Summer Internships & Programs

Check out these free/paid summer programs and paid internships for high schoolers in San Francisco!

  • Oasis for Girls. Application deadline is May 28th, 2025. Apply here.
    Oasis for Girls has 3 programs to choose from including CREATE: Arts & Activism with mini-internship at Women’s Audio Mission, RISE: Life Development (Social Justice, Wellness, Leadership) and ENVISION: Career & College Exploration with mini-internship at UCSF. Participants are paid a stipend. The summer program runs Tues-Thurs from 2-6pm at their office near Civic Center. Incoming 9th graders through recent high school graduates.

  • SFO Airport. Application deadline is April 21 at 5:00 PM. Apply here.
    Salary is $25/hour. Interns will be assigned to various host offices throughout SFO and will gain exposure to careers focused on safety and security, customer service, administration, facilities, and operations.

Note: For Summer 2025, the JCYC has combined the SF YouthWorks, MYEEP and Opportunities for All applications all on one website! Click here to apply to all three at once. You can still use the below application links to learn more about each program.

  • SF YouthWorks. Application deadline is April 11th, 2025. Apply here.
    11th and 12th graders and graduating seniors can apply to SF YouthWorks, which provides internships at different departments of the City & County of San Francisco. Interns can then apply to join the Youth Leadership Team the following year, a paid position that helps plan and facilitate workshops for new interns.

  • MYEEP (Mayor’s Youth Employment & Education Program). Application deadline is April 11th, 2025. Apply here.
    Places 9th-10th graders in a paid summer job with job readiness training.

  • Opportunities For All. Application deadline is April 11th, 2025. Apply here.
    A paid summer internship program for 13-24 year olds.

  • Enterprise for Youth. Deadline is April 15th, 2025. Apply here.
    Internship program that helps high schoolers explore careers and develop workplace skills. Priority given to youth who identify as part of an underrepresented community, are rising junior/senior, or attend SFUSD and/or live in San Francisco.

  • Girlfly Art & Activism Dance Program. Application deadline is May 15th, 2025. Apply here.
    Girlfly brings together young women ages 14-19 for four weeks in San Francisco who are interested in dance, social justice, performing and making positive change in the world. All participants earn a stipend and get a chance to perform.

  • Mission Bit. Registration deadline is May 4th, 2025. Sign up here.
    Offering free, online coding classes over the summer.

  • Acterra Student Ambassador Program (ASAP). Applications reviewed on rolling basis until final deadline on May 28th, 2025. Apply here.
    Engage in environmental education, leadership development, and hands-on climate action. Participants will work in teams to design and implement sustainability projects that address environmental challenges in their communities. Students will attend virtual environmental education sessions featuring guest speakers, bi-weekly project check-ins, and two in-person gatherings at local gardens or nature preserves

  • Charity Cultural Services Center Counselor. Deadline is April 14th, 2025. Apply here.
    Apply to become a camp counselor for the CCSC PK-5 Summer Program in Chinatown.

  • UCSF Summer Camps: UCSF has several summer program for high school students. Learn more at https://cseo.ucsf.edu/summer-opportunities. Preference is given to students from UCSF Early Academic Outreach Program (EAOP) schools which are Burton and Downtown High School.

  • First Exposures. Application deadline is June 8th, 2025. Apply here.
    In the Summer Photography Mentoring Program, students ages 11-18 can learn film or digital photography. Classes are free and will be taught by Teaching Artists, using digital cameras, photo editing software, darkroom, and creativity as tools.

  • BAYCAT Digital Media Classes. Apply here. No deadline given on website.
    Students ages 11-18 will learn about filmmaking or can do their own independent media project.

  • Coro Youth Leadership Accelerator (1-week leadership camp in SF). Application deadline is April 25th, 2025. $900 cost. Details and application info here.

  • Rotary Youth Leadership Camp. Application deadline is April 15th, 2025. Apply here.
    The Rotary Youth Leadership Academy (RYLA) invites high school students to apply for a FREE five-day residential camp in Santa Cruz over the summer that supports youth leadership and personal development and promotes positive youth mental health through friendships and camp fun. Learn more at     www.ryla.camp

  • SFUSD Summer Internships - APPLICATIONS CLOSED.
    Internships are intended for sophomores and juniors to extend their learning outside of the classroom. Priority will go to 11th grade students (rising seniors). Industry sectors include Architecture, Automotive Technology, Building & Construction Trades, Computer Science, Culinary / Hospitality, Engineering, Environmental Science / Urban, Agriculture, Finance, Sports, Law.

  • Exploring Leadership, Coro Northern California. APPLICATIONS ARE CLOSED. Open to 9th, 10th, and 11th graders. Coro Northern California's Exploring Leadership (EL) Youth Program is a 6-week summer program in San Francisco for high school students to develop leadership skills and explore civic engagement and career pathways. Learn more at https://coronorcal.org/program/exploring-leadership/ 

  • AAMPLIFY Social Justice Leadership Program. Details for Summer 2025 have not come out yet.
    The AAMPLIFY program runs for two weeks in the summer and trains and supports Asian American, rising 9th-12th grade leaders. Learn more     here