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Summer Internship Program (SIP)

About SIP 

The National Cancer Institute offers a summer research internship for students interested in exploring careers in all areas of cancer research, including basic, clinical, and translational research, epidemiology, biostatistics, genetics/genomics, and behavioral research. The program is open to college, postbaccalaureate masters-level students, and graduate students, including medical and dental students. Successful applicants join the NCI for at least eight weeks between May and September and work under the supervision of an NCI researcher. This program is part of the NIH Summer Internship Program (SIP) in Biomedical Research. 

Note: All internships are in person at one of the three locations: Bethesda, MD (NIH Main Campus), Shady Grove, MD (NCI Shady Grove), or Frederick, MD (NCI Frederick).

Internship Benefits

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Summer internships at the NCI and NIH are paid internships; summer interns are paid based on their academic level.

Interns are encouraged to attend lectures offered under the NIH Summer Seminar Series, participate in group meetings and seminars, attend formal NIH lectures and symposia, and participate in the NIH Summer Research Program Poster Day. 

NCI also offers a curriculum available for all summer interns that represents the diverse research areas within the Institute.

How to Apply

Eligibility

To apply to the NIH Summer Internship, you must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident and at least 18 years of age by the start of the summer. Additionally, you must be:

  • enrolled at least half-time in high school (seniors only) OR
  • enrolled at least half time in an accredited community college, college or university as an undergraduate, graduate, or professional school student OR
  • accepted into an accredited graduate program for the fall semester with the expectation of attending at least full-time. 

Applicants with a family member working at the NCI should know the strict nepotism policy, which may limit their ability to work within specific research groups.

For 2026, NCI has two subprograms available. Please visit the program websites to learn more.

Application Procedure

Please note that the High School Summer Internship Program (HS-SIP) has been discontinued and merged with the Summer Internship Program (SIP). Only high school seniors who will be 18 at the start of the summer are eligible to apply to SIP.

SIP Applicants

To be considered for a summer internship, you must submit an application on the NIH OITE website. The application is available from early-December to February 18th.  Submission includes:

  • A curriculum vitae or resume
  • A list of coursework and grades
  • A cover letter describing the applicant’s research interests and career goals
  • The names and contact information for two references 

Upon submission, review the research and list of investigators for the division you are interested in working. Please contact the investigator directly to indicate interest, determine availability, and potentially schedule an interview.

Find an NCI Investigator

Center for Cancer Research
Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics
Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences

Selection

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Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis and are completed by April 1st. Please note that there is no centralized selection process. Individual scientists select their own summer interns and provide their own funding. Successful candidates will be informed by their PI and on-boarding paperwork will be done by the individual research group. Additional paperwork for selected interns includes:

  • Official high-school, college, or graduate/professional school transcripts
  • Proof of U.S. citizenship or permanent resident status
  • Proof of health insurance

Note: There will be a lot of paperwork, so please be sure to check your email regularly.

All research training offers are contingent on your ability to successfully pass a federal background check. You must pass to be granted access to NIH facilities and systems.

NCI SIP Coordinators

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If you have any questions during the application process or throughout your internship, please contact your summer coordinator.

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