The NEI Summer Intern Program is part of the NIH Summer Internship Program (SIP), which gives college, graduate, and professional school (medical, optometry, veterinary) students a chance to spend the summer working with some of the world’s leading scientists in an environment devoted to biomedical research.
About summer internships at NEI
Summer interns participate in cutting-edge research projects that investigate new ways to prevent, treat, or even reverse vision loss — including topics such as:
- Age-related macular degeneration and other eye diseases
- Ophthalmic genetics
- Retinal cell biology
- Visual neurobiology
- Immunology of the eye
Summer interns have the chance to go to seminars and workshops hosted by NEI and the NIH Office of Intramural Training and Education (OITE). Interns may also present at the NIH Summer Intern Poster Day on August 2025 with their mentor’s permission.
NEI summer internships take place in Maryland and last anywhere from 8 to 12 weeks.
To apply
Deadlines
The application opens December 8, 2025
- Application deadline: February 18, 2026
- 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.
Frequently asked questions
Learn more about internships for college, graduate, and professional students by exploring the questions and answers below
Who should apply?
To be eligible for the NEI Summer Intern Program, you must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident and either:
- 18 years of age or older by September 30, 2026, or
- If 17 years of age by June 1, 2026, your permanent home address must be within 40 miles of an NIH campus.
As well as one of the following:
- Enrolled at least half-time as a senior in high school at the time of application and have graduated high school before the start of the internship.
- Enrolled at least half-time in an accredited community college, college, or university as an undergraduate, graduate, or professional school student at the time of application.
- Accepted into an accredited graduate program for the fall semester with the expectation of attending at least half-time. High school graduates that have completed a single gap year and are starting community college or college in the fall, are also eligible to apply.
U.S. Permanent Residents must be attending or have been accepted into a U.S. educational institution. 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.
Are the internships paid?
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.
When are the internships?
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
How long are the internships?
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.
Where are the internships?
Interns typically work in 1 of these locations:
- The NIH campus in Bethesda, Maryland
- The Twinbrook facility at Fishers Lane in Rockville, Maryland
Does NIH provide housing for interns?
NIH is unable to provide housing for summer interns. Get tips on finding housing from the NIH OITE.