National Institutes of Health (NIH) Summer Internship for High Schoolers
Imagine working under the top researchers in a healthcare related science field for eight to ten weeks, attending skill development programs, presenting the research project, and earning a stipend at the end of the internship.
If you are interested in biology, engineering, psychology, bioinformatics, or other health-related industries and are either eleventh or twelfth graders, then this internship at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) may be an exciting opportunity for you!
In this blog post, we will discuss what an internship is in general, its benefits, and what the National Institutes of Health internship for high schoolers encompasses.
What are internships and their benefits?
An internship is a position where a student works in an organization to gain work experience in their field of interest. These positions can be paid or unpaid depending on the organization the intern works at.
Internships are short-term, generally about eight to ten weeks. It depends on what your work will be as an intern. You may undergo training, organize the workplace, or do specific tasks based on the organization. At some internships, you may even do research, which is what you would do at the National Institute of Health Summer Internship as a high schooler.
Internships offer introductory experience and skills in the field of choice. Along with helping you gain insight on potential future careers, internships can be put on your resume and college applications,
What is the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Summer Internship for High School Students?
NIH Summer Internship offers an opportunity for juniors (11th graders) and seniors (12th graders) to perform summer research in the Intramural Research Program at NIH. They refer to these internships as HI-SIP. They offer full-time research positions in biomedical, behavioral, and social sciences. Interns work on their research under the Principal Investigator of their program.
In addition to the intensive research experience, interns also attend workshops in science skills development, science communication, career readiness and leadership development, college preparation, and resilience and wellness. Additional workshops are available depending on your work location.
Additionally, there are summer lecture series, community building, and networking events.
At the end of the research, there is a Summer Poster Day, where interns present their projects.
Stipends for interns are also available, but the amount depends on the year and educational level.
Important Information to Consider:
The National Institutes of Health Summer Internship for High Schoolers has an acceptance rate of about 7%. An acceptance rate is the number of applicants who are admitted. This means that seven out of a hundred applicants are chosen to participate.
Despite this rate being very low, please do not get discouraged. It is important that you complete the application with your best effort.
This internship will last for eight to ten weeks.
There is an eligibility criteria because of age, citizenship status, and work locations.
Be 17 years of age or older by June 15
Be a junior or senior at the time of application
Be US Citizens or permanent residents
Reside within forty miles of your NIH worksite when you are completing your application if you are under the age of eighteen on June 15
In terms of completing the application, the due dates for the student application, materials needed to submit, as well as recommendation letter submission dates, vary year to year.
Here are some suggestions for your application to National Institutes of Health Summer Internship for High Schoolers:
Before you begin writing your application, read:
Guide to Writing A Successful Application: https://www.cc.nih.gov/sites/nihinternet/files/internet-files/training/students/appadvice.pdf
Follow directions
Submit early
Ensure that the material you submit is:
Grammatically correct
Clearly expressed
Well organized
There are webinars about the process of applying to the National Institute of Health High School Summer Programs. Please visit their website for more information.
Here is a video from the NIH about the application process:HS-SIP: NIH High School Summer Internship Program (How to Apply)
Please refer to the National Institute of Health website for the most updated information on specific webinar and application dates.
Good luck on your application!!
All information was based on the National Institute of Health Summer Internship for High Schoolers webpage.
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