15 Genetics Internships for Undergraduates
- Stephen Turban
- 3 days ago
- 11 min read
If you’re an undergraduate interested in genetics or biotech, consider an internship before you graduate!
Genetics internships for undergraduates can be a pretty great gateway into the world of life sciences, and offer you the chance to apply classroom knowledge in practicalsettings. These internships provide professional exposure through hands-on research in molecular biology or contributions to projects at companies focused on gene sequencing and editing. Along the way, you’ll build technical skills, work with experienced scientists, and strengthen both your academic profile and resume, opening doors to graduate programs and careers in genetics, biotechnology, and medical research.
If you’re looking to make the most of your college years, exploring a genetics internship is a smart move. We’ve created a list of top genetics internships for undergraduates that combine prestige, the rigor of professional experience, and meaningful opportunities to network with leaders in the field.
15 Genetics Internships for Undergraduates
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies depending on program type
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Competitive
Dates: Starts June 2 for Summer cohort. Multiple cohorts available
Application deadline: April 13, Summer cohort
Eligibility: College students interested in tech, nonprofit, or related fields
The Ladder University Internship Program connects ambitious undergraduates with startups and nonprofits for a hands-on experience in a professional setting. Interns are matched with organizations based on their interests–ranging from finance and tech to mental health and media–and are expected to commit 10–20 hours per week over 8–12 weeks. Each student works on a real-world project designed to address the needs of their matched organization, with structured weekly deliverables and regular feedback loops. Interns present a finalized version of their project to their host company and peer cohort at the end of the program. In addition to their startup manager, each intern is paired with a Ladder Coach who provides guidance and mentorship throughout the experience.
Location: Mt. Sinai, NYC
Stipend: $5,000, plus $300 commuting reimbursements
Acceptance rate/cohort size:Dates: June 10 – August 19
Application deadline: March 14
Eligibility: U.S. citizens or permanent residents who are rising sophomores, juniors, or seniors; have faced academic challenges, and are majoring in biology, computational biology, mathematics, computer science, statistics, data science, or engineering
This 10-week summer program at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai is designed for undergraduates interested in genetics and genomics and who may have encountered academic challenges. You’ll join a lab in the Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences and engage in research that spans fields such as gene editing, statistical genetics, cancer genomics, or neuropsychiatric genomics. The program includes biweekly seminars, professional development sessions, and ongoing mentorship to help you grow both scientifically and professionally. You’ll present your research to the faculty by the end of the program. There’s potential for authorship if your work contributes to published research.
Location: Johns Hopkins, Baltimore, MD (hybrid in-person/remote options)
Stipend: $5000 Acceptance rate/cohort size: 5 students per cohort
Dates: 15‑month program starting with a 10‑week summer internship
Application deadline: February 1
Eligibility: Open to full-time college students who have completed at least one full year of collegiate study
This 15-month mentorship program, anchored by a 10-week summer research experience, focuses on the intersection of genomics and ethics. As a participant, you’ll join Johns Hopkins University’s Berman Institute of Bioethics to explore the ethical, legal, and social implications (ELSI) of genomic science. Your summer will include mentored research, weekly journal clubs, and seminars tailored to foundational bioethics and policy discussions. After the summer, you’ll stay connected to the program during the academic year by leading a project or event at your home institution and return the following summer to rejoin the community. You’ll also receive exposure to potential career paths in ELSI research and build skills in scientific reasoning and ethics.
Location: University of Georgia, Athens, GA
Stipend: $6750 plus travel and housing allowance
Dates: May 27–July 25
Application deadline: February 11
Eligibility: U.S. citizens or green card holders enrolled at U.S. colleges can apply (not UGA students)
At the University of Georgia, the SUNFIG program offers you the chance to spend nine weeks fully immersed in genetics and genomics research. You’ll be paired with a faculty mentor in the Department of Genetics and become part of a lab team working on active research projects. Areas of study include evolutionary genetics, molecular evolution, developmental genetics, and bioinformatics, among others. You’ll gain hands-on experience in every phase of the research process, from designing a project to analyzing data and presenting your findings at a poster session. In addition to lab work, you’ll receive training in bioethics and attend sessions focused on professional development, including how to communicate your research.
Location: NIH, Bethesda, MD
Stipend: Paid
Acceptance rate/cohort size:Dates: Typically 8 weeks between May–September
Application deadline: Applications will open in mid-November
Eligibility: U.S. citizens or permanent residents enrolled as an undergraduate, post‑bac, or grad student, and are at least 18 years of age by June 1
The DCEG Summer Internship Program offers an opportunity to explore research in cancer epidemiology, genetics, and biostatistics at the National Institutes of Health. The program runs for at least eight weeks between May and September and is open to undergraduates and graduate students. You’ll work under the supervision of an NIH researcher, contributing to studies on clinical genetics, translational genomics, or health disparities. Beyond lab or computational work, you’ll attend NIH-wide seminars, wellness sessions, and professional development events. The program also includes a research poster day where interns share their findings. Interns receive a monthly stipend based on their academic level, and some may be able to participate in laboratory-based projects depending on availability.
Location: NIEHS, Research Triangle Park, NC
Stipend: Paid
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive, 60-70 interns at the NIEHS site
Dates: 8 weeks, 40 hours a week
Application deadline: Mid-February
Eligibility: U.S. citizens or permanent residents who are at least 18 years old by June 1 of the year they are seeking an internship and are in college (including community college) or graduate/professional school
At the NIEHS location of the NIH Summer Internship Program, you’ll spend at least eight weeks conducting research in environmental health sciences. This program is aimed at undergraduates and graduate students pursuing biomedical or biological sciences. It places you in labs exploring areas such as gene regulation, DNA repair, cancer biology, and bioinformatics. You’ll be matched with a mentor and take on a focused research project while also attending weekly seminars and workshops led by NIEHS scientists. By the end of the summer, you’ll participate in a poster session that mimics the format of professional scientific conferences. Interns work full-time and are encouraged to align their schedules to be present for the event, which is usually held in late July.
Location: New York
Stipend: Paid
Acceptance rate/cohort size:Dates: 8 weeks in the summer
Application deadline: Early winter (typically)
Eligibility: Applicants must be undergraduate students in a related course of study and authorized to work in the U.S. without sponsorship
The New York Genome Center’s internship program, spanning eight weeks, engages you in hands-on genomics research or related technical development projects. You’ll be assigned a mentor and work within one of the Center’s labs or administrative teams on projects that could include sequencing data analysis, bioinformatics tool development, or genomic visualization tasks. Beyond your core research duties, you’ll take part in workshops, panels, and networking events that cover career exploration and technical skill-building. You’ll also have the chance to contribute to real-world problems in areas such as variant calling or data benchmarking, with tools such as Oxford Nanopore and Illumina sequencing technologies.
8. Harvard Medical School – SHURP (Summer Honors Undergraduate Research Program in Biomedical Sciences)
Location: Boston/Cambridge, MA
Stipend: $5000
Dates: June 1 – August 9
Application deadline: February 1
Eligibility: U.S. citizens or permanent residents who are still undergraduates during the summer in which they participate in the program
Through SHURP, you’ll join Harvard Medical School for 10 weeks of immersive, paid biomedical research under the guidance of a faculty mentor. This program is designed to prepare you for PhD study in biological or biomedical sciences, with weekly development sessions on topics such as graduate admissions, science communication, and research ethics. You’ll also attend peer mentoring events and present your work both at Harvard and at the national Leadership Alliance Symposium. Research placements vary widely and can include genetics, stem cell biology, immunology, or neuroscience, depending on your interests and the availability of a mentor. SHURP emphasizes community building through small group discussions, cohort events, and consistent mentoring throughout the summer.
Location: Texas A&M University, College Station, TX
Stipend: $7000
Acceptance rate/cohort size:Dates: May 27 – August 1
Application deadline: February 1
Eligibility: Undergraduate students majoring in genetics, genomics, biology, or any life science. Preference will be given to candidates who have finished their third year and have already taken a genetics course (outstanding students who have completed their second year of college will also be considered)
This 10-week summer program at Texas A&M allows you to study diverse areas of genetics and genomics through a mentored research experience. You’ll be working on a project related to plant, animal, microbial, or computational genetics. At the same time, you will also be taking part in weekly sessions that cover research ethics, career planning, and presentation skills. As a participant, you’ll also enroll in a 3-credit course called “Command Line Skills”, which introduces you to bioinformatics tools used in modern genetic research. Faculty mentors from across the Genetics/Genomics program guide your project, and you’ll have opportunities to share your findings through written reports or oral presentations. The program includes full financial support, including a stipend, housing, meals, and travel expenses.
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Stipend: Paid
Acceptance rate/cohort size:Dates: May 19 – July 25
Application deadline: March 1
Eligibility: Applicants must have completed their sophomore or junior year of undergraduate training before the start of the program, have a GPA of 3.0 ("B") or higher, and be enrolled full-time at a U.S. college or university
SURP is a 10-week research program that gives you the chance to work alongside faculty in biomedical fields such as molecular genetics, developmental biology, and microbiology. You’ll work with a faculty mentor from one of six participating PhD programs in the School of Medicine and spend around 400 hours in the lab over the summer. Weekly seminars, small group meetings, and hands-on lab training help deepen your research skills and provide guidance on graduate education paths. You’ll also take part in field trips and peer-building activities around Pittsburgh. At the program’s conclusion, you’ll write an abstract and deliver a short presentation summarizing your research.
Location: Dallas, TX
Stipend: $5000
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Approx 50 fellows
Dates: June 2 – August 8
Application deadline: February 1
Eligibility: Applicants must be enrolled in an undergraduate science degree program and have completed their freshman year, and must also be U.S. citizens or possess an F1 visa
The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship at UT Southwestern is a 10-week training program tailored for students considering PhD or MD/PhD careers in biomedical research. Students are placed in a lab that aligns with their background and interests, working on a project that could fall within genetics, molecular biology, cancer research, or related areas. Throughout the summer, you’ll gain hands-on experience in experimental design, lab techniques, and data interpretation while also attending faculty-led seminars and informal career discussions. The program culminates in a poster session where you present your research to faculty and peers. Participation includes full-time lab work and integration into the research environment of a major academic medical center.
Location: Salt Lake City, UT
Stipend: $5,500
Acceptance rate/cohort size:Dates: 10 weeks in the summer
Application deadline: March 31
Eligibility: Undergraduates who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents
GSRM is a summer research program at the University of Utah focused on genomics and bioinformatics, with an additional emphasis on the ethical and societal implications of genomic research. For 10 weeks, you will work in a leading genomics lab, engaging in research that may span data science, molecular biology, or ELSI (ethical, legal, and social implications) topics. The program is aimed at supporting students from groups historically underrepresented in STEM. IT includes tailored mentorship, technical training, and career workshops. You'll also have access to advanced equipment and collaborative opportunities with scientists and healthcare professionals. By the end of the summer, you’ll have developed both research competencies and a deeper understanding of how genomics intersects with society.
Location: Cold Spring Harbor, NY
Stipend: $6,000
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Approx 20 students
Dates: June 9 – August 9
Application deadline: January 15
Eligibility: Current sophomores and juniors are eligible
The URP allows you to conduct independent research in one of the institution’s labs for 10 weeks during the summer. Projects span a range of fields including quantitative biology, molecular genetics, plant biology, neuroscience, and cancer biology. You’ll receive one-on-one mentoring, participate in skills-based workshops such as Python programming, and attend seminars on scientific communication and career development. The program covers both technical training and scientific writing, with all students required to submit a manuscript and give two formal presentations. In addition, you’ll engage in discussions on ethical conduct in research and have access to a vibrant scientific community through weekly lectures and social events.
Location: Cambridge, MA
Stipend: $5,400
Acceptance rate/cohort size:Dates: June 2 - August 1
Application deadline: January 10
Eligibility: US citizens or permanent residents majoring in physical, biological, or computer sciences, engineering, or mathematics with a minimum 3.2 GPA (4.0 scale) and a strong interest in pursuing graduate school (Ph.D. or M.D.-Ph.D.)
As part of BSRP, you’ll spend nine weeks at the Broad Institute conducting mentored research in areas like computational biology, cancer genomics, or infectious disease. You’ll be assigned a project in a lab that fits your interests and will present your work at the end of the program through oral and poster presentations. The curriculum also includes weekly seminars with researchers from MIT and Harvard, workshops on scientific writing and graduate school applications, and group discussions aimed at building a collaborative scientific mindset. The program includes funding for travel, housing, and conference attendance, making it accessible if you’re aiming to pursue research without financial barriers.
Location: Aurora, CO & Denver, CO
Stipend: $7,000 plus housing and travel support
Dates: June 2 - August 8
Application deadline: February 14
Eligibility: College undergraduates who will be re-enrolling in the Fall and are U.S. citizens, U.S. Nationals, or permanent residents
The REU-RGB program is a joint initiative between CU-Anschutz and MSU Denver designed to support students, especially those from non-traditional academic paths, through a mentored, 10-week summer research experience in genome biology and RNA science. You’ll be matched with faculty based on your interests and receive advanced lab training, while participating in weekly lectures and skill-building workshops. At the end of the internship, you’ll present your findings to faculty and peers and submit a written abstract of your work. This research experience is designed to help you build confidence in experimental techniques, communicate your ideas clearly, and explore pathways to graduate school or bioscience careers.
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 where students work 1-1 with a research mentor to develop an independent research paper.
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