Physics Internships for High School Students
EC Finder currently lists 20 physics internships for high school students. Of these, 17 are free to participate in and 4 offer virtual participation. Examples include AFRL Scholars Program, Brookhaven National Laboratory High School Research Program (HSRP), and Caltech YESS (Young Engineering and Science Scholars).
- 20
- listed
- 17
- free
- 4
- virtual
- 20
- with a listed deadline
Frequently Asked Questions
- What are physics internships for high school students?
- Physics Internships for High School Students are curated extracurricular listings for high school students interested in physics. 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 — 17 of the 20 internships listed here are free to participate in.
- Can I participate virtually?
- Yes — 4 of the 20 internships listed here offer virtual or online participation.
- Are physics internships good for a college application?
- Yes — physics internships are a common way for high schoolers to show sustained interest and initiative in physics on college applications.
20 activities found·Browse by category
AFRL Scholars Program
A paid eight-week summer research internship that places upper-level high schoolers directly with Air Force Research Laboratory scientists and engineers at sites across the U.S. to work on real research and technology projects.
Brookhaven National Laboratory High School Research Program (HSRP)
A competitive six-week commuter research program at Brookhaven National Lab where students who have completed 11th grade work directly with scientific and engineering staff on real DOE-mission research projects.
Caltech YESS (Young Engineering and Science Scholars)
Intensive 6-week summer program for underrepresented students in STEM; includes physics research and mentorship.
CERN High School Student Programme
3-week summer internship at CERN (Geneva) for students 16+; work with particle physicists on cutting-edge experiments.
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.
Fermilab Friends Summer Internship
Summer research internship at Fermilab for students interested in particle physics and accelerator science.
Garcia Center for Polymers at Engineered Interfaces - Summer Research
7-week paid research at Stony Brook University; polymer physics and materials science projects for HS students.
Jefferson Lab High School Summer Honors Program
A paid six-week research internship at Jefferson Lab where local high schoolers conduct mentored physics and engineering research alongside lab scientists.
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory - High School Internship
Summer research internship at Berkeley Lab; projects in physics, materials science, and computation.
MIT Research Science Institute (RSI)
Extremely selective 6-week residential research program; many students do physics/astrophysics projects with mentors.
NASA SEES (STEM Enhancement in Earth Science)
A competitive NASA-affiliated internship hosted by UT Austin's Center for Space Research for high school sophomores and juniors, combining online coursework with a two-week on-site research experience analyzing NASA satellite and mission data.
NCAR Pre-College Internship Program (PRECIP)
Six-week summer internship at the NSF National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colorado where high school students work on real research projects in atmospheric, climate, and earth-system science with scientists, plus workshops on writing scientific abstracts. Out-of-area students must have a parent/guardian/chaperone with them for the duration.
Quarknet - Cosmic Ray Studies
National program connecting HS teachers and students with particle physics researchers; includes cosmic ray detector projects.
Regeneron ISEF (International Science and Engineering Fair) - Physics Category
Global science fair with physics & astronomy category; winners receive scholarships and recognition.
Regeneron Science Talent Search (Physics Projects)
Prestigious national competition where students submit original research; many winners do physics/astrophysics projects.
Simons Summer Research Program
A highly selective six-week residential research program at Stony Brook University pairing rising high school seniors with faculty mentors for hands-on original research in science, math, or engineering, culminating in a poster symposium.
Simons Summer Research Program (Stony Brook)
Free 7-week program pairing juniors with faculty mentors across science/engineering, including Physics & Astronomy.
SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory Summer Internship
Paid research internship at Stanford's SLAC for HS students interested in particle physics and accelerator science.
SSP (Summer Science Program) Astrophysics
Renowned 6-week residential program where students do hands-on astrophysics research (asteroid orbit determination).
Wolfram Physics & Computation Summer Camp
2.5-week program where students use computational tools (Mathematica) to explore physics problems.
ECFinder provides links to outside extracurricular opportunities for informational purposes only. Students and families should research each program before applying. ECFinder does not operate or control the listed organizations and is not responsible for their actions or policies.