Biology Internships for High School Students
EC Finder currently lists 52 biology internships for high school students. Of these, 30 are free to participate in and 9 offer virtual participation. Examples include ACS Project SEED, Alameda County Science & Engineering Fair, and Alameda County Science and Engineering Fair (ACSEF).
- 52
- listed
- 30
- free
- 9
- virtual
- 52
- with a listed deadline
Frequently Asked Questions
- What are biology internships for high school students?
- Biology Internships for High School Students are curated extracurricular listings for high school students interested in biology. Each listing includes eligibility, cost, and deadline details where known, so you can compare options and find the right fit for your college application profile.
- Are any of these internships free?
- Yes — 30 of the 52 internships listed here are free to participate in.
- Can I participate virtually?
- Yes — 9 of the 52 internships listed here offer virtual or online participation.
- Are biology internships good for a college application?
- Yes — biology internships are a common way for high schoolers to show sustained interest and initiative in biology on college applications.
52 activities found·Browse by category
ACS Project SEED
Paid summer research internship in chemistry and biochemistry labs for economically disadvantaged students with a $4,000 stipend.
Alameda County Science & Engineering Fair
County science fair leading to CSEF and ISEF qualification.
Alameda County Science and Engineering Fair (ACSEF)
If you live in Alameda county, this is your regional fair. Essential for qualifying for state/national genetics competitions.
ASDRP (Aspiring Scholars Directed Research Program)
A non-profit research institute in Fremont. You join a research group for a semester or summer. Look for the "Genetics & Genomics" department projects.
Aspiring Scholars Directed Research Program (ASDRP)
A 3-month research program in Fremont where students conduct novel research in biology, biochemistry, and life sciences with mentorship from scientists.
Bay Area BioGENEius Challenge
The most rigorous biotechnology project competition. You must have original research (e.g., from a science fair project) to enter.
Bay Area BioGENEius Challenge (Applied Math Track)
A high-level research competition. Winning projects often use bioinformatics (statistical analysis of genetic data).
Berkeley Lab Director's Apprenticeship Program (BLDAP)
A project-based high school STEM program designed to help grades 10-11 develop 21st century skills at Berkeley Lab.
BioGENEius Challenge
Biotechnology research competition for original projects in healthcare, sustainability, and environment.
Biotech Partners (East Bay)
A vocational program for Berkeley/Oakland students that places you in paid internships at companies like Bayer or Grifols.
Buck Institute for Research on Aging (Summer Scholars)
Located in Novato. Research focuses on molecular biology of aging. Projects involve significant genetics work (CRISPR, gene expression).
California Science & Engineering Fair (CSEF)
State-level science fair; qualify through county/regional fairs for prizes totaling over $30,000.
CU Anschutz Department of Pediatrics Summer Research
Summer research opportunity for high school seniors (must be 18+ at start of program) at Children's Hospital Colorado and the CU Anschutz Medical Campus, working in faculty labs on developmental biology and pediatric medicine projects. Application typically due February 1.
CU Boulder Science Discovery – STEM Research Experience
Seven-week summer program at the University of Colorado Boulder where high school students work 15-20 hours per week alongside graduate students and faculty on real research projects in biology, engineering, neuroscience, and other STEM fields, plus a research methods class on finding and evaluating scientific articles. Concludes with a STEM Research EXPO where students present their poster.
Dauphin Island Sea Lab Residential Marine Science Class
A four-week residential marine science immersion on Alabama's Gulf Coast for rising 9th-12th graders, combining over 160 hours of fieldwork, labs, and lectures in oceanography and marine ecology, with need- and merit-based scholarships available.
Davidson Fellows (Science)
Prestigious scholarship program awarding up to $50,000 for significant original research projects in biology and science fields.
Denver Museum of Nature & Science – Teen Science Scholars
Selective paid internship that places 20 high schoolers from underserved or underrepresented backgrounds into the Museum's Science Division each year, doing real scientific work alongside Museum scientists and exploring museum and STEM careers. Includes a stipend of about $1,800 per session plus professional development in public speaking and college planning.
Earthwatch Teen Expeditions (Ignite Fellowship)
Fully-funded field research expeditions run by the nonprofit Earthwatch Institute that place high schoolers alongside professional scientists studying conservation topics like wildlife, climate, and habitat protection.
Ecology Project International (EPI)
Nonprofit that runs 5-14 day field ecology expeditions in biodiverse ecosystems (Yellowstone, Costa Rica, Baja, the Galápagos) where high school students conduct hands-on conservation research alongside professional scientists and local land managers.
GeneLab for High Schools (NASA Ames)
Summer program at NASA Ames analyzing spaceflight genomics data with a capstone symposium competition.
Genome Science Camp (Cold Spring Harbor DNA Learning Center)
An advanced hands-on genomics camp at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory's DNA Learning Center for students entering grades 11-12 with a genetics or AP Biology background, who manufacture Taq DNA polymerase and use it in PCR-based genomic analysis of several organisms.
Golden Gate STEM Fair
Regional science fair pathway to CSEF and ISEF for Bay Area high school students.
Golden Gate STEM Fair (GGSF)
The ISEF-affiliated fair for the SF Bay Area. You must enter the "Biological Sciences" category with a genetics project.
Heal the Bay – MPA Watch Internship
Ten-week summer internship at Heal the Bay's Science, Policy, and Outreach Department in Santa Monica, California. Interns conduct field surveys at Marine Protected Areas, contribute to coastal conservation research, and gain experience in environmental social science and policy. Unpaid with a transportation stipend; runs early June through early August.
Hutton Junior Fisheries Biology Program
An eight-week paid summer mentorship sponsored by the American Fisheries Society that pairs high school students with local fisheries professionals for hands-on aquatic and fisheries science fieldwork.
iGEM High School Competition
International synthetic biology team competition where students design and build biological systems.
Island School Summer Term (Cape Eleuthera Institute)
Six-week residential marine and human ecology program in The Bahamas for rising high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors, including PADI scuba certification and field research on mangroves, reefs, and sustainable systems.
Jackson Hole Science Expedition (Teton Science Schools)
A 26-day field ecology expedition for students in grades 10-12 based at Teton Science Schools' Kelly Campus in Grand Teton National Park, combining wildlife and ecosystem study with an independent field research project, a Yellowstone camping trip, and a capstone backcountry backpacking expedition.
JBEI iCLEM (Introductory College Level Experience in Microbiology)
Held at the Joint BioEnergy Institute in Emeryville. Focuses on synthetic biology and microbial genetics. Paid stipend provided.
JBEI iCLEM Program (Berkeley Lab)
Paid summer microbiology/biotechnology intensive for underrepresented students featuring hands-on biofuels research with a $3,000 stipend.
Junior Science & Humanities Symposium (JSHS) - Northern California
Research paper competition at SF State where top presenters win scholarships and advance to nationals.
Kaiser Permanente KP LAUNCH
Paid summer internship. You must apply to the "Laboratory" or "Research" tracks to get exposure to medical genetics/pathology.
Lawrence Berkeley Lab - Experiences in Research (EinR)
A 6-week paid summer internship at Berkeley Lab where students work on cutting-edge STEM projects alongside expert mentors, earning $500/week.
Lawrence Hall of Science - Teen Research Programs
Summer research programs exploring cutting-edge science at UC Berkeley.
Oakland Zoo Teen Summer Internship (California Trail Interpretation)
A selective seven-week, roughly 200-hour summer internship at Oakland Zoo for rising 10th-12th graders focused on wildlife education and guest interpretation along the California Trail exhibit.
Project TRUE (Wildlife Conservation Society / Fordham University)
A paid summer and fall urban ecology research internship at the Bronx Zoo where NYC high school sophomores and juniors conduct field research alongside Wildlife Conservation Society scientists and Fordham University students.
Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF)
The world's largest pre-college science competition; qualify through affiliated regional/state fairs with over $9 million in awards.
Regeneron Science Talent Search
America's oldest and most prestigious science competition for high school seniors, offering up to $250,000 in top prizes for original research.
Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory High School Course
Two-week residential field biology course in Gothic, Colorado where students design and carry out independent ecological research projects on topics like plant biology, stream ecology, and animal behavior, with optional college credit.
Sea Education Association (SEA) High School/Pre-College Programs
Pre-college marine science and oceanography courses offered either on land at SEA's Woods Hole, Massachusetts campus or aboard a tall-ship research vessel at sea, open to current high schoolers and graduating seniors.
SIMR - Bioengineering Track
8-week paid internship. The Bioengineering/Bioinformatics track is heavy on computational modeling of biological data.
Smithsonian-Mason School of Conservation High School Summer Programs
College-credit-bearing summer field courses at the Smithsonian's conservation research campus in Virginia, where high schoolers learn hands-on conservation ecology field methods from Smithsonian and George Mason University researchers.
Stanford GRIPS (Genomics Research Internship Program)
The "Gold Standard" for high school genetics. You work in a lab for 8 weeks on computational genetics and genomics projects.
Stanford SIMR (Institutes of Medicine Summer Research)
An 8-week summer research internship for high school juniors and seniors, providing hands-on biomedical research experience at Stanford with a stipend of at least $500.
STARS at Cold Spring Harbor
While based in NY, they offer virtual bioinformatics training where you use algorithms to analyze DNA sequences.
Synopsys Science Fair (Santa Clara County)
Regional science fair for Santa Clara County serving as pathway to California State Fair and ISEF.
The Jackson Laboratory (JAX)
Famous for mouse genetics. They occasionally offer virtual high school programs or remote bioinformatics internships.
UC Davis Young Scholars Program
A selective 6-week residential summer research program in biological, agricultural, and environmental sciences with only 40 students accepted.
UC Davis Young Scholars Program (YSP)
A 6-week residential research program. You must request the Biology/Genetics projects, which often involve plant genomics or molecular biology.
UCSC Science Internship Program (SIP)
A 9-week internship at UC Santa Cruz. You are matched with a faculty mentor. You must specifically apply for the Biomolecular Engineering or Molecular, Cell, & Developmental Biology tracks.
UCSF Summer Student Research Program
Formerly CHORI, this is a rigorous 9-week program in Oakland. It focuses heavily on biomedical research, including genetic diseases (e.g., sickle cell, thalassemia).
Waksman Student Scholars Program (Rutgers)
A year-long program at Rutgers University in which high school students and their teachers conduct authentic genomic sequence analysis research on the duckweed species Landoltia punctata, beginning with a summer institute and continuing as a class or club project through the school year.
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