| Application deadline | Unconfirmed — check official site | Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Cost | Unconfirmed — check official site | Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Financial aid | Unconfirmed — check official site | Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Expenses and aid conditions | Unconfirmed — check official site | Last year's cycle (2026): 2026 enrolment deposit: $600. Paid with the application to hold space; future amount and refund terms must be checked.; 2026 non-refundable application fee: $99–$199. Started at $99 and increased to $149 and $199 at later application waves.; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Stipend or pay | Unconfirmed — check official site | Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Eligibility | Grades 11–12; Grade timing: Unconfirmed — check official site | Grades 9–12; Grade timing: Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Additional eligibility | 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 | Requirement: For high-school programmes, have completed eighth grade before the session; Requirement: Normally hold at least a 3.0 GPA or local equivalent; Requirement: Meet campus/course-specific age, health and prerequisite rules; Requirement: International applicants must demonstrate English proficiency; Requirement: Be available for the complete selected session; Exclusion: The aggregate listing does not mean every course is available at every campus; Exclusion: Most host universities do not run, sponsor or endorse the programme; Exclusion: Participation does not confer university admission or generally stated college credit; Exclusion: The 2026 season is closed |
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| Session dates or duration | Catalog terms: 7 weeks; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site | Catalog terms: 1–2 weeks; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Format | In person | In person / Online |
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| Housing and supervision | Non-residential. Supervision and housing details: Unconfirmed — check official site | Residential. Supervision and housing details: Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Location | Gaithersburg, Maryland, Boulder, Colorado, NIST Gaithersburg and NIST Boulder campuses; permanent residence required within 50 miles | New York, Berkeley, Los Angeles, San Diego, Seattle, Washington, Durham, New Haven, Oxford, Multiple campus locations; options change by year |
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| 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 | Selection: Applicants were reviewed against grade, GPA and programme-fit requirements, with decisions normally in 5-7 business days. Capacity was course/session-specific and could close early; no applicant or acceptance totals are published. Application materials: English-proficiency interview or accepted evidence for international applicants |
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| Official sources | Source 1 · checked 2026-10-09Source 2 · checked 2026-10-09Source 3 · checked 2026-10-09Source 4 · checked 2026-08-22Source 5 · checked 2026-08-22 | Source 1 · checked 2026-08-22Source 2 · checked 2026-08-22Source 3 · checked 2026-08-22 |
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