15 Machine Learning Internships for Undergraduates
- Stephen Turban
- 1 hour ago
- 11 min read
If you’re an undergraduate student passionate about artificial intelligence and data science, you have a wide range of opportunities to explore. The internships in ML below include rigorous research internships, internships at leading tech companies, government lab positions, and even virtual open-source collaborations. In this list, you’ll find 15 standout internships that provide rigorous training, mentorship, and valuable networking in the field of machine learning (ML). Whether you aim to publish research, develop impactful AI applications, or work alongside top experts, there’s an option tailored to your goals. Both paid and unpaid opportunities are covered, with details on stipends, program dates, application deadlines, and unique eligibility requirements. Read on to discover the program that can help you strengthen your ML expertise and engage with the AI community.
15 Machine Learning Internships for Undergraduates
Location: Virtual- you can work from anywhere in the world
Cost/Stipend: Varies depending on program type
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 high school students, undergraduates, and gap year students!
Ladder Internships is a selective start-up internship program for ambitious high school students! In the program, you work with a high-growth start-up on an internship. Start-ups that offer internships range across a variety of industries, from tech/deep tech and AI/ML to health tech, marketing, journalism, consulting, and more. You can explore all the options here on their application form. Ladder’s start-ups are high-growth companies on average raising over a million dollars. In the program, interns work closely with their managers and a Ladder Coach on real-world projects and present their work to the company. Here is the application form. The virtual internship is usually 8 weeks long.
Location: National Center for Supercomputing Applications, Urbana, IL
Cost/Stipend: $700/week stipend + housing, meal plan, and one round-trip to and from campus provided
Dates: May 26 – August 1
Application Deadline: March 15
Eligibility: All undergrad levels (18+); basic Python and some ML experience required
The Future of Discovery: Training Students to Build and Apply Open Source Machine Learning Models and Tools (FoDOMMaT) is an NSF-funded Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) at UIUC’s NCSA focused entirely on machine learning. Ten undergraduate fellows spend one week in intensive ML and deep learning training, then nine weeks contributing to a cutting-edge research project under dual mentorship (one ML expert and one domain expert). Projects span scientific fields, emphasizing how open-source ML tools can drive discovery – for example, past projects have involved deep learning for MRI analysis and climate data modelling. Participants gain experience with modern ML software, open-source development practices, and even co-author research outputs. The program fosters diversity in STEM, actively recruiting students from underrepresented groups and institutions with fewer research opportunities.
Location: Princeton University, Princeton, NJ
Cost/Stipend: $700/ week stipend + housing and meal plan provided
Dates: June 1- August 3
Application Deadline: February 1
Eligibility: Undergraduate students in New Jersey with 60+ credits and at least 1 prior AI/ML course; Participants must be U.S. Citizens or U.S. Permanent Residents; 18 years of age or older
Princeton’s Computer Science department offers a summer REU dedicated to broadening participation in AI research. This Princeton AI/ML Undergraduate Research Experience brings a cohort of students to campus to work on faculty-mentored research projects in areas like machine learning theory, computer vision, or NLP. A key goal is to create a more inclusive AI community, so students of all majors (not just CS) are welcome, especially those who may not traditionally see themselves in AI. You’ll spend nine weeks conducting research under the guidance of Princeton faculty and grad student mentors. The program provides professional development workshops and fosters a supportive cohort environment.
Location: Brown University, Providence, RI
Cost/Stipend: $720/ week stipend + housing and travel provided
Dates: June 2- August 1
Application Deadline: February 3
Eligibility: Undergrads (including rising freshmen) in any major with coursework in CS and math (calculus, linear algebra, probability); US citizens or permanent residents
Brown University hosts an NSF REU site on “Artificial Intelligence for Computational Creativity,” exploring how AI can enable new forms of art, design, and expression. In this fully-funded residential program, 10 students join Brown’s campus to conduct original research alongside faculty and graduate mentors. Projects focus on creative AI applications- past topics include generative models for images and text, detecting AI-generated “fake” content, AI in game design, and user interfaces for creative tools. You’ll receive a crash course in research methods and core AI/ML principles at the start, then spend the summer developing a research idea, implementing experiments, and presenting results. Beyond lab work, the program partners with the Leadership Alliance to offer career development, networking, and social activities – from research panels to local excursions.
Location: University of North Texas, Denton, TX
Cost/Stipend: $7,000 stipend for 10 weeks; housing, meals & travel allowance provided
Dates: May 19- July 25
Application Deadline: March 21
Eligibility: Rising sophomores, juniors or seniors in any STEM major (min. 1 year college completed); emphasis on underrepresented groups encouraged to apply; U.S. citizenship/permanent residents
In the UNT REU program “Beyond Language: Training to Create and Share Vector Embeddings across Applications,” you’ll explore advanced AI techniques designed for sharing knowledge across multiple domains. Over 10 weeks, you’ll learn how to build joint vector embeddings that connect concepts across language, vision, and other data types. At the start of the program, you’ll be introduced to key machine learning and embedding methods, and later, you’ll focus on your own research project—such as enhancing a prediction model using shared embeddings. You’ll be paired with a UNT faculty mentor and become part of a larger AI research community through joint programming with local and REU students. The program actively encourages women, underrepresented minorities, and students from institutions with limited research opportunities to apply, fostering a more inclusive space for AI research.
Location: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA
Cost/Stipend: Paid (very competitive with industry and more than an academic internship
Dates: Session 1: May 19 – August 8; Session 2: June 23 – September 12
Application Deadline: October
Eligibility: Advanced undergraduates (juniors/seniors) or graduate students in CS, Math, Statistics, or related fields
At the Data Science Summer Institute (DSSI) at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), you’ll apply your skills in machine learning, statistics, and high-performance computing to tackle real-world challenges in science and national security. You’ll work on active research problems in areas such as counterterrorism, energy, healthcare, and astrophysics, all under the guidance of leading scientists and engineers. You’ll be matched with a mentor who will help define a focused, meaningful project—one that often leads to ongoing research or even publication opportunities. Beyond individual work, you’ll collaborate in small teams to solve a Challenge Problem, attend research seminars, and gain access to LLNL’s cutting-edge supercomputing infrastructure, including the powerful 125-petaflop Sierra system.
Location: Redmond, WA; New York, NY; Cambridge, MA
Cost/Stipend: Paid + possible relocation, training, transportation, and more
Dates: 12-week summer internship
Application Deadline: September
Eligibility: Rising junior or senior undergraduates in CS/CE or related fields; must have ≥2 years of programming experience and coursework in Calculus, Statistics, and/or ML
As an MSR intern, you will join an ongoing research project at one of Microsoft’s U.S. labs and work under the guidance of renowned MSR scientists. You will explore topics such as reinforcement learning for gaming, AI for healthcare, natural language understanding, or scalable machine learning algorithms. You’ll contribute to state-of-the-art research and perhaps co-author papers or patents. The program also includes a rich mentorship and community component – you’ll be part of a cohort of interns, including doctoral interns, and attend networking events, tech talks, and an MSR poster session to present your work. Microsoft strongly encourages students from groups underrepresented in tech (women, minorities, LGBTQ+, etc.) to apply, aligning with its diversity goals.
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: Stipend for successful project completion (amount varies by country)
Dates: May 8- November 10, check the program website for more details
Application Deadline: April 8
Eligibility: Must be 18+ years old
Google Summer of Code (GSoC) isn’t a traditional internship, but it offers a similar experience. You get paid to work on an open-source software project of your choice, with mentorship from experienced developers in the open-source community. If you're interested in machine learning, you’ll find plenty of relevant projects. Past contributors have worked on tools like TensorFlow, scikit-learn, and Mozilla’s AI initiatives. Over approximately 12 weeks, you’ll code from home, stay in touch with your mentor through chats and weekly updates, and gain hands-on experience working in a distributed team. You’ll also learn industry best practices in software engineering and version control, and if successful, you’ll see your code integrated into widely used open-source projects.
Location: NASA Headquarters, Washington, DC
Cost/Stipend: Weekly stipend based on education level
Dates: 10-week Fall session
Application Deadline: Spring: September 12; Summer: February 27; Fall: May 22
Eligibility: High school, undergraduate, and graduate students (age 16 +); U.S. citizens
Step into the future of space exploration as a full-time AI Innovation Intern with NASA’s Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer at NASA Headquarters in Washington, DC. In this role, you’ll collaborate with NASA professionals to design and test AI systems that support critical missions across the agency. You’ll put your AI and data science skills to work—using tools like Python, R, pandas, scikit-learn, TensorFlow, or PyTorch—to analyze large datasets, build models, and prototype intelligent solutions. Experience with platforms like Jupyter Notebooks or R Studio will come in handy, along with familiarity with open-source tools such as Hugging Face or spaCy and cloud environments like AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud.
Location: Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, IL
Cost/Stipend: $550 stipend for 10 weeks + free housing
Dates: June 2- August 8
Application Deadline: Applications received by January 31, 2025, will be fully considered. Applications will be accepted until the positions are filled.
Eligibility: Undergraduate students with a foundational background in Mathematics and some programming skills; U.S. citizens and permanent residents
At Illinois Tech’s SURE program, you’ll spend a summer working on a research project that leverages machine learning or data science within a real-world computing or math context. You’ll be mentored by faculty and guided by graduate student advisors, participating in collaborative research teams, tackling problems like predictive modeling or optimization. Throughout the program, you’ll develop technical skills—such as data preprocessing, algorithm design, and result interpretation—while gaining professional experience presenting findings in poster sessions. The cohort is designed to encourage collaboration and peer learning, enhancing networking across disciplines. As an NSF-aligned REU site, the program fosters inclusivity and aims to support students from diverse backgrounds.
Location: Duke University, Durham, NC
Cost/Stipend: $600 per week + $600 for travel + housing and meal provided
Dates: Typically May 25– July 27
Application Deadline: January 31
Eligibility: Undergraduate in engineering, math, or CS; check full eligibility criteria here
At Duke’s Electrical & Computer Engineering (ECE) REU, you'll apply machine learning algorithms to experimental design and data-driven engineering problems under close supervision. Over nine weeks, you’ll collaborate with faculty and graduate students to implement and test ML models for domains like sensor analysis, robotics, or materials science. The experience includes hands-on coding, data analysis, and preparing research outputs—such as reports or posters—for summer research symposiums. By working within a small cohort and attending lab meetings and professional development sessions, you’ll gain exposure to academic research processes and opportunities to network with peers and researchers.
Location: Stanford University, Stanford, CA
Cost/Stipend: $5,500 stipend + housing, travel, and meal plan provided
Dates: June 21- August 16
Application Deadline: February 1
Eligibility: 18+ years old, have completed at least two semesters/three quarters (or equivalent) of undergraduate study; Priority given to rising juniors (3rd years) and seniors (4th years); Check full eligibility criteria here
This program is designed to help you build a strong sense of community while joining a cohort of future graduate student engineers who bring diverse perspectives and experiences to the fields of engineering and science. By participating in research, you’ll strengthen your interest in STEM careers and boost your motivation to pursue graduate studies and stay engaged in scientific research over the long term. Since its launch, SURF has helped undergraduates like you gain hands-on research experience and lay the groundwork for advanced study in engineering.
Location: Rutgers University WINLAB, Piscataway, NJ
Cost/Stipend: Paid and unpaid opportunities
Dates: May 27- August 7
Application Deadline: April 6
Eligibility: Currently enrolled full-time in a college or university, be eligible to work in the US, and have an anticipated graduation date next year
At Rutgers’ WINLAB, you’ll dive into wireless networking research with a strong machine learning component—such as signal processing, network optimization, or autonomous systems. You’ll work alongside faculty and grad students to build or evaluate ML models applied to real-world wireless systems. The internship includes lab meetings, technical seminars, and hands-on development/design work. While networking is more niche (focused on wireless+ML), you still gain access to a vibrant engineering community at Rutgers, along with opportunities to collaborate and showcase your results.
Location: Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
Cost/Stipend: Paid
Dates: June 16- August 22
Application Deadline: TBA
Eligibility: Currently enrolled full-time in an undergraduate degree program or have earned a bachelor’s degree within the last year; See full eligibility criteria and technical requirements here
The Kempner Institute’s ML Research Engineering Internship is a structured summer experience where you’ll work on machine learning research and engineering tasks under the mentorship of Harvard-affiliated researchers. Projects involve building ML models, writing code, and possibly releasing outcomes like codebases or datasets via GitHub or Hugging Face. You’ll gain experience in collaborative research and engineering practices within an academic AI environment. This internship is designed for students looking to bridge research and implementation in an elite academic setting.
Location: University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT
Cost/Stipend: $7,000 stipend + housing and travel provided
Dates: May 28- August 1
Application Deadline: March 1
Eligibility: U.S. Citizens, U.S. Nationals, or Permanent Residents; Undergraduates (college or university students) pursuing an associate or bachelor’s degree
At the University of Utah’s ECE REU, you’ll work alongside faculty and graduate researchers on projects incorporating machine learning into engineering domains, including signal processing, robotics, or communications. Throughout the 10-week program, you’ll attend daily meetings, engage in hands-on experiments, and develop ML systems related to your project. The program also includes professional development workshops and a final poster session to present your results. It’s structured to get you comfortable with ML research processes from the ground up.
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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