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Editor's note: We've done our best to confirm this information as of the publish date, though some of these summer internships in NYC haven't released 2026 application info. Please click the links to the individual internships below for full details and updated deadlines.

Best Summer Internships in NYC for Teens

1. The Sotomayor Program – Multiple Locations

Ages: Rising 12th Graders
Application due: Early January
The high school division of the Sonia & Celina Sotomayor Judicial Internship Program aims to recruit a diverse group of high school students from across NYC to pursue law careers. Students participate in four weeks of judicial internships in state and federal courts and take educational workshops. Students intern with a state or federal judge in one of the five New York City boroughs. Students also attend professional development workshops.

2. NYC Ladders for Leaders – Multiple Locations

Ages: 16 and older
Application due: Friday, January 16, 2026
Ladders for Leaders offers outstanding high school juniors and seniors the opportunity to participate in paid professional summer internships with leading corporations, nonprofit organizations, and government agencies in New York City. Students receive 30 hours of pre-employment training. The internships take place over six weeks and interns are expected to work 25-40 hours a week. Interns are paid $16.50 and should have prior work or volunteer experience.

3. Whitney Museum Youth Insights Program – Meatpacking District

Ages: Teens entering 9th-12th grades
Application due: Friday, January 16, 2026
Youth Insights Arts Careers is a free summer program that offers teens the opportunity to explore arts careers and arts institutions throughout New York City. Teens meet with Whitney Museum staff, arts professionals, and other teens. All supplies are provided.

4. Futures and Options – Multiple Locations

Ages: 16-19 years old
Application due: Friday, January 23, 2026
The Futures and Options Internship Program provides New York City students with critical work-readiness training and the opportunity to gain first-hand experience as interns with a dynamic range of business partners. Futures and Options interns work in paid, mentored summer internships that best match their skills and interests. Interns must attend two orientations and six work-readiness workshops. The program takes place over six weeks in July and August. Summer interns are expected to work 20-30 hours per week.

5. Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai – Upper East Side

Ages: High school students who attend a public or charter school
Application due: Sunday, February 1, 2026
The Center for Excellence in Youth Education offers two summer programs for high school students. The Medical and Scientific Exploration Program exposes high school students to a cross-section of experts across health and medical careers. Coursework will include virtual lab tours, case studies and facilitated discussions. Students also participate in pre-scheduled, in-person learning at least once a week. Students can apply for in-person internship programs in one of three tracks, including hospital medicine, neurology, and veterinary science. Students must attend a public or charter high school in NYC and meet economic eligibility requirements.

Memorial Sloan Kettering interns get real-world lab experience and a chance to present their work. Photo courtesy of the program

6. Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center Summer Student Program – Upper East Side

Ages: 14 and older
Application due: Friday, February 6, 2026
This eight-week program gives motivated, self-directed students a chance to conduct research in a state-of-the-art lab under the guidance of a grad student, post-doc fellow, or research technician and then publicly present their results. A stipend is awarded upon completion.

7. NYU Tandon School of Engineering ARISE High School Program – Downtown Brooklyn and Greenwich Village

Ages: Rising 11th or 12th graders
Application due: TBA; 2025 applications were due mid-February.
The Applied Research Innovations in Science and Engineering (ARISE) program is geared toward academically motivated New York City students with a demonstrated interest in science, technology, engineering, and math. The first four weeks focus on safety training, college writing workshops, and research skills development. During the remaining six weeks, participants work in more than 80 NYU research labs, assisting faculty and researchers on real-world projects. Interns receive a stipend at the end of their program.

8. New-York Historical Society Student Historian Internship Program – Upper West Side

Ages: Rising 10th, 11th, and 12th Graders
Application due: TBA in February 2026.
Students in this internship program work collaboratively with professional historians to conduct their research in American history around a predetermined theme. Students develop public speaking and leadership skills, learn about careers in the museum, library, and history fieldwork, and share their scholarship through digital projects.

9. The Met Summer High School Internships – Upper East Side

Ages: Rising 11th or 12th grades
Application due: Applications open in early February 2026. Deadline is TBA; 2025 applications were due early March.
The Met High School Internship Program offers paid opportunities for students who reside in or attend a high school or home school in New York, New Jersey, or Connecticut. The program allows students to connect with arts, museum, and creative professionals as they develop professional skills, network, and gain work experience. Interns are paid a stipend. Programming usually runs from mid-July through mid-August. Students attend career labs and have bi-weekly mentor check-ins.

10. Brooklyn Navy Yard Internship Program – Multiple Locations

Ages: Rising 12th graders
Application due: TBA; applications were due mid-March in 2025
The Brooklyn Navy Yard Internship Program connects college-bound high school seniors with a wide range of paid internship opportunities with businesses within the Brooklyn Navy Yard. Over the course of an eight-week session, students are connected to Brooklyn Navy Yard-based businesses and departments according to their future career interests, skill sets, and educational backgrounds.

11. Manhattan District Attorney’s High School Internship Program – Multiple Manhattan Locations

Ages: Current 10th to 12th graders who live in or attend school in Manhattan
Application due: Applications open January 26, 2026. Deadline is TBA; 2025 applications were due mid-March.
Interns help out in one of three different district attorneys’ offices and participate in special presentations and field trips while taking part in mock trial competitions. Applicants must commit to attending all five weeks of the program in person. Interns are paid minimum wage for their efforts.

12. The Hearst High School Media Internship – Midtown East

Ages: Rising 11th and 12 Graders
Application due: TBA; 2025 applications were due in April.
The Hearst High School Media Internship is a five-week, paid summer internship for rising 11th- and 12th-grade students who want to explore the impact media has on society. Interns take a deep dive into media literacy and produce an original podcast. The internship also teaches skills in public speaking, production research, script and column writing, as well as editing and audio production.

13. Brotherhood Sister SOL Summer Leadership Program – Hamilton Heights

Ages: 9-12th grades
Application due: Wednesday, April 15, 2026
The Summer Leadership Program engages high schoolers in a summer of arts and activism. Program participants choose activities ranging from visual and digital art-making to social and environmental justice organizing through workforce internships and wellness activities. High school students receive a stipend for their participation.

14. Artslife at the Museum of Arts and Design – Columbus Circle

Ages: Rising 10th and 11th graders
Application due: TBA; 2025 applications were due mid-April.
Interns are introduced to a range of museum careers, from behind-the-scenes to public-facing activities. Over six weeks, students engage in collaborative work with museum staff, local designers, and other arts professionals. Interns are paid $16.50 per hour.​

15. Go Getter – Citywide

Ages: Ages 16+
Application due: TBA; 2025 applications were due early May.
Interns work as teaching assistants in an early childhood classroom under the supervision of a head teacher for five weeks. Interns may manage small groups or work with students one-on-one to help with academic skills and model good behavior. Interns also participate in professional development to hone community leadership skills. The internship is unpaid, but service learning credits are offered. Interns demonstrating financial need may apply for a stipend.

16. DOROT – Upper West Side

Ages: Rising 10th to 12th graders
Application due: Applications are accepted on a rolling basis until spots are filled.
During four-week sessions, summer interns work together to give back to the community by volunteering with older adults, delivering meals, helping with technology, and socializing with homebound senior citizens. The internship is unpaid but offers 100+ hours of community service credit. Stipends are available for travel costs.

17. WCS Internships – Citywide

Ages: Rising 10th and 11th Graders
Application due: Varies
The Wildlife Conservation Society offers various internships to high school students at each of NYC's WCS zoos and the aquarium. Internships can focus on a wide variety of topics and animals. Interns receive a stipend.

Originally published in 2016.