15 Internships in Boston for College Students
- Stephen Turban
- 1 day ago
- 9 min read
If you are in college and want to gain experience that goes beyond your usual coursework, applying for a summer internship can help you start that process. An internship can help you develop practical skills and figure out which field you might eventually want to work in. Completing an internship can also strengthen your future job applications by giving you a valuable skill set.
Why should I consider doing an internship in Boston?
Boston’s mix of universities, hospitals, start-ups, research labs, nonprofits, and corporate offices creates a strong environment for college students exploring different paths. Internships in these places introduce you to project work, communication practices, and decision-making processes that you do not often see in regular classes. You also get chances to ask questions, observe professionals, and learn where your academic interests might fit in the future.
With that, here is a list of 15 internships in Boston for college students! If you're looking for even more nationally-recognized, prestigious internships, check out this set of blogs!
Location: Remote! You can work from anywhere in the world
Cost: Varies by the program. Financial aid is available
Program Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year, including Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter
Application Deadline: Deadlines vary depending on the cohort. Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September), and Winter (November)
Eligibility: Students who can work for 10 – 20 hours/week for 8 – 12 weeks. Open to undergraduates and gap year students!
Ladder’s University Internship Program is an eight-week, remote experience that connects college students and young professionals with fast-growing startups for real project work. You’re matched with a company based on your interests, and your weekly schedule stays light enough, about five to ten hours, to fit alongside classes or other commitments. Depending on your placement, you might build a machine learning model, conduct market research, design a product prototype, or contribute to a go-to-market plan. The work is structured to give you material you can use later on your resume or portfolio. You will work closely with your manager at the startup. Apply now!
Location: Bain & Company, Boston, MA
Cost: Paid internship
Dates: Typically 10 weeks full-time during the summer
Application Deadline: Varies by specific role
Eligibility: Open to undergraduate students
Bain & Company offers its Associate Consultant Internship (ACI) in the Boston office for undergraduates interested in management consulting. As an intern, you join a case team and work alongside full-time consultants on tasks such as data analysis, industry research, and building strategic recommendations for clients. The internship includes formal training, regular feedback, and mentorship from senior team members. Interns get a clear view of the consulting workflow and how project teams operate. Strong performance during the internship can lead to a full-time offer after graduation.
Location: Boston Consulting Group, Boston, MA
Cost: Paid internship
Dates: A 10-week program during the summer
Application Deadline: Deadlines are typically in the fall for the following summer
Eligibility: Undergraduate and non-MBA Master's students from all fields of study and backgrounds with graduation dates a year from the date of application
BCG’s Summer Associate Internship gives you an immersive, 10-week introduction to management consulting. You join a case team and take responsibility for a defined part of the project, which may involve data analysis, interviewing stakeholders, and contributing to team problem-solving sessions. The program includes training, regular mentorship, and opportunities to meet consultants across the firm. It’s structured to mirror the work of a full-time associate and helps you understand how consulting teams approach complex business challenges.
Location: Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA
Cost: No cost. Participants receive a stipend, round-trip travel, and university housing.
Dates: June 8 – August 8
Application Deadline: January 20
Eligibility: Rising sophomores, juniors, and non-graduating seniors enrolled full-time in a degree-granting program at a US institution of higher education located in the US or its territories with a minimum GPA of 3.5.
The MIT Summer Research Program is a nine-week research internship for undergraduates interested in academic research across fields such as aeronautics, biological engineering, economics, materials science, philosophy, physics, and other disciplines. You’ll join an MIT research group and work under the guidance of faculty, postdoctoral researchers, and graduate students, contributing to ongoing projects. The program includes weekly seminars, cohort activities, and structured preparation for a final poster presentation summarizing your research.
Location: Harvard University and affiliated hospitals, Cambridge/Boston, MA
Cost: No cost. A stipend is provided
Dates: 8 weeks in the summer
Application Deadline: February 1
Eligibility: Open to current undergraduates (non-Harvard students only)
The Harvard Stem Cell Institute Internship Program is an eight-week research experience focused on stem cell and regenerative medicine. You’re placed in a laboratory at Harvard or one of its affiliated hospitals and assigned to a defined research project under the supervision of a mentor. The program includes a stem cell “boot camp,” weekly seminars led by researchers, and a final presentation at a research symposium. You will gain direct experience with laboratory methods and the fundamentals of experimental design while working alongside active research teams.
Location: Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA
Cost: No cost. A stipend is provided
Dates: 8 weeks, typically from early June to August
Application Deadline: Usually in January
Eligibility: Undergraduate rising juniors and seniors, as well as first-year medical students
The STARS Program is an eight-week summer research experience at Brigham and Women’s Hospital for undergraduate students interested in basic, clinical, or translational research. You’re matched with a faculty mentor and work on a specific research project throughout the program. Alongside your lab work, you attend career development seminars and conclude the program by presenting your findings at a final poster session.
Location: Various life sciences companies, many in Boston and Cambridge, MA
Cost: Paid internship
Dates: 12 weeks in the summer
Application Deadline: Student applications typically open in the winter and remain open
Eligibility: Must be an undergraduate or graduate student enrolled in a Massachusetts college/university, or a Massachusetts resident
The MLSC Internship Challenge is a state-funded program that connects college students with paid internships at life sciences companies across Massachusetts. This program gives you access to a large portal of openings at small and mid-sized biotech firms. Once you’re accepted, companies can hire you with support from state subsidies, which makes it easier for startups to bring interns onto their teams.
Location: Biogen, Cambridge, MA
Cost: Paid internship
Dates: 12 weeks during the summer
Application Deadline: Applications are typically posted in the fall and early winter
Eligibility: Open to undergraduate and graduate students
At Biogen’s Cambridge headquarters, you spend the summer working on projects in areas like R&D, Finance, IT, or Corporate Affairs. You take on assignments that contribute to ongoing work inside a major neuroscience company in the region. Throughout the internship, you join professional development sessions and meet senior leaders at networking events. At the end of the program, you present your project in a poster session to managers, executives, and other interns.
Location: Vertex Pharmaceuticals, Boston, MA
Cost: Paid internship
Dates: January to June for the spring co-op, July to December for the winter co-op
Application Deadline: December for the spring co-op, May for the winter co-op
Eligibility: Must be enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate program
At Vertex’s Boston Seaport headquarters, you spend six months working full-time in a department aligned with your interests: research, medicine development, pharmaceutical or preclinical sciences, public policy, or general business. You take on a substantial project, work with a dedicated manager, and learn how large-scale biotech operations function day to day. Throughout the co-op, you join lunch-and-learns with executives, attend organized events, and build connections across the company. You finish the program by presenting your work at a capstone event, giving you a clear record of what you accomplished.
Location: Multiple offices, though in the US, the primary locations are their offices in Massachusetts and New Jersey
Cost: Paid internship
Dates: Two- to six-month opportunities in the summer or throughout the year
Application Deadline: Rolling deadlines varying by position
Eligibility: Open to undergraduate and graduate students
State Street offers two- to six-month internship opportunities that provide a deep dive into the financial services industry. You will be placed within a specific finance team, such as business unit finance, treasury, or data management. The program is project-based, giving you hands-on experience in financial analysis, reporting, and strategy. You will also engage in senior speaker series, skills-development workshops, and community-based volunteer events.
Location: Wayfair, Boston, MA
Cost: Paid internship
Dates: 10 weeks in the summer, typically June to August
Application Deadline: Varies by role
Eligibility: Open to undergraduate students who are rising seniors
Wayfair’s 10-week summer internship places you at its Boston headquarters, working directly on a project inside teams like engineering, data science, machine learning, business analysis, or product merchandising. You’re assigned a business problem and spend the summer developing a solution that you present to your team at the end of the program. You work under the guidance of a dedicated manager, take part in workshops, and meet senior leaders across the company.
Location: Liberty Mutual, Boston, MA
Cost: Paid internship
Dates: Varies by position
Application Deadline: Rolling deadlines for open positions
Eligibility: Open to undergraduates with strong academic records
Liberty Mutual offers summer internships across insurance and corporate functions at its Boston headquarters. You can work in areas such as actuarial science, analytics, claims, corporate strategy and research, or finance. You’re assigned concrete projects that may involve financial modeling, data analysis, or preparing presentations for management. The program gives you real responsibility, along with formal training, mentorship, and opportunities to meet senior leaders.
Location: Microsoft Research New England, Cambridge, MA
Cost: Paid internship
Dates: 12 weeks in the summer
Application Deadline: Varies by specific position
Eligibility: Open to undergraduate, Master's, and PhD students. Undergraduate applicants are expected to have a strong background in computer science, math, or a related field.
Microsoft Research runs a major research lab in Cambridge, MA, where teams work across machine learning, social science, economics, and computational biology. In this 12-week paid internship, you join a research group and contribute to ongoing projects. You work closely with full-time researchers, receive mentorship, and may contribute to publications or technical deliverables. The program gives you a clear view of how industry research operates and what it takes to solve complex problems at scale.
Location: Cambridge, MA or remote
Cost: Paid internship
Dates: 12 weeks for the summer internship (typically June-August) or 6 months for co-ops (Spring or Fall)
Application Deadline: Varies by position
Eligibility: Open to undergraduate and graduate students
HubSpot, based in Cambridge, offers a 12-week summer internship and a 6-month co-op that places you on teams such as software engineering, product management, or marketing. You work on real products and take ownership of projects that ship to customers. Mentorship is built into the structure, and interns often transition into full-time roles through HubSpot’s established hiring pipeline. The program is hybrid, so you can work remotely, come into the Cambridge office, or do both.
Location: Choice of preferred location. There is an FBI Boston Field Office in Chelsea, MA
Cost: Paid internship
Dates: 10 weeks from June to August
Application Deadline: Varies by open position
Eligibility: Must be a U.S. citizen, attending an accredited college, and maintain a 3.0 GPA. Must be able to pass a security clearance
The FBI Honors Internship Program is a 10-week paid internship that places you in one of the Bureau’s field offices, including Boston. You work on projects in areas like cybersecurity, intelligence, counterterrorism, or criminal investigations, depending on your background and the office’s priorities. The selection process is demanding; you complete a detailed application, interviews, and a full background investigation with security clearance. If you’re looking at public service or a federal career, this program gives you rare, direct exposure to how the FBI operates and how national security work is carried out inside a major federal agency.
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 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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