12 Paid Winter Internships for College Students
- Stephen Turban
- 4 hours ago
- 9 min read
If you are a college student looking to gain work experience during the academic year, winter internships offer a focused way to build skills and explore career paths between semesters. These programs allow you to apply classroom learning to projects while developing professional habits, building your resume, and connecting with industry mentors without the time commitment of a full summer internship. Paid internships are especially valuable because they reward your work while providing financial support and experience that can make your transition into the workforce smoother.
What is the benefit of a paid winter internship?
Winter internships are especially valuable because they often take place in concentrated formats and may be available remotely, making them more accessible for students managing coursework or living far from major cities. They also provide networking opportunities with professionals, mentors, and peers who can guide your career long after the internship ends. Whether you're interested in finance, public policy, software development, media, or research, the right winter internship can give you a competitive edge before graduation.
Below are 12 paid winter internships for college students, selected for the quality of experience, strength of mentorship, and professional development opportunities.
12 Paid Winter Internships for College Students
Location: Baltimore, MD
Stipend: Paid; estimated $29.25 – $48.00/hour
Dates: Winter session
Application Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: Undergraduate students pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Accounting with at least a 3.0 GPA; must meet CPA exam eligibility requirements before full-time employment
PwC’s Winter Audit Internship offers a hands-on introduction to external auditing, giving you the chance to work closely with seasoned professionals. You’ll participate in targeted phases of financial statement audits, support client-related tasks, and observe how auditors review financial reporting and internal control systems. The program encourages interns to be proactive, ask thoughtful questions, and apply strong critical-thinking skills to team assignments. You’ll also have opportunities to network across PwC and begin shaping your own professional brand in accounting and assurance. This experience is well-suited for upper-level accounting students who want to explore public accounting, prepare for CPA eligibility, and gain practical audit experience.
Location: NASA centers across the United States (including Ames, Goddard, Johnson, Kennedy, and others)
Stipend: Paid; exact amount varies
Dates: Multi-semester internships (beginning Spring, Summer, or Fall; 480-hour minimum commitment)
Application Deadline: September 26
Eligibility: U.S. citizens aged 16 or older enrolled at least half-time in an accredited degree program
Through this multi-semester program, you’ll gain hands-on technical experience that directly supports NASA’s mission and prepares you for potential full-time employment. The NASA Pathways Internship Program is paid, long-term, and designed to align your academic field, whether aerospace engineering, computer science, materials science, or program management, with real NASA projects. You’ll work alongside experts across the agency, developing an Individual Development Plan (IDP) that outlines your training and rotation goals. Over several terms, you’ll contribute to projects involving robotics, spacecraft design, Earth observation technologies, or mission data analysis. The structure makes it an ideal program for students determined to build a career at NASA, especially since many high-performing participants convert into permanent roles.
Location: Atlanta, GA
Stipend: Paid; estimated $29.25 – $48.00/hour
Dates: Winter session
Application Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: Undergraduate students pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Accounting with at least a 3.0 GPA
During PwC’s Tax Internship, you’ll gain valuable experience in areas such as tax preparation, planning, and regulatory research while working on active client assignments. Your work includes drafting and filing tax documents, evaluating financial statements, and supporting corporate tax initiatives under the guidance of experienced mentors. As you progress, you’ll develop the ability to interpret tax codes, recognize potential tax-saving opportunities, and understand how companies structure their tax strategies. The role also helps you build essential accounting and critical-thinking skills while experiencing PwC’s collaborative work culture. This program is ideal for accounting majors interested in public accounting and in developing strong tax knowledge before pursuing the CPA.
Location: Multiple locations across the United States (hybrid work model)
Stipend: Paid internship; estimated hourly wage $25.64 – $51.44
Dates: Winter session
Application Deadline: November 28
Eligibility: Students pursuing a bachelor’s or master’s degree in accounting or a related field
The Deloitte Audit & Assurance Intern program offers you a hands-on introduction to the auditing profession at one of the world’s leading accounting and consulting firms. As an intern, you’ll work alongside experienced auditors to analyze client financial statements, evaluate internal controls, and perform risk assessments using advanced audit tools and technologies. You’ll also learn to apply professional judgment in real-world business situations while enhancing your technical and communication skills. During the internship, mentors will guide you, you'll attend networking events, and you'll gain insights into the challenges and innovations in today’s audit field.
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Stipend: Paid; estimated $29.25 – $48.00/hour
Dates: Winter session
Application Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: Undergraduate students pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Accounting with at least a 3.0 GPA
Taking part in PwC’s Tax Seasonal Internship offers a hands-on look at tax compliance and planning during the busiest part of the tax year. You’ll assist with preparing returns, researching tax legislation, and supporting client-focused work on corporate tax efficiency and regulatory compliance. Under the guidance of PwC experts, you’ll learn to analyze financial statements, spot deductions or liabilities, and understand how businesses optimize their tax outcomes. The short-term structure also allows you to experience real-world accounting environments and sharpen both technical and communication skills under tight timelines.
Location: Virtual
Stipend: Paid (28.2 – 32.3 CAD per hour)
Dates: January – April
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: Undergraduate students available full-time (37.5–40 hours weekly)
The Dayforce Software Developer Internship is a four-month technical internship where you’ll work closely with engineers to design, build, test, and refine new software features for the company’s cloud-based HCM platform. You’ll spend your time coding in modern languages, investigating issues, participating in design discussions, and helping improve internal tools and automated test suites. This internship offers practical experience in various business units and allows you to make direct contributions to real product development. You’ll also have opportunities to strengthen your technical foundation in areas like algorithms, databases, cloud technologies, and object-oriented programming.
Location: Detroit, MI
Stipend: Paid; estimated $29.25 – $48.00/hour
Dates: Winter session
Application Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: Undergraduate students pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Accounting. Must be business-fluent in both Japanese and English
As a Tax Japanese Business Network (JBN) Intern at PwC, you’ll gain hands-on experience supporting multinational clients within PwC’s Japan-focused business network. You’ll help prepare and file tax documents, conduct research on U.S. and Japanese tax laws, and assist with corporate tax planning for cross-border operations. Working in a bilingual environment, you’ll learn how PwC helps international clients navigate complex compliance requirements while improving efficiency and minimizing risk. You’ll also have the chance to develop professional accounting, research, and cross-cultural communication skills as you collaborate with bilingual teams and clients.
Location: Varies by duty station (Geneva headquarters, regional, and country offices)
Cost/Stipend: Living allowance provided to eligible interns; meal vouchers available at select locations
Dates: Minimum 6 weeks to maximum 24 weeks (full-time)
Application Deadline: Rolling, depending on specific internship postings
Eligibility: Applicants must be at least 20 years old; enrolled in or recently completed a degree in a field related to public health, medicine, social sciences, management, communications, or administration
The WHO Global Internship Programme offers university students and recent graduates the chance to contribute to international public health initiatives while gaining exposure to the work of the world’s leading health organization. You’ll support WHO’s technical or administrative programs, from health policy and epidemiology to communications and external relations. Interns participate in various projects that strengthen health systems and learn how global agencies coordinate responses to complex health challenges. WHO internships typically last from six to twenty-four weeks, during which you’ll work full-time alongside professionals at WHO offices around the world.
Location: Multiple locations worldwide, including the U.S., Canada, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Mexico
Stipend: Paid internship; exact amount varies
Dates: 16-week sessions; Winter (January – April) | Summer (May – August) | Fall (September – December)
Application Deadline: Winter: September | Summer: January | Fall: May
Eligibility: Current undergraduate or college students with demonstrated interest in marketing, management, or related fields
The American Express Internship Program allows you to gain real-world business experience at one of the world’s most recognized global financial services brands. Over 16 weeks, you’ll work on meaningful projects in areas such as marketing, lending, member engagement, product development, and project management. Interns receive hands-on mentorship, leadership training, and professional development, while contributing ideas that shape American Express’s customer experience and innovation strategy. The internship also serves as a pipeline to full-time roles with Team Amex, offering networking opportunities and exposure to senior leaders.
Location: Multiple locations across the U.S. (Mountain View, New York, Seattle, etc.)
Stipend: Paid; U.S. base salary range $92,000–$122,000 annualized
Dates: Flexible start dates between January and July; duration varies by project
Application Deadline: July 17
Eligibility: Bachelor’s or Master’s students in Computer Science, Math, Statistics, Engineering, or related fields; experience in at least one area of computer science (e.g., machine learning, computer vision, data science, or software engineering)
The Google Student Researcher Program offers students the opportunity to collaborate directly with Google researchers on projects advancing the frontiers of computer science. Over the course of the program, participants contribute to ongoing research efforts at Google Research, Google DeepMind, or Google Cloud, tackling problems in fields such as AI, natural language processing, quantum computing, and optimization. Students gain hands-on experience developing scalable algorithms, analyzing large datasets, and publishing results that drive innovation in real-world applications. Projects are exploratory in nature and often feed into Google’s next-generation technologies, from sustainability initiatives to cutting-edge AI models.
Location: Washington, D.C., and FHWA regional divisions across the United States
Stipend: Paid; compensation varies by position and GS-level
Dates: Year-round recruitment; internship duration varies (typically 10–12 weeks or semester-long)
Application Deadline: Rolling (posted on USAJOBS.gov as “FHWA Pathways Student Intern”)
Eligibility: Undergraduate, graduate, or professional students enrolled at least half-time and in good academic standing
In this program, you’ll help support FHWA’s mission to make America’s highways safer, more sustainable, and more innovative by working in areas like engineering, planning, environmental review, communications, or technology. You will be contributing to actual transportation projects, including overseeing bridge or highway construction, helping with NEPA environmental reviews, community outreach, or climate resilience planning. Many interns work in FHWA’s regional or federal lands offices, where you’ll collaborate with engineers, policy staff, and local partners on projects that directly impact communities. And if you excel, the Pathways Program can even lead to a permanent federal job once you graduate.
Location: San Francisco, CA
Stipend: $62.21 – $102.31 per hour
Dates: 12-week internship
Application Deadline: Rolling; position remains open until filled
Eligibility: Undergraduate students in computer science, engineering, or related fields
This highly selective internship lets you explore the intersection of large language models (LLMs), generative AI, and robotics within Amazon’s cutting-edge research division. You’ll work alongside leading experts like Pieter Abbeel, Rocky Duan, and Peter Chen to develop algorithms and models that advance robotic perception, manipulation, and control. During the 12-week experience, you’ll take on challenging research projects, analyze real-world data, and contribute to innovations that push the limits of intelligent systems. You will gain practical experience in deep learning, reinforcement learning, computer vision, and motion planning. Preferred candidates should have a solid background in machine learning and be proficient in Python, with experience in PyTorch or JAX.
Location: Remote
Cost/Stipend: Varies depending on program type. Full financial aid available.
Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year, including Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter.
Application Deadline: Varies by cohort
Eligibility: Open to undergraduates and gap year students who can commit 10–20 hours per week for 8–12 weeks.
The Ladder University Internship Program is a competitive, virtual internship experience that connects undergraduate and gap-year students with startups and nonprofits across diverse industries. Participants gain hands-on experience by working on real-world projects that directly meet the needs of their assigned organization. Each intern collaborates closely with a manager or mentor within the startup, culminating in a final presentation of their work. The program emphasizes professional growth, problem-solving, and exposure to entrepreneurial environments. Ladder aims to bridge the gap between academic learning and practical experience by helping students build meaningful portfolios and professional connections across industries such as technology, marketing, and social impact.
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 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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