National Institute of Standards and Technology
Summer High School Internship Program (SHIP)
Seven-week unpaid NIST research for eligible local U.S.-citizen students. The expected 2027 application period is mid-October 2026 through late January 2027; exact dates remain unannounced.
- Application deadline
- Unconfirmed — check official site
- Cost
- Unconfirmed — check official site
- Session dates or duration
- Catalog terms: 7 weeks; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site
- Format
- In person
- Location
- Gaithersburg, Maryland, Boulder, Colorado, NIST Gaithersburg and NIST Boulder campuses; permanent residence required within 50 miles
- Stipend or pay
- Unconfirmed — check official site
Eligibility: Grades 11–12; Grade timing: Unconfirmed — check official site
United States citizen; Permanent residence within 50 miles of the NIST Gaithersburg or Boulder host campus
Housing: Non-residential. Supervision and housing details: Unconfirmed — check official site
Selection: NIST describes SHIP as competitive, and laboratory mentors review complete applications and may interview candidates. The official pages do not publish the current applicant count, placement count, acceptance rate, lab quotas, or scoring rubric.
Full details and official sources
Expenses and aid conditions: Unconfirmed — check official site
Full eligibility requirements: Citizenship: United States citizen; Residency: Permanent residence within 50 miles of the NIST Gaithersburg or Boulder host campus; Requirement: Be a high-school junior or senior at application, or a recent high-school graduate who has not started college; Requirement: Have at least a 3.0 unweighted GPA on a 4.0 scale; Requirement: Demonstrate strong interest in scientific research; Requirement: Commit to the entire seven-week in-person program; Requirement: Provide own local housing and transportation; Requirement: Complete federal security, fingerprinting, badging, health, volunteer, and work-permit requirements if selected; Exclusion: Non-U.S. citizens are ineligible under the current rule; Exclusion: Students outside the 50-mile permanent-residence radius are ineligible; NIST states no exceptions; Exclusion: The internship is unpaid and does not guarantee a stipend, publication, award, recommendation, college credit, federal job, or college-admissions outcome
Selection and application: Selection: NIST describes SHIP as competitive, and laboratory mentors review complete applications and may interview candidates. The official pages do not publish the current applicant count, placement count, acceptance rate, lab quotas, or scoring rubric. Application materials: One-page personal statement covering research interest, preferred NIST laboratory, post-high-school plans, and housing/transportation plan; One STEM-teacher online recommendation and one teacher or professional recommendation; Possible phone or in-person mentor interview
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Last source check . Official source