15 STEM Internships for Undergraduates
- Stephen Turban
- 4 hours ago
- 9 min read
If you are a college student looking to build experience in science, technology, engineering, or math, a STEM internship is a strong way to gain exposure to the professional world while adding solid value to your resume.These internships let you apply what you’ve learned in class to real projects in labs, research centers, and companies. You’ll get hands-on training, build technical and problem-solving skills, and connect with people working in your field. Along the way, you’ll also develop professional habits, explore possible career paths, and build relationships that can help with future jobs or graduate school.
For many students, internships also strengthen transfer or graduate applications by showing a clear commitment to STEM and a track record of research or fieldwork. And unlike many unpaid programs, several of these internships offer stipends, housing, or other support, making them more accessible.
To help you get started, we’ve narrowed down a list of the 15 best STEM internships for undergraduates!
15 STEM Internships for Undergraduates
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies depending on program type.
Dates: Multiple cohorts available throughout the year
Application Deadline: Varies by the cohort
Eligibility: College students interested in tech, non-profit, or related fields
Ladder University Internship Program connects you with early-stage startups and nonprofits for a remote, project-based experience. You’ll work on real-world challenges in fields like AI, health tech, sustainability, engineering, and business, matched to your interests and skills. You’ll collaborate directly with startup founders and team leads on projects like building web tools, coding systems for medical devices, analyzing datasets, or developing go-to-market strategies. The internship runs for 8–12 weeks with a flexible 5–10-hour weekly schedule.
Location: NASA centre or facility Full-time/Part-time)
Cost: None. Pays a stipend
Dates: Three sessions—Spring, Summer, Fall (e.g., June–Aug)
Application Deadline: Feb 27 (Summer); May 22 (Fall); Sep 12 (Spring)
Eligibility: Minimum GPA- 3.0 on a 4.0 scale; Full-time student (high school through graduate-level) or a part-time college-level student enrolled in a minimum of 6 semester hours; Must be 16 years old at time of application
NASA OSTEM Internships are paid opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students to work on projects in science, technology, aeronautics, and space exploration. You’ll work with NASA engineers, researchers, and analysts on assignments like data modeling, lab testing, programming, and mission planning. Internships are available across NASA centers and may be full-time or part-time. You’ll work one-on-one with mentors and gain experience in fields like aerospace engineering, software development, data science, and planetary research.
Location: DOE National Laboratories across the U.S.
Cost: $650 stipend per week; travel and housing support provided
Dates: 10-week summer internship (May–August); Semester-long experience (August–December or January–May)
Application Deadline: Varies by the cohort. October 1 for the spring cohort.
Eligibility: Undergraduate or recently graduated students. Check the full eligibility criteria here.
Science Undergraduate Laboratory Internships (SULI) are paid research opportunities for undergraduate students at U.S. Department of Energy national laboratories. You’ll work with scientists and engineers on projects in clean energy, environmental science, computational modeling, materials research, and more. You’ll be matched with a mentor and gain hands-on experience using advanced lab tools and facilities. Interns attend seminars, present research, and build technical and analytical skills. Research may contribute to publications or scientific presentations.
Location: Multiple universities
Cost: Paid; Housing, meals, and travel support provided
Dates: Academic year and/or summer
Application Deadline: Deadlines vary by site, typically between January and March. You must consult individual site listings (via NSF ETAP) for exact dates.
Eligibility: Undergraduates (college and university students); U.S. citizens
The NSF Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Sites offer paid summer research opportunities for undergraduate students in science and engineering fields. Each site hosts a small cohort (typically 6–10 students) and focuses on a specific STEM discipline such as biology, chemistry, physics, computer science, or environmental science. You’ll work on original research projects under faculty mentorship. Activities include lab work, field studies, data analysis, and computational modeling. Most sites offer stipends and may provide housing, meals, and travel support.
Location: Across the U.S. at host companies. The summer summit is held in Washington, D.C.
Cost: Free to participate. Internships are paid, and travel costs for the summit are covered.
Dates: Internship runs for 12 weeks during the summer
Application Deadline: October 11
Eligibility: Open to undergraduate students of any major. You must identify as a woman or gender minority. International students can apply, but some hosts may require U.S. citizenship or permanent residency.
The Brooke Owens Fellowship is a paid summer internship for undergraduates who want to build careers in aerospace, aviation, or space policy. You’ll work at a top organization like NASA, SpaceX, or The Aerospace Corporation, get matched with a personal mentor, and join a cohort of fellows from across the country. You’ll get hands-on experience, one-on-one mentorship, and travel funding to attend a summer summit with leaders across the space community. Past fellows have gone on to work in engineering, policy, communications, and business roles at major aerospace companies and startups.
Location: U.S. CMS institution sites, including Fermilab (Under special circumstances, remote participation may be considered)
Cost: $600 stipend for 40 hours per week; travel and housing allowances vary by host site
Dates: May 27- August 2
Application Deadline: February 1
Eligibility: Full-time undergraduate students; Must be 18 years of age
THE US CMS Summer Undergraduate Research Internship is a 10-week paid program where you’ll work with scientists on physics, engineering, and computing projects related to the CMS experiment at CERN’s Large Hadron Collider. You’ll use data-science tools to study particle interactions and explore instrumentation and technology development. Mentors include university faculty, national lab scientists, postdocs, and graduate students from U.S. institutions affiliated with CMS.
Location: Princeton University, Princeton, NJ
Cost: $650 stipend per week; housing and travel support provided
Dates: Summer (June- August), Spring (January-May), Fall (September- December)
Application Deadline: October 16- January 8
Eligibility: Full-time undergraduate or recently graduated student
Engineering Undergraduate Internship Program – Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL) is a 10-week paid summer internship offered through the SULI program. You’ll work with professional engineers on projects that support plasma physics and fusion energy research. You’ll gain hands-on experience in areas like mechanical, electrical, and systems engineering. Projects may involve experimental design, instrumentation, system development, or fabrication. You’ll attend a week-long plasma physics course and present your work through oral and poster presentations.
Location: Multiple laboratories (primarily in Gaithersburg, MD, and Boulder, CO)
Cost: $710 stipend per week; Relocation support provided (Housing-$4,500 and travel-up to $500)
Dates: Various sessions. Check more details here
Application Deadline: February 6
Eligibility: Undergraduate students; U.S. Citizens
NIST Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) is an 11-week paid internship where you’ll conduct research at one of six National Institute of Standards and Technology labs. Projects focus on measurement science, imaging technologies, pharmaceuticals, materials science, cybersecurity, and more. You’ll work with NIST scientists on a defined research project, receive mentorship, and participate in seminars and professional development. Labs include the Engineering Lab, Material Measurement Lab, Physical Measurement Lab, and others.
Location: Aerospace companies in the U.S.
Cost: Paid; travel support provided
Dates: Summer (10-12 weeks)
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: Undergraduate students
Matthew Isakowitz Fellowship offers paid summer internships at leading commercial space companies for college juniors, seniors, and graduate students. You’ll be matched with an executive mentor and a peer mentor from the fellowship alumni network. You’ll work on real projects in engineering, policy, or business at companies like SpaceX, Blue Origin, Rocket Lab, or Astranis. Fellows attend a summit in Los Angeles to meet astronauts, CEOs, and space leaders, and tour aerospace facilities.
Location: One of the NIH Institutes and Centers (IC)
Cost: Pays a stipend
Dates: June–August, with exact dates varying by institute
Application Deadline: February 15
Eligibility: Undergraduate students; 18 years of age or older
NIH Summer Internship Program (SIP) offers full-time, paid research positions for undergraduate, graduate, and professional students at NIH Institutes and Centers across the U.S. You’ll work in a research group led by a Principal Investigator, primarily at the NIH campus in Bethesda, MD, or other NIH locations. Projects span biomedical, behavioral, and social sciences, with opportunities in biology, chemistry, engineering, psychology, computer science, and more. You will focus on basic, clinical, or translational research.
Location: Shoals Marine Laboratory, Appledore Island, ME
Cost: Paid
Dates: Summer (3-10 weeks)
Application Deadline: Early March
Eligibility: Undergraduate students
Shoals Marine Laboratory SURG Program is a residential summer research internship for undergraduate students held on Appledore Island, Maine. You’ll work with faculty mentors and SML scientists on independent or long-term projects in genetics, marine biology, ecology, environmental science, and sustainable engineering.
You’ll live and work on a 95-acre island field station jointly operated by Cornell University and the University of New Hampshire. The island includes labs with microscopes, flow-through seawater systems, and a “green grid” powered by solar and wind energy. You’ll use boats and field equipment to collect data and contribute to ongoing monitoring studies.
Location: Argonne National Laboratory, Lemont, IL
Cost: $650 stipend per week; an additional $250 per week housing allowance; travel support provided
Dates: Summer (8-12 weeks)
Application Deadline: Varies, check here
Eligibility: Undergraduate students
Argonne Seasonal Internship Program is a paid STEM research internship for undergraduate students. You’ll work full-time for 10–12 weeks with Argonne scientists and engineers on projects that support the U.S. Department of Energy’s mission. Week 1 includes safety training and research planning with your mentor. The rest of the internship focuses on hands-on research, weekly seminars, lab tours, and career development sessions. You’ll present your work in a final poster session.
Location: PNNL, Richland, WA
Cost: Paid; housing and travel support provided
Dates: Summer or academic term
Application Deadline: October 1
Eligibility: Undergraduate STEM majors
PNNL Internship Program offers paid research opportunities for high school, undergraduate, and graduate students. As an intern, you’ll work closely with a scientific mentor on a focused project that supports the Department of Energy’s mission in energy, environmental science, or national security. Most interns are placed at PNNL’s main campus in Richland, Washington, though some work at affiliated sites like the Joint Global Change Research Institute in Maryland. Projects span chemistry, biology, physics, engineering, data science, cybersecurity, and earth sciences.
Location: Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM
Cost: Paid (stipend varies by program)
Dates: Summer and year-round options available
Application Deadline: Varies by program
Eligibility: Undergraduate STEM majors
The Los Alamos National Laboratory Internship Program offers paid research opportunities for high school, undergraduate, and graduate students. You will work directly with scientists and engineers on projects in physics, environmental science, cybersecurity, engineering, and other STEM fields that support national security and energy innovation. You’ll start by developing a research plan with your mentor and completing safety training. Throughout the internship, you’ll contribute to real-world projects using advanced tools and lab facilities.
Location: University of Washington, Seattle, WA; other NOAA field sites
Cost: $640 stipend per week; housing and travel support provided
Dates: June 23- August 21
Application Deadline: January 31
Eligibility: Undergraduate students
CICOES REU Internship Program is a 9-week paid summer research experience where you’ll work with a mentor on a project in ocean, climate, or ecosystem science. Your research might involve coding, lab experiments, fieldwork, or a mix of all three, depending on your interests and the project focus. You’ll be based at the University of Washington or a NOAA facility in Seattle, and you’ll join a cohort of interns for weekly seminars, outreach events, and social activities, including a trip to Mount Rainier. At the end of the program, you’ll present your findings through a research poster and a short video.
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 Ph.D. student at Harvard Business School. Lumiere is a selective research program in which students work one-on-one with a mentor to develop an independent research paper.
Image Source - NASA logo