15 STEM Internships for Undergraduates in North Carolina
For students interested in STEM, exploring internships early is especially important because these fields evolve rapidly and reward practical expertise. North Carolina, with its strong research universities and thriving innovation hubs, offers a wide range of high-quality opportunities for undergraduates. To help students focus their search, we’ve narrowed down the best STEM internships for undergraduates in North Carolina based on factors like mentorship quality, hands-on learning, professional development support, and overall career impact
Why should I do a STEM internship in college?
A STEM internship offers concrete advantages beyond general work experience. Students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields gain exposure to cutting-edge tools, research methods, and industry standards that employers actively seek. By contributing to real projects — whether in a lab, tech company, or engineering firm — students develop problem-solving abilities and technical competencies that make them more competitive candidates.
Here’s a list of 15 STEM Internships to get you started!
If you want to see what STEM internships are available in other states, find a list of STEM internships in California here & Arizona here.
1. UNC Charlotte REU in Cybersecurity and AI
Location: UNC Charlotte, Charlotte, NC
Cost/Stipend: Stipend plus housing and food allowance (over $8000 total)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Unspecified
Application Deadline: February 1
Dates: May 26 – July 24
Eligibility: US citizens or permanent residents; current undergraduates in good standing
In this nine-week summer program, you take part in a structured research experience focused on topics in cybersecurity and artificial intelligence. You spend approximately 40 hours per week working in a research lab at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, where you engage with practical research questions in computing. Through workshops and guided mentorship, you build foundational research skills, including reviewing literature, analyzing data, and presenting findings.
You work alongside graduate students, faculty members, and fellow participants in a collaborative academic setting. Throughout the program, you contribute to ongoing projects and gain insight into how research teams operate. You also learn about pathways to funded graduate study in computing and related fields. Some past participants have gone on to co-author research papers or continue their studies at the graduate level.
2. Ladder Internship Program
Location: Remote! You can work from anywhere in the world
Cost: Starting at $2,490 (financial aid available)
Application deadline: Varies by cohort. Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September) and Winter (November)
Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year, including Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter
Eligibility: Students who can work for 10-20 hours/week, for 8-12 weeks. Open to high school students, undergraduates, and gap year students
Ladder Internships is a selective internship program designed for high school students who want structured, professional experience. In the program, you are placed with a start-up company and contribute to ongoing projects as part of a remote internship. The participating start-ups operate across a range of fields, including technology, AI and machine learning, health tech, marketing, journalism, and consulting.
During the internship, you work directly with a supervisor at the company and receive additional guidance from a Ladder Coach. Your responsibilities typically involve supporting real business initiatives, conducting research, or helping develop strategy and content, depending on the company’s needs. At the end of the program, you present your work to the start-up team, giving you experience communicating your contributions in a professional setting. The virtual internship is usually 8 weeks long.
3. NanoSURE (NSF-REU) at UNC Charlotte
Location: UNC Charlotte, Charlotte, NC
Cost/Stipend: $6,000 stipend; on-campus housing provided
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Unspecified
Application Deadline: Unspecified
Dates: May 26 – July 31
Eligibility: Undergraduate students
During this 10-week program, you work on an interdisciplinary research project in nanoscale science and engineering. Faculty mentors from Chemistry, Biology, Physics and Optical Science, and Mechanical Engineering and Engineering Science guide you through a defined research plan and introduce you to core laboratory techniques. Depending on your project, you may study topics such as nanoparticle synthesis and assembly, quantum dots, carbon nanotubes, metallic nanoparticles, nanomedicine and drug delivery systems, or hybrid materials.
As part of your research training, you gain experience using analytical tools and instrumentation, which may include spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), or X-ray crystallography. The program also includes group activities and a community outreach component, where you help facilitate NanoDiscovery Day at Discovery Place — Charlotte. At the conclusion of the program, you present your research findings at a symposium.
4. Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) at ECU Coastal
Location: Coastal Studies Institute, East Carolina University, Outer Banks, NC
Cost/Stipend: $7,000 stipend; additional for cost of living and travel
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Unspecified
Application Deadline: Unspecified
Dates: Summer (tentatively)
Eligibility: U.S. citizens or permanent residents; at least 18 years old; completed at least one year of undergrad with one semester remaining; all majors welcome
In this program, you become part of an interdisciplinary research team focused on coastal environments, examining both natural systems and human-built infrastructure. You choose from a range of mentor-led projects that may explore geospatial analysis, environmental policy, coastal ecology, engineering solutions, or the social dimensions of resilience. Example topics can include monitoring salinity levels, evaluating marine energy potential, or studying wetland adaptation to environmental change.
You work closely with a faculty mentor from East Carolina University or the University of Puerto Rico–Arecibo to design and carry out a research plan. Alongside other REU participants, you develop skills in communicating scientific ideas to public audiences, including K–12 students. During the program, you engage with communities in coastal North Carolina, including those on the Outer Banks, to better understand local environmental challenges. Professional development activities are incorporated to help you clarify academic and career goals, and projects may shift to virtual formats if circumstances require.
5. Biomedical Engineering Summer Research Opportunities
Location: Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC
Cost/Stipend: Stipend provided; on-campus housing for non-local students
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Up to 50 students (600+ applicants typically)
Application Deadline: January 30
Dates: May 26 – July 31
Eligibility: 18+ years old; completed 2+ semesters undergrad/master’s; GPA 3.0+; enrolled in a US institution as a student (not graduating before May 27, 2026); US citizens/nationals/permanent residents or J-1/F-1 visa students (limited spots)
During this 10-week program, you choose from more than 40 research projects focused on injury prediction modeling and finite element analysis related to trauma. Your work may examine safety considerations in military, sports, or spaceflight environments, as well as strategies for preventing conditions such as osteoporosis. Some projects investigate biomechanical mechanisms of injury and their relevance to cancer diagnostics and treatment approaches.
You may also contribute to research in biomedical informatics, medical device testing, and early-stage prototyping. Depending on the project, you use imaging tools and artificial intelligence methods to analyze data, and you may develop or apply machine learning algorithms within academic learning health care systems. Throughout the program, you collaborate with faculty and research mentors, participating in both individual assignments and team-based investigations.
6. BeeMORE at North Carolina State University
Location: NC State University, Raleigh, NC
Cost/Stipend: $4,500 stipend; lodging in Wolf Village apartments; food allowance; limited travel funds
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 8–12 students
Application Deadline: January 31
Dates: May 22 – August 2
Eligibility: Rising sophomores, juniors, seniors; US citizens/permanent residents; 18+ years old; interest in agriculture/STEM research
The BeeMORE program at NC State University offers undergraduates a 10-week summer research experience in microbiology and bee biology. Funded by USDA-NIFA, it supports 8–12 students investigating pollinators, crop productivity, earth ecology, and bee health through microbes. You start with bootcamps on bee field techniques and microbe lab procedures to learn foundational principles in a group setting.
You transition to an independent research project matched to your interests under faculty mentorship. You explore topics on bees as pollinators, microbes in bee health and disease, pollinators’ role in crop productivity, and microbes in earth ecology. You attend professional development seminars on research poster presentations and research ethics. You also gain opportunities for continued mentored research in fall/spring or second summer/short-term industry internships.
7. UNC Chapel Hill Science Enrichment Preparation (S.E.P.) Program
Location: UNC Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC
Cost/Stipend: Competitive stipend; on-campus lodging; educational supplies
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Unspecified
Application Deadline: March 8 (Regular); January 4 (Early)
Dates: May 20 – July 17
Eligibility: Rising sophomores/juniors; 3+ college credits each in Math, Biology, Chemistry; science/overall GPA 3.0+; US citizens/permanent residents (NC residents preferred); 18+ years old; first-generation/rural/socioeconomically disadvantaged
The UNC Chapel Hill S.E.P. Program provides rising sophomores and juniors from disadvantaged backgrounds with eight weeks of academic enrichment in the sciences geared toward medical or dental school preparation. It combines classroom instruction, professional shadowing, and skill-building seminars on the UNC campus. You complete over 150 hours of classroom instruction in Physics, Organic Chemistry, Human Physiology, and Quantitative Skills/Biostatistics.
You attend seminars on reading speed and comprehension, test-taking strategies, essay writing, and interview techniques. You visit local health facilities and network with healthcare professionals. You shadow Medical or Dental professionals based on your pathway interest. Pre-Dental participants complete a Dental Laboratory Course. Pre-Medical participants complete a Pre-Medical Course. You engage with content tailored to building competitiveness for health professional schools.
8. Duke’s Summer Training in Academic Research (STAR)
Location: Duke Clinical Research Institute, Durham, NC
Cost/Stipend: $5,000 stipend (undergraduates)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Unspecified
Application Deadline: January 2
Dates: June 22 – July 24
Eligibility: Undergraduates; U.S. citizens or permanent residents; strong academics and science interest (no prior research required)
Duke’s STAR Program offers undergraduates a five-week in-person research experience at the Duke Clinical Research Institute. It matches teams with faculty mentors for hypothesis-driven projects on medication use and effects, aiming for co-authorship on peer-reviewed publications. You work in teams with faculty mentors on original projects related to medication uses and effects, starting with a one-page summary and ending in a full research paper.
You develop a specific research question through a literature review in the first two weeks. You analyze data with statistical support and receive tutorials on scientific writing from a medical writer, while attending lectures on neonatology, antimicrobial therapy, pharmacoepidemiology, and medical ethics. If 18 or older, you shadow physicians on hospital rounds to observe clinical medicine. You present formally at program end and complete remote thesis work in early August for potential journal submission.
9. Duke Summer Research Opportunity Program
Location: Duke University, Durham, NC
Cost/Stipend: Competitive stipend; on-campus housing; travel assistance
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Unspecified
Application Deadline: Unspecified
Dates: Summer (tentatively)
Eligibility: Undergraduates with ≥1 semester remaining; U.S./Puerto Rico applicants
Duke’s Summer Research Opportunity Program (SROP) immerses undergraduates in 9 weeks of graduate-level biomedical laboratory research. It provides hands-on experience for those planning Ph.D. programs. You spend most of your time in labs learning techniques, acquiring data, troubleshooting methods, attending lab meetings, and presenting findings as in graduate school.
You work one-on-one with a faculty mentor to solve real biomedical research problems. You join weekly research seminars and roundtable discussions on ethics and graduate success strategies. You participate in academic and career-planning workshops, plus interview preparation. You engage in social activities like dinners, movies, and games. You deliver oral presentations and an interdisciplinary poster session at the closing symposium.
10. Duke PRIME-Cancer Research Program
Location: Duke University, Durham, NC
Cost/Stipend: Stipend provided (amount unspecified)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Unspecified
Application Deadline: February 1
Dates: May 30 – July 24
Eligibility: Rising juniors/seniors (graduation 2027/2028); minimum GPA 3.3; U.S. citizens/nationals/permanent residents; interest in biomedical research careers
Duke PRIME-Cancer Research Program immerses rising juniors and seniors in mentored cancer research at Duke University. Funded by the National Cancer Institute, it pairs students with faculty for independent projects while building skills for biomedical careers. You match with a faculty mentor based on your interests for independent cancer research tied to their ongoing lab projects. You receive team mentoring from faculty, postdocs, and graduate students across multiple levels.
You participate in seminars and workshops, developing research skills and cancer biology knowledge. You engage in professional development programming supporting graduate school preparation. You present research through poster sessions during the summer program. You continue virtual cohort activities throughout the following academic year. You become eligible to return as a peer-to-peer mentor the next summer while advancing your own research.
11. UNC Charlotte REU Program: REMUS
Location: UNC Charlotte, Charlotte, NC
Cost/Stipend: $6,500 total stipend; housing; paid travel to/from program
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Unspecified
Application Deadline: February 11
Dates: May 26 – July 31
Eligibility: Undergraduates
The UNC Charlotte REMUS REU provides undergraduates with a 10-week mentored research experience in urban systems. It follows a structured timeline with workshops, progress checks, and a final symposium, funded by NSF with full support, including travel. Mentors guide your one-on-one research project addressing real-world urban questions in Charlotte, spanning biodiversity, conservation, meteorology, water quality, forest health, and GIS technology.
You attend workshops to build skills in science communication, data analysis, and networking within the social-ecological-technological framework. You investigate how to balance rapid urban growth with environmental sustainability across the Piedmont region’s diverse landscapes.
11. NC Coastal Reserve Internship Opportunities
Location: NC Coastal Reserve sites/offices (Manteo, Beaufort, Wilmington), NC
Cost/Stipend: Paid ($15/hr, 30 hrs/wk, 10–12 weeks) + $1,500 travel/housing stipend (FOR positions)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Unspecified
Application Deadline: Jan 23, 2026 (FOR); Jan 30, 2026 (State); Feb 20, 2026 (Credit)
Dates: May – July (flexible)
Eligibility: NC college/university students (freshman-senior); science majors; US work eligibility
NC DEQ Coastal Reserve offers four paid undergraduate internships in coastal science and management for summer 2026. These positions support estuarine ecosystem stewardship, research, and education across reserve sites in North Carolina's northern, central, and southern regions. Depending on the site, you assist with trail and boardwalk maintenance, habitat management, and species monitoring at locations including Currituck Banks, Kitty Hawk Woods, Buxton Woods, Masonboro Island, Zeke’s Island, Bald Head Woods, Bird Island, and the Rachel Carson Reserve.
Your fieldwork may include surveying protected plants and wildlife, monitoring wild horses, conducting sea turtle surveys, and collecting environmental data in maritime forests, estuaries, and barrier island ecosystems. Many sites require travel by boat or kayak and involve extended time outdoors in varied coastal conditions. In addition to stewardship work, you may support estuarine research activities such as marsh vegetation surveys, drone-based shoreline mapping, and water quality monitoring.
12. NC State Summer Science Internship for Undergraduates
Location: NC State University, Raleigh, NC
Cost/Stipend: $3,600 stipend; free on-campus housing; travel up to $600
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Unspecified
Application Deadline: Unspecified (not currently accepting)
Dates: May 27 – July 31 (tentatively)
Eligibility: Undergraduates from SE CASC Consortium institutions or USET member Nations; climate adaptation interest
The SE CASC Summer Science Internship immerses undergraduates in climate adaptation science communication at NC State University. Housed in the Department of Applied Ecology, it supports the USGS network delivering research for fish, wildlife, water, land, and people facing climate change. You assist science and communications teams with tasks like writing research article synopses and contributing to science synthesis projects.
You design infographics and create video abstracts explaining climate adaptation findings. You work at least 20 hours per week, sometimes weekends, from campus housing in Raleigh. You build skills in scientific communication while gaining exposure to federal climate research operations. You expand your professional network within USGS climate adaptation services. You develop hard and soft skills applicable to science communication careers.
13. UNC SPIRE Summer Undergraduate Research Program 2026
Location: UNC Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC
Cost/Stipend: $4,000 stipend; $750 food allowance; on-campus housing
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Unspecified
Application Deadline: February 20
Dates: May 17 – July 24
Eligibility: Sophomores/juniors/seniors (GPA 2.5+, 3.0 recommended); from Johnson C. Smith Univ., NC A&T, NC Central Univ., UNC Pembroke; biological/biomedical/chemical science majors
The UNC SPIRE Summer Undergraduate Research Program offers 10 weeks of mentored research in biomedical sciences at UNC Chapel Hill. Funded by NIH NIGMS, it targets students from specific NC institutions through postdoctoral scholar mentors across molecular biology, cell biology, chemistry, genetics, cancer, marine biology, and microbiology. You conduct research under current SPIRE postdoctoral scholar mentors in labs addressing molecular biology, cell biology, chemistry, genetics, cancer research, marine biology, or microbiology.
You attend required weekly professional development seminars building scientific skills. You participate in journal clubs discussing recent literature with other summer research cohorts. You commit 40 hours weekly including lab meetings without external jobs or classes. You contribute to the scholarly community through structured summer programming. You present research findings at the end-of-summer poster session.
14. OneCarolina Summer Internship Program
Location: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC
Cost/Stipend: Paid/ $22/hour for 36 hours/week
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Application Deadline: Opens in November
Dates: May 18–July 24
Eligibility: Undergraduate students enrolled full-time for the following fall semester. All majors are welcome. Must be in good academic standing
In this cohort-based internship, you will be part of a small group of up to five interns working within UNC-Chapel Hill. You will be assigned to development-related areas such as marketing, donor relations, research, or data management across different units of the university. The internship is designed to give you exposure to how development and fundraising functions operate within a public university setting.
Most of your week will be spent working on practical projects within your assigned team. One day each week is set aside for professional development sessions led by UNC staff, where you will learn more about skills and topics related to the field. At the end of the program, you will complete a capstone presentation that summarizes your work and what you have learned.
15. UNC Fellowship for Exploring Research in Nutrition (FERN)
Location: UNC Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC
Cost/Stipend: $21/hour (40 hrs/week); on-campus Ram Village housing
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Unspecified
Application Deadline: February 2
Dates: May 26 – July 24
Eligibility: Undergraduates (2nd year+ standing); interest in food/nutrition policy research & graduate study in public health/nutrition
The FERN fellowship at UNC Chapel Hill provides undergraduates with 9 weeks of paid research training in food and nutrition policy. Hosted by the Global Food Research Program within the Carolina Population Center, it focuses on obesity prevention and health disparities through real-world policy analysis. You become an active team member conducting literature reviews and interpreting food policy research results.
You draft manuscripts and develop other research skills through hands-on projects. You receive one-on-one mentorship from GFRP leaders throughout and beyond the summer. You attend weekly professional development workshops covering resume building and visual research presentations. You gain access to an assigned laptop/workspace and collaborate with researchers/graduate students evaluating domestic/global food policies. You build foundational skills for MPH/MS/PhD/RD careers addressing nutrition-related health disparities.
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