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 11,000+ 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.