Having the opportunity to work at one of the world’s most influential tech companies may sound like a dream, but it could be a reality with Microsoft’s High School Discovery Program.
Designed specifically for graduating high schoolers, this program gives interns (called Discoverers) first-hand experience with how real products are designed at Microsoft. Whether you’re passionate about software engineering, curious about UX design, or simply excited to learn how big ideas become realities, this Microsoft internship program offers a rare inside look into the world of tech innovation.
So below, we’ll dive into
What the program offers high school students
What its eligibility requirements are
How to apply
Here we go.
What is Microsoft’s Discovery Program?
Microsoft’s Discovery Program is a paid (yes, paid), high school-level, four-week internship that introduces rising college freshmen to careers in technology. The internship takes place in the late summer and historically has taken place primarily in July. (So you’ll still have plenty of time to prep for freshman move-in day.)
Unlike some internships that expect students to already have advanced coding or engineering experience, the Discovery Program is open to beginners to the STEM world, but still are passionate about math, science, and technology. More on the application requirements below.
By combining professional development workshops, mentoring from real Microsoft employees, and hands-on learning, this internship ensures that Discoverers walk away from their four week experience feeling confident and excited about a future career in tech.
This means that at the end of the internship, you can expect to have
real project experience
a clearer understanding of how different tech roles work together
and a stronger sense of what interests you most as a young professional.
Which is pretty awesome.
Whether you decide to continue exploring software engineering, product management, or potentially dive into a completely different field, the Microsoft Discovery Program gives you the confidence and insight to take your next step towards your professional goals.
What do students do in Microsoft’s Discovery Program?
The Discovery Program is designed to give you hands-on experience—which means that you won’t be limited to only observing professionals or drafting emails. Over the four weeks of the internship, you’ll join a small “pod” of Discoverers and work together on a project for a real Microsoft product team. These projects are designed to give you meaningful exposure to how products are actually created at Microsoft. (And that sounds pretty cool!)
Build Real Projects
Each pod works on a design-phase project that introduces you to core roles in the tech world, including:
Software Engineering
Product or Technical Program Management (PM)
UX Design
You’ll learn skills like how to identify a customer’s pain points and uncover needs they may not even know how to explain. From there, your team will build out the “what” and the “why” of a solution—mirroring the first stages of the real Microsoft product development process.
Practice Microsoft’s Core Culture
Beyond fine tuning your STEM skills, the projects you’ll take on as an intern are designed to help you develop people-focused skills, which are super valuable and will be transferable to your life in college and beyond. This includes a growth mindset, customer-centered thinking, awareness of diversity and inclusion, and how to collaborate across differing perspectives.
These skills are just as essential as the technical ones, and practicing them at Microsoft is an invaluable opportunity.
(For more on “soft skills” that companies look for, check out this guide.)
Work With One Product Team—But Explore Many Tracks
While you’ll stay with one assigned product team for your main project, the Discovery Program also gives you plenty of opportunities to branch out and learn from the many experts across Microsoft. Throughout the month, you’ll be able to:
Attend tech talks and workshops
Explore different Microsoft technologies
Build technical and foundational skills
Meet employees across campus
Connect with other interns
By the end of the Microsoft High School Internship program, you’ll have real project experience, deeper insight into multiple tech roles, and a clearer sense of what excites you most about your future in the professional world.
Discovery Program Eligibility Requirements
Although the program is competitive (acceptance rates aren’t published, but they’re generally thought to be extremely low), the eligibility requirements are pretty straightforward. First and foremost, you must be a graduating high school senior that lives and attends a high school within the Atlanta, Georgia or Redmond, Washington areas. (If you don’t fit one or both of those, check out the links at the bottom of this guide for other summer program opportunities.)
For Redmond-area applicants, you must be a member or participant in one of the following Microsoft affiliated organizations:
Computing for All
Washington MESA
Rainier Scholars
College Success Foundations
UW STEMsub Program
Technology Access Foundation
Thinking you can stay with your fun aunt while you complete the program? That would be nice, but no, sorry, that won’t work here. In addition to being a part of one of these programs, you also have to be enrolled in a Western Washington school and live at least 50 miles from Redmond at the time of submitting your application.
For Atlanta-based applications, you must attend school within one of the following school districts:
Atlanta Public Schools
Dekalb County
Fulton County
Cobb County
Gwyneth County
Meet those criteria? Excellent. Here are a few more eligibility requirements of the Microsoft Discovery Program:
Math Course Completion: Candidates must have completed pre-calculus, an equivalent course, or have completed 3 consecutive years of math (including your senior year of high school) prior to the start of the internship.
Be a rising college freshman attending a bachelor’s degree program, although you do not need to have declared a STEM major to apply. Unfortunately, if you are planning on taking a gap year, you do not qualify for the program as you must be planning to attend a college or university in the Fall semester.
You must be available during the entire four week duration of the internship. Unfortunately this is not an opportunity that allows for hybrid or part-time work. Committing to this internship means that you are all-in for four weeks straight.
Excited to gain experience in the tech world but don’t quite meet these requirements? Don’t worry, there are plenty of other opportunities where you can gain experience in the STEM world. Explore our guide to STEM Summer Camps and Programs to find the right fit.
How to Apply for the Microsoft High School Internship
The application process is similar to applying for a job—but, thankfully, more student-friendly. Here’s what you can expect:
1. Watch for the Application Opening
Microsoft typically opens Discovery Program applications in early February. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, which means the earlier you apply, the earlier you’ll hear back about whether you’ve secured an interview spot.
Pro tip: You should check regularly online so you don’t miss an announcement on their application opening.
2. Submit Your Online Application
You’ll complete an application with three main components:
basic personal information,
a resume,
and short written responses.
(Need help drafting a solid resume? Check out our guide to resume writing, complete with templates to help you get started.)
Important note: Microsoft makes it very clear that your application isn’t considered complete until you submit your resume and answer their required questions in the same document.
As listed on the Microsoft Discovery Internship Program’s website, you’ll need to include the following details with your resume:
Have you applied/been accepted to any colleges/universities? Please name the college or university.
Intended Major
Please list if you are a member or affiliated with any extracurricular and/or academic support organization(s).
At Microsoft, we encourage a culture founded on a growth mindset and the spirit of collaboration. We believe we need to be always learning and stay insatiably curious. In 500 words or less, please tell us about a time you worked with others to complete a school, group, or community project or task on a topic you were not familiar with. Please include information on the project, the actions you took, results of those actions and any lessons learned along the way.
(Note that this prompt is really similar to one of MIT’s supplemental essay prompts. For example essays and analysis for those, head to the MIT supp essay guide.)
3. Interview
If you move forward, you’ll interview with Microsoft staff in March. While you’ll need to present yourself professionally, interviewers are friendly and primarily want to learn more about if you are a good fit for the program.
This means that you can expect to share some more details about yourself, your interests, your involvement in a group setting, and why you are excited about Microsoft’s internship program.
Remember: you’re not expected to be a tech expert—they’re looking for potential, not perfection. That being said, it would be a good idea to practice answering some typical-interview style questions beforehand. See our interview strategy guide for more tips on nailing a collegiate-level interview.
4. Decision Day
After that, all that’s left to do is wait for your decision, which is usually released in the spring. If you’re accepted, you’ll receive instructions about your assigned product team, program dates, and what to expect during your four weeks as a Discoverer.
Once you’ve accepted your offer, you’ll officially be part of the Microsoft High School Internship Program—and ready to begin an unforgettable summer.
Final Thoughts
The Microsoft Discovery Program is one of the most accessible—and exciting—ways for incoming college freshmen to explore careers in technology. Whether you’ve always had dreams of becoming a software engineer or if you’re just starting to figure out what interests you in the tech world, this internship exposes you to real projects, real mentors, and real opportunities. Plus, it’s Microsoft–that’s pretty cool.
If the Discovery Program sparks your curiosity, start early and keep your eye out for that application opening. Don’t procrastinate. Consult with the resources in this guide before drafting your resume or prepping for your interview so that you can feel confident and prepared as you roll into the spring application cycle.
If you’re not yet eligible to apply to the Microsoft Discovery Program but want to dive into other opportunities, check these out:
You can find a bunch more on our Summer Programs page. Or find out more about why doing a summer internship is a great idea and what options there might be for you in STEM:
Natalie Hill is passionate about helping students feel heard, appreciated, and seen through their writing. A former high school teacher, she has taught English, World Geography and Culture, U.S. History, and AP Language and Composition. Since 2017, she has guided hundreds of students through the college application process, helping them achieve their post-secondary goals. An AmeriCorps alumna who served in Chicago’s Near West Side neighborhood and a CEG team member since 2021, Natalie’s goal is for every student to feel valued, loved, and empowered. She lives in Milwaukee, where she enjoys volunteering at a local museum, grabbing a cortado, playing with her kids, and watching Nora Ephron movies.
Top Values: Empathy | Equity | Purpose
