Hutton Junior Fisheries Biology Program

The Hutton Junior Fisheries Biology Program is a paid, eight-week summer internship run by the American Fisheries Society (AFS) that pairs high school students with fisheries and aquatic science professionals. Each student selected as a Hutton Scholar is matched with a mentor located within a 30- to 45-minute commute of home, drawn from the program's extensive network of fisheries professionals, and the program is available in all 50 states, Puerto Rico, Canada, Mexico and the Pacific Islands. Scholars receive a $3,000 stipend, paid in three checks of $1,000, and work 32 hours a week on a schedule set with their mentor. Attending the Hutton Scholars Summit counts as one week of the internship. Every internship is different. Scholars may work outdoors, on a boat, in a laboratory or in an office, on tasks such as fish population surveys, electrofishing, snorkeling, water quality testing, examining specimens under a microscope, data processing and children's education programs. Some fieldwork involves long days or overnight trips, which require parental permission, and the mentor's office pays for travel while on the job. Students arrange their own daily transportation.

According to the program's FAQ, the internship is open to rising high school seniors and rising college freshmen who live in the United States, Puerto Rico, Canada, Mexico or the Pacific Islands and will be at least 16 by June 1, and past participants cannot reapply. No prerequisite courses are required. The application includes a statement of interest, two short essay questions (one answered in a 1-2 minute video), a reference form and a transcript. Applications for 2027 open in November 2026, and final decisions are made by late April.