NIH Summer Internship ProgramSIP

NIH SIP at a Glance

Host

National Institutes of Health (NIH) Intramural Research Program, coordinated by the Office of Intramural Training & Education (OITE)

Field

Biomedical, behavioral and social sciences, covering basic, translational and clinical research

Grades and age

Among high school students, only graduating seniors may apply: applicants must be enrolled at least half time as high school seniors when they apply and graduate before the internship starts, and must be 18 by September 30, 2027. Graduating seniors who are still 17 on June 1, 2027 must have a permanent home address within 40 miles of an NIH campus. College and graduate students may also apply.

Citizenship and residency

US citizens or permanent residents; permanent residents must be attending or accepted to a US institution. All interns must pass a federal background check.

Cost

Paid internship; stipends are adjusted annually by education level, and amounts are not published on the website. NIH does not provide housing, and interns must show proof of health insurance; parking on NIH campuses is free.

Dates and format

Full-time laboratory research on NIH campuses, with the main campus in Bethesda, Maryland. The 2027 program window is May 10 to August 31, with individual start and end dates arranged with the mentor; at the National Cancer Institute (NCI), for example, internships last at least eight weeks. A graduate and professional school fair takes place in July and Summer Poster Day in early August.

Application dates

The 2027 application opens at 9 am Eastern on October 13, 2026 and closes at noon Eastern on January 26, 2027; reference letters are due at noon on February 2, 2027. Investigators begin interviewing and making offers in early January and finish selection by April 1.

Application materials

Apply through the NIH Application Center with a list of coursework and grades, a CV or resume, a personal statement (research experience, interests and career goals), and contact information for two references. There is no centralized selection: individual Principal Investigators (PIs) choose their own interns, so applicants should contact PIs whose work interests them.

Size and selectivity

NIH does not publish the number of applicants, the number selected or an acceptance rate. Each PI selects interns separately and provides the funding for them.

Verified against official pages on 2026-10-06 · training.nih.gov/research-training/pb/sip

How to Apply to NIH SIP

• SIP has no centralized selection. After applying, list several PIs by research area and email each one to explain your interest and point them to your application. PIs start interviewing in January, so begin reaching out before the deadline.
• The 2027 deadline is noon on January 26, 2027, with references due February 2. Graduating seniors should settle on two references and draft the personal statement in the fall of senior year.
• NIH does not provide housing, and interns need their own health insurance. California students should plan for housing and transportation near Bethesda or another campus before applying.