NEI Summer Intern Program

The application opens mid-November 15, 2023

• Application deadline: February 16, 2024
• To apply: Apply online through the NIH OITE Summer Internship Program

If you have questions or want to learn more about labs that would be a good fit with your interests, contact Dr. Cesar Perez-Gonzalez at cesarp@nei.nih.gov.

Principal investigators (also known as the section heads or chiefs) select interns who are in college, graduate, medical, optometry, or other professional school to work in their labs. Learn more about labs at NEI.

The application opens mid-November 15, 2023

• Application deadline: February 16, 2024
• Before you apply: Contact Dr. Cesar Perez-Gonzalez at cesarp@nei.nih.gov
• To learn more and apply: Visit the NIH OITE’s page on summer internships for high school students 

The NEI Office of the Scientific Director selects high school students for summer internships. Please don’t contact principal investigators about your application. All requests are subject to approval by the Summer Intern Program Coordinator.

To be eligible for the NEI Summer Intern Program, you must:

• Be at least age 17 by June 15, 2024 (Note: you can’t start in the lab until you’re age 17 or older)
• Be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident
• Be enrolled at least half-time in high school, or be accepted or enrolled in an accredited U.S. college, university, or professional school (like medical, optometry, or veterinary school)

If you’re in high school and you’ll be age 17 on June 15, 2023, you must live within approximately 40 miles of the NIH Bethesda campus at the time of your application.

Students with relatives who work at NEI aren’t eligible for an internship at NEI, but we encourage you to pursue internships at another NIH institute.

Yes. We offer students a monthly stipend based on their most-recently completed education level. However, if you are participating in our summer program to obtain school credit and your school forbids you from being paid, please contact the summer coordinator for accommodation.

Internships typically start between mid-May and the end of June, and end in early to mid-August. All internships must start by July 1st and end prior to September 30th

Internships should be at least 8 weeks long and most last 8 to 12 weeks. Internships less than 8 weeks or greater than 12 must be approved by the summer coordinator. No internship will be approved for 4 weeks.

Interns typically work in 1 of these locations:

• The NIH campus in Bethesda, Maryland
• The Twinbrook facility at Fishers Lane in Rockville, Maryland

NIH is unable to provide housing for summer interns. Get tips on finding housing from the NIH OITE.

Learn more about summer internships from the NIH OITE.

Watch this video to learn more about what it’s like to be a summer intern at NEI.