NIH Summer Internship Program (SIP)

The NIH Summer Internship Program (SIP) is a full-time summer research internship at the National Institutes of Health that is open to graduating high school seniors as well as college and graduate students. Interns join a lab led by an NIH Principal Investigator and work on biomedical, behavioral, or social science research. Labs are spread across NIH campuses, with the main campus in Bethesda, Maryland. The 2027 internship must take place between May 10 and August 31, 2027, and each intern sets exact dates with their lab. Interns receive a stipend that depends on education level. NIH does not provide housing.

Open to graduating high school seniors (enrolled at least half-time as a senior and graduated before the internship starts), gap-year graduates starting college in the fall, and college and graduate students. High school juniors are not eligible. Applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents and at least 18 by September 30, 2027. Seniors who are still 17 on June 1, 2027 must live within 40 miles of an NIH campus. Interns must show proof of health insurance. Students apply through the NIH Application Center with a coursework list, a resume, a personal statement, and two references. The 2027 application opens October 13, 2026 and closes January 26, 2027 at noon ET. Reference letters are due February 2, 2027. Students should also email NIH researchers directly, because each lab picks its own interns.