The NIH Summer Internship Program (SIP) is open to high school students only in their senior year: you must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, graduate before the internship starts, and be 18 by September 30, 2027, or 17 by June 1, 2027 with a permanent home within 40 miles of an NIH campus. It is a full-time, in-person, paid research internship inside an NIH lab, sometime between May 10 and August 31, 2027. The application closes Tuesday, January 26, 2027 at noon ET, and there is no central admissions committee: individual NIH investigators pick their own interns.
Everything below comes from the NIH Office of Intramural Training and Education (OITE) and the NIH Clinical Center, with one third-party guide used for an acceptance rate estimate. All are linked in the Sources section. Where NIH has not published a number, we say so.
What NIH SIP is
The Summer Internship Program places students in research groups inside the NIH Intramural Research Program, the in-house labs run by the 27 NIH Institutes and Centers. Each intern works in a group directed by a Principal Investigator (PI). NIH lists research in the biomedical, behavioral and social sciences, from basic to clinical work, and invites students from biology and chemistry to engineering, computer science and bioinformatics.
The summer is a full-time job. NIH says it is not possible to take summer classes, go on vacation or tend to other responsibilities during work hours, and remote or virtual internships are not permitted. Interns also get career programming, a Graduate and Professional School Fair in July, and Summer Poster Day in early August, where they present their work.
What happened to HiSTEP
Families searching for "NIH HiSTEP" are usually looking for NIH's former high school track. Here is what the official site shows as of November 2026:
- The old HiSTEP address on training.nih.gov now redirects to the general Summer Internship Program page.
- OITE's Research Training page lists programs for college students and above only. There is no separate high school category.
- The SIP eligibility rules include a specific path for graduating high school seniors, and the SIP FAQ answers "I am currently enrolled in high school. Can I apply?" with the senior-year rules.
We found no current NIH page for HiSTEP or HiSTEP 2.0. Pioneer Academics' guide describes the former high school program as consolidated into SIP and no longer operating. In practice, SIP is now the route for high school students, and only seniors qualify. If a website still advertises HiSTEP for juniors, treat it as out of date and check training.nih.gov.
Eligibility, including the 40-mile rule
To apply for summer 2027, a high school student must meet all of the following:
| Requirement | Rule for 2027 |
|---|---|
| Citizenship | U.S. citizen or permanent resident. Permanent residents must attend or be accepted to U.S. institutions |
| Grade | Enrolled at least half-time as a high school senior when you apply, and graduated before the internship starts |
| Age | 18 by September 30, 2027 |
| Age exception | If you are 17 on June 1, 2027 and turn 18 by September 30, 2027, your permanent home address must be within 40 miles of an NIH campus |
| Format | Full-time and in person for the whole internship |
| Health insurance | Proof required to participate |
Two consequences matter for planning. First, juniors cannot apply, so SIP is a summer-after-graduation option, which means anything you do there happens after college applications are already in. Second, a younger senior who will still be 17 in June can only apply if the family lives near a campus. NIH also has a strict nepotism policy that may limit placements if a family member works at NIH.
NIH campuses where interns may work include:
| Campus | Location | Institutes |
|---|---|---|
| Main campus | Bethesda, MD | All |
| Bayview Biomedical Research Center | Baltimore, MD | NIA, NIDA |
| Frederick (Fort Detrick) | Frederick, MD | NCI |
| Twinbrook, Shady Grove and nearby sites | Rockville, MD | NCATS, NCI, NIAID, NIDDK |
| Research Triangle Park | Durham, NC | NIEHS |
| Rocky Mountain Laboratories | Hamilton, MT | NIAID |
| Framingham Heart Study | Framingham, MA | NHLBI |
| Phoenix Epidemiology and Clinical Research Branch | Phoenix, AZ | NIDDK |
For families in the Washington area, our guide to research programs in Washington, DC lists other options close to Bethesda.
Stipend and cost
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Program fee | None |
| Application fee | None listed |
| Stipend | Paid monthly, set by education level. The current NIH table lists $2,840 a month for "High School, after graduation" and $2,530 for "before graduation" |
| Who pays | The selecting PI and institute fund the position |
| Housing | Not provided. Interns arrange their own |
| Parking | Free on each NIH campus; some campuses offer the Transhare transit program |
Because high school applicants must graduate before they start, the "after graduation" row appears to be the one that applies. NIH says stipend tables are typically updated each year, so confirm the figure when you accept an offer. Families outside commuting range should budget for summer housing, which NIH does not supply.
Dates and deadline for 2027
| Milestone | Date |
|---|---|
| Application opens | Open now (as of November 2026) |
| SIP application webinar | November 17, 2026, 4 to 5 pm ET, virtual |
| PIs begin interviewing and offering positions | Early January 2027 |
| Application deadline | Tuesday, January 26, 2027, 12 pm ET |
| Reference letters due | Tuesday, February 2, 2027, 12 pm ET |
| Selection completed | By April 1, 2027 |
| Internship window | Between May 10 and August 31, 2027; exact dates set with your PI |
The 2027 deadline is earlier than last year's. The NIH Clinical Center page still shows the 2026 deadline, February 18, 2026, so do not plan around older dates you see online. Because PIs start interviewing in early January, a student who submits in late January is applying after some positions are already being filled. Submit in December if you can.
Keep the full calendar of selective programs in view with our 2027 summer research program deadlines post.
What the application asks for
You apply through the NIH Application Center. You create a profile, choose "Summer internships," complete an eligibility screener, and then submit:
- Coursework. A list of all courses and grades.
- CV or resume. Education, experience and other relevant history.
- Personal statement. Your research experience, current research interests, career goals, and how SIP would help you reach them. NIH says many investigators may read it, so address it "Dear NIH Investigator."
- Two references. You enter names and contact details, and NIH emails them a request after you submit. NIH suggests teachers, employers or previous research mentors, never family or friends.
How matching with investigators works
This is the part most families miss. There is no central selection committee. Individual PIs search the pool of applications, select their own interns and fund them. NIH's FAQ says investigators search by interest and by fields such as GPA, school and previous research experience, and that you greatly increase your chances by contacting research groups yourself. NIH also says there is no database where PIs post open SIP positions.
OITE's own step-by-step advice:
If you have never written to a scientist before, our guide on how to email a professor about research covers the format.
The odds, frankly
NIH does not publish an acceptance rate or an applicant count for SIP. Pioneer Academics' guide reports an estimate of 10 to 15 percent, which is a third-party figure, not an NIH one. The one official number we found is for a single unit: the NIH Clinical Center says about 40 students are selected each year for its own summer internship.
Three things from NIH's own pages shape a high school senior's chances:
- You compete in the same pool as college and graduate students. PIs can filter by previous research experience, and many applicants have years of lab work.
- The outcome depends on PI interest, not a committee. A strong application that no PI opens is not selected. Outreach is the deciding step.
- Timing works against seniors. PIs interview from early January, the same weeks seniors are finishing college applications.
A senior who has already done a research project, can describe it clearly in the personal statement, and emails 20 targeted PIs in December has a meaningful chance. A senior with no research and no outreach is relying on luck.
How to be competitive
What follows is our reading of NIH's guidance, which is opinion.
- Have something to point to. A completed project, a poster, a manuscript or a science fair entry gives PIs a reason to stop scrolling. Our guide on how to start a research project in high school is the place to begin.
- Write a statement about research, not about NIH. NIH asks for research experience and interests first. Describe a question you worked on, what you did, and what you would want to learn next.
- Choose references who saw you do science. A research mentor's letter carries more weight than a general teacher letter for a lab position. See how to get a strong letter of recommendation.
- Read one paper from each PI before you email. OITE suggests it for senior students, and it is the easiest way to make an email specific. Our guide to reading a scientific paper shows how.
If you do not get in
Most applicants will not get an NIH offer by April 1, and even students who do will start in the summer after senior year, after college applications are submitted. For admissions, the research that counts is the research done before then. That is also what the strongest SIP applicants already have: a project they ran, written up, ideally in front of reviewers.
That is what the YRI Fellowship is built for. It is 10 weeks, one-on-one with a PhD mentor matched to the student's field, and it ends with the student as first author on a paper submitted to a peer-reviewed IEEE, Springer or Elsevier venue. ISEF and JSHS preparation is included, the mentor writes a letter of recommendation, and mentorship continues at no extra cost until the paper is published. It is online, so it does not matter whether you live within 40 miles of Bethesda, and it is open to students before senior year. 87% of Fellows publish, 73% place at competitions, and Fellows have been admitted to Brown, Johns Hopkins, Stanford, Caltech and Harvard.
The cost is $2,997, with a three-month payment plan and scholarships considered case by case. Admissions are rolling. A junior who starts in the spring can have a submitted paper before senior applications open, and can cite it in a SIP personal statement the following winter. For how publication works at the high school level, read how to publish a research paper in high school, and for the full list of no-cost options, see free research programs for high school students.
Download the YRI Fellowship brochure
The program, the outcomes, the mentors and the tuition, in one PDF you can read with your family.
Related guides
- Medical research programs for high school students
- Free research programs for high school students
- Biomedical research in high school, the complete guide
- Stanford SIMR guide
- Research internships for high school students
- Summer research program deadlines for 2027
Frequently Asked Questions
Can high school students apply to the NIH Summer Internship Program?
Only seniors. You must be enrolled at least half-time as a high school senior when you apply, graduate before the internship starts, be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, and be 18 by September 30, 2027, or 17 by June 1, 2027 with a home within 40 miles of an NIH campus.
Does NIH still run HiSTEP?
We found no current NIH page for it. The old HiSTEP address on training.nih.gov redirects to the Summer Internship Program, and OITE lists no separate high school program. SIP, open to graduating seniors, is the current route.
What is the NIH SIP acceptance rate?
NIH does not publish one. A third-party guide estimates 10 to 15 percent. The NIH Clinical Center, one unit within NIH, says it selects about 40 students a year.
How much is the NIH summer internship stipend?
Stipends are monthly and set by education level. The current NIH table lists $2,840 a month for high school graduates and $2,530 before graduation. NIH updates the table each year and does not provide housing.
When is the NIH SIP 2027 deadline?
The application closes Tuesday, January 26, 2027 at noon ET, and reference letters are due February 2, 2027. PIs start interviewing in early January and finish selection by April 1, so apply early.
How are NIH summer interns selected?
Individual Principal Investigators review applications, choose their own interns and fund them. NIH recommends building a list of at least 20 PIs and emailing each one with a personalized note, your resume and a pointer to your completed application.
Can international students apply to NIH SIP?
No. Applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents, and permanent residents must attend or be accepted to U.S. institutions. U.S. citizens attending school abroad may apply.
What is a good alternative if I do not get an NIH internship?
A mentored research project that ends in a published paper, done before senior-year applications. The YRI Fellowship pairs students with a PhD mentor for 10 weeks, ends in a first-author paper submitted to a peer-reviewed venue, includes ISEF and JSHS preparation, and has rolling admissions.
Sources
- NIH OITE: Summer Internship Program (2027 eligibility, 40-mile rule, dates, deadline, application materials, selection process, housing, insurance)
- NIH OITE: SIP Frequently Asked Questions (high school eligibility, how PIs review applications, references, personal statement salutation)
- NIH OITE: Intramural Research Program Stipend Tables (student monthly stipends by education level)
- NIH OITE: Find a research group for a summer or academic internship (PI search and outreach steps)
- NIH OITE: Explore NIH campuses (campus locations and institutes)
- NIH OITE: Research Training (programs by educational level)
- NIH OITE: College Students or Recent College Graduates (program list)
- NIH Clinical Center: Summer Internship Program (about 40 students selected per year, 2026 deadline)
- Pioneer Academics: NIH SIP requirements and acceptance rate (third-party estimate, former high school program)