Summer High School Internships: How to Land One
To land a summer high school internship, start reaching out in late winter or early spring. Email companies directly, mention you're a high school student available over the summer, and ask if they'd take an intern. Starting 2–3 months early gives you the best shot.
When to start looking
Begin in February–April for the same summer. Big programs recruit earlier; smaller companies hire close to summer and respond well to direct outreach right up to May.
Summer outreach plan
- List 20–40 local or remote companies.
- Email each with a short, specific note.
- Say exactly when you're available (e.g., "June through August").
- Follow up once after five days.
Related: high school internships · no experience · email templates · how to cold email.
FirstInternships gives you 16,000+ company recruiting inboxes and writes a personal cold email for each from your background. Free to start — great for students reaching out for the first time.
Find companies to email →Frequently asked questions
Is it too late to get a summer internship in April or May?
No. Smaller companies hire interns late, especially through direct outreach. It's worth emailing right up to the start of summer.