Summer Internship Program | National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
Source: https://www.niehs.nih.gov/careers/research/fellows/working/fellowships/interns
Archived: 2026-04-23 17:32
Summer Internship Program | National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
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Summer Internship Program
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Resource for Prospective Summer Interns
Resources for Current Summer Interns
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Related Links
Summer Internship Program
Fellows' Career Development
Graduate Students
Medical Students
Postbaccalaureate Program
Postdoctoral Program
Summer Internship Program
Undergraduate
The Summer Internship Program provides internships to outstanding undergraduate and graduate students interested in pursuing careers in the biomedical/biological sciences to work on a research project that entails exposure to the latest biochemical, molecular, and analytical techniques in a given field. Participants are selected by scientific mentors from the NIEHS Division of Intramural Research.
Resource for Prospective Summer Interns
Program Requirements
|
Application Process
|
Housing/Transportation
|
Stipend/Salary
Program Requirements
NIEHS Summer Internship Program (SIP) interns:
Will be at least 18 years old by June 1 of the year they are seeking an internship.
Are in college (including community college) or graduate/professional school at the time of application,
or
Are currently enrolled at least half-time as a senior in high school at the time of application,
and
Are U.S. citizens or permanent residents (U.S. citizens may apply if they are enrolled at least half-time in an accredited college or university as undergraduate, graduate, or professional students. Permanent residents must be enrolled in or, if they have already graduated from high school, have been accepted into an accredited institution of higher education in the U.S.).
Application Process
To apply,
fill out the online application
for the NIH Summer Internship Program in Biomedical Research (SIP). This electronic application website typically opens in mid-November annually. Complete
all
applicable blocks of information:
A brief cover letter
(including your name, mailing address, phone number, current school and grade or classification in school) describing academic plans for the fall, your interest in the biomedical sciences, and reasons for seeking a summer research position. To ensure your package is appropriately assigned for consideration in the NIEHS Summer Internship Program, please indicate your interest in this program in your application.
A resume
(be sure to include research activities, honors, awards, and any other relevant accomplishments).
A listing of
current
coursework grades
from the school you are attending. (An official transcript is only requested if/when selected/offered a position.)
Two reference letters of recommendation
preferably from individuals having direct knowledge of your scientific interests and abilities (e.g., science and/or mathematics faculty, etc.).
The above materials must be submitted/ posted online by late-February to receive consideration for the following summer. Individual applications may be updated/revised at any time up until the application deadline during that year's application process. If you have previously applied, you must fill out a new application and provide new reference letters each year.
FAQs for the NIEHS Summer Internship Program
Housing/Transportation
NIH Summer Internship Program
Housing and transportation are not provided by the NIEHS. For our Summer Internship Program, the intern and/or the parent(s)/guardian(s) are responsible for making housing arrangements on their own, we aren't able to help in this process or give housing advice.
We would suggest you use sites such as the ones listed below to look for housing options. Our campus is fairly close to UNC, Duke and NCSU so in the past many students have found housing or summer sublet opportunities near the universities.
Duke Sublets
Housing Near Duke University
Meredith College Summer School Housing
NC State Sublets
NC State Summer Intern Housing
UNC Sublets
Please note- NIEHS does not endorse or promote any of these sites or the housing found by using them. This is shared for informational purposes only and is not meant to be exhaustive.
Transportation
There’s no good way around it – the Triangle area is big, very suburban, and most people use a car to get around. Depending on your location, you may be able to use the GoTriangle bus system. NIEHS is serviced by RTP Connect which subsidizes up to $10 per Uber or Lyft trip to get from the Regional Transit Center in RTP to NIEHS. Find more information at
GoTriangle
. Parking on campus is free and you will receive a parking pass on your first day at the institute.
Stipend/Salary
Proof of health insurance is required; however, insurance is not offered/ provided by the institute.
The summer appointment mechanism is the "Intramural Research Training Award (IRTA)" which is a monthly stipend award paid in arrears (once per month, for days worked during the last month).
Student IRTA Stipend Levels for NIEHS- effective May 1, 2023.
Education Level Completed
Monthly Stipend
High School
Before Graduation
$2,530
After Graduation
$2,840
Undergraduate
After 1 year
$3,010
After 2 years
$3,150
After 3 years or >
$3,310
Graduate
Less than 1 year
$3,480
After 1 year
$3,660
After 2 years
$3,910
After 3 years or >
$4,190
Resources for Current Summer Interns
Handbook
|
Summer Events at NIEHS
|
Journal Club
|
NIEHS Summer Intern Poster Session
Handbook
The
Summer Internship Program Handbook
has helpful information.
Summer Events at NIEHS
Big Picture, Small Talk Communication Challenge
Career Panel for Biomedical Researchers
Interactive Workshops and Lectures
Journal Club
Lunch and Learn Sessions
NIEHS Summer Intern Poster Session and Awards Ceremony
Preparing for Graduate School Workshop
Preparing for Medical School Workshop
Journal Club
Summer interns have the opportunity to participate in an optional Journal Club that is run by fellows at NIEHS.
Explore new areas of research!
Meet other summer students!
Sharpen your critical reading skills!
Journal clubs are a popular way for scientists to get together and discuss recently published scientific papers. They allow participants to stay up-to-date with new techniques and advances in their fields of interest. Journal Club is your opportunity to participate in this form of scientific communication. Students planning to participate in a Summer Journal Club should watch the
Reading a Scientific Article YouTube video
. (Source:
NIH Office of Intramural Training and Education
)
NIEHS Summer Intern Poster Session
At the end of July we will hold our annual Summer Intern Poster Session which is mandatory for all summer interns. This is an opportunity to showcase your work and practice your science communication skills. Posters are judged by NIEHS scientists and we celebrate at an afternoon awards ceremony.
"I really enjoyed getting to have so much freedom with designing and conducting my own project, and I enjoyed getting to know so many people and getting the chance to learn from all of them. The poster session was great - it was set up nicely and went very well. Overall it is a very good program with invaluable experiences for us." - Undergraduate Junior
Contact
For more information contact
[email protected]
.
Related Topics
Summer Internship Program
Undergraduate Students
Graduate Students
Medical Students
Postbaccalaureate Program
Postdoctoral Program
Quick Links
Career Development
Involvement, Awards and Grants
Working at NIEHS
Related Links
Interns research PFAS, disease vulnerability, cancer, and more
- Environmental Factor, September 2021
Back
to Top
Last Reviewed: April 22, 2026
Skip Navigation
Close the left navigation
Add
Summer Internship Program
Fellows' Career Development
Table of Contents
Resource for Prospective Summer Interns
Resources for Current Summer Interns
Contact
Related Topics
Related Links
Summer Internship Program
Fellows' Career Development
Graduate Students
Medical Students
Postbaccalaureate Program
Postdoctoral Program
Summer Internship Program
Undergraduate
The Summer Internship Program provides internships to outstanding undergraduate and graduate students interested in pursuing careers in the biomedical/biological sciences to work on a research project that entails exposure to the latest biochemical, molecular, and analytical techniques in a given field. Participants are selected by scientific mentors from the NIEHS Division of Intramural Research.
Resource for Prospective Summer Interns
Program Requirements
|
Application Process
|
Housing/Transportation
|
Stipend/Salary
Program Requirements
NIEHS Summer Internship Program (SIP) interns:
Will be at least 18 years old by June 1 of the year they are seeking an internship.
Are in college (including community college) or graduate/professional school at the time of application,
or
Are currently enrolled at least half-time as a senior in high school at the time of application,
and
Are U.S. citizens or permanent residents (U.S. citizens may apply if they are enrolled at least half-time in an accredited college or university as undergraduate, graduate, or professional students. Permanent residents must be enrolled in or, if they have already graduated from high school, have been accepted into an accredited institution of higher education in the U.S.).
Application Process
To apply,
fill out the online application
for the NIH Summer Internship Program in Biomedical Research (SIP). This electronic application website typically opens in mid-November annually. Complete
all
applicable blocks of information:
A brief cover letter
(including your name, mailing address, phone number, current school and grade or classification in school) describing academic plans for the fall, your interest in the biomedical sciences, and reasons for seeking a summer research position. To ensure your package is appropriately assigned for consideration in the NIEHS Summer Internship Program, please indicate your interest in this program in your application.
A resume
(be sure to include research activities, honors, awards, and any other relevant accomplishments).
A listing of
current
coursework grades
from the school you are attending. (An official transcript is only requested if/when selected/offered a position.)
Two reference letters of recommendation
preferably from individuals having direct knowledge of your scientific interests and abilities (e.g., science and/or mathematics faculty, etc.).
The above materials must be submitted/ posted online by late-February to receive consideration for the following summer. Individual applications may be updated/revised at any time up until the application deadline during that year's application process. If you have previously applied, you must fill out a new application and provide new reference letters each year.
FAQs for the NIEHS Summer Internship Program
Housing/Transportation
NIH Summer Internship Program
Housing and transportation are not provided by the NIEHS. For our Summer Internship Program, the intern and/or the parent(s)/guardian(s) are responsible for making housing arrangements on their own, we aren't able to help in this process or give housing advice.
We would suggest you use sites such as the ones listed below to look for housing options. Our campus is fairly close to UNC, Duke and NCSU so in the past many students have found housing or summer sublet opportunities near the universities.
Duke Sublets
Housing Near Duke University
Meredith College Summer School Housing
NC State Sublets
NC State Summer Intern Housing
UNC Sublets
Please note- NIEHS does not endorse or promote any of these sites or the housing found by using them. This is shared for informational purposes only and is not meant to be exhaustive.
Transportation
There’s no good way around it – the Triangle area is big, very suburban, and most people use a car to get around. Depending on your location, you may be able to use the GoTriangle bus system. NIEHS is serviced by RTP Connect which subsidizes up to $10 per Uber or Lyft trip to get from the Regional Transit Center in RTP to NIEHS. Find more information at
GoTriangle
. Parking on campus is free and you will receive a parking pass on your first day at the institute.
Stipend/Salary
Proof of health insurance is required; however, insurance is not offered/ provided by the institute.
The summer appointment mechanism is the "Intramural Research Training Award (IRTA)" which is a monthly stipend award paid in arrears (once per month, for days worked during the last month).
Student IRTA Stipend Levels for NIEHS- effective May 1, 2023.
Education Level Completed
Monthly Stipend
High School
Before Graduation
$2,530
After Graduation
$2,840
Undergraduate
After 1 year
$3,010
After 2 years
$3,150
After 3 years or >
$3,310
Graduate
Less than 1 year
$3,480
After 1 year
$3,660
After 2 years
$3,910
After 3 years or >
$4,190
Resources for Current Summer Interns
Handbook
|
Summer Events at NIEHS
|
Journal Club
|
NIEHS Summer Intern Poster Session
Handbook
The
Summer Internship Program Handbook
has helpful information.
Summer Events at NIEHS
Big Picture, Small Talk Communication Challenge
Career Panel for Biomedical Researchers
Interactive Workshops and Lectures
Journal Club
Lunch and Learn Sessions
NIEHS Summer Intern Poster Session and Awards Ceremony
Preparing for Graduate School Workshop
Preparing for Medical School Workshop
Journal Club
Summer interns have the opportunity to participate in an optional Journal Club that is run by fellows at NIEHS.
Explore new areas of research!
Meet other summer students!
Sharpen your critical reading skills!
Journal clubs are a popular way for scientists to get together and discuss recently published scientific papers. They allow participants to stay up-to-date with new techniques and advances in their fields of interest. Journal Club is your opportunity to participate in this form of scientific communication. Students planning to participate in a Summer Journal Club should watch the
Reading a Scientific Article YouTube video
. (Source:
NIH Office of Intramural Training and Education
)
NIEHS Summer Intern Poster Session
At the end of July we will hold our annual Summer Intern Poster Session which is mandatory for all summer interns. This is an opportunity to showcase your work and practice your science communication skills. Posters are judged by NIEHS scientists and we celebrate at an afternoon awards ceremony.
"I really enjoyed getting to have so much freedom with designing and conducting my own project, and I enjoyed getting to know so many people and getting the chance to learn from all of them. The poster session was great - it was set up nicely and went very well. Overall it is a very good program with invaluable experiences for us." - Undergraduate Junior
Contact
For more information contact
[email protected]
.
Related Topics
Summer Internship Program
Undergraduate Students
Graduate Students
Medical Students
Postbaccalaureate Program
Postdoctoral Program
Quick Links
Career Development
Involvement, Awards and Grants
Working at NIEHS
Related Links
Interns research PFAS, disease vulnerability, cancer, and more
- Environmental Factor, September 2021
Back
to Top
Last Reviewed: April 22, 2026