| 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 | 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 | 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 | Ages 10–17; Requirement: Meet the session-specific age band: historically 12-17 for two-week sessions and 10-17 for one-week sessions; Requirement: Complete registration, payment and all required parent or guardian, health, physical, medication and release forms; Requirement: Meet the next cycle's swimming, snorkeling, SCUBA and activity-specific safety requirements; Requirement: Arrange travel and follow the residential arrival, departure, equipment and conduct policies; Exclusion: The official program uses age bands; Exclusion: Ten- and eleven-year-olds were eligible only for one-week residential sessions in 2026; Exclusion: Optional SCUBA was not offered in the one-week 2026 sessions; Exclusion: Registration and course preferences do not guarantee acceptance, space, a selected course or SCUBA participation |
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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 |
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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 | Big Pine Key, Florida Keys, Florida |
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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: Space, acceptance and course assignment standards are not published for 2027; course placement depends on age, prior attendance, preference and availability. Application materials: Separate scholarship form, essay, recommendation and financial documentation if 2027 aid is offered |
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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 2026-08-22Source 4 · checked 2026-08-22Source 5 · checked 2026-08-22 |
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