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Internship Programs
High School Apprenticeship Challenge

High School Apprenticeship Challenge For Host Organizations

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Eligibility & Evaluation
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Applications are now open for the 2025 High school Apprenticeship Challenge.

Eligibility and Evaluation

The High School Apprenticeship Challenge is designed to create new internship opportunities by subsidizing intern wages for small life sciences companies and academic researchers to enable them to hire paid interns.

Host organizations apply online, and once approved, are provided access to a secure database to review applications and reach out directly to candidates. Interns are hired and paid by the employer. Companies can hire up to two interns and research institutions can hire up to 35 interns per program year.

The MLSC reimburses eligible host organizations up to $4,080 per intern, based on $17 per hour for six weeks of full-time work. Internships can be part-time or full-time and must take place between May 1, 2025 and April 30, 2026. 

Funding is available on a first-come first-served basis, and allocated only after offer requests are approved by MLSC within the organization application.

Eligibility Requirements:

  • Must be located in Massachusetts and internships must take place in Massachusetts. Please note that if the internship position is hybrid, at least 40% of the internship must be in-person (clearly stated in the offer letter)
  • Must submit a signed and dated copy of their Form W-9 and an ACH authorization for electronic fund transfers.
  • Companies are also required to be registered to do business in Massachusetts and must submit Certificates of Good Standing from both the Massachusetts Department of Revenue and the Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth (click on links to begin process) that were issued during the current calendar year.
  • With the exception of research institutions, must have 100 or fewer FTE’s in Massachusetts and no more than 250 employees worldwide. Larger companies and their subsidiaries are welcome to participate in the program, however their internships would not be subsidized.
  • Must be life sciences organizations or provide services to the life sciences industry. “Life sciences” is defined as: “advanced and applied sciences that expand the understanding of human physiology and have the potential to lead to medical advances or therapeutic applications,” – Massachusetts General Laws (MGL), ch. 23I, sec. 2.
  • Must provide interns with a substantive and meaningful learning experience and at least one mentor that provides regular direct oversight and supervision.
  • Must be in compliance with any and all Agreements and contracts with the MLSC, including reporting requirements and reimbursement certification for past participation in an internship program.

Please Note:

  • Interns must meet the program’s eligibility requirements as detailed here.
  • Interns are to be hired and paid directly by the host organization. Any employed intern shall be treated as a W-2 employee (not a contractor or subcontractor). Interns must be hired for a temporary internship experience and not as permanent employees. Upon completion of the internship, interns can be hired as full-time employees.
  • If the internship position is hybrid, at least 40% of the internship must be in person (two days minimum).
  • It is preferred that interns are paid through a third-party payroll service (e.g., ADP, Paychex, Intuit Payroll). If using an internal payroll system (e.g., QuickBooks) in which payroll is not processed by a third-party, additional supporting documentation may be required for reimbursement. Organizations are required to pay their interns at a frequency that is in accordance with Chapter 149, Section 148 of the Massachusetts General Laws, as amended, and any other applicable law and include in each payment all applicable employment taxes in accordance with state and federal law.
  • Payroll taxes and fees are not reimbursable. Host organizations are required to pay mandatory federal and state employer-paid taxes, such as Social Security and Medicare, and if applicable, an increase in monthly payroll service fees for additional employees.
  • Multiple companies that are “Related Parties” can participate, however will be limited to the maximum funding available for ONE company. Related Party Companies are defined as companies having common ownership and/or management personnel (including but not limited to the CEO, CFO, or COO). Related Party Companies are also considered to be related if at any time one company has the ability to Control (as defined below) the other company or exercise influence over the other company in making financial and/or operating decisions. Control is defined as:
  • ownership, directly or indirectly, of more than one half of the voting power of a company, or
  • control of the composition of the board of directors, or other governing body of a company, or
  • a substantial interest in voting power and the power to direct the financial and/or operating policies of the company.
  • Organizations cannot hire an intern who is the spouse, child, grandchild, sibling, niece, nephew, cousin or spouse of a child, grandchild, sibling, niece, nephew, or cousin of ANY employee of the organization (or department, if employer is a research institution).
  • Interns cannot participate in more than one subsidized internship in the same program year.
  • Interns cannot participate in more than two subsidized internships (over two program years) with the same organization.
  • Internships cannot also be subsidized by another state entity (such as MassTech or MassCEC). Organizations participating in more than one state-funded internship program must hire different interns under each program.

How to Apply:

Organizations must first create an account in our application portal and submit an application. Instructions can be found below under Program Resources. Organizations already registered can login here to access the application.

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Research institutions should contact internship@masslifesciences.com regarding potential internship placements.

Program Resources:

Connect with us to learn more

If you have further questions regarding the application process, please email: internship@masslifesciences.com.
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