12 Nursing Summer Internships for Undergraduates
- Stephen Turban
- 57 minutes ago
- 9 min read
If you’re studying nursing, summer internships can help you build experience beyond your coursework and clinical rotations. These opportunities introduce you to different healthcare settings, including hospitals, pediatric centers, academic medical systems, and research environments, while helping you strengthen patient care and communication skills. They also provide exposure to how interdisciplinary healthcare teams operate in professional clinical settings.
Why should I do a nursing internship in college?
Nursing internships allow you to apply what you’ve learned in class while working alongside nurses, preceptors, and healthcare professionals in supervised settings. You might assist with patient care, participate in clinical activities, observe specialty units, support healthcare operations, or contribute to research and educational initiatives, depending on the program. Over time, these experiences can help you build confidence in clinical environments, explore different nursing specialties, and prepare for future roles in healthcare.
To help you get started, we’ve narrowed down a list of 12 nursing summer internships for undergraduates.
If you’re looking for remote internships, check out our blog here.
Location: Stanford Health Care, Palo Alto, CA
Dates: Internship options range from 8 to 12 weeks during the summer
Cost/Stipend: Paid internship
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Highly selective
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: Must be pursuing a bachelor’s or associate’s degree from an accredited institution
The Stanford Summer Administrative Internship lets you explore the inner workings of hospital administration over 8 to 12 weeks. You’ll be placed in departments such as Radiology Administration, Nursing Education, and Food Services, working on meaningful projects that contribute to hospital operations and patient care. You’ll be paired with a preceptor who guides you through your day-to-day responsibilities, offering mentorship and feedback to help you develop professional skills. Beyond hands-on work, you’ll attend seminars, career-planning sessions, and networking events, giving you insight into healthcare leadership and organizational strategy.
Location: Children’s National Hospital, Washington, D.C.
Dates: 12–14 weeks during the summer
Cost/Stipend: Stipend paid
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Highly selective
Application Deadline: December 8
Eligibility: Open to nursing students who are at least halfway through their nursing program and have completed a medical/surgical and/or pediatric clinical rotation
The LAUNCH Nurse Trainee Program at Children’s National Hospital offers high school and college nursing students hands-on experience in pediatric nursing. As a trainee, you’ll work closely with nurse managers, preceptors, and supervisors, assisting with patient care tasks and daily unit operations. You will gain experience in taking vital signs, helping with activities of daily living, and providing basic patient care, while participating in orientation sessions and professional development workshops. The program provides mentorship, practical clinical exposure, and career guidance, offering a strong foundation for a future career in pediatric nursing.
Location: Children’s National Hospital, Washington, D.C.
Dates: May 28–August 2
Cost/Stipend: Stipend paid
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Highly selective
Application Deadline: December 8
Eligibility: College students accepted into an accredited nursing program
The Conway Nursing Pathway Program at Children’s National Hospital introduces high school and undergraduate students to the field of pediatric nursing. Through summer immersion experiences, mentorship from experienced nurses, and interactive career preparation activities, you’ll gain hands-on exposure to clinical care and professional nursing practice. The program also provides scholarships to support your education and fosters skill development in patient care, leadership, and healthcare teamwork. By the end of the program, you’ll have a stronger foundation for pursuing a career in pediatric nursing and contributing to the well-being of children and families.
Location: Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Fort Worth, Fort Worth, TX
Cost/Stipend: Paid internship
Dates: Nine-week internship with one week of orientation followed by eight weeks of bedside clinical experience
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: Junior or senior nursing students in accredited nursing programs who have completed at least one semester of nursing school and are authorized to work in the U.S.
The Texas Health Fort Worth Nursing Intern Program provides nursing students with hands-on clinical experience while working closely with RN preceptors in a hospital setting. Interns rotate through inpatient medical-surgical, critical care, and specialty units where they participate in supervised patient care and develop practical nursing skills in fast-paced clinical environments. Throughout the internship, students attend educational development sessions, connect with healthcare professionals across the hospital, and gain exposure to interdisciplinary teamwork and hospital operations. The program is designed to help nursing students strengthen clinical confidence, build professional relationships, and prepare for future nurse residency or PRN nursing opportunities within the Texas Health system.
Location: Bassett Medical Center, Cooperstown, NY
Dates: June 15–August 7
Cost/Stipend: $18.38 per hour
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Selective
Application Deadline: April 1
Eligibility: Open to nursing students entering their senior year
The Bassett Summer Nurse Intern Program offers undergraduate nursing students a chance to gain real-world experience in a professional healthcare environment. You'll work one-on-one with a registered nurse preceptor, participating in both direct and indirect patient care while exploring various specialty areas within the hospital network. The program also covers three transferable college credits at no cost and provides valuable career support, including resume guidance, mentorship, and networking opportunities. It also helps bridge your classroom learning with practical experience, preparing you for your transition into professional nursing practice.
Location: Mayo Clinic Health System campuses in Eau Claire, La Crosse, Mankato, and Southeast Minnesota
Dates: 10-week internship beginning in June and running through August
Cost/Stipend: Paid position
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Selective
Application Deadline: December 22
Eligibility: Open to nursing students who have completed at least their junior year in a baccalaureate nursing program
The Mayo Clinic Health System Student Nurse Internship provides undergraduate nursing students with hands-on experience in a professional healthcare environment. You'll work closely with experienced nurses, participating in both direct and indirect patient care across various clinical settings while exploring multiple specialty areas within the Mayo Clinic Health System. The program provides mentorship, networking opportunities, and professional development to help you grow as a future nurse.
Location: Baltimore, Maryland
Dates: 10-week internship starting in June
Cost/Stipend: Paid position
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Selective
Application Deadline: December 22
Eligibility: Open to nursing students who have completed at least their junior year in a baccalaureate nursing program
The LifeBridge Health Summer Student Nurse Internship gives undergraduate nursing students an opportunity to gain hands-on experience in a professional healthcare environment. As an intern, you’ll work closely with experienced nurses, participating in both direct and indirect patient care across a variety of units, including acute care, critical care, med-surg/telemetry, women’s services, and pediatrics. In addition to clinical practice, the program includes activities such as conducting patient assessments, assisting with procedures, attending educational workshops, participating in unit rounds, and engaging in quality improvement projects.
Location: UC Berkeley, Berkeley, CA + remote options
Dates: 8–9 weeks during the summer
Cost/Stipend: Small stipends offered if possible
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Selective
Application Deadline: February 28
Eligibility: Undergraduate students interested in developmental psychology and cognitive science. Applicants should have completed coursework in developmental psychology and cognitive psychology, possess basic computer skills, have programming skills preferred, and have experience working with children
UC Berkeley’s Early Learning Lab Summer Internship is a hands-on research experience for undergraduate students passionate about developmental psychology, particularly in cognitive and language development. The lab’s research spans topics including probabilistic learning, compositionality in language, word learning, and social cognition, providing interns with a broad understanding of how children learn and think. You will be paired with a graduate student or postdoctoral mentor and actively contribute to ongoing research projects both in the lab and at local children’s museums. Beyond research tasks, you’ll participate in weekly reading groups and lab meetings, as well as professional development seminars designed to strengthen your research and technical skills.
Location: Kaiser Permanente medical centers across Northern California
Dates: Typically 10–12 weeks in the summer
Cost/Stipend: Stipend paid
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Competitive
Application Deadline: Nursing student interns at participating universities complete the application and are selected by university faculty
Eligibility: Upper-level pre-licensure baccalaureate nursing students attending one of Kaiser Permanente’s seven partner universities in Northern California
The Kaiser Permanente Nursing Student Work-Study Summer Internship gives nursing students a paid chance to gain real experience in hospitals across Northern California. It takes place during the summer break, so you can focus fully on learning without schoolwork. You’ll work under experienced nurses and rotate through hospital units and departments, including education, risk management, and infection prevention. The program is structured like a practicum, helping you learn new skills, build confidence, and prepare for a nursing career.
Location: Northwestern Memorial Hospital and Northwestern Medicine Community Hospitals, Chicago, IL
Cost/Stipend: Paid internship with hourly compensation
Dates: June 2–August 1
Application Deadline: Applications for the summer cohort typically close in January
Eligibility: BSN students entering their final year or nursing students who have completed Fundamentals of Nursing Clinical or a CNA program. You can find all the details here.
The Northwestern Medicine Student Nurse Internship provides undergraduate nursing students with hands-on clinical experience while working alongside registered nurses and interdisciplinary healthcare teams within a major academic medical system. Interns are assigned to specialty units where they participate in supervised patient care activities, strengthen communication and clinical skills, and learn how nursing teams coordinate care in fast-paced hospital environments. Throughout the internship, students receive mentorship from nursing professionals, attend educational sessions, and gain exposure to a range of clinical specialties and hospital workflows.
Location: University of Iowa Health Care, Iowa City, IA
Cost/Stipend: Paid internship with competitive wages
Dates: Start dates: May 18 and May 26; 10-week program with up to 360 hours
Application Deadline: November 29
Eligibility: Nursing students between their junior and senior year in a 4-year program or entering the final semester of a 2-year program who have completed an acute care clinical rotation
The University of Iowa Health Care Nursing Student Internship provides nursing students with the opportunity to strengthen clinical and professional skills while working directly with nurse preceptors at a large academic medical center. Interns are placed across a variety of specialty areas, including emergency care, pediatrics, perioperative services, behavioral health, and intensive care, where they participate in supervised patient care and gain exposure to interdisciplinary healthcare teams. Throughout the internship, students build hands-on experience in real clinical environments while developing communication, critical thinking, and patient care skills that complement their nursing education. The program also provides opportunities to shadow nurses in different specialties and explore long-term nursing career pathways within a major healthcare system.
Location: Multiple UnityPoint Health locations
Cost/Stipend: Paid internship with hourly compensation
Dates: Typically 10 weeks, depending on location
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: Nursing students entering the final year of an accredited nursing program who have completed at least one acute care clinical rotation; CPR/BLS certification required
UnityPoint Health’s Registered Nurse Summer Internship Program gives nursing students the opportunity to build hands-on clinical experience while working alongside registered nurses in hospital and home health settings. Interns participate in supervised patient care, strengthen technical and communication skills, and gain familiarity with interdisciplinary healthcare teams across a range of nursing specialties and care environments. Throughout the internship, students are paired with nurse preceptors, receive mentorship from experienced clinical staff, and develop practical skills in real healthcare settings as they transition from classroom learning to professional nursing practice.
One Bonus Program:
Location: Remote
Cost: Varies by program type; need-based financial aid available
Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year, including summer, fall, winter, and spring
Application Deadline: Multiple deadlines throughout the year, varying with the cohort. You can apply here.
Eligibility: Undergraduate students who can work for 5-10 hours/week for 8 weeks
The Ladder University Internship Program is a world-class program founded by alumni of the prestigious Harvard University. It provides ambitious college students and young professionals with virtual internship experiences at start-ups and not-for-profit organizations worldwide. This program not only enhances your practical skills but also fosters personal growth through one-on-one training and group sessions with fellow interns, creating a comprehensive learning experience in the medical field. What sets the Ladder University Internship Program apart is its strong emphasis on mentorship. It allows you to collaborate with seasoned professionals, engage with innovative research, and contribute to significant projects. As an intern, you will get to work closely with your startup manager and also be paired with a Ladder Coach, providing an additional layer of guidance and support.
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, check out students’ reviews of the program here and 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 graduate of Harvard College, where he earned an A.B. in Statistics. 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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