The application for summer 2017 is now OPEN! https://www.training.nih.gov/programs/sip 

Program Description: Summer programs at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) provide an opportunity to spend a summer working at the NIH side-by-side with some of the leading scientists in the world, in an environment devoted exclusively to biomedical research. The NIH consists of the 240-bed Mark O. Hatfield Clinical Research Center and more than 1200 laboratories/research projects located on the main campus in Bethesda, MD, and the surrounding area as well as in Baltimore and Frederick, MD; Research Triangle Park, NC; Hamilton, MT; Framingham, MA; Phoenix, AZ; and Detroit, MI.  NOTE: the number of positions in Hamilton, Framingham, Phoenix, and Detroit is limited.

Internships cover a minimum of eight weeks, with students generally arriving at the NIH in May or June. The NIH Institutes and the Office of Intramural Training & Education sponsor a wide range of summer activities including lectures featuring distinguished NIH investigators, career/professional development workshops, and Summer Poster Day.

To increase your chances of being offered a position, please do four things: (1) Watch the Applying Successfully Video by clicking on the link to the right.  (2) Read the SIP FAQs carefully. (3) Read our suggestions for creating a successful application.  (4) After submitting your application, contact NIH investigators with whom you would like to work and explain why you would be a good addition to their groups.  You can identify NIH investigators with projects that interest you by searching the NIH Intramural Annual Reports. Use the text search feature to find project descriptions that contain the key words you enter. You can also visit the NIH Intramural Research Program Web site for a list of investigators organized by scientific focus area.  You can then find contact information for the investigators in the NIH Enterprise Directory.

Eligibility: The 2017 Summer Internship Program is for students who are sixteen years of age or older by June 15, 2017. To be eligible, candidates must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents. U.S. citizens may apply if they are enrolled at least half-time in high school or an accredited college or university as undergraduate, graduate, or professional students. Students who have been accepted into an accredited college or university program may also apply. Permanent residents must be enrolled in or have been accepted into a high school or an accredited institution or higher education in the U.S. to be eligible.

Stipend Information: The stipends for trainees are adjusted yearly; the level depends on education completed prior to starting at the NIH. For details, see the Trainee Stipendspage.

Application Procedure: Prospective candidates must apply online. The application is available from mid-November to March 1. It requires submission of

• a curriculum vitae or resume,
• a list of coursework and grades (please note: we do not need a transcript at this time),
• a cover letter describing the applicant's research interests and career goals, and
• the names and contact information for two references.

Candidates may also specify the scientific methodologies or disease/organ systems that interest them.