1. What is the Microsoft Discovery Program?
The Microsoft Discovery Program (also known as the Microsoft High School Internship) invites participants, referred to as “Discoverers,” to a 4-week summer internship program. During this program, they will learn about core computer science concepts, develop career readiness skills, gain hands-on project experience, and receive mentorship from Microsoft employees. In addition, students will gain an understanding of Microsoft’s history, culture, and technologies. The program is designed for students interested in technology/STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math), and who plan to pursue future careers in the software development field.
Eligibility
To be eligible for the program, students must be graduating high school seniors who live and attend high school within 50 miles of Redmond, Washington. Students must have completed pre-calculus or an equivalent, or 3 consecutive years of math by the start of the program. At the moment, only members of the below Microsoft-sponsored organizations are allowed to apply:
- Computing for All
- College Success Foundations
- Rainier Scholars
- Technology Access Foundation
- UW STEM Upward Bound
- Washington MESA
Wage: $20/hour
Internship Dates: July 7 – August 1, 2025
Deadline for the Microsoft Discovery Program: February 26, 2025 at 11:59pm PT
2. Application Process for the Microsoft High School Internship
To apply for the program, students must submit their resume, along with add this information at the end of your resume document:
- List colleges or universities that students have applied to and/or been accepted into.
- Intended Major: State your intended major or field of study.
- Extracurricular and Academic Affiliations: Please list if you are a member or affiliated with any extracurricular and/or academic support organization(s). Provide 1-2 sentences about your involvement.
- Essay Response (500 words or less): At Microsoft, we encourage a culture founded in a growth mindset and the spirit of collaboration. We believe we need to always be learning and stay insatiably curious. In 500 words or fewer, 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.
3. Why Should You Apply for the Microsoft Discover Program?
Invaluable Learning Experience: For high school students passionate about technology and software development, the Microsoft Discovery Program provides a unique opportunity to delve into core computer science concepts within a real workplace environment. Beyond academic enrichment, the program equips students with the skills necessary for a promising career.
Networking and Mentorship Opportunities from Experts: Microsoft is a globally renowned tech company with years of innovation. Being part of this program, you will be exposed to a world of new opportunities within the tech industry. It can be scary; therefore, Microsoft will help connect you with experienced professionals in the company. This guidance can provide you with insights, advice, and networking opportunities that can prove instrumental for your future endeavors.
Hands-on project experience: In this program, students will be able to apply theoretical knowledge to practical scenarios, making it an integral part of their experience at Microsoft. The projects students work on are not just hypothetical exercises, but a mirror of real-world challenges and scenarios that professionals face daily. You’ll learn how to approach these challenges, break them down into manageable tasks, and find innovative solutions.
The Microsoft Discovery Program offers an unparalleled opportunity for high school students to explore the world of technology and software development. It’s a gateway to invaluable learning, networking, mentorship, and hands-on project experience. We highly recommend students to apply for this unique opportunity.
4. Further your computer science skills with Aralia
If you’re looking to gain more experience in the computer science and technology fields, consider signing up for Aralia’s Computer Science and Research Programs! Our programs are designed to provide you with hands-on learning, and exposure to cutting-edge technologies. These classes can also be a good way to prepare for applying to the Microsoft Discovery Program! Class details are below:
Aralia's Classes
ACSL Competition Prep
The program begins with two weeks of dedicated programming practice to provide participants with an opportunity to enhance their skills. Subsequently, each of the 12 ACSL topics is allocated a two-week period, allowing ample time for in-depth exploration and understanding. Prior to each contest, participants are presented with two programming problems that are intentionally unrelated to the current topics. These problems are designed to enhance the coder’s skills and foster comfort in tackling diverse challenges.
Intro to Computer Science
Introduction to computer science with a focus on programming. Learn the basics of computer programming using Java as an example language but with the concepts will apply to all languages. Topics include program control, abstraction, making decisions and user input. We will focus on how to design a program, how to write code well and how to read and analyze existing code.
