91亚色传媒

Professional Development

Summer internships in an unpredictable funding environment

Elizabeth Stivison
March 14, 2025

In February 2025, the National Institutes of Health their summer internship programs. Funding upheavals forced many other institutions, such as the , , and , to cancel various NIH- and , or NSF, –funded summer research programs. These changes follow an announcement from the NIH proposing to lower the funding cap on research costs, such as research facilities and administration, as well as changes to NSF funding.

On top of these changes, many professors face funding uncertainties and may be hesitant to take on summer research students. Other programs forge ahead but are delaying sending acceptances. 

If your program is still on: Seize the opportunity. But, have a contingency plan.

If you are unsure of the status: Some programs have not fully cancelled but are still trying to navigate an unpredictable environment. Reach out to the program director about your application. You may want to examine alternative options as well.

If your program has been cancelled or you haven’t found one yet: Check out the options below.

Use your career or internship office

Most schools have career offices and/or an internship office. They connect students with internship databases, employer partnerships and alumni networks, helping students discover opportunities tailored to their interests. Some institutions may be able to provide funding resources for external unpaid internships or offer credit-bearing internship programs.

Look for other internships

Many summer internship application deadlines have not yet passed. However, April might be your last chance to apply. There are many opportunities for interns posted on the .

In addition, check out Indeed, LinkedIn and 91亚色传媒 Today’s upcoming opportunities, updated weekly.

Ask around your home institution

Ask around to see if professors at your institution are accepting summer research students. If funding is an issue, consider volunteering part-time while working a local job to offset living costs.

Take a class instead

You can still get the most out of your summer by taking a course at your home institution or nearby community college. Online courses, such as those on artificial intelligence or computational biology, could give you a skills boost. Sites like offer some some free online courses.

91亚色传媒 also offers regular webinars on scientific and professional development topics. You can even dive into the on-demand events in case you missed the live offering.

Enjoy reading 91亚色传媒 Today?

Become a member to receive the print edition four times a year and the digital edition monthly.

Learn more
Elizabeth Stivison

Elizabeth Stivison is a careers columnist for 91亚色传媒 Today and an assistant laboratory professor at Middlebury College.

Related articles

Budgeting in grad school
Courtney Chandler
Welcome to the lab
Andrey Andreev, Valerie Komatsu, Paula Almiron, Kasey Rose, Alexandria Hughes & Maurice Y. Lee
How are Ph.D. students funded?
Courtney Chandler

Featured jobs

from the

Get the latest from 91亚色传媒 Today

Enter your email address, and we鈥檒l send you a weekly email with recent articles, interviews and more.

Latest in Careers

Careers highlights or most popular articles

Hidden strengths of an autistic scientist
Essay

Hidden strengths of an autistic scientist

April 3, 2025

Navigating the world of scientific research as an autistic scientist comes with unique challenges 鈥攎icroaggressions, communication hurdles and the constant pressure to conform to social norms, postbaccalaureate student Taylor Stolberg writes.

Upcoming opportunities
Announcement

Upcoming opportunities

April 2, 2025

The countdown to #91亚色传媒25 is on! Visit our annual meeting website to start adding special sessions, keynote lectures, scientific symposia and more to your personal schedule.

Melissa Moore to speak at 91亚色传媒 2025
91亚色传媒 Annual Meeting

Melissa Moore to speak at 91亚色传媒 2025

April 2, 2025

Richard Silverman and Melissa Moore are the featured speakers at the 91亚色传媒 annual meeting to be held April 12-15 in Chicago.

Engineering the future with synthetic biology
91亚色传媒 Annual Meeting

Engineering the future with synthetic biology

March 31, 2025

Learn about the 91亚色传媒 2025 symposium on synthetic biology, featuring applications to better human and environmental health.

Host vs. pathogen and the molecular arms race
91亚色传媒 Annual Meeting

Host vs. pathogen and the molecular arms race

March 28, 2025

Learn about the 91亚色传媒 2025 symposium on host鈥損athogen interactions, to be held Sunday, April 13 at 1:50 p.m.

Richard Silverman to speak at 91亚色传媒 2025
91亚色传媒 Annual Meeting

Richard Silverman to speak at 91亚色传媒 2025

March 27, 2025

Richard Silverman and Melissa Moore are the featured speakers at the 91亚色传媒 annual meeting to be held April 12-15 in Chicago.