9 Psychology Internships for Undergraduates in Seattle
- Stephen Turban
- Sep 5
- 7 min read
Updated: Oct 5
Internships are one of the best ways to bridge the gap between classroom learning and professional practice. As an undergraduate, a psychology internship gives you the chance to apply theory in a practical setting, gain exposure to different areas of the field, and build skills that will support both graduate school applications and future careers.
If you’re studying in Seattle, pursuing a local internship can be especially beneficial. Staying nearby means you can balance academic commitments with hands-on work while also connecting to professional networks in the area.
Seattle itself offers a unique landscape for psychology students. The city is home to leading universities like the University of Washington, respected medical centers, community clinics, and nonprofit organizations that focus on mental health and social services. This mix provides undergraduates with opportunities to explore diverse aspects of psychology, from clinical care to behavioral research and community outreach.
To help you explore these options, we’ve compiled a list of 9 psychology internships for undergraduates in Seattle.
9 Psychology Internships for Undergraduates in Seattle
Location: Remote! You can work from anywhere in the world.
Cost/Stipend: Varies; financial assistance available
Program Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year, including Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter.
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: Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA
Cost/Stipend: Free; $7,304 stipend
Program Dates: June 23 – August 22
Deadline: Applications usually open in October/November and close in early to mid-January
Eligibility: Undergraduate college students entering the summer before the final year
During the SURP program, students spend most of their time working in a real research lab, helping with experiments, running studies, collecting and analyzing data, and learning research methods directly from scientists. Each week, you will attend special workshops where you will learn about topics such as reading scientific papers, writing research reports, applying to graduate school, and giving presentations. There are guest lectures by Fred Hutch and UW researchers covering various fields, including basic sciences, public health, human biology, and clinical research. You will also take part in career development sessions, lab tours, group discussions, and networking events with scientists and fellow students.
Location: Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, WA
Cost/Stipend: Stipend provided
Program Dates: 9 weeks in the summer
Deadline: January 15
Eligibility: Undergraduate students majoring in psychology, neuroscience, public health, or a related field
The Seattle Children’s Summer Scholars Internship Program (SSSP) is a summer research opportunity for undergraduate students who are interested in the mental and behavioral health of children and adolescents. You will work for 8-10 weeks alongside doctors, psychologists, and scientists at Seattle Children’s Research Institute on real research projects in areas like clinical child psychology, autism, ADHD, anxiety, public health, and community-based behavioral science. The program provides hands-on experience in study design, data collection, working with patient populations, participating in lab meetings, and understanding how research improves pediatric healthcare and mental health services. Additionally, you'll attend career workshops, research seminars, and networking events with professionals.
Location: Harborview Medical Center & UW Harborview Injury Prevention & Research Center, Seattle, WA
Cost/Stipend: None; $3,200 stipend
Program Dates: June 16 – August 8
Deadline: January 20
Eligibility: Undergraduate students (usually rising sophomores, juniors, and seniors) who have an interest in public health, trauma psychology, mental health, injury prevention, or violence prevention research.
The INSIGHT Summer Research Program at UW’s Harborview Injury Prevention & Research Center (HIPRC) is an 8–9 week summer internship for undergraduate students who are interested in injury prevention, trauma, mental health, and public health research. The program takes place at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, where you will work closely with experienced mentors on real research projects related to violence prevention, trauma psychology, injury care, gun violence, health disparities, and community health. You will attend weekly seminars, skills workshops, and professional development sessions that teach you how to conduct research, write abstracts, and prepare for graduate school or a medical career. You will also have the opportunity to visit trauma centers, shadow healthcare providers, and explore various public health careers. At the end of the program, each intern presents their project at a research symposium.
Location: Seattle University, Seattle, WA
Cost/Stipend: None
Program Dates: Practicum placements typically run during the academic year (1–2 quarters in junior/senior year)
Deadline: April 30
Eligibility: Seattle University psychology majors
Seattle University’s Psychology Practicum and Faculty Research Projects offer undergraduates practical experience in real-world psychological work and research. Through supervised placements, students help in professional settings related to mental health, education, and community services, working with populations affected by issues like PTSD, autism spectrum disorder, and substance use. Additionally, you can serve as research assistants in faculty-led psychology studies, collaborating on ongoing research projects. Your responsibilities may include recruiting participants, collecting and entering data, conducting literature reviews, and performing lab-based research tasks, all under the direct guidance of psychology faculty members. For more information, visit here.
Location: University of Washington, located in Seattle, WA
Cost/Stipend: None; Participants earn a wage of $19.97 per hour for their summer research engagement
Program Dates: June 23 – August 15
Deadline: January 31
Eligibility: Applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents, identify as members of groups underrepresented in the biomedical sciences, and be either undergraduate students (freshman level or higher) or first-year graduate students
The STAR Program at the University of Washington offers summer research for undergrad and first-year grad students from underrepresented backgrounds, providing hands-on experience in biomedical, behavioral, and health sciences. The program places students in research labs across the UW Health Sciences, where they work closely with faculty mentors and research teams on projects that span areas such as psychology, mental health, neuroscience, and other behavioral sciences. In addition to daily lab work, students participate in seminars, workshops, and professional development sessions that equip them for graduate studies and research careers.
Location: Seattle Children’s Research Institute and the University of WA, Seattle
Cost/Stipend: None; $20 per hour Stipend
Program Dates: June 23 – August 22
Deadline: Typically in January
Eligibility: Rising second- or third-year students enrolled in a community college or university in the greater Seattle area
The SPARQ (Summer Program to Advance Research and eQuity in Pain and Neurologic Health) is a summer research internship jointly run by Seattle Children’s Research Institute and the University of Washington. The program provides hands-on experience in clinical pain research, epidemiology, health disparities, and basic and translational neuroscience. Each student is paired with a faculty mentor and conducts an independent research project. You’ll also participate in weekly seminars, journal clubs, shadowing opportunities, and professional development workshops. The internship ends with a research symposium where students present their findings to peers, mentors, and the broader scientific community, gaining research experience and professional exposure.
Location: Virtual
Cost: None; stipend and academic credit may be offered
Program Dates: Varies depending on opportunity
Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: Students enrolled at least part-time in an academic institution, eligible to work in the U.S., residing in states where APA is registered as an employer.
The American Psychological Association (APA) Internship Program provides undergraduate and graduate students with the opportunity to explore the application of psychology across various fields, including research, policy, education, and communication. Depending on your placement, you may assist with literature reviews, background research, or drafting materials that support APA’s scientific and educational initiatives. Interns in policy-focused offices can contribute to reports, briefs, and advocacy efforts that influence psychology-related legislation and public initiatives, while those in communications may help prepare content for publications and outreach. Alongside this hands-on experience, the program emphasizes professional growth through mentoring, training sessions, and networking opportunities that build career readiness and essential workplace skills.
Location: Seattle, WA (Capitol Hill neighborhood)
Cost: Paid positions may be available depending on experience; local housing and housing scholarships offered
Program Dates: Staff training: June 17 – June 28 | Camp dates: July 1 – August 2
Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: Undergraduate students in Psychology, Social Work, Public Health, Human Services, or related fields
The Andy Center Clinical Summer Internship in Seattle is a 7-week program for undergraduate students interested in psychology, occupational therapy, nursing, or related fields. You will gain hands-on experience working with children with autism spectrum disorders, ADHD, and other neurodevelopmental conditions. The program starts with two weeks of training, where you will learn about these conditions, behavior analysis, teaching social skills, and data tracking. Afterward, you'll collaborate with a team of professionals, such as psychologists, behavior analysts, and educators, to provide personalized interventions, support social skills growth, collect and review data, and work with parents or caregivers.
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 rb esearch 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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