Summer Internship Program (SIP)
National Institutes of Health (NIH)
Program overview
Students interested in exploring careers in research and healthcare, including those interested in biomedical, behavioral, and social sciences and fields such as biology, engineering, epidemiology, psychology, mathematics, chemistry, pharmaceutical sciences, nursing, physics, computer science, bioinformatics, and other health-related fields.
Eligibility
Must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident. Must be 18 years old by September 30, 2027, with a limited exception for graduating high school seniors who will be 17 as of June 1, 2027 but will turn 18 by September 30, 2027 and whose permanent home address is within 40 miles of an NIH campus. Must be enrolled at least half-time as a high school senior, community college/college/university undergraduate, graduate, or professional student at time of application, or accepted into an accredited graduate program for the fall semester. U.S. permanent residents must be attending or have been accepted into educational institutions in the U.S. Selected interns must present proof of health insurance. · U.S. citizen or permanent resident. U.S. permanent residents must be attending or have been accepted into educational institutions in the U.S. · Generally none stated, except for the 17-year-old graduating high school senior exception: permanent home address must be located within 40 miles of an NIH campus.
Key details
- Organization
- National Institutes of Health (NIH)
- Type
- Summer research internship
- Location
- NIH campuses, including the main campus in Bethesda, MD
- Eligible grades
- 12th grade (high school senior), Undergraduate, Graduate, Professional school
- Application deadline
- Mid-February 2027 (reference letters due one week later)
- Compensation
- Stipend available
- Time commitment
- Full-time summer research internship; cannot take summer classes or tend to other responsibilities during work hours. SIP 2026 runs May 11, 2026 to August 31, 2026.
- Application status
- Opens mid-November 2026; closes mid-February 2027
How to apply
Apply on the program's own site. Details here were read from that page and can change — confirm them there before applying.