15 Summer Internships in San Diego for Undergraduates
- Stephen Turban
- 1 hour ago
- 9 min read
If you’re an undergraduate student, spending part of your summer in an internship can give you a chance to explore your interests in a professional setting. Summer internships are a great way for you to gain practical experience, explore potential career paths, and apply classroom knowledge to practical settings. By working alongside professionals, you can develop problem-solving skills, build confidence in your abilities, and start forming connections that may support your future goals. If you’re based in or around San Diego, consider a local internship in the city!
San Diego is home to a wide range of tech companies, research labs, hospitals, law firms, and nonprofits that open their doors to students looking to gain experience. Some internships focus on science and biotech, while others are in business, law, or healthcare. You might shadow doctors, work on data projects, help with legal research, or support nonprofit initiatives. No matter the field, internships also help you build practical skills, connect with mentors, and strengthen your resume for jobs or grad school.
To help you find the right fit, here’s a list of 15 summer internships in San Diego for undergraduates!
15 Summer Internships in San Diego for UndergraduatesÂ
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies by format
Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year, including fall, spring, summer, and winter
Application deadline: Varies depending on the cohort - Summer: May | Winter: November | Spring: January | Fall: September
Eligibility: College students and young professionals who can work for 5–10 hours/week for eight weeks
The Ladder University Internship Program is a selective program that connects undergraduate students with high-growth startups, which raise over a million dollars on average. These organizations operate in diverse industries, including engineering and tech. During the internship, you can explore your interests in engineering, develop relevant skills, and gain work experience while working on real projects under the guidance of the startup manager. This internship also provides you with exposure to professional work environments and the opportunity to explore various career paths. By the end of the program, you will complete and present your work to the organization.Â
Location: The Scripps Research Institute Translational Institute, San Diego, CA
Cost/Stipend: Unpaid, housing not provided
Dates: June 2 to August 8
Application Deadline: March 31
Eligibility: You must be a high school, undergraduate, graduate, or professional student and have a strong interest in genomics, digital medicine, or mHealth translational research
The Student Research Internship at Scripps Research Translational Institute is a 10-week, full-time summer program that immerses you in translational science focused on personalized medicine. You are matched with a mentor aligned with your interests and contribute to active research projects in genomics, proteomics, metabolomics, or mobile health (mHealth). Most students work in dry lab settings using computational and data-driven methods, though a limited number of wet lab placements are available. You attend weekly seminars, join journal clubs, and participate in faculty roundtable discussions.Â
Location: San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, San Diego, CA
Cost/Stipend: Paid internship, amount unspecified
Dates: June 15 to August 21
Application Deadline: November 17
Eligibility: Undergraduates with an interest in wildlife, conservation, social media, or IT (Internships are program-specific)
The San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance offers three distinct summer internships that allow you to contribute meaningfully to conservation, animal welfare, and digital outreach. Depending on your interests, you can apply for roles in social media, wildlife care, or information technology. If you choose the social media internship, you’ll help craft engaging content for the Zoo’s platforms and assist with film production, giving you a chance to blend creativity with conservation storytelling.
In the wildlife care internship, you’ll work directly with animal care specialists, supporting daily routines and helping develop strategies that encourage species-specific natural behaviors. The IT internship places you in a tech-forward environment where you’ll contribute to digital infrastructure and data systems that support conservation science.
Location: County of San Diego, CA
Cost/Stipend: $16.50 hourly
Dates: Year-round, including summer
Application Deadline: Rolling applications
Eligibility: Full-time high school, vocational, or college students with a GPA of 2.0+, age 18+ (most placements); must provide student load verification, and pass a background check with fingerprinting.
San Diego County’s Student Worker and Internship Programs give you the chance to gain paid, hands-on experience in public service across a wide range of departments. Whether you’re interested in city administration, health services, parks and recreation, law enforcement, or environmental planning, you can apply to work in the area that best matches your academic and career goals. As a student worker, you’re hired on a temporary hourly basis and may be eligible for benefits like sick leave accrual and access to high-deductible health plans.
Location: San Diego State University, San Diego, CA
Cost/Stipend: Varies, many tracks paid (typically $2,500–$4,000)
Dates: July 1 to August 29 (summer only track)
Application Deadline: March 28
Eligibility: SDSU undergraduates, all majors; selection via SURP-match
The SDSU Undergraduate Summer Research Program (SURP) allows you to work closely with faculty mentors on original research or creative projects in STEM, arts, humanities, or social sciences. You spend eight weeks developing hands-on skills, contributing to a real project, and attending professional development workshops and research seminars. You can choose between a summer-only track or a summer plus fall track, depending on your availability and academic goals. All participants present their work at the Summer Research Conference, where they connect with peers and faculty across disciplines.Â
Location: University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA
Cost/Stipend: Awards/scholarships available (amount differs for each program)
Dates: June 23 to August 29
Application Deadline: February 28
Eligibility: Current UC San Diego undergrads, any major, enrolled next year, U.S. citizen/permanent/AB540Â
The Undergraduate Research Scholarships (URS) program at UC San Diego is a donor-funded umbrella initiative that supports students in completing original research projects over the summer under the guidance of a faculty mentor. You commit to approximately 30 hours of research per week, gaining hands-on experience in your chosen field while developing skills in study design, data analysis, and academic writing. With strong research progress, you may be invited to present your work at the Summer Research Conference, one of UCSD’s largest undergraduate research events.
Location: Department of Biomedical Informatics, UC San Diego
Cost/Stipend: Varies, but generally $5,500Â
Dates: June 24 to August 15
Application Deadline: February 7
Eligibility: You must be at least 18 years old and currently enrolled in an undergraduate, graduate, or professional program at a university or research institution
The Biomedical Informatics Summer Internship at UC San Diego is a paid, full-time program designed to introduce you to the intersection of data science and biomedicine. You work on real translational research projects in areas like computational biology, bioinformatics, and digital health, even if you don’t have prior experience in biology. You’re matched with a faculty mentor and join a team of researchers, postdocs, and graduate students. You learn programming tools like R and Python, explore privacy standards and data science methods, and contribute to meaningful research.Â
Location: Partner organizations across San Diego County, CA
Cost/Stipend: $22 per hour
Dates: Summer (usually June–August)
Application Deadline: Spring; varies by partner
Eligibility: You must be enrolled (within the last year) in a verified program at a participating college or university and have the program listed on your Ed Plan, declared major, or certificate enrollment
The K-16 Talent Pipeline Internship Program is a paid, structured opportunity for undergraduates from UC San Diego, San Diego State University, CSU San Marcos, and local community colleges to gain hands-on experience in K–12 education. You complete 240 total hours, 200 hours working directly in a K–12 school setting, and 40 hours dedicated to onboarding and training. Roles typically include tutoring, instructional support, and classroom assistance, giving you direct exposure to teaching practices and student engagement. You’re paid $22/hour through a third-party employer and supported by a summer bootcamp, ongoing mentorship, and a Community of Practice that helps you reflect on your experience and prepare for next steps in the education field.
Location: ServiceNow campus, San Diego, CA
Cost/Stipend: $20–$35/hr typical
Dates: 12 weeks, Summer
Application Deadline: November (tentative)
Eligibility: Undergraduates in related majors (CS, IT, Engineering)
The ServiceNow Summer Internship Program is a paid, high-impact opportunity for students looking to launch careers in IT, cybersecurity, data analysis, and enterprise software. You will work on real-world projects that align with ServiceNow’s core mission, streamlining digital workflows for global businesses. You’re placed in teams across engineering, product management, cybersecurity, and corporate functions, depending on your background and interests. Throughout the internship, you receive mentorship from experienced professionals, attend executive speaker series, and participate in professional development workshops.
Location: Many offices globally, and many roles offer hybrid or remote formats
Cost/Stipend: Paid, but amount not specified
Dates: 10–12 weeks full-time during the summer
Application Deadline: Not specified, applications open in September
Eligibility: Currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree
The Strategic Sales and Management Internships at CrowdStrike are part of their Global Sales Excellence Horizon Program, an experience designed to elevate early-career talent in cybersecurity sales. As an intern, you step directly into a dynamic B2B environment, working with real leads and existing clients to understand how enterprise software solutions are pitched, positioned, and sold. You gain hands-on experience in sales strategy, market analysis, and product knowledge while receiving mentorship from seasoned professionals.
Location: Qualcomm HQ, San Diego
Cost/Stipend: $17 to $98 per hourÂ
Dates: Summer, 11-14 weeks
Application Deadline: November
Eligibility: You must be a currently enrolled undergraduate or graduate student in IT, computer science, engineering, data science, or related STEM fields
The Qualcomm IT Internship Program is a paid, full-time summer opportunity based primarily at their headquarters in San Diego, where you can contribute to cutting-edge innovation in data analytics, system analysis, and enterprise IT. You will work alongside industry experts on real projects that support Qualcomm’s global operations and research pipeline, gaining hands-on experience in areas like software development, network infrastructure, cybersecurity, and systems integration. You’re immersed in a fast-paced, collaborative environment and receive mentorship from experienced professionals.
Location: Salk Institute, La Jolla, San Diego
Cost/Stipend: Stipend of $6,900 plus provided housing
Dates: June 2 to August 8
Application Deadline: November 17
Eligibility: Rising juniors in STEM majors
The Salk Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (Salk SURF) is a 10-week, fully paid research internship held at the prestigious Salk Institute in San Diego, California. You’ll work in state-of-the-art labs alongside expert mentors, contributing to active research in fields like neuroscience, cancer biology, immunology, genetics, and plant biology. Throughout the summer, you’ll participate in seminars, workshops, and social events that foster both scientific growth and community. The program culminates in a formal research presentation.
Location: University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA
Cost/Stipend: $3,000 stipend plus on-campus housing or $2,000 housing allowance
Dates: June 23 to August 15
Application Deadline: February 7
Eligibility: Full-time UC San Diego undergrads, at least 90 units, GPA 2.7
The UC Scholars Summer Research Program at UC San Diego is an eight-week, full-time research experience designed to prepare you for graduate-level study. You work across disciplines under the mentorship of UC San Diego faculty, completing 30 hours of research per week while building skills in study design, data analysis, and academic writing. You also participate in professional development workshops, attend weekly seminars, and present your research at the Summer Research Conference, where you connect with peers and faculty from across campus.
Location: UC San Diego, ECE department
Cost/Stipend: Interns receive a $5,000 summer stipend, paid in two installments
Dates: June 30 to September 5
Application Deadline: December 16
Eligibility: UCSD ECE undergraduates
The ECE Spring/Summer Research Internship Program (SRIP) at UC San Diego is a competitive, faculty-mentored research experience for current UCSD Electrical and Computer Engineering undergraduates and M.S. students. You begin in the spring quarter working part-time in a faculty lab, then transition to full-time research during the summer. Projects span cutting-edge areas like machine learning, robotics, signal processing, electronics, and wireless systems. You gain hands-on experience in a research group, attend enrichment workshops on research writing and communication, and present your work at the UCSD Summer Research Conference.
Location: San Diego Mesa College and local partners, San Diego, CA
Cost/Stipend: $1,000 stipend
Dates: Internships typically run through August
Application Deadline: May 2 for the summerÂ
Eligibility: Current Mesa College undergraduates
The Mesa Impactship Program at San Diego Mesa College is a paid summer internship initiative designed to help you explore career paths through hands-on workforce training. As a participant, you’re placed in an internship, volunteer role, or Directed Clinical Practice (DCP) experience at a local company, university lab, nonprofit, or government agency within San Diego. You receive a $1,000 stipend and enroll in a Work Experience or DCP course, which allows you to earn academic credit while gaining real-world experience. You also join a cohort community supported by Mesa faculty and career coordinators, who help you prepare for your internship and future career pathways.
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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