15 STEM Internships for Undergraduates in Kansas
Participating in an internship while still an undergraduate student is a solid way to explore your field of choice and gain relevant industry experience. Internships give you a clear way to move from classroom learning to working on real-world projects. You’ll get to apply concepts in a professional setting, work on defined tasks, and see how decisions are made in day-to-day operations. This kind of experience adds substance to your resume and helps you understand what different roles actually involve. It also gives you early exposure to workplace expectations, timelines, and collaboration.
If you’re interested in looking for STEM offerings from other states, check out Arkansas’ offering here!
Why should you do a STEM internship in college?
A STEM internship helps you build both technical and workplace skills in a setting that mirrors full-time roles. You’ll work on hands-on, industry-relevant projects, interact with teams, and learn how to communicate progress and solve problems in a structured environment, which makes it easier to transition into a job after graduation. You’ll also get to connect with professionals who can offer guidance, referrals, or recommendations based on your work. In some cases, internships lead directly to return offers or full-time positions. In Kansas, you’ll find STEM internships across research labs, manufacturing firms, healthcare systems, and public sector organizations, many of which offer hands-on roles and direct mentorship.
To make the process more straightforward, we’ve put together 15 STEM internships for undergraduates in Kansas that offer structured experience and clear learning outcomes.
1. University of Kansas Molecular Biosciences REU: The Stressed Life of Cells
Location: University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS
Stipend: $7,000
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified
Dates: May 26 – July 31
Application Deadline: March 3
Eligibility: Undergraduates interested in biology; Must have completed biology and chemistry courses; Must be U.S. citizens/permanent residents (NSF requirement)
This intensive 10-week program will place you in a mentored lab research across molecular biosciences, ecology, evolutionary biology, and computational biology, where you will tackle biological problems through hypothesis development and cutting-edge experiments. You’ll undertake mentored research in faculty laboratories of program participants in the Departments of Molecular Biosciences, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, and Computational Biology. Along with that, you’ll also participate in professional development activities that include group tutorials, guest speakers, computational workshops, communication skills workshops, and career development workshops. You will also get to develop your presentation and communication skills.
2. Ladder University Internship Program
Location: Remote
Cost: Varies (financial aid available)
Acceptance Rate: Selective
Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year
Application Deadline: Deadlines vary depending on the cohort
Eligibility: Undergraduates who can work for 10-20 hours/week, for 8-12 weeks
The Ladder University Internship Program is a selective, virtual internship opportunity in which university students will collaborate with startups and nonprofit organizations globally. The participating startups often operate across diverse industries, including STEM, data science, AI/ML, and health tech. During the internship, you will contribute to real-world projects that meet the genuine needs of the organizations you partner with and will present your work upon completion. As an intern, you will also work closely with your respective managers at the startup. Apply here!
3. Kansas State University Physics REU: Interactions of Matter, Light, and Learning
Location: Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS
Stipend: $7,000 stipend + travel support of up to $1,300
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified
Dates: May 25 – July 31
Application Deadline: March 2 (beyond this date, applications are rolling until full)
Eligibility: Undergrads who completed modern physics courses; U.S. citizens/permanent residents encouraged
This K-State Physics REU program is funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF). It gives you the chance to conduct cutting-edge physics research in areas like atomic/molecular/optical physics, condensed matter, high-energy physics, cosmology, or physics education. As an intern, you will participate in hands-on lab work and faculty projects and develop skills in research techniques and communication. The internship also offers mentorship from faculty and progress updates, capstone talks, public reports, and project webpages.
4. University of Kansas Cancer Center: C-CLEAR Undergraduate Summer Program
Location: University of Kansas Cancer Center, Kansas City, KS
Stipend: Paid
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified
Dates: June 1 – July 24
Application Deadline: March 26
Eligibility: Undergrads who completed modern physics courses; US citizens/permanent residents encouraged
The C-CLEAR Undergraduate Summer Program is an eight-week introduction to clinical research for pre-med students. It involves hands-on data collection, study operations in cancer trials, and observing lab-to-patient treatment progress. As an intern, you will gain GCP certification, ethics knowledge, and career insights into research coordination/physician-investigator roles via mentorship in clinical trials offices. You will also develop skills in patient communication, regulatory documentation, and data integrity practices used in real clinical settings.
5. KU BioPATH Research Experience for Undergraduates
Location: University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS
Stipend: $7,000
Acceptance Rate: Selective
Dates: May 25 – July 31
Application Deadline: February 23 – March 31
Eligibility: Undergraduate freshmen to seniors in chemical engineering and related fields; Must have a GPA of 2.8+ and U.S. citizenship or permanent residence status
The Chemical Engineering REU BioPATH provides learning and research experience in topics related to Biobased Products and Technologies (BioPATH). This experience will help nurture innovative thinking, enhance communication skills, foster an understanding of size and scale, and offer professional development to help prepare you for your future career. You will engage in hands-on experiments using advanced analytical techniques and modern laboratory instrumentation, gaining exposure to real-world research methods. You will also get to work with faculty and graduate mentors who will guide you through experimental design, troubleshooting, and data interpretation.
6. Kansas State University: Plant Pathology REEU Internship
Location: Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS
Stipend: $5,700 + $800 travel allowance
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified
Dates: June 1 – July 31
Application Deadline: February 13
Eligibility: Undergraduate students (18+) in relevant STEM fields; Must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents
The Plant Pathology REEU Internship allows you to work on lab, greenhouse, and field projects across plant pathology, genetics, horticulture, and agricultural engineering. You will get to collaborate with faculty and research teams on real-world plant health challenges while gaining skills in molecular biology, genomics, and bioinformatics. Some projects involve genome sequencing or computational analysis of plant pathogens, expanding professional networks and research experience while contributing to ongoing scientific studies.
7. Chemistry REU Program
Location: University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS
Stipend: $7,000
Cohort Size: 10-12
Dates: May 26 – July 31
Application Deadline: February 22
Eligibility: Undergraduates majoring in Chemistry or related fields
The Chemistry REU Program is a long-running REU program that provides research opportunities for you in interdisciplinary chemical sciences, currently emphasizing sustainability. As a participant, you’ll collaborate with faculty, postdocs, and graduate mentors while developing presentation skills and preparing for graduate school. You’ll gain hands-on experience with modern laboratory techniques, data analysis tools, and research methodologies used in academic and industry settings. The program also includes professional development workshops on scientific writing, graduate applications, and career pathways in chemistry.
8. University of Kansas: Pharmaceutical Chemistry Undergraduate Research Program
Location: University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS
Stipend: Paid
Cohort Size: 4-8
Dates: May 26 – July 31
Application Deadline: January 15 – February 15
Eligibility: Undergraduates who have completed junior year & highly qualified sophomores
As part of the Pharmaceutical Chemistry Undergraduate Research Program, you will conduct independent research supervised by faculty, applying chemical principles to drug-related problems. Your research could focus on improving drug effectiveness, reducing toxicity, or optimizing delivery to target sites, drawing heavily on physical, analytical, and physical-organic chemistry. You’ll also receive training in lab techniques, safety, library research, and specialized instrumentation. Along the way, you’ll hear and learn about research in other labs as well. The program concludes with a research poster presentation summarizing your findings.
9. Burns & McDonnell Engineering Internships
Location: Burns & McDonnell, Kansas City, MO
Stipend: Paid
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not stated
Dates: Summer session
Application Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: Undergrads majoring in engineering with a GPA of 3.0+; Specifics vary by exact internship
Burns & McDonnell offers engineering internships that will place you in engineering teams working on infrastructure, energy, and design projects. As an intern, you’ll support research, modeling, and technical planning tasks. The program emphasizes skill development in engineering software and project workflows, and many roles involve project-based learning. You’ll collaborate with professionals and gain exposure to real engineering challenges. You’ll also receive mentorship from experienced engineers who guide technical problem-solving and career pathways within the field.
10. Dialectic Engineering Intern Program
Location: Dialectic Engineering, Kansas City, MO
Stipend: Paid
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not stated
Dates: Early June – Mid August
Application Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: College students in engineering-related majors
Dialectic is a full-service MEP design and consulting firm licensed in all 50 states, specializing in sustainable and efficient engineering solutions. Dialectic Engineering offers 40-hour workweeks, including multiple technical internship tracks: electrical, mechanical, BIM, and project management. As an intern, you’ll gain practical engineering experience applying classroom theory to real design and construction challenges. You’ll also get to collaborate with professionals, receive mentorship, and learn industry tools and workflows. The program is structured to build technical competence and workplace readiness.
11. Stowers Summer Scholars Program
Location: Stowers Institute for Medical Research, Kansas City, MO
Stipend: $5,000
Cohort Size: 20-25 students
Dates: June 1 – July 24
Application Deadline: October 1 – January 16
Eligibility: Rising undergraduate sophomores (18+) majoring in STEM or related fields; More info here
During the Stowers Summer Scholars Program, you will spend eight weeks working full-time in a research lab at the Stowers Institute for Medical Research, where you will be assigned to a Principal Investigator or senior lab member and contribute to an active project. You’ll take ownership of a defined research question, using current lab techniques and tools across areas like genetics, cell biology, neuroscience, or computational biology. Your week will be structured around lab work, along with regular seminars and small-group sessions where scientists present ongoing research and discuss career paths. By the end of the program, you’ll compile your findings into a formal presentation and present at an institute-wide poster session.
12. Kansas State University: Summer Undergraduate Mathematics Research (SUMaR REU)
Location: Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS
Stipend: $4,800 stipend + $300 travel support
Cohort Size: ~10 students
Program Dates: June 9 – August 1
Application Deadline: Not specified (typically late winter)
Eligibility: Undergraduate students in mathematics; U.S. citizens or permanent residents only
During SUMaR REU, you’ll spend eight weeks working on a focused mathematics research project under the guidance of faculty mentors, typically in areas like algebra, computational imaging, or discrete analysis. The program starts with introductory lectures that build the foundation for your project, followed by regular research work where you’ll develop proofs, run computations, or explore theoretical problems. You’ll meet weekly with your group to present progress and discuss challenges, which helps you build mathematical communication skills. Alongside research, you’ll attend workshops on LaTeX, MATLAB, and mathematical writing, as well as seminars on graduate school applications. The program also includes enrichment talks, collaborative activities, and interactions with graduate students and faculty across the department.
13. University of Kansas – FROST REU: Fostering Research Opportunities in Sustainable Technologies
Location: University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS
Stipend: $7,000
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified
Program Dates: May 26 – July 31
Application Deadline: March 31
Eligibility: Rising undergraduate juniors and seniors, 4-year college students (without a graduate program + with a graduate program), 2-year community college students; Must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents
The FROST REU at the University of Kansas is a 10-week summer program that focuses on sustainable technologies tied to energy, environmental systems, and advanced materials research. During the summer, you’ll work in a faculty-led lab on projects connected to sustainability challenges such as carbon capture, renewable materials, environmental remediation, or energy-efficient technologies. Research activities may include laboratory experiments, data analysis, computational modeling, and materials characterization, depending on the assigned project. Alongside research, you’ll participate in professional development workshops, graduate school preparation sessions, and research seminars led by KU faculty and visiting scientists. The program concludes with a formal research presentation where students share their findings with peers and mentors.
14. Kansas NSF EPSCoR Research Experience (REU)
Location: Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS; University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS; Wichita State University, Wichita, KS
Stipend: $7,000
Cohort Size: 12 undergraduates
Program Dates: May 27 – July 31
Application Deadline: November 1 – February 13
Eligibility: Undergraduate students who have finished at least 1 year of college; U.S. citizens or permanent residents
The Kansas NSF EPSCoR REU is a 9-week summer program that places you into interdisciplinary research projects connected to disaster planning and preparation, rural and urban infrastructure challenges and solutions, and resilience of water, energy, and transportation systems. You’ll work with faculty and graduate researchers while learning how large-scale collaborative research projects operate across multiple scientific disciplines. The program also includes research seminars, mentoring sessions, and workshops focused on scientific communication and graduate school preparation. It emphasizes collaborative, cross-disciplinary research tied to real environmental and sustainability challenges affecting Kansas and surrounding regions.
15. NSF: COLDEX REU
Location: Multiple partner institutions, including the University of Kansas
Stipend: $6,000 stipend
Cohort Size: Not specified
Program Dates: 10 weeks from June – August
Application Deadline: February 2
Eligibility: Undergraduate students in STEM fields; U.S. citizens or permanent residents preferred
The COLDEX REU is a 10-week internship centered on climate science, Earth climate history, atmospheric research, and environmental analysis. During your internship, you will work with ice core scientists and researchers to answer questions that will help find the oldest ice in Antarctica and make important contributions to our understanding of Earth's climate history. You will work in the COLDEX laboratory on projects tied to ice core chemical analysis, oldest ice exploration, ice sheet modeling, science communication, and engineering. You will also have an opportunity to be funded and present your research at the COLDEX annual meeting in Corvallis, Oregon, in September, and receive up to $2,000 to present your research at a national science conference.
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