15 Cancer Research Internships for Undergraduates
- Stephen Turban
- Aug 31
- 9 min read
Updated: Oct 14
If you’re a college student studying biology, medicine, public health, or a related field, doing a cancer research internship is one of the best ways to learn how research in a professional setting works. These internships give you the chance to work in labs or clinics where scientists and doctors are studying cancer. You might help with experiments, analyze data, or support ongoing studies. It’s a hands-on way to understand how cancer is being treated and studied today.
You’ll also build useful skills. Many programs teach you lab techniques, how to collect and organize data, and how to write about research findings. Some also include seminars, guest talks, or one-on-one mentorship with experienced researchers. This kind of experience can help you decide if you want to go into research, medicine, or public health in the future. It also looks strong on your resume when applying to med school, grad school, or future internships.
To make it easier for you to get started, here are 15 cancer research internships for undergraduates!
15 Cancer Research Internships for Undergraduates
Location: Remote
Cost: Varies depending on program type
Program Dates: 8 weeks (Summer and school-year cohorts available)
Application Deadline: Varies by the cohort
Eligibility: Ambitious high school students and undergraduates
Ladder University Internship Program is a virtual experience where you work directly with a global startup or nonprofit. You’ll be matched based on your interests like AI, health tech, journalism, consulting, or sustainability and spend eight weeks building a real project. You’ll meet weekly with your company coach, define deliverables, and present your work at the end. Past interns have built machine learning models, launched marketing campaigns, designed business plans, and created tools for healthcare and finance. You can apply here.
Location: Columbia University, New York, NY
Cost: Free; $8,000 stipend and up to $300 commuting reimbursement
Dates: May 27–August 1
Application Deadline: February 1
Eligibility: U.S. citizens or permanent residents; rising sophomores, juniors, or seniors (must be enrolled as an undergraduate in the fall); not open to Columbia/Barnard students; previous research experience not required
Columbia’s Irving Institute for Cancer Dynamics offers a 10-week summer research program where you work full-time on a project at the intersection of cancer research and math. You’ll be matched with a mentor and explore areas like computational biology, genomics, data science, or statistical modeling. You’ll join weekly seminars, lab tours, and workshops to build your research and professional skills. Past students have studied tumor evolution, built models for genomic data, and explored cancer metabolism.
Location: Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ
Cost: Free; stipend provided
Dates: June–August (flexible start date; 10 weeks total)
Application Deadline: April 6
Eligibility: Undergraduate, associate, or graduate students; 3.5+ GPA preferred; prior research experience and advanced science coursework recommended
Rutgers Cancer Institute offers a 10-week clinical research internship where you work on real cancer trials focused on prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. You’ll support research teams with tasks like patient recruitment and protocol management and shadow experienced staff in a medical setting. You’ll meet regularly with faculty mentors and build core research skills. Some responsibilities can be completed remotely after an in-person orientation, depending on your role. Past interns have helped run clinical trials, supported data collection, and contributed to cancer research operations.
Location: Varies by institution (must apply directly to ACS-funded sites)
Cost: Free; $5,000 stipend ($500/week for 10 weeks)
Dates: Typically May–August; start dates vary by institution
Application Deadline: Varies by institution (ACS institution funding deadline is April 1)
Eligibility: Rising college sophomores, juniors, or seniors in STEM; minimum 3.0 GPA; must be full-time students not enrolled in conflicting summer coursework
American Cancer Society Summer Research Internship places you in a cancer research setting for 10 weeks, where you work hands-on in a lab, clinical, or community environment. You’ll be matched with a mentor and complete a research project while learning real-world methods and work with other interns. You’ll join weekly workshops, present your work, and stay connected through year-round networking and career development. Each site sets its own application process, research focus, and start dates.
Location: Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY
Cost: Free; $6,500 stipend and free housing provided
Dates: June 2–August 8
Application Deadline: Opens early November; exact deadline varies (typically January)
Eligibility: Current U.S. undergraduates (freshmen through juniors) majoring in computer science, applied math, or related fields; minimum GPA of 3.0; experience with coding languages (e.g., Python, R, C++) required; biology coursework recommended but not required
CBSP is a 10-week summer research program where you work full-time on a computational biology project in a lab at Memorial Sloan Kettering, Weill Cornell, or Rockefeller University. You’ll use your coding and analytical skills to solve biomedical problems with guidance from a faculty mentor. You’ll attend seminars, journal clubs, and career workshops, and present your work at a formal poster session. Past interns have built models for cancer genomics, analyzed biological networks, and developed tools for clinical data. Housing is provided, and you’ll receive a $6500 stipend.
Location: University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
Cost: Free; $6,000 stipend, up to $500 travel allowance; reduced-cost housing available
Dates: May 19–July 25
Application Deadline: February 1
Eligibility: U.S. citizens or permanent residents; undergraduate students with a GPA >3.2; strong interest in cancer research; two letters of recommendation required
NSIP is an 11-week full-time summer internship where you work on translational cancer research at the University of Maryland. You’ll join a mentored lab project and explore how basic science connects to cancer treatment and patient care. You’ll attend workshops, seminars, and clinical shadowing sessions that show the real-world impact of research. At the end of the program, you’ll present your findings to faculty and peers. Past interns have studied tumor biology, drug development, and cancer diagnostics.
Location: Fred Hutch Cancer Center, Seattle, WA
Cost: Free; $7,304 stipend, up to $450 in travel reimbursement; housing approx. $3,200 (not included)
Dates: June 23–August 22
Application Deadline: Typically early January (exact date varies each year)
Eligibility: U.S. citizens or permanent residents; entering final year/term of undergrad; strong science background required
SURP is a 9-week full-time research internship at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center where you complete an independent project with a faculty mentor. You can choose from focus areas like basic science, public health, clinical research, or vaccine and infectious disease. You’ll gain hands-on lab experience and attend weekly seminars and workshops on applying to grad or med school. The program ends with a competitive poster session where you present your work. Social events like hikes, outings, and team activities help build community among interns and faculty.
Location: Georgetown University, Washington, D.C.
Cost: Free; $5,000 stipend and free campus housing provided
Dates: June 2–August 8
Application Deadline: February 7
Eligibility: Rising sophomores, juniors, or seniors; one year of college-level coursework completed by program start; open to U.S. and international students, including those at community colleges
CURE-M is a 10-week full-time summer research program at Georgetown’s Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center. You’ll be matched with a faculty and peer mentor and work on a hands-on cancer or biomedical research project. You’ll also join workshops, seminars, and career development sessions throughout the summer. The program continues into the academic year with virtual seminars and a Slack workspace for ongoing mentorship and collaboration. You’ll present your work in a capstone research session, and select students may attend external conferences.
Location: Temple University or Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, PA
Cost: Free; $4,000+ stipend provided
Dates: June 9–August 1
Application Deadline: January 24
Eligibility: Sophomores or higher enrolled at Temple University or Hunter College in both spring and fall; minimum age 18; must pass background check, health screening, and commit full-time to 8 weeks of research
SCRI is an 8-week full-time summer research program hosted by Temple University and Hunter College. You’ll work on basic or population-based cancer research at Temple or Fox Chase Cancer Center and be matched with a faculty mentor. You’ll gain hands-on lab experience, attend cancer research seminars, and join workshops focused on science communication and professional skills. The program ends with a research presentation where you share your findings with faculty and peers.
Location: VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center, Richmond, VA
Cost: Free; $3,000 stipend provided
Dates: June 2–July 11
Application Deadline: Typically in early spring (exact date varies; check program page)
Eligibility: Current undergraduate juniors or seniors; strong academic record; interest in healthcare or academic medicine; 2 letters of recommendation required
CTOSI is a 6-week in-person internship where you explore clinical research operations at an NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center. You’ll rotate through teams in the Clinical Trials Office at VCU Massey and learn how cancer trials are managed across departments like regulatory affairs, data management, and patient coordination. You’ll join hands-on activities, shadow clinical investigators, and attend workshops that connect research with patient care. Past interns have built foundational knowledge in clinical trial operations and networked with professionals across the center.
Location: Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY
Cost: Free; $6,000 stipend provided
Dates: June 2–August 8
Application Deadline: January 31
Eligibility: U.S. citizens or permanent residents; college juniors or credit-equivalent; CSTEP sophomores from NY may also apply; full-time participation required
SURE-CAN is a 10-week full-time summer internship at Roswell Park where you work on cancer research in areas like tumor immunology, computational oncology, cancer prevention, or public health. You’ll be matched with a research mentor and complete a hands-on project in your chosen field. You’ll attend weekly seminars on cancer biology and join professional development sessions focused on grad school and research careers. The program ends with a formal presentation at Roswell’s summer research conference and Buffalo Research Day, where top projects may earn awards.
Location: NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY
Cost: Free; $5,000 stipend, free housing, and travel reimbursement
Dates: June 1–August 2
Application Deadline: Typically early February (exact date varies; check program site)
Eligibility: U.S. citizens or permanent residents; current college sophomores or juniors; minimum one semester of bench lab experience required
SURP is a 9-week full-time research internship at NYU Grossman School of Medicine and NYU Langone Health. You’ll join about 30 students working in biomedical labs under the guidance of a faculty mentor. You’ll spend most of your time doing hands-on research and attend weekly journal clubs, seminars, and informal lunch sessions with scientists and physicians. At the end of the summer, you’ll present your work at NYU and may be selected to attend the Leadership Alliance National Symposium. Past interns have studied cancer biology, immunology, neuroscience, and epidemiology.
Location: Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT
Cost: Free; $4,000 stipend for undergraduates, housing, meals, and travel support provided
Dates: May 26–July 31
Application Deadline: February 1
Eligibility: U.S. citizens or legal residents; rising college freshmen or early undergraduates; strong interest in health sciences or cancer research; full-time participation required
PathMaker Scholars is a 10-week full-time summer research program at the Huntsman Cancer Institute for high school juniors and early undergraduates interested in cancer, biomedical research, healthcare, or education. You’ll start with a one-week lab skills course, then spend nine weeks working on a mentored research project in a university lab. You’ll join weekly meetings, group activities, and career development sessions. At the end of the summer, you’ll present your work at the University of Utah’s Summer Research Symposium. Students who complete the program are automatically accepted to return the following summer without reapplying.
Location: University of Michigan Medical and NCRC Campus, Ann Arbor, MI
Cost: Free; $5,500 stipend and $500 travel stipend (additional aid available based on need)
Dates: May 21–July 30
Application Deadline: January 31
Eligibility: U.S. citizens, permanent residents, or students with valid U.S. work authorization; full-time college sophomores or juniors; GPA of 3.0+; full-time participation required
CaRSIP is a 10-week full-time summer research internship at the University of Michigan for undergraduates interested in cancer biology. You’ll be matched with a faculty mentor and work directly in a lab on a hands-on research project. Past interns have studied DNA repair, stem cells, biomarkers, and tumor genetics. You’ll attend biweekly seminars led by cancer researchers and join informal discussions on scientific communication and career paths. The program ends with a research presentation where you share your findings with faculty and peers.
Location: Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA
Cost: Free; $3,600 stipend, housing, and up to $600 travel allowance provided
Dates: June 2–July 25
Application Deadline: February 7
Eligibility: U.S. citizens, nationals, or permanent residents; current college sophomores or juniors; minimum 3.0 GPA; background in basic science; must meet criteria for underrepresented status in graduate research
BPH SIP is an 8-week full-time summer research program at Harvard for undergraduates interested in public health and biomedical research. You’ll work in a Harvard lab on a mentored project related to diseases like cancer, diabetes, or infectious disease, using approaches like gene regulation, cellular signaling, and metabolism. You’ll attend faculty lectures, professional development workshops, and a final poster session where you present your research. Past interns have studied malaria, lung disease, and aging-related conditions using cutting-edge lab techniques.
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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