How to Get a Finance Internship in High School
Finding a finance internship in high school is difficult, but not impossible. The key is to stop relying only on formal programmes at major banks and start looking for smaller, more flexible ways to do real work.
Many large financial institutions build their internships around university recruiting. Their programmes may have age, education, compliance, or insurance requirements that exclude younger applicants. An automatic rejection often says more about the structure of the programme than it does about your ability.
A better strategy is to target organisations that can evaluate you as an individual, show evidence that you are ready to contribute, and ask for a small, specific opportunity rather than a prestigious title.
1. Decide which part of finance interests you
“Finance” is too broad to guide an internship search. A student interested in company valuation should look in different places from one interested in accounting, financial planning, fintech, or economic policy.
Start by choosing one or two areas:
Investment research and company analysis
Accounting and bookkeeping
Wealth management and financial planning
Corporate finance
Fintech and financial data
Venture capital and start-up finance
Economics, public finance, or nonprofit budgeting
You do not need to make a permanent career decision. You only need enough focus to identify relevant organisations and explain why you are contacting them.
2. Look beyond major banks
Searching only for advertised internships at global banks will produce a long list of opportunities designed for university students. High-school students often have better odds with smaller organisations where a decision-maker can consider a flexible arrangement.
Useful places to approach include:
Local accounting firms
Independent wealth managers and financial advisers
Small investment or research firms
Fintech start-ups
Venture studios and accelerators
University finance or economics centres
Nonprofits that need budgeting or research support
Small businesses that may need help with market research or financial analysis
Search locally, ask teachers and community organisations for introductions, and check the team pages of firms whose work genuinely interests you. A thoughtful message to a small firm can be more effective than another application to a programme with a strict age cutoff.
3. Build proof before you ask for an opportunity
A firm takes a risk when it gives work to someone with no professional record. You can reduce that risk by showing what you can already do.
Create one or two short work samples, such as:
A two-page analysis of a public company
A comparison of two competitors using revenue, margins, and valuation
A chart explaining how an interest-rate decision affected a market
A short investment thesis with risks and evidence
A simple financial model with clearly stated assumptions
A breakdown of a recent merger, IPO, or earnings announcement
The goal is not to imitate a professional analyst perfectly. It is to demonstrate curiosity, careful research, clear writing, and the ability to finish a project. If you want a structured starting point, read GRF’s guide to writing a finance research report in high school.
4. Write a short and specific outreach email
Cold outreach works best when it feels personal. Avoid sending the same vague request to dozens of firms. Mention what the organisation does, explain why it interests you, and make a request that is easy to understand.
Here is a simple template:
Subject: High-school student interested in learning about [area]
Hello [Name],
I’m a high-school student interested in [specific area of finance]. I came across [firm or project] and was especially interested in [one genuine detail].
I recently completed a short analysis of [topic], which I’ve linked here. I would be grateful for the chance to learn more about your work and, if useful, help with a small research, data, or administrative project over [time period].
Would you be open to a brief conversation?
Best,
[Name]
Keep the email concise. Attach or link only your strongest work sample. If you are a minor, involve a parent or guardian before sharing personal information, visiting an office, or agreeing to any work arrangement.
5. Ask for a smaller first step
An internship can sound like a large commitment to a small firm. A narrower request may receive a better response.
You could ask to:
Conduct a 20-minute informational interview
Shadow a professional for a day
Help with a defined research task
Organise public data for a short project
Prepare a competitor or market summary
Support a nonprofit with budgeting or financial-literacy research
A short project can still produce valuable experience, a work sample, and a professional relationship. If you do good work, the opportunity may expand naturally.
6. Follow up professionally
Most outreach messages will not receive a reply. That is normal. Send one polite follow-up after about a week, then move on if you still hear nothing.
Track the organisation, contact, date, response, and next step in a simple spreadsheet. This prevents duplicate messages and helps you see which types of outreach work best.
Do not measure progress only by the number of positive replies. Every targeted message improves your ability to explain your interests and make a professional request.
What if you cannot get a finance internship?
An internship is only one way to build finance experience. If formal opportunities are unavailable, create evidence of your ability independently.
You can:
Publish company or market analyses on a blog
Build a small portfolio of research reports
Analyse public financial statements and earnings calls
Enter a credible finance or economics competition
Interview professionals and write what you learned
Volunteer for a defined finance-related project at a local organisation
Complete a structured research project with expert feedback
Independent work is most useful when it has a clear question, credible sources, visible analysis, and a finished output. A strong report that you can defend often reveals more about your thinking than a vague internship title.
What makes finance experience valuable?
Admissions officers and future employers are unlikely to be impressed by a title alone. They want evidence of what you learned and produced.
Good early finance experience should help you show:
Analytical thinking
Comfort with financial information
Clear written communication
Initiative and reliability
Intellectual honesty about uncertainty
A finished piece of work you can explain
That is the real objective. The best opportunity is not necessarily the one with the most recognisable name. It is the one that gives you serious work, useful feedback, and something concrete to show for your time.
Frequently asked questions
Can high-school students get finance internships?
Yes, but formal internships at large financial institutions are limited and often designed for university students. Smaller firms, nonprofits, start-ups, and local organisations may be more open to shadowing, short projects, or flexible work experience.
Do you need finance experience before applying?
You do not need professional experience, but a short work sample can make your outreach much stronger. A company analysis, market memo, chart, or simple model shows that your interest is serious.
When should you apply for a high-school finance internship?
Start several months before the period when you hope to work. Smaller firms may not follow a fixed recruiting calendar, so targeted outreach can be useful throughout the year.
Is finance research a good alternative to an internship?
Yes, if the project requires genuine analysis and results in work you can explain and defend. Research can demonstrate judgment, evidence discipline, and writing ability even when age restrictions make formal internships inaccessible.
Build experience that shows how you think
If a conventional internship is not available, do not treat that as the end of the search. Build a credible project, ask better questions, and create proof of work.
GRF’s finance research programmes for high-school students are designed around that principle. Students complete substantive finance research with guidance from experienced practitioners and academic mentors, producing work that stands on its own rather than relying on a title.