5 Internship and Volunteer Opportunities for High School Students
The best college applications demonstrate a student’s commitment to their academic enrichment, as well as their ability to apply knowledge gained in school in a variety of creative ways. Strategically planning extracurricular activities is one of the best ways to prove to admissions officers that you’re dedicated to furthering and implementing your education beyond the classroom.
In addition to our virtual group, accelerated, and 1-on-1 research programs that run throughout the year, students can supplement their tangible Scholar Launch research results by participating in in-person extracurricular opportunities both domestically and abroad. Non-profit organizations, companies, and universities typically offer an abundance of these research programs and internships to high school students in every subject area imaginable, and we’ve compiled several examples to get you started.
Seeds of Change’s Tropical Field Research Program
Students will travel with the Seeds of Change team to Liberia, Costa Rica, where they will immerse themselves in hands-on field research amongst the expansive biodiversity of a tropical rainforest. Here, students will work with their team to establish an original research question, roadmap an experimental design for their final project, and learn how to apply the scientific method in real-life scenarios.
Over eight days at a dedicated research station, the Tropical Field Research Program prepares students for university-level science and offers them the chance to earn three college credits. However, the Seeds of Change team leaves plenty of room for fun! Students will get to take part in adventurous excursions and fun activities like zip lining, hiking waterfalls, horseback riding along the Santa Maria Volcano, Costa Rican cooking classes, and more.
Terms Available: Spring, Summer, Winter
Projects Abroad’s High School Specials
Projects Abroad is the largest provider of international volunteer, internship, and meaningful travel experiences worldwide. Since 1992, its volunteer projects have worked toward the U.N.’s Sustainable Development Goals in an effort to make our world a healthier, more sustainable place to live.
In addition to Projects Abroad’s pre-med, volunteer abroad, and intern abroad programs for college students and adults, they also offer High School Specials, or a variety of overseas volunteer opportunities for teenagers aged 15 to 18. These fully supervised programs expose young volunteers and interns to experiential learning through projects, cultural experiences, and other excursions.
There are a number of summer 2025 programs open for application now, including:
Opportunities like these give students the chance to gain a hands-on education in some of the most beautiful places in the world while helping communities in need. Each program has fixed start and end dates, 24/7 staff support from arrival to departure, set itineraries, and certificates of completion and reference letters upon request. For more information on more teen volunteer opportunities with Projects Abroad, browse their High School Specials.
Terms Available: Summer, Winter
NASA’s Office of STEM Engagement (OSTEM) Internships
OSTEM internships are paid full-time or part-time internships that allow students to contribute to NASA’s “mission to advance science, technology, aeronautics, and space exploration.” Students have the opportunity to work from a NASA facility or from home and can look forward to gaining work experience and mentorship from research scientists, engineers, and other aerospace professionals.
NASA only offers three of these types of internship sessions a year. The 2025 programs include:
These internship programs are designed to offer students the career development, training, and mentoring they need while encouraging them to collaborate with the best scientific, financial, and business minds in the world.
Terms Available: Summer and Fall
Smithsonian’s Benjamin Lawless Internship
The Smithsonian Institution is the largest museum, education, and research complex in the world, with a National Zoo, 21 museums, and 14 education and research centers. While their internship opportunities for high school students, college students, and non-student adults abound due to the vast reach and impact of their many departments, one in particular has caught our eye.
The Benjamin Lawless internship program was started in honor of its namesake, a former renowned exhibition planner, designer, author, and Emmy-winning filmmaker who also worked as an assistant director for the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of American History. This internship gives rising high school seniors a chance to explore exhibition design, audience engagement, and the fascinating backstories of various objects in the Smithsonian’s collections.
This is a paid internship and an excellent opportunity for students interested in art and art history.
Terms Available: Summer
Yale Young Global Scholars (YYGS)
Each year, the YYGS welcomes extraordinary high school students from around the world to explore, learn, and connect on their campus. For two weeks, students immerse themselves in interdisciplinary, college-level coursework while attending workshops and seminars led by Yale faculty and industry experts.
In the summer of 2025, they’ll offer three separate residential sessions that each explore:
In addition to this enriching classroom experience, students are exposed to peers from more than 150 countries and invited to expand their cultural horizons, gain global perspectives on critical issues, and hone their leadership skills.
YYGS is both academically and socially enriching, a perfect opportunity for students looking to demonstrate academic flexibility on their college applications.
Hands-on learning exposes students to new, immersive environments and real-world dilemmas, giving students the ability to practice independence and engage in experiential learning. When students explore on-site programs like these in tandem with their Scholar Launch research, they can further enrich their academic profiles, optimize their resumes, and ultimately improve their chances of gaining acceptance into their top schools.
For more information on how Scholar Launch can help your student plan their extracurricular activities, contact us.