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Find information about educational opportunities that are available throughout NOAA.
The Chesapeake Research Consortium's (CRC) Chesapeake Student Recruitment, Early Advisement, and Mentoring (C-StREAM) program is focused on recruiting, advising, and mentoring college students from populations who have been historically excluded from the environmental field and are underrepresented in environmental research and management professions. The program focuses on careers that support the continued restoration of the Chesapeake Bay and its watershed, the Bay’s living resources, and the people who live and work within its bounty. C-StREAM Fellows have previously been hosted at the NOAA Chesapeake Bay Office in Annapolis and Oxford, Maryland, at the Chesapeake Bay Program Office offsite link in Annapolis, Maryland, and within CRC’s seven CRC academic member institutions offsite link.
- Award: C-StREAM Fellows receive stipend payments as well as funding to support housing and transportation needs, occasional internship related travel, and professional development activities.
- Eligibility: C-StREAM is intended for any continuing undergraduate, at any level of study (including seniors pursuing graduate studies in the fall) who identifies as a person of color and/or a first-generation college student.
- Application period: Applications are solicited annually between mid-December and mid-February of each academic year.
Each summer, NOAA Chesapeake Bay Office, in partnership with the Chesapeake Research Consortium, offers several paid summer internships primarily geared toward current undergraduate students. Internships focus on scientific field research to resource management and policy.
Eligibility: Must be a college-level student entering sophomore, junior, or senior year of undergraduate study, and a U.S. Citizen willing to undergo a security background check. Graduate and Post Doc students are eligible on a limited basis. Check position description for specific eligibility details.
Important dates: Positions are announced each December, with application deadlines in February.
Summer research opportunities are available for 10-12 undergraduate interns through the Cooperative Institute for Climate, Ocean, and Ecosystem Sciences (CICOES). Interns are matched with a research project within one of CICOES nine research themes and work with a CICOES, NOAA, or University of Washington (UW) scientist at either the UW campus or the NOAA Northwest Regional Center in Seattle. Students will receive a stipend of $600 per week ($5,400 for the summer). CICOES also covers the cost of travel to and from Seattle and provides housing on the University of Washington campus. Applications open in the fall.
Contact: Jed Thompson, jedthom@uw.edu
The Cooperative Institute for Modeling the Earth System (CIMES) at Princeton University in collaboration with NOAA’s Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory (GFDL) summer research internships is open to both undergraduate and graduate students for 8-10 week paid research internships in atmospheric, oceanic and earth system science. Awardees will work with host scientists at the NOAA/GFDL, a world-leading center of earth system modeling, research and prediction.
Applications are currently closed. They are usually due in mid-January.
The Hollings Scholarship Program provides successful undergraduate applicants with awards that include academic assistance (up to $9,500 per year) for two years of full-time study and a 10-week, full-time paid internship during the summer at a NOAA facility.
Important dates: Applications are available annually from September through January.
Contact: studentscholarshipprograms@noaa.gov
The Geosciences Bridge Program offers a 6- week paid internship for graduating high school students, particularly from underrepresented groups, planning to pursue careers in a field of geoscience. The interns:
- Reside in the UMES residence halls (housing and meals are provided), accompanied by trained resident assistants.
- Participate in lectures and field trips with hands-on activities in areas of geoscience such as atmospheric science, biogeochemistry, civil and environmental engineering, environmental science, marine biology, marine chemistry, marine geology, physical oceanography, remote sensing/GIS and related fields.
- Enroll in either College Algebra or Calculus I (dependent upon math placement test score) and Freshman Seminar course.
- Receive $500 per week, paid bi-weekly and reimbursement for travel to/from University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES).
Eligibility: High school seniors who are entering their first year of an undergraduate degree program in the fall. Must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident and have a minimum 2.7 GPA.
Important dates: Applications due in the spring of every year.
The Hōkūala “Rising Star” Internship offers ocean-minded undergraduate students training in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) fields, practical shipboard and seagoing skills, career mentorship, and a chance to directly enter the federal workforce with NOAA. The first phase of this opportunity is an internship hosted by the Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center Young Scientist Opportunity.
Inclusive NOAA Fisheries Internships (IN FISH) is a program offered in a partnership with NOAA’s research partners in academia and non-governmental research institutions. IN FISH is a 10-week paid undergraduate internship that provides course work, career-building activities, and a research or management project with a mentor in a NOAA lab or office, or in a lab with one the IN FISH partner institutions. IN FISH provides a stipend and also covers travel, lodgings, food, tuition and course supplies.
Applications for 2022 are currently closed. To find out when the 2023 applications are open, please email darius.johnson@noaa.gov and request to be added to the distribution email list.
Questions: Contact
NEFSC.APO@noaa.gov
The Educational Partnership Program with Minority Serving Institutions (EPP/MSI) Undergraduate Scholarship Program provides scholarships for two years of undergraduate study to rising junior undergraduate students majoring in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) fields that directly support NOAA's mission. Participants conduct research at a NOAA facility during two paid summer internships.
Important dates: Applications are available annually from September through January.
Contact: epp.usp@noaa.gov
These opportunities are for NOAA's College-Supported Internship Program. NOAA partners with selected colleges to provide undergraduate students summer internship experience in science, policy, and science communication. You must be enrolled at a partner school to participate and apply through that school.
The National Water Center Innovators Program Summer Institute is a seven-week experiential learning program that brings graduate students together with academic researchers, other professionals, and National Water Center staff. Students complete a research project with a capstone presentation and final project report. Most project teams have published their work in a scientific journal after the completion of the program.
Application period: Usually January to February.
Eligibility: M.S. and Ph.D. students enrolled in U.S. universities in hydrology or a related field.
Award: Travel expenses, meal stipend, accommodations, a $2500 honoraria.
Explore an interactive map of volunteer opportunities at National Weather Service offices around the country.
The NOAA Central Library offers a wide variety of internship and volunteer opportunities for students interested in library sciences, information management, or NOAA's mission. They have a variety of projects that will help students develop research, analytic, and technical skills. The NOAA Central Library often has internship openings as part of the Virtual Student Federal Service Internship Program, which is open in July. Please contact library.reference@
The NOAA Global Systems Laboratory (GSL)/CIRES Summer 2023 Research Program is a paid summer research internship program open to undergraduate students, graduate students, and those who have applied or intend to apply to a graduate degree program for the 2023 academic year and who are United State citizens or permanent residents. They seek applicants who have interest in the research areas of the NOAA Global Systems Laboratory, located in Boulder, Colorado. GSL research improves environmental prediction models, develops state-of-the-science decision support tools and visualization systems, and uses high-performance computing technology to support a Weather-Ready Nation.
Applications are due Monday, February 6, 2023
This program provides interdisciplinary opportunities that enable the next generation of ocean explorers to increase their competitiveness in ocean-related fields. Shore-based or at-sea internships can include collaboration on ongoing projects or supporting expeditions and are available to undergraduate students, graduate students and recent graduates.
The National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Internship Program (GRIP) provides NSF graduate fellows and graduate students supported by grants funded by NSF's Geosciences Directorate with internship opportunities at federal facilities. Here at NOAA, GRIP interns can grow professionally and build their network with a rewarding research experience.
Geographic focus: Nationwide
Important dates: Applications are due in December and May each year.
Eligibility:
- Recipients of the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP)
- U.S. graduate students supported on active research grants funded by NSF's Directorate for Geosciences
The PIFSC Young Scientist Opportunity (PYSO) is a collaborative program between PIFSC and the Joint Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Research (JIMAR) at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. This program offers qualified undergraduates professional scientific research experience and formal training opportunities tailored to meet their educational and professional goals and interests.
Applications are currently closed. The 2023 opportunity has not yet been announced.
Contact email: pifsc.pyso@noaa.gov
The Federal Government has taken steps to help students and recent graduates join the Federal service. New opportunities will appear on USAJOBS as agencies post them.
Geographic focus: Nationwide
Award: Paid internship; varies based on opportunity
NOAA will list Pathways opportunities on USAJobs as they become available.
This research experience for undergraduates offers paid summer undergraduate research internships at Colorado State University in the Department of Atmospheric Science. Interns participate in a paid 10 week program from early June through early August. During the program interns have the opportunity to attend scientific seminars, visit national scientific laboratories, and participate in a variety of professional development training.
Details about the 2023 application will be available in November 2022.
The REU program at the NOAA Living Marine Resources Cooperative Science Center offers paid summer internships to undergraduates interested in marine and estuarine science. With a faculty mentor, interns conduct research projects, take field trips, and attend seminars and workshops related to science careers. Applications are due in the spring, typically February or early March.
Sea Grant's Community Engaged Internship (CEI) is designed for undergraduate students from underrepresented and indigenous communities. The overarching goal of this internship program is to broaden participation in marine and coastal professions by providing training and mentorship to the next generation of scientists, decision makers and citizens.
The key components of this program are listed below, but details about specific internship opportunities will vary by Sea Grant program:
- On-the-ground learning experience through a 8-10-week internship over the summer months, including completion of a project that extends the knowledge of community stakeholders to address a coastal, marine or Great Lakes issue of environmental, economic and/or social importance, an participation in all CEI professional development and training opportunities
- Mentoring by Sea Grant professionals, Sea Grant funded researchers and Knauss Fellows
- Virtual professional development sessions
- Peer discussions with other interns in the cohort through virtual platforms
- A graduation ceremony to celebrate accomplishments, network with peers and other professionals
Sea Grant is a national network that consists of 34 university-based college programs around the U.S and the National Sea Grant Library. Sea Grant graduate opportunities provide hands-on research experiences, financial assistance, research funding, and professional development experiences in new careers.
Sea Grant is a national network that consists of 34 university-based college programs around the U.S and the National Sea Grant Library. Sea Grant undergraduate opportunities provide hands-on research experiences, financial assistance, research funding, and professional development experiences in new careers.
The Southeast Fisheries Science Center offers a variety of internship and volunteer opportunities.
The Hutton Junior Fisheries Biology Program is a paid summer internship and mentoring program for high school juniors and seniors interested in pursuing the disciplines of fisheries science, marine biology, and STEM related fields, and is sponsored by the American Fisheries Society (AFS).
Our mission is to increase diversity within the fisheries professions. The principal goal of the Hutton Program is to stimulate interest in careers in fisheries science and management among groups underrepresented in the fisheries professions, including minorities and women. Selected students known as “Hutton Scholars,” are matched and mentored by a fisheries professional to enjoy an 8-week hands-on fisheries science summer experience in a marine and/or freshwater setting.
Geographic focus: Nationwide
NOAA is offering paid summer internships targeted towards current 2nd and 3rd-year undergraduate and enrolled graduate students to work in areas that will provide robust research and/or operational experience that will prepare the student for further study in NOAA fields, for application to fellowships or for the NOAA-mission workforce.
Important dates: The application period for the 2023 Lapenta Internship will be open from Oct 1 to Dec 31 2022. The 2023 Lapenta Internship will run from June 5 to August 11.
The Virtual Student Federal Service (VSFS) program is an academic year remote internship program for undergraduate and graduate students, or students in a college-level certificate program, who are U.S. citizens and would like to make a real difference in the work of the U.S. government. Students can choose a project within NOAA or other federal government agencies and complete their internship in a virtual setting.
Important dates: Applications are open annually during the month of July, internships begin in September and end in May.
The Woods Hole Partnership Education Program (PEP) is designed primarily for college juniors and seniors to spend a summer gaining practical experience in marine and environmental science.
To receive a notification when the 2023 application opens, email whpepcoordinator@gmail.com with a request to be added to their distribution list.
The program consists of a four-week course and a six-to-ten week research project in Woods Hole, MA. The PEP is a project of the Woods Hole Diversity Initiative, a multi-institutional effort to promote diversity in the Woods Hole Science Community. Participating institutions are: NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, U. S. Geological Survey, Sea Education Association, Marine Biological Laboratory, and Woods Hole Research Center. Our primary academic partner is the University of Maryland Eastern Shore.