multiple CLA offices across the United States, giving students a chance to experience the professional environment of a leading firm.
7. U.S. Department of State Pathways Internship Program
Location: Various locations across the U.S.
Stipend: Paid; exact amount varies
Dates: Vary according to the internship
Application Deadline: Varies according to the internship
Eligibility: High school students who are U.S. citizens, at least 16 years old, and have a minimum 2.0 GPA
The Pathways Internship Program offered by the U.S. Department of State includes two tracks: the Internship Experience Program and the Internship Temporary Program, providing students with opportunities to work in a range of federal departments and agencies, including the Department of Commerce, Department of Transportation, Office of Management and Budget, and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. These internships provide valuable insight into how the U.S. government operates across finance, management, and human resources, helping you understand the business side of public service. Internship openings are listed on USAJobs, and participants receive paid stipends based on federal pay scales, as well as additional government benefits.
8. Federal Reserve Bank of Boston’s Today’s Interns, Tomorrow’s Professionals (TIP)
Location: Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, Boston, MA
Stipend: Paid internship
Dates: May – August
Application Deadline: Varies by opportunity
Eligibility: High school students who have completed their sophomore year in a Boston public high school
The TIP internship program, a joint effort between the Boston Fed and the Boston Private Industry Council, offers paid work opportunities at the Federal Reserve Bank for income-eligible high school students in the Greater Boston area. The program places students in professional departments such as communications, technology, or finance. Interns also attend enrichment sessions focused on financial literacy, workplace readiness, and career development. If you perform well, you could receive an invitation to continue throughout the school year and possibly even longer.
9. CITYarts PR & Marketing Internship
Location: New York, NY
Cost/Stipend: None
Dates: Interns choose their schedule with CITYarts staff; average of 15-20 hours a week
Application Deadline: Varies depending on the opportunity
Eligibility: High school students familiar with Google Suite programs and willing to learn Trello
The CITYarts PR and Marketing Internship gives you the chance to work on promoting youth-focused public art projects while gaining experience in marketing and communications. In this role, you’ll help manage social media accounts, create print and digital materials such as brochures, flyers, and videos, and assist with outreach campaigns that build the organization’s brand. You’ll also update the website and research potential business and community partnerships to support CITYarts’ projects. If you have skills in tools like Illustrator, Photoshop, and social media management, you’ll apply them in real nonprofit marketing and business development work.
10. NASA OSTEM Internships
Location: Remote or in-person at NASA centers across the U.S.
Stipend: The majority of interns will receive a stipend
Dates: Spring/Fall: 16 weeks | Summer: 10 weeks
Application Deadline: Summer: February 27 | Fall: May 22
Eligibility: U.S. citizens who are full-time students aged 16+ years with a GPA of 3.0+
NASA's OSTEM internship program offers students the opportunity to gain practical experience in science, engineering, business, and information technology. Each year, approximately 2,000 students are selected to collaborate with NASA professionals — including research scientists, engineers, and business specialists — who serve as mentors during the internship. Although NASA internships primarily focus on STEM, some placements involve business, project management, or finance. Interns also get to visit NASA centers and present a final project highlighting their contributions at the end of the program.
11. Meta Summer Academy
Location: Meta headquarters, Menlo Park, CA
Stipend: Paid
Dates: June 16 – July 25
Application Deadline: February 14
Eligibility: High school sophomores who are full-year residents of East Palo Alto, Belle Haven, or Redwood City with a minimum 2.0 cumulative GPA
The Meta Summer Academy provides high school students with insights into both the technical skills and professional environment of a large tech firm. The program helps develop coding and technical skills while promoting economic growth, stability, and mobility through experiential learning. You’ll be mentored by Meta professionals who will introduce you to fields like technology, machine learning, AI, environmental science, and sustainability. MSA is largely a tech-skills program, but students do gain exposure to business functions such as marketing, operations, and finance within a major tech company.
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