15 Undergraduate Internships That Include a Project Presentation
Undergraduate internships allow you to work on projects within labs, research teams, and organizations where you can contribute to ongoing work alongside your studies. As an intern, you may assist with experiments, data analysis, literature review, coding, or program support depending on the field you choose. These roles give you documented experience that can be included in applications for jobs, research positions, and graduate programs. Many students also use internships to test different subject areas before committing to a specific academic or career path. Some programs are flexible and funded, including online or hybrid options, making them easier to take alongside college coursework.
If you’re looking for remote/online internships, then you can check out paid programs here! And if you’re worried about having less experience, check out our blog here!
Why Should I Do an Undergraduate Internship in College?
An undergraduate internship usually comes with defined expectations for what you produce and how it is reviewed, not just what you learn. You are given specific responsibilities within a larger project, and your work is assessed through outputs like reports, analysis, or contributions to ongoing research. Internships also help you get familiar with how teams communicate and make decisions, especially when you’re expected to document and present your work. Programs that end with a presentation are especially useful because they push you to organize your work clearly and explain it to an audience. That ability to present ideas clearly often carries over into interviews, group projects, and research applications.
In this list, we have focused on 15 undergraduate internships that include a project presentation at the end.
Key takeaways
This list gathers 15 undergraduate internships that end with a formal project presentation, spanning academic research fellowships, national laboratories, and applied technical or business internships, with standout hosts including NIH, NASA, Caltech, and Stanford.
Nearly all of these are paid, with stipends commonly ranging from $5,000 to $8,000 for the summer, and a couple offering additional housing and travel support on top of that.
Every program on this list ends with a structured way to share your work, whether through a poster session, oral presentation, written report, or a direct pitch to company mentors, giving you real practice explaining your work to an audience before doing it again in grad school or job interviews.
Most of these require being on-site at a specific university or national lab, while Ladder and a couple of national programs with multiple sites offer more flexibility depending on your placement.
The earliest deadline falls on October 1 for one Texas-based biomedical research program, with several more clustering into January and February, so it's worth starting applications well before winter break wraps up.
1. NSF REU (Research Experiences for Undergraduates) Programs
Location: Multiple REU Sites nationwide
Cost/Stipend: Free; competitive stipends offered; housing, meals, and travel may be covered
Acceptance Rate/cohort Size: Not specified
Dates: Varies based on specific opportunity
Application Deadline: Varies based on specific opportunity
Eligibility: Undergraduates (college and university students) pursuing an associate or bachelor's degree and who are U.S. citizens, permanent residents, or U.S. nationals; individual REU sites may have other specific eligibility requirements
The NSF Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program places you in funded research projects hosted at universities and research institutions across the United States. You will work under faculty or research mentors as part of a small cohort, on ongoing projects in biology, engineering, computer science, physics, mathematics, and social sciences. Throughout the program, you are expected to document your progress and contribute to a research output such as data analysis, literature review, experiments, or technical development depending on the field. At the end of the program, you’ll present your work at a formal REU site symposium, usually through a poster or oral presentation shared with faculty and peers.
2. Ladder Internships
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: Cost varies depending on the program type; financial aid is available / No stipend
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Approximately 25%; around 100 students per cohort
Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year, including Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter
Application Deadline: Varies depending 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
Ladder Internships is an 8-week remote internship program that matches you with a startup project aligned with your academic interests. Projects vary by placement and may involve market research, business analysis, content development, product strategy, coding, or other startup-focused work. You work on a defined deliverable for a company and meet regularly with company mentors and coaches throughout the program. The internship follows a milestone-based structure, with you presenting an initial deliverable midway through the program and refining your work based on feedback. During the final week, you present your completed project directly to company representatives as part of the program's requirements.
3. Van Andel Institute Undergraduate Research Fellowship
Location: Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI
Cost/Stipend: Free; stipend of $16.00 per hour, reimbursement for transport, covered parking
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 30-35 interns
Dates: Session I: May 4-July 17, Session II: June 1 - August 7
Application Deadline: February 1
Eligibility: Undergraduate college students currently enrolled in a science/research-related degree program and maintaining a minimum of a 3.00 GPA
The Van Andel Institute Undergraduate Student Research Fellowship is a paid summer research internship that places you in a biomedical research laboratory. You will be paired with a faculty investigator or research mentor and work on projects focused on the cellular, molecular, and genetic basis of human disease. Depending on your placement, your work may involve laboratory experiments, data analysis, scientific literature review, or the use of specialized research technologies. The program also includes workshops on scientific communication, poster design, and graduate school preparation, along with regular opportunities to discuss research progress with scientists across the institute. Throughout the internship, you maintain records of your work and participate in professional development activities designed for undergraduate researchers.
4. UC Merced C-SIP
Location: University of California, Merced campus, CA
Cost/Stipend: Free; $5,500 stipend, room, board, and travel expenses included
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not publicly disclosed
Dates: June 1 - July 31
Application Deadline: February 27
Eligibility: Full-time undergraduate students with at least two semesters of college experience who are U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, or permanent residents
The CCBM Summer Internship Program (C-SIP) is a summer research program that connects undergraduate students with faculty-led projects in cellular and biomolecular science. The program lets you work on a faculty-led research project in bioengineering, biochemistry, biophysics, materials science, and related STEM fields. Alongside research activities, you will participate in workshops, training sessions, lectures, and mentoring from faculty members and graduate students. C-SIP is part of UC Merced's Summer Undergraduate Research Institute (SURI). A key component of the internship is presenting your research at the UROC Annual Summer Research Symposium, where you will share your findings through poster presentations and other research presentations.
5. NIH Summer Internship Program (SIP)
Location: NIH Campus, Bethesda, MD
Cost/Stipend: Free; competitive stipend offered, free parking also covered
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not publicly disclosed
Dates: May 11 - August 31
Application Deadline: February 27
Eligibility: Open to U.S. citizens and permanent residents who are at least 18 years old and are enrolled at least half-time in high school (or graduating before the internship), a community college, college, university, professional program, or an accredited graduate program beginning in the fall.
The NIH Summer Internship Program (SIP) is a paid research internship that allows you to work in a biomedical, behavioral, or social science research group within the National Institutes of Health. You will be matched with a principal investigator and contribute to an ongoing research project alongside scientists, researchers, and other trainees. Your work may involve laboratory experiments, data analysis, computational research, literature review, or clinical and translational research activities. In addition to research responsibilities, the program offers professional development programming, career exploration events, and opportunities to learn about research careers across the NIH.
6. Caltech SURF (Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowships)
Location: California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA
Cost/Stipend: Free; $8,110 stipend
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not publicly disclosed
Dates: Varies each year
Application Deadline: Typically late February
Eligibility: Continuing undergraduate students with a cumulative GPA of 2.5 (2.0 for Caltech students) who have completed the second semester or third quarter at your college or university
Caltech's Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowships (SURF) is a proposal-based research program where you develop and carry out an independent research project with faculty mentorship. Before beginning your work, you’ll submit a research proposal that outlines the questions, methods, and goals of your project. Research opportunities span biology, chemistry, engineering, computer science, physics, and the social sciences. You will work closely with a mentor while conducting research and documenting your findings. You are also expected to prepare a technical paper that describes your methods, results, and conclusions. The program concludes with SURF Seminar Day, where you’ll present your project through an oral or poster presentation to members of the Caltech community.
7. Stanford SURF (Stanford Summer Research Program)
Location: Stanford University, Stanford, CA
Cost/Stipend: Free; $6,000 stipend
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not publicly disclosed
Dates: June 22 - August 14
Application Deadline: December 15 - February 3
Eligibility: Continuing undergraduate students with a cumulative GPA of 2.5 (2.0 for Caltech students) who have completed the second semester or third quarter at your college or university
Stanford's Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Bay Area is an engineering research fellowship that combines faculty-mentored research with graduate school preparation for undergraduate students. During the eight-week program, you will join a Stanford Engineering lab and contribute to an ongoing research project alongside faculty members, graduate students, and researchers. There are research opportunities in multiple engineering disciplines, allowing you to explore a specific area of interest while gaining experience with the research process. In addition to your lab work, you’ll participate in mentorship activities, networking opportunities, community events, and workshops focused on graduate education.
8. DOE Science Undergraduate Laboratory Internships (SULI)
Location: 7 participating Department of Energy (DOE) National Laboratories and facilities across the United States, including Oak Ridge National Laboratory (Oak Ridge, TN), Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (Livermore, CA), Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (Princeton, NJ), and more
Cost/Stipend: Free; weekly stipend of $650, travel and housing costs covered
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not publicly disclosed
Dates: Summer, Spring, and Fall cohorts, 10 weeks
Application Deadline: Summer: January 7, Spring: May 20, Fall: September
Eligibility: Open to students enrolled full-time at an accredited community college, two-year or four-year institution, as well as recent graduates who have earned an undergraduate degree
The Science Undergraduate Laboratory Internships (SULI) program places you at a U.S. Department of Energy national laboratory to work on projects related to science, technology, engineering, mathematics, or science policy. Your work will involve laboratory research, computational modeling, data analysis, engineering design, or other technical projects. Internships are available during the summer and academic year, allowing students to work at one of the participating DOE laboratories across the country. You will collaborate with a scientist or engineer who mentors you throughout the internship. In addition to research activities, many host laboratories offer workshops, lectures, and professional development opportunities focused on scientific communication and career exploration. Before completing the program, you are required to present your research findings through either an oral or poster presentation and submit a written project report.
9. NASA OSTEM Internships
Location: Several NASA centers across the U.S.
Cost/Stipend: Paid (varies based on project)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not publicly disclosed
Dates: Multiple cohorts in a year
Application Deadline: Varies by cohort
Eligibility: Undergraduates (16+) with a GPA of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale; More details here
The NASA Internship Program allows undergraduate students to work on projects that support the agency's work in science, engineering, technology, aeronautics, and space exploration. You can contribute to research, software development, engineering design, communications, or data analysis projects alongside NASA professionals. At the conclusion of the internship, you will be asked to share your work through technical briefings, poster presentations, project showcases, or other presentation formats used by the host teams.
10. Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) Undergraduate Internship Program
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: Stipend offered; amount varies based on project
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not publicly disclosed
Dates: Varies based on project
Application Deadline: Varies based on project
Eligibility: Open to undergraduates with a minimum GPA of 3.0
The Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) College Internship Program allows undergraduate students to contribute to technical projects supporting research, engineering, national security, and scientific innovation. You can work on projects in software development, artificial intelligence, data science, and cybersecurity, among others. Based on your role, you may develop software applications, analyze data, design and test hardware, build models and simulations, or support other ongoing technical initiatives. You will get to work alongside scientists, engineers, and subject-matter experts while contributing to a project team. In addition to project work, you will also have access to technical talks, networking opportunities, leadership sessions, and career development programming.
11. Georgia Tech Summer Undergraduate Research in Engineering (SURE)
Location: Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA
Cost/Stipend: Free, stipend of $6,000
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not publicly disclosed
Dates: May 17 – July 24
Application Deadline: October 15 – February 15
Eligibility: Rising juniors and seniors from U.S.-based colleges or universities who have not graduated and are majoring in computing, engineering, science, or another technology-related field
Georgia Tech's Summer Undergraduate Research in Engineering/Sciences (SURE) program is a summer research experience for undergraduate students interested in engineering and STEM fields. You’ll join a faculty research group and contribute to projects alongside graduate students and researchers. Research topics vary across laboratories and can include engineering, computing, materials science, mathematics, and the natural sciences. The program brings together undergraduate researchers from across Georgia Tech, creating opportunities to discuss research with students working in different disciplines. As your project develops, you will prepare a research poster that summarizes your methods, results, and conclusions.
12. LGS-SOAR
Location: Emory University, Atlanta, GA; Virtual options available
Cost/Stipend: $5,500 (pre-tax); Housing and travel assistance provided (stipend and benefits are only provided to on-campus scholars)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not publicly disclosed
Dates: May 26 – July 31 (on-campus scholars); June 1 – July 29 (virtual scholars)
Application Deadline: February 3
Eligibility: Students in the 2nd or 3rd year of their undergraduate degree, who have some research experience and who are U.S. citizens, permanent residents, DACA recipients, undocumented scholars, and international scholars
The Laney Graduate School Summer Opportunity for Academic Research (LGS-SOAR) matches undergraduate students with faculty mentors at Emory University. Faculty mentors host projects in biomedical science, public health, biological science, and the social sciences. You spend the summer investigating a specific research question and meeting regularly with your mentor to discuss your work. The program also includes seminars and training sessions organized by Emory's Laney Graduate School. Participants complete a written report that summarizes their research findings and activities. At the end of the program, you’ll present your work at the LGS-SOAR Research Symposium.
13. University of Michigan Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF)
Location: University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
Cost/Stipend: Free; stipend $7,200
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not publicly disclosed
Dates: 12 weeks, May 26-August 14
Application Deadline: Varies each year
Eligibility: Full-time college students who have completed at least 2 terms with a minimum 3.0 GPA
The University of Michigan Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) supports undergraduate students conducting full-time research in physiology and related scientific fields. During the 12-week program, you work in a faculty mentor's laboratory on a project in metabolism, neuroscience, cardiovascular biology, or molecular physiology. Your tasks may involve conducting experiments, analyzing data, reviewing scientific literature, and assisting with other aspects of the research process. You can also attend research seminars and interact with other undergraduate researchers throughout the summer.
14. Columbia University Amgen Scholars Program
Location: University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
Cost/Stipend: Free; stipend of $5500, $500 in flex, and housing on the Morningside campus of Columbia University
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not publicly disclosed
Dates: 12 weeks, May 26-August 14
Application Deadline: February 1
Eligibility: Second-year, third-year, and non-graduating fourth-year undergraduate students who are U.S. citizens and permanent residents at four-year colleges and universities in the United States, Puerto Rico, or other U.S. territory with a minimum 3.2 GPA
The Columbia University Amgen Scholars Program is for undergraduate students interested in biology and biomedical science. You will work in a Columbia laboratory under the supervision of a research scientist while pursuing an independent research project. Your work focuses on a specific research question and contributes to ongoing studies within your host lab. Throughout the summer, you will attend seminars, discussions, and networking events that introduce different areas of biological and biomedical research. You are also expected to prepare a written research paper summarizing your project and findings. Scientific communication is an important component of the program, and you will present your research at Columbia's summer symposium. Additionally, you’ll attend the Amgen Scholars National Symposium, where undergraduate researchers from partner institutions gather to share their work.
15. UT Southwestern Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF)
Location: UT Southwestern Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Dallas, TX
Cost/Stipend: Free; stipend of $5,000
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Around 50 fellows each year
Dates: 10 weeks, June 1 - August 7
Application Deadline: October 1 - February 1
Eligibility: Students enrolled in an undergraduate science degree program and have completed their freshman year who are U.S. citizens or who possess an F1 visa
The UT Southwestern Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) places undergraduate students in faculty laboratories at UT Southwestern Medical Center. You can work on a project in neuroscience, cancer biology, genetics, immunology, pharmacology, cell biology, and biomedical engineering. The focus of the host laboratory determines research activities and may involve experimental work, data interpretation, or scientific literature review. SURF fellows attend scientific seminars featuring researchers from across the institution and learn about current developments in biomedical science. All participants prepare a research poster that summarizes their project and findings.
Questions students often ask about these internships
1. Do I need prior research or technical project experience to apply to these internships?
It depends on the program. Several of the most selective research fellowships do favor students with some relevant coursework or lab exposure, though not necessarily hands-on experience. The applied technical and business-focused options are generally more open to students building that background for the first time.
2. What kind of presentation should I expect at the end of these programs, a poster or an oral talk?
It varies. Many of the research fellowships culminate in a poster session at a symposium, while a few also include an oral presentation or written technical paper. The business and engineering-focused programs typically end with a direct presentation to mentors or company representatives instead.
3. Are all of these programs research-based, or are some more like a business or engineering internship?
Most are academic research fellowships hosted in a faculty lab, but a few are structured more like applied technical or business internships, working on software, engineering, or startup projects rather than an independent research question. Check each listing's description to see which format fits what you're looking for.