15 Child Psychology Internships for Undergraduates

If you are a college student pursuing or planning to specialize in child psychology, internships in the field can be a great way to gain experience in psychology practice. Child psychology internships designed for undergraduates typically offer opportunities to build skills in research, observation, or therapeutic techniques and work directly with children in clinical, educational, or community settings. 

Beyond skill-building, child psychology internships offer industry exposure and opportunities to network with mentors, peers, and professionals, which can lead to valuable connections for graduate school or careers in psychology, counseling, or education. 

For many students, the right program isn’t just about experience—it’s about the prestige of the opportunity, the rigor of professional experience, and the opportunities to connect with experts in the field. Based on these factors, choosing from the wide variety of internships can feel overwhelming. 

To make the search easier, we have highlighted 15 child psychology internships for undergraduates, each offering a unique blend of hands-on learning, mentorship, and professional development. Whether you are drawn to clinical exposure, research training, or community engagement, you will find an option here that works for you!

If you are looking for more prestigious internships, check out this set of blogs!

15 Child Psychology Internships for Undergraduates

1. Ladder University Internships

Location: Remote

Cost/Stipend: Varies; financial aid available

Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year

Application Deadline: Varies depending on the cohort

Eligibility: College students and young professionals. Apply here

Ladder Internships is a selective program for students seeking practical experience with fast-growing startups. Many of these partner start-ups have strong growth trajectories, with several securing over a million dollars in funding. You can choose from opportunities in various fields, including psychology and mental health. Over the course of eight weeks, you will work closely with both your company manager and a dedicated Ladder Coach on impactful projects. As an intern, you will develop hands-on skills, contribute to meaningful work, and present your results directly to the company. 

2. Yale Child Study Center’s Undergraduate Developmental Science Summer Internship

Location: Yale University, New Haven, CT

Stipend: Up to $4,000

Dates: June 2 – July 25

Application Deadline: January 31

Eligibility: Rising junior or senior undergraduates enrolled at U.S. institutions; applicants must be U.S. citizens or international students at U.S. colleges

In this eight-week, full-time internship at Yale’s Child Study Center, you will work closely with faculty on research in areas like developmental neuroscience, clinical child psychology, and community-based interventions. You will engage in every stage of the research process, from designing experiments and recruiting child participants to analyzing data, while also attending lectures, seminars, and journal clubs. The program culminates in a research symposium where you will present your findings to Yale faculty and peers. This experience offers mentorship and professional development opportunities to help you build a foundation for graduate studies and careers in child psychology and developmental science.

3. MindCORE Summer Fellowship Program @ UPenn

Location: University of Pennsylvania, PA

Stipend: Paid on a monthly basis

Acceptance rate/cohort size: 8 students

Dates: June 2 – August 8

Application Deadline: Not specified

Eligibility: First–third-year full-time undergraduate students enrolled at accredited institutions; must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents

MindCORE, UPenn’s hub for studying human intelligence and behavior, offers a paid mentored 10-week summer research experience to undergraduates interested in cognitive science. As an intern, you will work on a research project at the university lab under the guidance of a mentor. You will attend one week of introductory sessions on interdisciplinary research in cognitive science and undergo training in research ethics and technical skills. You will also participate in lab tours, informal group check-ins, journal club meetings led by a graduate student or postdoc, research seminars, and professional development opportunities. You will work with your mentor on creating a final poster or presentation based on your summer research and present the project to lab staff, university faculty, and peers at the end of the program.

4. Berkeley Early Learning Lab Summer Internship 

Location: Remote or in-person at UC Berkeley’s Berkeley Early Learning Lab, Berkeley, CA

Stipend: Unpaid

Dates: June 2 – July 25

Application Deadline: February

Eligibility: Undergraduate students who have completed coursework in developmental psychology and cognitive psychology, have basic computer skills, and have experience working with children

During the Berkeley Early Learning Lab internship, you will engage in research on children’s cognitive and language development, exploring areas like language acquisition, social cognition, and probabilistic learning. You will collaborate with a graduate or postdoctoral mentor, assist with studies on campus and at children’s museums, and take on tasks like recruiting participants, running experiments, coding data, and creating study materials. You will also join weekly reading groups, attend lab meetings, and work with tools like R, LookIt, and Datavyu. The program also offers mentorship and seminars on research careers, providing you with insights into child development research.

5. Johns Hopkins University Laboratory for Child Development Internship

Location: Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD

Stipend: Unpaid

Dates: June – July; dates TBA

Application Deadline: February 1

Eligibility: Undergraduate students who have some experience working with children

As an intern at Johns Hopkins’ Lab for Child Development, you will spend eight weeks researching how infants and children learn and perceive the world. You will help design studies, receive mentorship, and gain insights into the ethics of working with children. You will recruit participants, run behavioral experiments, code and analyze data, and discuss findings with the research team. You will also attend weekly lab meetings and literature discussions, splitting your time between the main campus and community sites like the Maryland Science Center. Throughout the internship, you will maintain daily contact with participating children and their parents.

6. St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital’s Pediatric Oncology Education (POE) Program

Location: St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN

Stipend: $600/week; housing available for out-of-state interns

Dates: 10-week internship for med school students and 11-week engagement for other students; multiple start dates: May 5, May 12, or May 19

Application Deadline: March 1

Eligibility: Students who are at least 18 and have completed their sophomore year of college; have an undergraduate GPA of at least 3.4/4.0; are U.S. citizens, non-citizen nationals, or those with a valid visa. Check full eligibility criteria here.

St. Jude’s Pediatric Oncology Education (POE) Program offers students the opportunity to spend the summer conducting research on childhood diseases, with a focus on the psychological impact of serious illness. Paired with a faculty mentor, you will investigate topics like the effects of pediatric cancer on cognitive development, survivors’ emotional well-being, or interventions to support patients’ mental health during treatment. You will work full-time on your project, attend lectures and seminars on pediatric healthcare and research ethics, and present your findings to the St. Jude community. This can be an opportunity to develop research skills and contribute to meaningful child psychology research in a hospital setting.

7. University of Texas at Austin’s Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE) in Psychology

Location: University of Texas, Austin, TX

Stipend: $2,500

Dates: June 5 – July 5

Application Deadline: Typically March; applications open in January

Eligibility: Undergraduates majoring in psychology at a college/university in Texas; must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents

During UT Austin’s SURE program, you will spend two summer months conducting research in a psychology lab aligned with your interests, which can include developmental psychology, cognitive science, clinical psychology, or related areas. You will work with faculty and graduate mentors on hands-on tasks like observing children, administering surveys, or programming behavioral tasks, while attending weekly seminars on research methods, research ethics, and graduate school preparation. The program also offers opportunities for peer collaboration and networking. At the end of the program, you will present your findings to faculty and peers. 

8. Harvard Laboratory for Developmental Studies Summer Internship Program

Location: Harvard University, Cambridge, MA

Stipend: $5,000 (minimum)

Dates: June 9 – August 7

Application Deadline: March 1

Eligibility: Undergraduate students, graduating seniors, or recent graduates with U.S. citizenship or a sponsored visa; prior experience working with children and families preferred

The Harvard Laboratory for Developmental Studies offers summer research internships where you will assist with developmental psychology projects. You will be paired with researchers to explore infant, toddler, and child cognition, gaining experience in studying young minds. You will recruit and schedule participants, run in-person or virtual studies, code and analyze data, and help design new experiments. You will also attend lab meetings, workshops, and social events to explore careers in research. The program concludes with intern presentations, during which you will share your findings with the Harvard community. 

9. UC San Diego Early Learning and Cognition Lab Summer Research Assistant Positions

Location: University of California, San Diego (La Jolla), CA

Stipend: Unpaid volunteer position; academic credit available

Dates: Not specified; opportunities offered throughout the year

Application Deadline: Rolling; year-round applications (non-UCSD students can contact the Early Learning and Cognition Lab coordinator)

Eligibility: Undergraduate students; those who have completed relevant coursework in psychology, cognitive science, or human development, and have experience working with children, will be given priority

At UC San Diego’s Early Learning and Cognition Lab, you will take on the position of Research Assistant and study how infants and young children learn about language, concepts, and social cognition. You will recruit families, conduct studies with kids in the lab and at preschools or museums, and help design fun experimental games. You will also code and analyze behavioral data, join weekly lab meetings, and work closely with faculty and graduate mentors. You can choose to commit 20–40 hours per week in the summer or 10-12 hours/week for three quarters during the academic year. Though unpaid, the internship offers mentorship, course credit options, and experience in developmental psychology research.

10. UC Irvine’s Development of Social Cognition Lab Summer Internship

Location: University of California, Irvine, CA

Stipend: $6,000

Dates: June 2 – August 8

Application Deadline: March 10

Eligibility: Undergraduate students; minimum 3.0 GPA in psychology and prior experience working with children preferred

At UC Irvine’s Development of Social Cognition Lab, you will spend 10 weeks studying how young children develop ideas about fairness, equality, and decision-making. You will recruit families, engage with kids ages 3–8 in the lab or at preschools and museums, and code video data of their responses. You will also handle data collection and literature reviews and attend weekly lab meetings. Alongside cognitive development research mentorship, you will have access to career guidance. You will practice presenting your findings at a lab symposium. 

11. Tuesday’s Child Child Behavior Internship

Location: Tuesday’s Child, Chicago, IL

Stipend: Unpaid; school credit provided

Dates: Year-round internship opportunities, including positions lasting the full academic year, fall/spring semesters, and summer

Application Deadline: Varies by term; exact dates TBA

Eligibility: Students enrolled in a relevant undergraduate program, such as early childhood education, social work, or psychology; previous experience working with children ages 2–6 and/or diverse learners and/or individuals with special needs preferred

Tuesday’s Child is a non-profit behavioral intervention center in Chicago that offers undergraduate interns experience helping young children with behavioral challenges in a clinical early-intervention setting. You will work directly with kids ages 18 months to 6 years during Saturday intervention groups and weekday therapy sessions, helping implement behavior plans and therapeutic play activities. You will also observe parent training sessions to see how families are coached to manage behaviors at home. Under one-on-one supervision, you will explore evidence-based strategies like ABA, positive reinforcement, and developmental screening. Though unpaid, this internship offers training to prepare for careers in child psychology, counseling, special education, or ABA therapy.

12. Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP)’s Research Institute Summer Scholars Program (CRISSP)

Location: Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia Research Institute, Philadelphia, PA

Stipend: $5,000 stipend & free housing (need-based travel provided to eligible students based on availability)

Dates: June 2 – August 8

Application Deadline: TBA

Eligibility: Full-time college sophomores, juniors, and seniors graduating in the spring who are currently enrolled full-time in a four-year accredited college or university, have a minimum 3.3 overall GPA, and are U.S. citizens or legal permanent residents

During CRISSP, you will spend the summer working with a faculty mentor on research related to child health. Depending on your placement, you might study child development, pediatric neurology, genetics, or community health. You will run studies, analyze data, and present findings, all while exploring lab techniques and research design. You will also attend lab meetings and seminars that offer you an inside look at pediatric research careers. Shadowing, advanced coursework in translational research, and opportunities to mentor high schoolers are also part of the experience.

13. Developmental Moral Psychology Lab Internship @ Cornell

Location: Cornell University, Ithaca, NY

Stipend: $1,000

Dates: June 2 – July 12

Application Deadline: January 17

Eligibility: Current undergraduate students, preferably pursuing developmental psychology, cognitive science, moral psychology, or related fields; applicants must be U.S. citizens, green card holders, or student visa holders (F1, J1) and have experience working with children (e.g., babysitting, childcare, research)

Cornell’s Developmental Moral Psychology Lab offers an internship opportunity for undergraduates studying psychology and related fields to engage in the lab’s research. Here, you will explore various questions regarding morality, psychology, and their interplay while contributing to and conducting research. You will also investigate how individuals engage with questions of morality throughout their lifetimes, including navigating exceptions. You will gain insights into the complete research process while engaging in literature discussions, study design, participant recruitment, data collection, and data coding. You will also complete a project of your own during the internship.

14. Seattle Children's Summer Scholars Program

Location: Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, WA

Stipend: $7,200

Dates: Nine weeks in the summer

Application Deadline: January 15

Eligibility: Students who are currently enrolled, or will be enrolled, in an undergraduate, community, or technical college; applicants must be at least 18 by the start of the program and eligible to work in the U.S.

Seattle Children’s Summer Scholars Program offers an opportunity to spend nine weeks working with a mentor on a child health research project in areas such as neuroscience, clinical psychology, pediatrics, or public health. Here, you will work on basic, clinical, community-based, or translational research projects under the mentorship of researchers, committing ~35 hours/week. You will participate in workshops on research ethics, career paths, and how culture and diversity influence healthcare. The program also offers group activities, panels, and networking opportunities. You will end the internship by presenting your findings at a poster symposium. 

15. Group Counselor @ Camp Triumph

Location: Camp Triumph, North Reading, MA

Stipend: Not specified

Dates: June 23 – August 15

Application Deadline: Rolling

Eligibility: Students enrolled in a relevant undergraduate program; applicants must have prior experience working with children.

Camp Triumph, a therapeutic day camp for children, offers undergraduate students the opportunity to work as a group counselor for campers. The camp hosts children who have been diagnosed with neurodevelopmental disorders and/or mental health challenges and have difficulty with social skills and self-regulation. As a group counsellor, you will assist with creating/executing behavior plans, help campers work toward their progress goals, communicate with parents, run camp activities, and write progress reports. You will also assist a group of 10–12 children with their daily camp activities, like arts and crafts, swimming, games, and field trips. You will work under the supervision of licensed clinicians.

One other option—Lumiere Research Scholar Program

If you want to pursue independent research under the guidance of a mentor, consider applying to Lumiere Research Scholar Programs, which are selective high school programs founded in partnership with Harvard and Oxford researchers. In the past, 4,000+ students applied for just 500 spots in the research program. You can learn about the application and available programs on the application form here.

Also, you can check out the Lumiere Research Inclusion Foundation, a non-profit research program for talented low-income students. Last year, it offered 150 students full need-based financial assistance.

Stephen is one of the founders of Lumiere and a Harvard College graduate. He founded Lumiere as a Ph.D. student at Harvard Business School. Lumiere is a selective research program in which students work one-on-one with a mentor to develop an independent research paper.

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