15 Marine Biology Summer Internships for Undergraduates
If you’re majoring in marine biology at college, a summer internship can help you apply what you’ve learned in coursework to practical research settings. These programs typically involve data collection, laboratory analysis, species monitoring, or assisting with ongoing fieldwork.
Some internships focus on ecological surveys, while others are structured around laboratory experiments or marine conservation studies. Depending on the project, you may be expected to handle equipment, maintain records, or contribute to group research tasks.
Here are 15 marine biology summer internships for undergraduates that reflect a range of research methods and institutional settings within the marine sciences.
15 Marine Biology Summer Internships for Undergraduates
1. REU Program – Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences (BIOS)
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Varies each year
Location: Ferry Reach, St. George's, Bermuda
Stipend: $500 per week
Program Dates: August 25 – November 14
Application Deadline: May 31
Eligibility: U.S. citizens or permanent residents who are at least 18 years old; must maintain their undergraduate status before and after the program
If you're an undergraduate interested in marine biology or ocean science, the Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program at the Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences (BIOS) offers a structured research experience during the summer. You’ll spend 12 weeks in Bermuda working with BIOS scientists on independent projects in areas such as coral ecophysiology, microbial ecology, and environmental genomics. The program includes weekly seminars, field excursions, and time aboard the research vessel Atlantic Explorer. You are expected to work full-time, complete a final project report, and present your findings through both an oral presentation and a research poster.
2. Ladder University Internship Program
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Varies each year
Location: Remote! You can work from anywhere in the world.
Cost: Varies depending on program type (financial aid available)
Program dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year, including Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter.
Application deadline: Deadlines vary depending on the cohort. Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September), and Winter (November).
Eligibility: Students who can work for 10-20 hours/week, for 8-12 weeks. Open to high school students, undergraduates, and gap year students!
The Ladder University Internship Program is an eight-week virtual program that pairs you with a startup. You’ll be working in fields such as environmental science, artificial intelligence, health tech, or media on developing marketing strategies, conducting competitor research, or building machine learning models. You’ll meet regularly with your Ladder coach and startup mentor to analyze your work and adapt it to the startup’s needs. Each week follows a set structure that includes goal-setting, feedback from your mentor, and progress check-ins. At the end of the program, you present your final deliverable.
3. Dauphin Island Sea Lab (DISL) Summer Internships
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Competitive; varies each year
Location: Dauphin Island, Alabama
Stipend: $4,000 stipend and a $500 travel allowance
Program Dates: Varies each year; Usually conducted in May, June, or August
Application Deadline: March 1
Eligibility: Students pursuing a degree in a related field like marine science, environmental science, or education, and are at least in their third or fourth year of undergraduate studies or in a graduate program
This nine-week internship at Dauphin Island Sea Lab focuses on environmental and marine science education. You’ll help deliver summer camps for school-aged students, assist with residential courses for high schoolers, and support teacher workshops and outreach events along the Gulf Coast. Additionally, you’ll be involved in preparing materials, setting up activities, and helping lead both indoor and outdoor sessions. The program includes work across a range of educational settings, from classrooms to beaches and marshes. You’ll also gain experience communicating marine science concepts to different age groups and adapting content for various learning environments. As part of the program, you’ll also receive daily guidance from the Discovery Hall Programs education staff and have access to the Sea Lab’s teaching facilities and field sites.
4. Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute Summer Intern Program
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Competitive; varies each year
Location: Harbor Branch campus in Fort Pierce, Florida
Stipend: $3,000
Program Dates: June 19 – July 25
Application Deadline: March 1
Eligibility: Undergraduate students who have completed at least two years of coursework
At the FAU Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, you’ll spend ten weeks contributing to active research in marine science and technology. Depending on your project, you may work in areas like aquaculture, ecosystem health, ocean modeling, or marine biomedical research. You’ll assist with collecting samples, analyzing data, and conducting fieldwork in coastal environments such as seagrass beds, mangroves, and nearshore reefs. The program includes training in scientific communication, and you’ll complete a written report and present your work at a research symposium. You’ll also take part in weekly workshops and have access to campus resources, including laboratories, seminars, and the on-site library.
5. Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium Summer Internships
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not publicly disclosed
Location: Sarasota, Florida
Stipend: $6,000
Program Dates: May 25 – August 2
Application Deadline: March 1
Eligibility: U.S. citizens or permanent residents of the U.S. or its territories who are currently enrolled in a degree program (full-time or part-time) leading to a baccalaureate degree
At Mote Marine Laboratory, you can apply to one of two ten-week research tracks: the NSF-funded Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) or the Mote Research Internship Program. Both programs pair you with a scientist to assist with ongoing research in areas like coral reef restoration, marine mammal health, ocean acidification, or coastal ecology. You’ll contribute to lab and field work, analyze data, and present your findings at a final research symposium. Weekly seminars introduce you to career paths in marine science and help you learn scientific writing, data interpretation, and oral presentation. Depending on your mentor, your work may be based in Sarasota or at the Mote research station in the Florida Keys. You’ll also participate in workshops focused on professional development and graduate school planning. At the end of the summer, you’ll produce a written report and deliver a formal presentation of your research.
6. Marine Mammal Center Community Conservation Internship Program
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not publicly disclosed
Location: Ke Kai Ola, located in Kailua-Kona
Stipend: $2,813
Program Dates: September 1 – December 1
Application Deadline: March 1
Eligibility: Undergraduate students who will receive college credit for this internship and who are currently enrolled in a college or university
As a Community Conservation Intern, you’ll help manage the Hawaiian monk seal sighting hotline by logging reports, evaluating sightings, and coordinating volunteer responses. You’ll also assist with community outreach by supporting education events, engaging with visitors, and sharing information about local conservation efforts. Part of your work includes contributing to social science research, supporting youth programming, and shadowing staff involved in animal care. As an intern, you'll use communication tools and databases to record interactions and monitor outcomes. You'll work closely with staff mentors throughout the internship and complete a final project centered on community engagement.
7. NOAA Hollings Undergraduate Scholarship Program
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: 120 to 150
Location: NOAA facilities nationwide
Stipend: $700 per week
Program Dates: Program dates vary each year
Application Deadline: January 31
Eligibility: U.S. citizens who are currently enrolled or accepted at an accredited college or university within the United States or U.S. territories as either:
a full-time 2nd year student in a four-year undergraduate program
a full-time 3rd year student in a five-year undergraduate program
a community college or transfer student who is applying to a four-year institution
The Hollings Scholarship includes a 10-week summer term at a NOAA facility, where you work
on a research or policy-related project. You’ll be matched with a mentor and take part in projects related to environmental science, marine biology, atmospheric research, or coastal resource management. Your work may involve data collection, policy analysis, field research, or lab-based tasks, depending on your placement. You’ll also attend a multi-day orientation and the NOAA Science & Education Symposium, where you can present your research and connect with other scholars. Throughout the summer, you’ll gain experience working within a federal science agency and learn how research informs environmental decision-making.
8. University of Southern Mississippi Gulf Coast Research Lab Summer Field Program
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not publicly disclosed
Location: Ocean Springs, Mississippi
Cost: Varies based on courses
Program Dates: Session I: May 27 – June 25 | Session II: June 26 – July 30
Application Deadline: Varies each year
Eligibility: Undergraduate students who will receive college credit for this internship and who are currently enrolled in a college or university
At the Gulf Coast Research Laboratory, you’ll take immersive marine science courses that combine coastal fieldwork with lab-based analysis. You will study subjects like Barrier Island Ecology, Marine Invertebrate Zoology, Cetacean Behavior, Ichthyology, or Marine Conservation. Field excursions include research cruises through the Mississippi Sound, barrier island surveys, and sampling trips to estuarine and offshore sites. You can also join the Research Study Program, where you’ll design and carry out your own research project with support from faculty mentors. In the lab, you’ll examine specimens, process environmental data, and learn marine sampling and identification techniques. By the end of the program, you’ll complete coursework and research that can contribute to future academic or professional work in marine science.
9. Hatfield Marine Science Center REU (Oregon State University)
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not publicly disclosed
Location: Hatfield Marine Science Center in Newport and Port Orford Field Station
Stipend: $630/week
Program Dates: June 17 – August 17
Application Deadline: December 1
Eligibility: U.S. citizens or permanent residents, and must be currently enrolled in college with a minimum of one term remaining after the summer program toward a bachelor’s degree
The Hatfield Marine Science Center offers a summer research program where you conduct a project in marine or estuarine science with support from a faculty mentor. Research areas include estuarine chemistry, oceanography, marine ecology, fisheries science, or climate-related impacts. You’ll collect data in coastal environments, analyze results in labs, and meet regularly with peers and mentors to discuss your findings. The program also includes field trips and cohort activities designed to improve your understanding of coastal ecosystems and research practices. At the end of the program, you’ll present your work at a symposium through a poster or oral presentation.
10. Scripps Institution of Oceanography Summer Internship Program
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly competitive, cohort size not publicly disclosed
Location: University of California, San Diego in La Jolla, California
Stipend: $6,000
Program Dates: June 24 – August 9
Application Deadline: January 24
Eligibility: U.S. citizens or permanent residents who are currently enrolled as first, second, or third-year undergraduate students and will be at least 18 years old by the start of the internship.
As an intern in the MPL Summer Internship Program, you’ll spend ten weeks working alongside researchers at Scripps Institution of Oceanography on topics like ocean acoustics, marine robotics, physical oceanography, or geophysics. You’ll take part in designing experiments, collecting and analyzing data, and contributing to ongoing investigations led by your assigned mentor. The program includes seminars and technical workshops that introduce you to current challenges in ocean science and engineering. You may also participate in fieldwork or equipment testing, depending on your project. Toward the end of the internship, you’ll present your research findings to the broader scientific community at Scripps.
11. Biological Discovery in Woods Hole – NSF REU at Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL)
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: 10 students per year
Location: Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL), Woods Hole, Massachusetts
Stipend: ~$7,000
Program Dates: June 15 – August 15
Application Deadline: March 10
Eligibility: Applicants should be enrolled in an undergraduate degree program at a college or university
The Biological Discovery in Woods Hole program places you in a research lab at the Marine Biological Laboratory for ten weeks during the summer. You join an ongoing project in areas such as molecular biology, developmental biology, neurobiology, or ecology, depending on your placement. Faculty and research staff serve as mentors, and you work alongside graduate students, technicians, or postdocs. Your daily tasks may include conducting lab-based experiments, collecting data, analyzing images, or reviewing literature. Weekly seminars and professional development sessions are integral to the program, complemented by group discussions on research ethics and communication.
12. Shannon Point Marine Center REU (Western Washington University)
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: 8 students per year
Location: Shannon Point Marine Center, Western Washington University, Anacortes, Washington
Stipend: $6,300
Program Dates: June 10 – August 9
Application Deadline: February 10
Eligibility: U.S. citizens who are currently enrolled in an undergraduate program
The REU program at Shannon Point Marine Center runs for nine weeks and places you in a research lab focused on marine science. You work under faculty supervision on an independent project that may involve topics such as molecular ecology, ocean acidification, nutrient cycling, or coastal dynamics. Depending on your placement, your tasks may include field sampling, water quality analysis, microscopy, or experimental design. You attend weekly seminars, research discussions, and skills workshops throughout the program.
13. Shoals Marine Laboratory Undergraduate Research Internships
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Varies by research area
Location: Shoals Marine Laboratory, Appledore Island, Gulf of Maine
Stipend: Varies by project
Program Dates: May 30 – August 11
Application Deadline: February 10
Eligibility: Current undergraduate students enrolled in a degree program.
At the Shoals Marine Laboratory, the SURG program pairs you with a faculty mentor for a research project in marine science. Topics include intertidal zone dynamics, seabird behavior, oceanographic monitoring, and other related areas. Fieldwork is central to most projects and may be combined with lab analysis, ecological surveys, or instrumentation. Instead of a fixed daily routine, your work schedule will depend on tides, weather, and species activity. Throughout the program, you meet regularly with mentors and peers to review research methods, share progress, and discuss scientific ethics. Final presentations take place at a symposium open to faculty and student researchers.
14. Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC) Summer Internship
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified
Location: Edgewater, Maryland
Stipend: $650/week
Program Dates: Varies each year
Deadline: February 15
Eligibility: Undergraduate students and recent graduates from any nationality. Selection is based on academic background, research interest alignment, and mentor availability
The SERC Summer Internship Program provides students with the opportunity to work on independent research projects in areas such as marine ecology, ocean acidification, coastal disease, biogeochemistry, and more. SERC researchers will mentor you and will present your findings to the community at the end of the internship. Projects are available in both research and public engagement tracks, including science writing, environmental education, and participatory science. In addition to fieldwork and lab research, you will also participate in networking events, skill-building seminars, and professional development sessions.
15. Southwest Fisheries Science Center Internships (NOAA)
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified
Location: La Jolla, California
Stipend: Unpaid
Program Dates & Deadlines:
Spring: January–May; apply by October
Summer: May–August; apply by February
Fall: August–December; apply by July
Eligibility: Incoming juniors, seniors, or recent graduates
The NOAA Southeast Fisheries Science Center offers internships through the Shark Population Assessment Group and the Reef Fish/GFISHER program. In the shark group, you assist with surveys such as GULFSPAN and the Smalltooth Sawfish Abundance Survey, conducting boat-based fieldwork in coastal and estuarine areas. Tasks include identifying, tagging, and collecting data from shark and ray species, as well as supporting lab research on growth, diet, and biological data management. If you're placed in the reef fish program, you join surveys that monitor reef fish populations using video camera arrays, traps, and remotely operated vehicles. You contribute to side-scan sonar mapping and assist with operating field equipment, identifying fish, and collecting environmental data. Lab responsibilities include reviewing video footage, processing sonar data, and analyzing collected specimens. Field and lab work vary depending on placement and current projects.
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