15 Psychology Research Internships for Undergraduates
Doing an internship during college is one of the best ways to bridge the gap between classroom learning and the professional world. It gives you practical experience in a field you are curious about, allowing you to test it out before committing to a career. Beyond learning the realities of a job, an internship strengthens your resume and makes your professional profile stand out to future employers. By building a network of industry contacts, developing skills, and proving your work ethic in a professional setting, you improve your employability odds after graduation.
Why should I do a psychology research internship as an undergraduate?
For students interested in psychology, internships are a valuable opportunity to move beyond coursework and understand how psychological research is designed, conducted, and analyzed. Psychology research internships allow you to develop essential skills such as data collection, statistical analysis, academic writing, and ethical research practices. Many programs offer close mentorship from faculty members, graduate students, or research scientists, giving you insight into both academic and applied psychology careers. Internships also help you figure out what areas genuinely interest you, whether that’s clinical psychology, cognitive science, social psychology, or developmental psychology.
Below, we have put together a list of 15 psychology research internships for undergraduates that are academically rigorous and well-regarded in the field.
1. APA Summer Undergraduate Psychology Experience in Research (SUPER) Fellowships
Location: Flexible; conducted at an accredited university or research institution in the U.S. or Canada where your faculty mentor is based
Stipend: $4,000 + $1,000 stipend for the faculty host
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly competitive; up to 25 fellows
Dates: Nine-week summer research experience
Application Deadline: March 1
Eligibility: Undergraduate student enrolled at an accredited U.S. or Canadian institution with at least one semester remaining in their program; must propose a behavioral science project supervised by a faculty host; research must focus on psychological science
The APA SUPER Fellowship is a student-driven summer research program designed to expand laboratory training opportunities for undergraduate students who are committed to equity, diversity, and inclusion in psychology. You will explore diverse topics across the behavioral sciences, engaging deeply in a specific research area that you and your chosen faculty mentor propose. Throughout the summer, you will lead a substantive project, participate in regular virtual check-ins with other fellows, attend career development webinars, and present your final reflections on the research process. The fellowship features geographical flexibility, allowing you to partner with a faculty host at any accredited U.S. or Canadian institution rather than restricting you to a single centralized campus.
2. Ladder University Internship Program
Location: Remote
Cost/Stipend: Cost varies depending on the program type; financial aid is available / No stipend
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 10–25%; 70–100 students
Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year, including Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter.
Application Deadline: Varies based on the cohort; Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September), and Winter (November)
Eligibility: High school students, undergraduates, and gap year students who can work for 10-20 hours/week, for 8-12 weeks
In the Ladder University Internship Program, you will participate in an eight-week remote experience that pairs you directly with high-growth startups and their top-tier founders. You can explore a wide range of industry topics, including tech, finance, media, software engineering, artificial intelligence, consulting, fashion, health tech, environmental science, and nonprofit management. During your time, you will actively contribute to your matched company by engaging in activities like developing software features, conducting market research, creating marketing strategies, and building machine learning models. A truly unique feature of this program is the direct mentorship you receive from CEOs who have worked at prestigious companies like Google, Microsoft, and McKinsey. Apply now!
3. NIH Summer Internship Program (SIP)
Location: On-site at NIH Intramural Research Program labs (primarily Bethesda, Maryland, with some programs at other NIH campuses)
Stipend: Between $3,010 – $3,310 depending on tenure as an undergraduate
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly competitive, 60–70 interns
Dates: 8-12 weeks between May and September
Application Deadline: Mid-February
Eligibility: Must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident; must be 18 years old by September 30; enrolled at least half-time in an accredited high school, college (including community college), university, or accepted into an accredited graduate program; permanent home address must be within 40 miles of an NIH campus
The NIH Summer Internship Program (SIP) is a flagship research residency that allows students to conduct full-time biomedical research alongside world-leading scientists within the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Intramural Research Program. It is a hands-on laboratory experience covering everything from basic biology to bioinformatics and social sciences. You will contribute to research projects and participate in professional development workshops, educational programming, and poster presentations. Projects cover areas including behavioral and social sciences, psychology, neuroscience, epidemiology, and clinical research. Stipends are provided, and you gain real-world experience in scientific research environments.
4. Harvard University Moral Psychology Lab Summer Internship
Location: Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
Stipend: $5,000
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Very competitive; 2–6 students
Dates: 10 weeks between June and August
Application Deadline: Typically, late January
Eligibility: Undergraduates enrolled in accredited U.S. institutions; at least 18 years old by the program’s start
The Harvard Moral Psychology Lab Summer Internship engages undergraduates in research exploring moral reasoning, ethical decision-making, and social cognition. You will collaborate with faculty and graduate researchers on experimental design, behavioral studies, and data analysis. You gain direct exposure to research methodology in social psychology while developing skills in participant management, coding, and statistical analysis. The intimate lab setting provides close mentorship and insight into academic research careers, making it particularly valuable for students interested in social, cognitive, or moral psychology.
5. UC Berkeley Social Origins Lab Summer Internship
Location: University of California, Berkeley, CA
Stipend: $2,400
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective; 5–8 interns
Dates: June 1 – July 24
Application Deadline: February 2
Eligibility: Currently enrolled undergraduates who have prior experience working with children; U.S. citizens or permanent residents
The UC Berkeley Social Origins Lab Summer Internship, directed by Dr. Jan Engelmann, is a selective program for students interested in how social and cognitive abilities develop in children and interact across different species and cultures. It offers a focused summer research experience in social and cognitive development. You will assist with studies examining how children understand social groups, identity, and social categorization, and engage in participant recruitment, data collection, behavioral coding, and pilot testing. The program emphasizes collaborative learning through lab meetings and mentorship from graduate students. This experience is especially valuable for students interested in developmental psychology or social cognition research.
6. Spelke Lab Summer Internship
Location: Cambridge, MA (Harvard University)
Stipend: Depends on the home institution and the specific funding track secured
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective; 5–8 interns
Dates: Minimum of 8 weeks (typically June – August)
Application Deadline: March 9
Eligibility: Current undergraduates with an interest in developmental psychology research
The Spelke Lab Summer Internship, part of the Harvard Laboratory for Developmental Studies (LDS), is a highly sought-after program for students interested in how infants and children perceive the social and physical world. It provides hands-on training in developmental psychology research, particularly studies involving infant and child cognition. Your activities involve assisting with experimental procedures, data coding, participant scheduling, and research presentations. You are integrated into an active research environment where you gain exposure to cutting-edge theories in cognitive development. The internship is well-suited for those considering doctoral research in developmental psychology or cognitive science.
7. Undergraduate Internship in Affective Science – Yale University
Location: Yale University, Connecticut
Stipend: Paid, amount not disclosed
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective; 5–10 interns
Dates: June 8 – August 2
Application Deadline: March 1
Eligibility: Undergraduate students
The Yale Affective Science Internship is primarily hosted by the Emotion, Health, and Psychophysiology (EHP) Lab, led by Professor Wendy Berry Mendes. It focuses on the mind-body connection and the embodiment of emotion and places undergraduates in active research labs studying emotion, behavior, cognition, and mental health. You will contribute to ongoing projects through data collection, statistical analysis, literature reviews, and research presentations. This program emphasizes interdisciplinary scholarship and close faculty mentorship. Weekly seminars and lab discussions deepen theoretical understanding, while the final presentation builds professional communication skills. This internship strongly prepares students for research-intensive graduate programs.
8. NSF Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) — Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences
Location: Various university and research sites across the U.S. and abroad
Stipend: Typically $6,000 – $7,000 for the summer
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly competitive; typically 8 to 12 students per site
Dates: 8 to 10 weeks during the summer (typically between May and August)
Application Deadline: Varies by individual site (typically between January and March annually)
Eligibility: U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, or permanent residents; must be enrolled as an undergraduate student
The NSF Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) in Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences offers you a fully funded summer opportunity to participate in academic research at premier institutions across the country. Throughout the program, you will explore diverse topics spanning psychology, sociology, anthropology, and economics. You will collaborate with a faculty mentor, conduct an independent research project, attend professional development seminars, and present your findings at a concluding symposium. By the end of the summer, you will have developed skills in experimental design, advanced data analysis, and professional scientific communication.
9. Summer Internship: University of California, Berkeley (LCD Lab)
Location: Lawrence Hall of Science / UC Berkeley, CA, USA (in-person)
Stipend: $2,700
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective; 8–12 interns
Dates: June 1 – August 7
Application Deadline: February 9
Eligibility: Undergraduates
The Language and Cognitive Development (LCD) Lab at UC Berkeley offers a competitive 9-week summer program for students interested in how linguistic and social abilities emerge in children. As an intern, you will assist with participant recruitment, stimulus preparation, and data analysis, and participate in weekly lab meetings and reading groups focused on theoretical foundations. You gain practical research skills and present your findings at the end of the program. The collaborative lab environment fosters strong mentorship and provides a foundation for graduate study in developmental or cognitive psychology.
10. Undergraduate Developmental Science Summer Internship – Yale School of Medicine
Location: Yale University, New Haven, CT
Stipend: $4,000
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly competitive; 12–15 students
Dates: June 1 – July 24
Application Deadline: January 31
Eligibility: Undergraduates enrolled at U.S. institutions (U.S. citizens and visa-eligible)
The Undergraduate Developmental Science Summer Internship at the Yale School of Medicine is a research-intensive program primarily hosted by the Yale Child Study Center (YCSC) in partnership with the Department of Pediatrics. It allows you to contribute to research in developmental neuroscience, child psychology, and clinical child studies by participating in lab sessions, weekly seminars, and structured research training. By the program’s conclusion, you present your findings, strengthening both your analytical and communication skills. The experience is particularly valuable for those pursuing clinical, developmental, or neuroscience-focused graduate programs.
11. University of Michigan Summer Research Opportunity Program (SROP) – Psychology
Location: Ann Arbor, MI
Stipend: $5,000
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly competitive; approximately 45 students
Dates: May 24 – July 30
Application Deadline: January 28
Eligibility: Undergraduate students who are U.S. citizens, permanent residents, or non-U.S. citizens with DACA; minimum overall 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale; entering their junior or senior year in college (at a school other than the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor)
The University of Michigan SROP (Psychology Track) is a fully funded summer research experience designed to prepare underrepresented and first-generation students for graduate study. You will work in labs like the Affective Neuroscience & Biopsychology Lab or the Culture & Social Psychology Lab to conduct research under faculty supervision. You will also participate in professional development workshops and graduate application preparation. You present your research at a final symposium and receive mentoring focused on long-term academic success. The program is highly regarded for its supportive structure and its emphasis on doctoral preparation.
12. Undergraduate Summer Internship @ Columbia-WHO Center for Global Mental Health
Location: Virtual
Stipend: A stipend of up to $2,000 may be available through the Summer Scholars Fund
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive; 10–15 interns
Dates: 8 weeks starting in June
Application Deadline: Typically January 31
Eligibility: Rising senior undergraduates
The Undergraduate Summer Internship at Columbia-WHO Center for Global Mental Health (CCGMH) is a prestigious, eight-week program specifically designed for rising seniors to engage in multidisciplinary research and professional development. It provides a competitive, seminar-based research experience focused on mental health equity and global health systems. You will contribute to research projects addressing mental health disparities, policy, and implementation science, attend daily seminars, and network with professionals. This internship is ideal for you if you are interested in public health, global psychology, policy research, or mental health advocacy.
13. McLean Mental Health Research Summer Program (MMHRSP)
Location: McLean Hospital, Belmont, Massachusetts
Stipend: Paid, amount not disclosed
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly competitive; cohort size not publicly disclosed
Dates: 10 weeks between June and August
Application Deadline: February 13
Eligibility: Massachusetts resident or attending college in MA; entering sophomore year (4-year college) or 2nd year (community college) by Fall
In this program, you will explore core topics across neuroscience, clinical psychology, psychiatry, and related mental health fields. During the summer, you will conduct mentored laboratory research, attend professional development workshops, and participate in local STEM community outreach. The program is dedicated to providing Harvard-affiliated laboratory exposure specifically to students with little to no prior research experience. Day to day, you will actively engage in tasks like sectioning brain tissue, performing molecular bench work, and running statistical analyses. Through these hands-on activities, you will learn highly valuable skills, including microscopy, experimental design, and critical literature review.
14. Development of Social Cognition (DOSC) Lab Summer Internship — UC Irvine
Location: In-person at UC Irvine (Irvine, CA), with field data collection at local museums
Stipend: Paid, amount not disclosed
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly competitive; 2 interns
Dates: Early June – Early August
Application Deadline: Rolling basis
Eligibility: Full-time undergraduate student; U.S. citizen or permanent resident
During the DOSC Lab Summer Internship, you will explore core topics in cognitive development, specifically focusing on fairness, social group cognition, and how kids understand the family division of labor. You will engage in behavioral data collection with children aged 2 to 10, recruit participant families, code the experimental data, and attend lab meetings. The program heavily emphasizes community outreach, which involves running weekend research studies directly at local children's museums and talking to parents about child development. By the end of the 10 weeks, you will have built skills in experimental research design and statistical data analysis.
15. Johns Hopkins University Laboratory for Child Development Summer Internship
Location: Baltimore, Maryland (JHU Campus and the Maryland Science Center)
Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly competitive; 3–7 interns
Dates: June – July
Application Deadline: March 1
Eligibility: Current undergraduate students (including graduating seniors) worldwide who have prior experience working with children
This internship engages you in the daily operations of a leading cognitive development research laboratory. You will explore behavioral topics, including infant memory development, early numerical abilities, logical reasoning, and language acquisition. During the program, you will recruit participant families, test infants and toddlers using specific behavioral tasks, and code data from these testing sessions. The program features a dual-site structure, allowing you to interact with subjects both in a traditional university lab setting and at a public testing site inside the Maryland Science Center. By the end of the summer, you will build skills in developmental research methodologies, statistical data analysis, academic literature evaluation, and professional scientific communication.
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