15 Summer Internships in 2026 for Undergraduate Students
- Stephen Turban
- 39 minutes ago
- 14 min read
While you are in college, summer can be a great time to add some professional context to your classroom learning, and internships help you do just that. Summer internships can be your chance to gain professional experience, industry exposure, mentorship, and networking opportunities, as well as build practical skills for life post-graduation. Internships let you test your interests, explore different roles within your field of choice, and learn about the day-to-day responsibilities of real professionals. Additionally, the connections you build as an intern can help you explore graduate school pathways, learn about emerging roles within a field, and even secure a job in the future.
Why should I do a summer internship in college?
As an undergraduate student, internships can help you stand out to graduate school admissions teams as well as recruiters who are looking for demonstrated commitment to a discipline beyond just coursework. Employers are also increasingly seeking candidates with prior experience, which summer internships can provide. Internships also provide you with a valuable skill set that can help you in future workplaces. For instance, you may collaborate with various teams, present your ideas to a large audience, and even analyze and solve real-world problems during your internship. These experiences can help you refine teamwork, professional communication, and critical thinking skills. In this blog, we’ve identified 15 summer internships in 2026 for undergraduate students.
If you are looking for fully virtual opportunities, check out this blog.
Key takeaways
These internships span finance, biomedical research, public health, government policy, quantitative trading, and materials science, so undergraduates with a wide range of career interests can find a relevant opportunity for summer 2026.
Several programs offer substantial stipends, including Jane Street's prorated $250,000 annual salary, Rosetta Commons REU ($6,000 plus housing), OHSU Equity Research Program ($4,500 plus housing), and NASA OSTEM, which also offers permanent employee benefits.
Several programs specifically prioritize students from underrepresented or under-resourced backgrounds, including OHSU Equity Research Program, SHPEP at University of Washington, and Princeton's REU program, which has an acceptance rate around 4%.
Application deadlines begin as early as December (Columbia Business School closes December 31) and continue through February (NASA OSTEM, NIH SIP, Harvard Lee Kum Sheung Center), so students should begin researching and preparing applications in the fall semester.
Location: Columbia University’s Business School, New York, NY
Stipend: ~$3,000 – $3,500/month
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not officially disclosed
Dates: June 1 – July 31
Application deadline: December 31; applications open on November 1
Eligibility: Students enrolled in a U.S. degree program at a college/university who are U.S. citizens, permanent residents, or international students; the program is meant for undergraduates entering their junior or senior year, but graduating seniors and first-year master's students can also apply.
Columbia Business School’s internship places you on a research project alongside Columbia Business School faculty in areas like economics, marketing, data analytics, finance, or behavioral sciences. Depending on your project, you may collect data, conduct literature reviews, practice web scraping, run statistical analysis, or design experiments. Some projects require you to use machine learning or natural language processing. Throughout the summer internship, you will engage in a weekly seminar series where Ph.D. students and faculty will share insights into their research. The experience will conclude with you presenting your summer research project to the Columbia Business School research community.
Location: Remote. You can work from anywhere in the world!
Cost: Varies; financial assistance available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: Several cohorts throughout the year (Summer, Spring, Fall, and Winter)
Application deadline: Varies by cohort (January, May, September, and November cycles)
Eligibility: Undergraduate and gap year students who are able to commit 10 to 20 hours per week for 8 to 12 weeks
Ladder University Internship Program is a selective, virtual program where you work with startups and non-profits from around the world. During the internship, you will work directly with a startup team and contribute to a real-world project that addresses a specific need for the organization. Projects span various areas, including health, tech, hospitality, and management. Throughout the program, you will work closely with a manager or mentor at the startup who guides your progress and provides feedback on your work. This structure allows you to gain professional experience in a fast-paced entrepreneurial environment while developing skills in communication, collaboration, and problem-solving. At the end of the internship, you will present your project and outcomes, demonstrating the impact of your work and the insights you gained during the program. Apply now!
Location: NASA Centers across the country
Stipend: Available; amount varies depending on completed hours, placement location, and grade level(s) + permanent employee benefits available; unpaid volunteer internships are also available.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive
Dates: 10 weeks over the summer (Late May/Early June – August); Fall and Spring internships running for 15 weeks are also available.
Application deadline: February 26
Eligibility: U.S. citizens who are at least 16 years old and full-time or part-time students at U.S. technical schools, colleges, or universities with a minimum 3.0 GPA
NASA’s OSTEM Internship Program offers 10-week summer internships to undergraduate students across its departments in both STEM and non-STEM fields. You will apply to one or more individual internship postings (NASA encourages multiple applications due to the program’s competitive nature) based on your skills and interests. Engaging in hands-on work, you will contribute directly to NASA’s current projects in your assigned department. Opportunities vary yearly, but past internships have included developing technologies for Space Launch System rockets, contributing to experiments that can be conducted on the International Space Station, and developing 3D-printed spacesuit technology. You will receive mentorship from NASA researchers and staff and the opportunity to contribute to high-impact national projects.
Location: National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, or other NIH campuses in the U.S.
Stipend: Starting at $3,010 for current undergraduates; amount varies by educational level (check details here)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: May 11 – August 31
Application deadline: February 18; applications open on December 8.
Eligibility: High school seniors, undergraduate, graduate, and professional students, ages 18 and up, who are enrolled in school at least half-time, and are U.S. citizens or permanent residents.
The National Institutes of Health hosts yearly research-focused summer internships for students, offering exposure to scientific investigations within disciplines across biomedicine, behavioral sciences, and social sciences. As an intern, you will join a small research group led by an NIH Principal Investigator to conduct translational, clinical, or pure research in your field of choice. Potential focus areas include epidemiology, mathematics, physics, data science, psychology, and other STEM and health-related fields. You will also participate in professional development programming focused on skill development for healthcare and scientific research careers, and receive guidance on educational and career planning. You will attend a Graduate and Professional School Fair to connect with faculty and program directors. At the end of the internship, you’ll present your research at the Summer Poster Day.
Location: Multiple Bank of America U.S. locations; international internships also available
Stipend: Competitive pay offered
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive
Dates: 10 weeks over the summer
Application deadline: Varies by opportunity; recruiting typically begins in the prior summer and closes in mid-October.
Eligibility: Undergraduate and graduate students; GPA requirement, preferred majors, and other requirements can vary by internship.
If you are considering a career in finance, banking, or law, Bank of America’s summer internships place you in client-facing roles across the U.S. You will join one of a dozen departments, with options including investment banking, risk management, quantitative data analytics, and global markets. You will work alongside current employees and contribute to real-world projects in your department, engaging in quantitative financial research, managing corporate operations and strategy, or managing the company’s global technology infrastructure. Depending on your role, you may read financial publications, shadow traders, connect with portfolio managers and research analysts, and generate trade ideas. You will also receive support in planning your next professional steps through mentorship, training, special events, and networking opportunities.
Location: Princeton University, Princeton, NJ
Stipend: Monthly stipend + free housing and additional funding for meals available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: ~4% acceptance rate; 10–15 students in the last cohort
Dates: June 1 – July 31
Application deadline: January 15
Eligibility: Rising undergraduate sophomores, juniors, and seniors, ages 18 and up, enrolled in two-year or four-year accredited colleges; applicants must be U.S. citizens/permanent U.S. residents.
Princeton’s Center for Complex Materials hosts this nine-week REU internship for students considering a career in biomedical engineering and materials science. You will join a Princeton research team to directly support an ongoing project aligned with your academic strengths and interests. While all placements are within the broader field of materials science, research projects may focus on areas such as Chemical and Biological Engineering, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Physics, and Chemistry. You will also engage in weekly research seminars and workshops on materials science, engineering, and science in society. At the end of the experience, you will deliver a presentation, showcasing your work at the internship poster session.
Location: Varies by year; openings are offered at universities and research facilities across the U.S.; international and remote internships are also available.
Stipend: $6,000 + housing, travel, and an allowance for meals available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Varies by site
Dates: June 1 – August 7
Application deadline: Typically, early spring
Eligibility: Undergraduate students who are U.S. citizens, permanent residents, or U.S. nationals studying computer science, engineering, math, chemistry, biology, or biophysics; sophomores and juniors with prior research and coding experience are preferred.
This is a research-focused summer internship for undergraduates interested in biology and engineering. Offered at multiple research facilities and universities in the U.S. and abroad, the program lets students work on a research project in a lab setting using Rosetta Commons software. At the beginning of the REU, you will spend a week building core technical skills in the PyRosetta code for biomolecular research. For eight weeks, you will work on your research project focusing on specialized topics in biomolecular and computational research such as protein design, deep learning, and antibody engineering. The internship will conclude with the Rosetta Conference, where you will deliver a presentation on your findings to an international group of scholars.
Location: University of Washington campus, Seattle, WA
Stipend: $1,000 + travel reimbursement of up to $500 for students outside Seattle
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not officially disclosed
Dates: June 22 – July 31
Application deadline: February 5; the application window opens on November 1.
Eligibility: College first-year or sophomore students with an overall GPA of 2.5 or higher, who are U.S. citizens, permanent residents, or DACA recipients; the program encourages students from educationally and economically under-resourced communities in Washington State.
SHPEP, offered as a collaboration between UW's Schools of Public Health, Medicine, and Dentistry, is a six-week program designed to help you prepare for a future in healthcare. You will attend classes in chemistry, biology, and population health, using a “Learn to Learn” model that focuses on teaching evidence-based study techniques for life sciences. You will also attend career development sessions that cover medical, dental, and public health career paths, the admissions process, and educational planning. You will gain access to UW's Stop the Bleed lab, Nursing Simulation Lab, and Dental Simulation Lab. The schedule will include hands-on work on a community-based service learning project and a poster presentation to share your findings.
Location: Remote or PNNL, Portland, OR; Seattle, WA; Richland, WA
Stipend: $17.13hour – $27.02/hour
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Vary by opportunity; summer internships typically run for 10 weeks beginning in May/June. Academic year internships or summer internship extensions are also available.
Application deadline: Varies by internship
Eligibility: Undergraduate and graduate students; individual opportunities typically have varying additional requirements (GPA, major, and prior experience).
PNNL offers undergraduates professional experience in a Department of Energy-sponsored research institution, with opportunities in both research and business operations. You can choose the Project Internship program, which offers research placements in fields spanning physical, biological, earth, and energy sciences. If you would like to explore the laboratory’s impact on global politics, the Safeguards Internship Program focuses on non-nuclear proliferation initiatives and research. The Business Internship Program, on the other hand, offers work experience in financial operations and contract management in a federally funded laboratory. Each track will offer exposure to career paths and social and networking events. The experience can lead to future employment at PNNL or federal organizations.
Location: Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY; some internships follow a remote/hybrid work model.
Stipend: Available; amount not specified
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: June 1 – August 7 (10 weeks); 6-week internships within this timeline are also offered by some departments.
Application deadline: January 5
Eligibility: Undergraduate and graduate students, as well as high school juniors/seniors
Weill Cornell Medicine’s Department of Pediatrics offers a wide array of opportunities, allowing students to engage in mentored research and gain community health exposure. You can apply to up to two postings in your field(s) of interest, with placements ranging across clinical specializations, research, advocacy, and quality of care improvement. Depending on your role, you may spend 6 or 10 weeks researching neonatal immune responses, promoting healthcare policy changes, or educating community members on pediatric medicine. Throughout the program, you will gain exposure to the operations of a major hospital, build connections with researchers and clinicians, and receive personalized guidance on careers in pediatric medicine.
Location: Brennan Center for Justice, New York, New York | Internships are also offered in Washington, D.C.
Stipend: Typically paid; credit may be available based on your school’s internship rules.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Summer, spring, and fall internships available
Application deadline: Typically, fall/winter for summer opportunities
Eligibility: Undergraduate students and law students
The Brennan Center for Justice offers students exposure to large-scale policy initiatives through its internships. You can apply directly to one of the Brennan Center’s internship opportunities, choosing from focus areas such as Justice, Democracy, Events, Communications, and Liberty & National Security. While internship structures vary depending on the department, you will work alongside current Brennan Center staff to support policy advocacy, research, and litigation initiatives addressing issues such as voting rights, campaign financing, and incarceration. Internship assignments might include writing press releases, conducting legal research, analyzing policy developments, or drafting correspondence to federal agencies. The experience can help you build teamwork, advocacy, research, and communication skills while offering insights into career paths in the law-focused non-profit sector.
Location: Jane Street offices in New York, Hong Kong, and London
Stipend: Prorated amount of $250,000 annual salary + signing bonus, and housing/relocation assistance.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: 10 – 12 weeks in May – September
Application deadline: Varies by role; recruitment begins the preceding summer
Eligibility: Current undergraduates (typically rising juniors and seniors); most roles require strong quantitative skills.
Jane Street’s summer internships give students a chance to use quantitative skills within a multinational trading firm. You will gain exposure to work involving the use of advanced mathematics, finance, trading, and market research and learn how to take on the role of a trader through classes, workshops, and team-based mock trading sessions. You will also get to pursue a specialized elective of your choice, such as Modeling or Strategy. Outside of training and classes, you will work on research projects with direct implications for Jane Street’s trading strategies. You will be matched with an experienced Jane Street trader mentor who will support your work and professional development throughout the internship. Guest lectures and networking opportunities will also be a part of the experience. Strong performance can lead to a job offer following graduation.
Location: Offices across New York City.
Stipend: $595/week – $682.50/week
Cohort size: Varies by placement and yearly needs; 600 college students accepted in the last cohort
Dates: Vary by placement; internships run for a maximum of 13 weeks in May – September
Application deadline: Positions are posted in February; application deadlines vary by agency
Eligibility: Current undergraduate and graduate/law students; recent graduates (within one year of the internship year) are also eligible.
NYC government’s Summer Internship Program provides students with hands-on experience in municipal government within the city. You will apply to an individual internship posting in a municipal department or agency of your choice, with opportunities available across academic disciplines. You may support the Bronx DA’s office with victim assistance and community outreach, develop resident health initiatives for the Department of Housing Preservation & Development, or contribute to the protection of water and air safety infrastructure for the Department of Environmental Protection. You will additionally have access to professional development opportunities, skills training, and guidance on pursuing full-time civil service employment. Throughout the internship, you will build connections with municipal government employees, and following the experience, you will join SIP’s alumni network.
Location: Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Cambridge, MA
Stipend: Paid
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective, ~10 – 13 students/year
Dates: June 8 – August 14; extension offered on a case-by-case basis.
Application deadline: Early February
Eligibility: Rising undergraduate seniors and current or matriculating graduate students pursuing a degree in public health or another relevant field; open to international students with valid CPT/OPT authorization by April 1st of the internship year and those who currently have, or have applied for, an SSN.
The Lee Kum Sheung Center for Health and Happiness offers a 10-week research internship to students with an interest in public health. You will work with a researcher from Harvard’s Chan School of Public Health or another Boston-area public health research institution to study health equity. Focusing on the connections between physical, social, and mental health, you will identify causes and/or resolutions to health disparities with the goal of developing public policy and healthcare practice recommendations. You will receive mentorship from Chan School faculty on research and career preparation, professional development programming, and networking opportunities. You will additionally write a research report and deliver a presentation discussing your work at the end of the summer.
Location: Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) campus in Portland, OR, or Beaverton, OR
Stipend: $4,500 + housing and meals support
Cohort size: 15 – 20 students
Dates: June 22 – August 14
Application deadline: January 23
Eligibility: Students who have completed at least one undergraduate college year and at least one basic science and math/statistics course; applicants should be U.S. citizens/permanent U.S. residents/eligible DACA students and belong to underrepresented minority groups, be first-generation college students, have experienced hardships (economic, ethnic/cultural, etc.), or have disabilities.
The Equity Research Program at OHSU is a summer internship for undergraduate students from underrepresented backgrounds seeking research experience in specialized fields of medicine, science, and healthcare. You will choose from research tracks such as biomedical studies/engineering, dentistry, medicine, and public health. Over the course of eight weeks, you will work with a faculty member on a research project, collaborate with OHSU scientists and graduate students, and attend educational seminars. You will deliver a poster presentation on your research at the end of the summer.
Frequently asked questions
What summer internships are available for undergraduate students in 2026?
Options include research internships, such as Columbia Business School, Princeton REU, Rosetta Commons REU, and NIH SIP, finance and trading internships, such as Bank of America and Jane Street, government and policy internships, such as NYC Summer Internship Program and Brennan Center for Justice, and public health and medical research internships, such as SHPEP, Weill Cornell Pediatrics, and OHSU Equity Research Program.
Which summer internships offer the largest stipends for undergraduate students?
Jane Street offers the most substantial compensation, with a prorated amount based on a $250,000 annual salary plus a signing bonus. Rosetta Commons REU offers $6,000 plus housing and travel, OHSU Equity Research Program offers $4,500 plus housing and meals, and NIH SIP starts at $3,010 for current undergraduates. Bank of America and PNNL also offer competitive pay based on role and location.
Which internships prioritize students from underrepresented or first-generation backgrounds?
OHSU Equity Research Program specifically recruits students from underrepresented minority groups, first-generation college students, and those who have experienced hardship. SHPEP at University of Washington encourages students from educationally and economically under-resourced communities in Washington State. Princeton's REU program is highly selective, with an acceptance rate around 4%, and welcomes students from a range of academic backgrounds.
Are there remote or virtual summer internships for undergraduate students?
Yes, Ladder University Internship Program is fully remote and connects students with startups and nonprofits worldwide. PNNL also offers remote internship options alongside its in-person locations in Washington and Oregon, and some Weill Cornell Medicine Department of Pediatrics internships follow a remote or hybrid model.
When should I apply to summer internships for undergraduate students in 2026?
The earliest deadline is Columbia Business School (December 31), followed by Weill Cornell Pediatrics (January 5), Princeton REU (January 15), OHSU Equity Research Program (January 23), and Harvard Lee Kum Sheung Center (early February). NASA OSTEM closes February 26 and NIH SIP closes February 18. Students should begin preparing applications in the fall semester, especially for the most competitive research programs.
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.