15 Pharmaceutical Internships for Undergraduates

If you're an undergraduate student thinking about a career in the pharmaceutical industry, internships are one of the best ways to get practical experience early on. These internships help you understand how the field works, whether it's through lab testing, reviewing data, or assisting in regulatory or manufacturing tasks.

Many programs let you work alongside professionals in pharma companies, university labs, or clinical research organizations. You might help track trial results, support quality assurance teams, or assist with reports for regulatory bodies. These experiences not only build your technical and communication skills, but they also add weight to your resume and help you figure out which part of the industry you want to explore further.

To help you choose, we’ve put together a list of 15 pharmaceutical internships for undergraduates!

15 Pharmaceutical Internships for Undergraduates

1. Ladder University Internship

Location: Virtual

Cost: Financial aid is available

Dates: Multiple cohorts available throughout the year

Application Deadline: Varies by the cohort

Eligibility: College students interested in tech, non-profit, or related fields

The Ladder University Internship Program offers 8-week remote internships with startups working in fields like AI, health tech, consulting, and environmental science. You’ll work 10–20 hours per week on real projects while getting support from both your host company and a Ladder coach. You’ll build research and communication skills, present your final project to the team, and leave with something solid for your resume. Matching is based on your interests, and financial aid is available. Past interns have gone on to attend top schools like Stanford, Harvard, and Cornell.

2. Ionis Pharmaceuticals Undergraduate Intern Program

Location: Carlsbad, CA 

Cost: Free. Hourly wage of $20–$25, plus travel and housing assistance for eligible non-local students

Program Length: 8 -10 weeks during the summer

Application Deadline: December 15

Eligibility: Must be a full-time undergraduate in a U.S. or Canadian-accredited program with a minimum GPA of 3.0 and authorization to work in the U.S

The Ionis Pharmaceuticals Undergraduate Intern Program gives you hands-on experience in the biotech industry over the summer. You’ll work on real research and operations projects with experts in the field. Lab managers and Ionis coaches guide you through weekly team check-ins and project presentations. You’ll also join networking events and social meetups to connect with others. Housing and travel support may be available, depending on your situation.

3. Johns Hopkins Pharmacy Summer Internship Program

Location: Multiple locations - The Johns Hopkins Hospital, East Baltimore campus, Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, and Johns Hopkins Care at Home.

Cost: Paid

Date: June 1 – August 7 (minimum 9 weeks)

Application Deadline: November 24

Eligibility: Must be enrolled in an ACPE-accredited Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) program and have completed at least the first professional year.

The Johns Hopkins Health-System Pharmacy Internship gives you hands-on experience in hospital pharmacy across inpatient, outpatient, and formulary services. You’ll work full-time for at least 9 consecutive weeks, contributing to real projects and shadowing pharmacists in areas like oncology, pediatrics, infectious disease, critical care, home infusion, investigational drug services, and pharmacy administration. You’ll attend pharmacist-led topic discussions, CE programs, and interprofessional events with students from nursing, public health, and business. You’ll also present your final project to the department and may even submit a poster to the ASHP Midyear Clinical Meeting.

4. UAV Health Pharmacy Internship Program

Location:  University of Virginia Hospital, Charlottesville, VA 

Cost: Paid internship 

Program Length: 10 weeks

Application Deadline: November 24

Eligibility: Must be a current Pharm.D. student enrolled at an ACPE-accredited school and licensed as a pharmacy intern in Virginia before the program starts.

The UAV Health Pharmacy Internship Program places you in hospital and clinical settings to gain hands-on experience in pharmacy practice. You’ll work 40 hours per week, including some weekends, supporting medication distribution and direct patient care under pharmacist supervision. Your responsibilities may include sterile and non-sterile compounding, dispensing, medication reconciliation, and participating in clinical rounds and continuity-of-care initiatives. You’ll rotate through areas like inpatient services, outpatient clinics, emergency care, and investigational drug services.

5. Vertex Pharmaceuticals Summer Intern Program

Location: Boston, MA, and San Diego, CA, depending on the function

Cost: Free. A stipend of $20–$27 per hour, depending on team, plus relocation/housing assistance for eligible students

Program Length: May 19 – August 1 (12 weeks); some departments run an optional 10-week track.

Application Deadline: December 1

Eligibility: Open to rising juniors and seniors in STEM fields with a minimum GPA of 3.0 and U.S. work authorization.

The Vertex Summer Internship gives you hands-on experience across departments like R&D, pharmaceutical sciences, quality, and public policy. You’ll work full-time from May to August on projects assigned by team leaders, while joining leadership seminars, career panels, and networking mixers. You will work in cross-functional teams and gain exposure to areas like medical affairs, preclinical research, market access, and regulatory strategy. The program includes mentorship, peer learning, and a final capstone research showcase.

6. Novo Nordisk’s Internship

Location: Clayton, NC (primary U.S. site); Plainsboro, NJ; multiple international locations in Denmark

Cost: Paid position

Program Length: 10 weeks for summer programs (May 19 – July 25); 3-6 months for semester-long positions 

Application Deadline: Rolling admissions throughout fall/spring; Summer applications typically close by March 1. Check out the latest updates here

Eligibility: Must have a minimum 3.0 GPA, be enrolled full-time in a Bachelor's or Master's program with at least 1 year remaining, and have U.S. work authorization

The Novo Nordisk Internship Program gives you full-time, hands-on experience in biotech operations. You’ll be assigned to a team where you contribute to real projects in areas like clinical development, regulatory affairs, quality control, and pharmaceutical manufacturing. You’ll receive structured onboarding and ongoing mentorship from industry professionals. The program includes networking with senior leaders, site visits to production and research facilities, and exposure to global healthcare initiatives. Internships typically last 3–6 months, and placements are available in Denmark and affiliate offices worldwide.

7. Novartis’s A Summer Of Science Internship

Location: Cambridge, MA, and Emeryville, CA

Cost: Paid internship

Dates: June 2 – August 8

Application Deadline: November 25

Eligibility: U.S. undergraduates who have completed at least three semesters by the start date

The Novartis Summer of Science Internship is a 10-week, full-time research program in the Biomedical Research division. You’ll join a scientific team in Cambridge, MA, or San Diego, CA, working on active drug discovery projects under expert mentorship. You’ll design and run lab experiments, analyze data, and present your findings to peers and leaders. The program blends structured guidance with independent research, emphasizing patient-driven approaches. You’ll also attend seminars, site visits, and networking events with scientists and senior leaders.

8. Novartis’s Postbaccalaureate Research Internship & Mentoring (PRISM) Program

Location: Cambridge, MA, and Emeryville, CA

Cost: Paid Internship

Dates: August/ September, 2-year program

Application Deadline: December 16

Eligibility: Must be from historically underserved communities (first-generation college students, socioeconomically disadvantaged, underrepresented minorities, or individuals with learning differences), completed a bachelor's degree within 1 year of program start, minimum 3.3 GPA

The Novartis PRISM Program is a two-year, full-time postbaccalaureate research and mentoring experience at the Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research (NIBR) in Cambridge, MA. It’s designed for recent college graduates from historically underrepresented groups in science who plan to pursue a PhD or MD/PhD in biomedical research. You’ll conduct independent research with a dedicated NIBR mentor, present at local seminars and national conferences, and participate in workshops on scientific communication, graduate school prep, and professional development. The curriculum blends lab work with coursework at a local university, plus career panels and peer learning.

9. IPSF’s Student Exchange Programme (SEP)

Location: Global

Cost: €42 application fee through SEP database; additional costs for travel, accommodation vary by host country.

Dates: Summer SEP: April-September; Winter SEP: October-March

Application Deadline: Summer exchanges: Applications typically due November 1 - February 1; Winter exchanges: Applications due September 15 - November 1

Eligibility: Pharmacy undergrads

The IPSF Student Exchange Programme (SEP) gives you international experience in pharmacy practice across more than 80 countries. You can work in settings like hospitals and clinical pharmacies, pharmaceutical companies, universities, and public health agencies. Exchanges last from 2 weeks to 3 months, with a minimum of 40 working hours. You’ll gain hands-on training, build cross-cultural communication skills, and expand your professional network. Cultural immersion is a key part of the experience - many host sites offer social events, language exposure, and travel opportunities. 

10. FDA’s Pharmacy Student Experiential Program (PSEP) 

Location: Various locations

Cost: Free

Dates: You receive direct information when selected

Application Deadline: December 13

Eligibility: Must be U.S. citizens enrolled in ACPE-accredited Pharm.D. programs, eligible for APPE rotations, and able to pass Tier 1 background investigation with 3+ years of U.S. residency in the past 5 years

The FDA Pharmacy Student Experiential Program (PSEP) gives you an immersive, full-time experience in regulatory pharmacy across FDA centers like CDER, CBER, and CVM. You’ll rotate through divisions focused on drug safety, labeling, compliance, and medication error prevention, working on real projects under the guidance of FDA pharmacists. You’ll attend lectures, join multidisciplinary meetings, and present your findings to agency experts. Mentorship is provided throughout by FDA preceptors, and you’ll gain exposure to federal drug-regulation systems, public health policy, and career paths in regulatory science.

11. FDA’s ORISE Research Participation Program

Location: Silver Spring, MD (primary); St. Louis, MO; other FDA facilities

Cost: Free. Pays a stipend.

Dates: May-August (10-12 weeks)

Application Deadline: April 18 for the Summer CDER program. You can check for updates here.

Eligibility: U.S. undergraduates in the field of STEM

The FDA ORISE Internship gives you full-time, hands-on experience in regulatory research for 2–3 months. You’ll work on projects in areas like drug metabolism, in vitro toxicology, safety assessments, and pharmacokinetics, mentored by FDA scientists. You may attend drug-review meetings, contribute to statistical analyses, and present your findings to agency experts. Interns are placed across FDA centers such as CDER, CBER, and NCTR, depending on project fit. The program is paid, and you may receive relocation or travel support if eligible.

12. University of Kansas- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry Summer Undergraduate Research Program

Location:  University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS

Cost: Stripend is provided

Dates: May 27 - August 1

Application Deadline: February 15 (applications reviewed on a rolling basis until the deadline)

Eligibility: Preferably juniors who have completed organic chemistry

The University of Kansas Pharmaceutical Chemistry Undergraduate Research Program places 4–8 students into a 10-week summer research experience. You’ll work full-time on drug-related projects under faculty mentorship, applying chemical principles to improve drug delivery, minimize toxicity, or enhance therapeutic effects. You’ll receive training in lab safety, instrumentation, and techniques in physical-organic, analytical, and formulation chemistry. You’ll conduct independent research, use KU’s science library and specialized equipment, and present your findings at a university poster symposium.

13. ASPET Summer Undergraduate Research Fellow (SURF) Individual Awards)

Location: Host U.S. universities

Cost: $4,600 stipend 

Dates: 10 weeks

Application Deadline: February 3

Eligibility: U.S. undergraduates in a pharmacology-related major

The ASPET Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) places you in a 10-week, full-time pharmacology research experience at leading universities across the U.S. You’ll work in a faculty-mentored lab on projects related to drug action, development pipelines, and experimental therapeutics. You will conduct experiments, attend weekly seminars, and present oral or poster projects at the end of the program. You’ll also participate in ASPET’s Pharmacology Immersion Program (PIP), which includes lectures, lab methods training, and small-group discussions.

14. AMCP Foundation/Pfizer Inc. Managed Care Internship

Location: Placements at managed care settings (PBMs, health plans, employer sites) across the U.S

Cost: Paid stipend; reimburses approved expenses

Dates: 10-week summer program (typically June–August) 

Application Deadline: January 9

Eligibility: Enrolled PharmD students with U.S. work eligibility

The AMCP Foundation/Pfizer Inc. Managed Care Internship places you in real-world managed care settings like payer organizations, pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), and specialty pharmacies. Over 10 weeks, you’ll work full-time on projects that explore formulary management, benefit design, medication therapy management, and adherence strategies. You’ll work with virtual preceptors, develop a personalized career plan, and gain exposure to population health concepts. The program includes structured mentorship, leadership development, and a capstone research presentation at the AMCP Nexus conference. Interns receive a stipend and travel support, and only eight student pharmacists are selected annually.

15. Gilead Internship Program

Location: Foster City, CA campus & other U.S. office locations 

Cost: Paid internship with housing stipend, benefits, and paid leave

Dates: 10-12 weeks during summer (typically May-August)

Application Deadline: September-February application window; interviews/selections completed by early spring

Eligibility: Must be 18+ years old, minimum 2.8 GPA, rising sophomore through graduate level, U.S. work authorization required, enrolled full-time at an accredited institution

The Gilead Summer Internship Program gives you 10–12 weeks of paid, full-time experience in biopharma. You’ll work on real projects in departments like R&D, manufacturing, commercial operations, public affairs, and policy at Gilead’s Foster City, CA campus. You’ll work with mentors, attend leadership seminars, cohort events, and networking mixers. You will also receive housing and travel assistance (if eligible), paid holidays including Memorial Day and the Fourth of July, and a $20/month BYOD stipend. 

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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