15 Biology Summer Internships for Undergraduates
- Stephen Turban
- Nov 2
- 9 min read
If you’re an undergraduate student studying biology or planning to, doing an internship is one of the most practical ways to gain experience in the field. A biology internship lets you see how research is done outside the classroom while building technical and analytical skills that can help you in both graduate school and future jobs.
These internships also connect you with mentors and researchers who can guide your academic and professional path. Many students use this experience to decide which branch of biology they want to specialize in or to strengthen their applications for graduate programs. Some programs even offer stipends or housing support, making them accessible to more students.
To help you explore your options, here’s a list of 15 biology summer internships for undergraduates.
If you're looking for more prestigious internships, check out this set of blogs!
15 Biology Summer Internships for Undergraduates
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies depending on program type; full financial aid available
Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year, including Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter
Application Deadline: Deadlines vary depending on the cohort
Eligibility: Students who can work for 5 – 10 hours/week for 8 weeks. Open to college students and young professionals
Ladder’s University Internship Program is a competitive opportunity for college students to gain hands-on experience at fast-growing start-ups. You can work in industries such as technology, artificial intelligence, health tech, marketing, journalism, and consulting, depending on your interests. During the internship, you develop practical skills that are directly relevant to your chosen field. You learn how a business operates, explore different career paths, and receive mentorship from both a manager and a company coach. A key part of the program is the final project, where you work with your team to solve a real-world problem and present your solution at the end. You can apply here.
Location: Columbia University, New York, NY
Stipend: $5,000
Dates: May 27 – August 1
Application Deadline: February 1
Eligibility: Currently a sophomore, junior, or non-graduating senior at a four-year college or university
The Amgen Scholars Program at Columbia University’s Department of Biological Sciences is a ten-week summer research experience focused on full-time lab work in areas such as molecular biology, genetics, cell biology, and biochemistry. You are matched with a Columbia research scientist who guides you through the process of designing and conducting your own independent research project. Throughout the program, you learn how to formulate a research question, carry out experiments, analyze data, and write a formal research article based on your findings. You present your work in two formats: an oral presentation to your peers at Columbia and a poster presentation at the Amgen Scholars National Symposium in California.
Location: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY
Stipend: $7,000
Dates: June 8 – August 8
Application Deadline: January 15
Eligibility: Students must be returning to an undergraduate degree program following URP summer research experience; current sophomores and juniors, or the equivalent
The Undergraduate Research Program at the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory is an eight-week program for undergraduate students. You’ll explore scientific processes, technical methods, and theoretical principles for research. You’ll work on an ongoing research project in one of CSHL’s expert labs. Possible research areas at CSHL include Molecular Biology and Cancer, Genetics and Genomics, Neuroscience, Plant Biology, and Quantitative Biology. In addition to doing research in the lab, you’ll attend workshops, seminars, and collegial events. You’ll present your research to the entire CSHL community at the URP Symposium at the end of the summer.
Location: University of Notre Dame, IN
Stipend: $6,000
Dates: May 19 – July 25
Application Deadline: January 20
Eligibility: U.S. citizens or permanent residents | Current freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and non-graduating seniors majoring in biological sciences
The NSF Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program at the University of Notre Dame offers a full-time summer research experience in integrative cell and molecular biology. You work in a faculty-supervised lab, where you design and carry out your own independent research project in areas such as gene regulation, protein function, cell signaling, or molecular mechanisms of disease. At the end of the program, you present your findings at a formal research symposium, gaining experience in both oral and written scientific presentation.
Location: MIT campus, Cambridge, MA
Stipend: Weekly stipend
Dates: May 26 – August 2
Application Deadline: January 30
Eligibility: Full-time U.S. undergraduates (sophomores, juniors, non-graduating seniors) at non-MIT institutions with a STEM GPA ≥ 3.5
MIT’s Bernard S. and Sophie G. Gould MIT Summer Research Program in Biology is a ten-week summer program for undergraduates interested in biology, brain and cognitive sciences, and chemistry. You’ll work 40 hours per week in labs under faculty and graduate-student mentors, and engage in hypothesis-driven projects. You’ll be part of weekly faculty meetings, academic seminars, and workshops on science communication and career pathways. Also, you’ll attend departmental retreats and colloquia, and peer mentoring and community-building events. You’ll end with a research poster presentation.
Location: Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton, NJ
Stipend: $6,300
Dates: June 2 – August 1
Application Deadline: February 3
Eligibility: Undergraduates at non-Princeton institutions
Princeton’s Neuroscience Institute Summer Internship Program is a nine-week research experience for undergraduates interested in neuroscience. You work full-time in a faculty-led lab, where you conduct original research and contribute to active investigations in areas such as neural circuits, brain imaging, behavior, and computational modeling. Each week, you attend lectures from Princeton faculty, participate in journal clubs and lab meetings, and take technical courses in R, Python, and MATLAB to strengthen your data analysis skills. At the end of the program, you present your research at a poster session.
Location: Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA
Stipend: $7,000
Dates: June 15 – August 15
Application Deadline: March 10
Eligibility: All current undergraduates
The NSF REU Biological Discovery in Woods Hole (BDWH) Program is a ten-week summer research experience for undergraduates at the Marine Biological Laboratory in Massachusetts. You are matched with an MBL research scientist and conduct independent, faculty-mentored research in areas such as molecular biology, cell biology, neurobiology, physiology, developmental biology, and evolutionary biology. You take part in regular lab activities, contribute real data, and learn current scientific methods using MBL’s advanced research facilities. The program ends with a student research symposium, where you present your findings and gain experience in scientific communication.
Location: University of North Florida, Jacksonville, FL
Stipend: $5,500
Dates: May 19 – July 25
Application Deadline: March 16
Eligibility: U.S. citizens or permanent residents | Enrolled in a degree program (part-time or full-time) leading to a baccalaureate degree
The National Science Foundation Research Experiences for Undergraduates (NSF REU) in Coastal Biology at the University of Florida is a ten-week summer research experience in ecological and environmental research for undergraduates. You’ll be paired with coastal biologists at UNF and the nearby Guana Tolomato Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve to conduct field‑based projects in coastal ecosystems. You’ll begin with a one‑week orientation that introduces you to research methods, safety protocols, and project planning. Alongside research, you’ll participate in departmental seminars and workshops on science communication and ethics. At the culmination of the summer, you’ll present your findings at the departmental mini‑symposium.
Location: Stanford Biosciences, Stanford, CA
Stipend: $4,800
Dates: June 21 – August 16
Application Deadline: February 1
Eligibility: Sophomores, juniors, or non-graduating seniors enrolled in accredited four-year colleges or universities
The Stanford Summer Research Program (SSRP) Amgen Scholars Program is an eight-week summer research experience for undergraduates interested in biomedical and biological sciences. You work full-time in a Stanford lab, guided by faculty and lab mentors, where you learn advanced research techniques and contribute to ongoing investigations in areas such as molecular biology, genetics, immunology, or bioengineering. In addition to lab work, you attend weekly faculty-led lectures, journal clubs, and professional development workshops focused on scientific communication, graduate school preparation, and career planning.
Location: Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT
Stipend: $5,000
Dates: May 27 – August 1
Application Deadline: February 1
Eligibility: Undergraduate students enrolled in accredited four-year colleges or universities in the United States
The Yale BioMed Amgen Scholars Program is a nine-week summer research experience for undergraduates planning to pursue a PhD or MD-PhD in biomedical science. You work full-time in a Yale School of Medicine lab, conducting original research under the guidance of faculty mentors in areas such as molecular biology, genetics, immunology, or biomedical engineering. The program ends with a research symposium, where you present your findings and network with senior researchers and fellow scholars from across the country.
Location: Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY
Stipend: $6,000
Dates: June 1 – August 9
Application Deadline: February 28
Eligibility: U.S. citizens who have completed at least their freshman year in a STEM major and will not graduate before Fall
Syracuse University's MicroFFABS REU program is a ten-week summer research experience for undergraduates focused on biological microscopy across molecular, cellular, and organismal systems. You work closely with faculty mentors to learn advanced imaging techniques using Syracuse’s specialized microscopy facilities. You gain hands-on experience with tools such as confocal microscopy, fluorescence imaging, and live-cell analysis while contributing to active research projects. At the end of the summer, you present your findings to peers and faculty at a formal research symposium.
Location: University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
Stipend: $5,600
Dates: June 2 – July 25
Application Deadline: March 21
Eligibility: Undergraduate students interested in informatics with computer science experience
The Iowa Institute of Human Genetics (IIHG) offers an eight-week summer internship for undergraduates interested in bioinformatics and personalized genomic medicine. You work under the guidance of a University of Iowa faculty mentor, contributing to active research in areas such as genomic data analysis, variant interpretation, and precision medicine. The program begins with an orientation and includes regular seminars on genetics, research ethics, and career development. You also give two formal presentations during the summer, each lasting fifteen to twenty minutes, where you share your research progress and findings with peers and faculty.
Location: Laboratory's East Boothbay campus, East Boothbay, ME
Stipend: Stipend provided
Dates: May 27 – August 2
Application Deadline: January 1
Eligibility: Undergraduate students
Bigelow Laboratory's summer REU Program is a ten-week research experience at the Laboratory for undergraduates. You’ll conduct independent research with guidance from a scientist mentor. Research areas include marine microbiology, ocean biogeochemistry, optical oceanography, remote sensing, bioinformatics, sensory biology, and phytoplankton ecology. At the end of the program, you’ll present your research poster and give a talk at a student symposium. Additionally, you’ll participate in seminars, field trips, Laboratory outreach programs, social events, etc.
Location: The Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, Olivette, MO
Stipend: $7,550
Dates: May 27 – August 1
Application Deadline: February 6
Eligibility: Undergraduate students
The Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) Summer Internship Program at the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center is an opportunity to engage in plant science. You’ll explore research areas including Biofortification, Bioremediation, Cell Biology, Structural Biology, and Translational Plant Science. You’ll attend workshops at the Advanced Bioimaging Laboratory, Bellwether Phenotyping Facility, Data Science, Plant Growth Facility, Bioanalytical Chemistry Facility, and Plant Transformation Facility. At the end of the summer session, you’ll present a summary of your research to your peers.
Location: University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
Stipend: Not specified
Dates: Not specified
Application Deadline: March 3
Eligibility: Undergraduate students
The Institute for Genome Sciences (IGS) Summer Internship is an eight to ten-week summer research opportunity for undergraduate and graduate students interested in research in cancer, infectious disease, microbiome, and big data applications. You can choose from different experiences: bioinformatics-based, laboratory-based, or a combination of the two. You’ll work with a faculty member and a member of your assigned research group. Activities include lab experiments, high-throughput data generation, omics data analysis, and programming. At the end of the summer, you’ll give oral presentations on your project.
One other option—the Lumiere Research Scholar Program
If you’re interested in pursuing independent research, consider applying to one of the Lumiere Research Scholar Programs, selective online high school programs for students founded with researchers at Harvard and Oxford. Last year, we had over 4,000 students apply for 500 spots in the program! You can find the application form here.
Also check out the Lumiere Research Inclusion Foundation, a non-profit research program for talented, low-income students. Last year, we had 150 students on full need-based financial aid!
Stephen is one of the founders of Lumiere and a Harvard College graduate. He founded Lumiere as a PhD student at Harvard Business School. Lumiere is a selective research program where students work 1-1 with a research mentor to develop an independent research paper.
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