How to land a high school internship

Most programs don’t expect experience. They want proof you’ll show up, follow through and ask good questions. Here’s how to show that on paper.

The summer internship calendar

Summer programs hire months ahead. If you’re reading this in the fall, you’re on time.

September – OctoberBuild your list and your resume
Save 8–12 programs. Draft a one-page resume. Note which ones need recommendations.
November – DecemberAsk for recommendations
Give teachers at least four weeks and a short note on what the program is. Early deadlines land here.
January – FebruaryPeak deadline season
Most competitive research and paid programs close now. Submit a few days early in case a portal breaks.
March – AprilInterviews and late deadlines
Smaller orgs and local businesses often hire in spring. Follow up two weeks after applying.
May – JuneDecide and do the paperwork
Accept in writing, thank the others. Under 18? Check whether your state requires a work permit for minors.
July – AugustDo the work, then ask for a letter
On your last week, ask your supervisor if they’d write a recommendation while they still remember you.

A resume with no job history

One page. Put the section that makes you look most capable at the top. For most students that’s projects, not jobs.

Include

School clubs where you had a role (“ran the sign-up sheet for 40 members”)
Personal projects: an app, a science fair entry, a YouTube channel
Relevant classes: AP Bio, Intro to CS, Statistics
Volunteering with hours and dates
Tools you can actually use: Excel, Python, Canva, a camera

Skip

An “objective” paragraph
Middle school activities, unless they still continue
Skills you’d have to fake in an interview
A photo of yourself
Fancy two-column templates that break when uploaded

The cold email

Use this when a listing is unclear, or to ask a local lab or business if they’d take a student at all. Keep it under 150 words and send it Tuesday through Thursday morning.

Template · edit the brackets

Subject: High school student interested in [program or team name] Hi [Dr./Ms./Mr. Last name], I’m a [grade]th grader at [school] and I’m interested in [their specific work — one sentence that shows you read about it]. I’ve [one concrete thing: taken AP Bio, built a small Python project, volunteered 40 hours at …], and I’d like to learn how [field] works day to day. Would your team consider a high school intern this [summer / semester]? I can commit [X] hours a week, and I’ve attached a one-page resume. Thank you for your time, [Full name] [Email] · [Phone]

In the interview

Prepare

A 30-second answer to “tell me about yourself” that ends with why this program
One story about a time you got stuck and figured it out
Two questions about what interns actually do in week one

After

Send a thank-you email the same day, three sentences max
Mention one specific thing you talked about
Update your status on My list

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