Microsoft
Explore Microsoft
A software-development introduction specifically designed for students in their first two college years.
Check openingsCollege-year matchYears 1–2Includes year 1 · check every ruleView eligibility & steps
College year 1
Freshman Internships for First-Year College Students
You do not need to wait until junior year to start looking. Begin with programs that explicitly accept early-college students, then check any coursework or enrollment conditions before spending time on an application.
Start here · 44 options on this page
Find a fit in three steps.
Pick a promising program, check the exact eligibility, then apply on the employer's official site.
- 1Scan the matchesYear, field, pay and location
- 2Open the guideRequirements and materials
- 3Apply officiallyWe send you to the source
32 confirmed program-level matches
Programs to check for first-year students
A program-level year match is a starting point. Open a guide to check credits, student status, dates, location and authorization.
NASA
NASA OSTEM Internships
Project-based college internships across STEM and non-STEM work at NASA.
Published deadlineCollege-year matchUndergraduate years 1–4Includes year 1 · check every ruleView eligibility & steps
NASA
NASA Pathways Internships
A paid federal student employment pathway with coursework and remaining-work-time requirements.
Check announcementsCollege-year matchYear 1+ · credits & time requiredIncludes year 1 · check every ruleView eligibility & steps
US Department of Energy
Science Undergraduate Laboratory Internships (SULI)
Research with a scientist or engineer at a participating national laboratory; eligible first-years need completed college coursework.
Published deadlineCollege-year matchYear 1+ · after one semesterIncludes year 1 · check every ruleView eligibility & steps
US Department of Energy
Community College Internships (CCI)
Technical laboratory experience for students enrolled at community colleges and accredited two-year colleges.
Published deadlineCollege-year matchCommunity / two-year collegeIncludes year 1 · check every ruleView eligibility & steps
NSF-funded research sites
Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU)
Funded undergraduate research opportunities offered by individual universities and research organizations, not one centralized internship.
Site-specific datesCollege-year matchUndergraduates · site-specificIncludes year 1 · check every ruleView eligibility & steps
NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory
JPL Summer Internship Program
A 10-week, full-time STEM internship at JPL. The last published summer deadline has passed; use this guide to prepare for a future cycle.
Last cycle closedCollege-year matchUndergraduates · STEMIncludes year 1 · check every ruleView eligibility & steps
NVIDIA
NVIDIA Ignite
A 12-week summer pre-internship experience for current college freshmen and sophomores interested in technology.
Check openingsCollege-year matchYears 1–2 · pre-internshipIncludes year 1 · check every ruleView eligibility & steps
National Institutes of Health
NIH Summer Internship Program (SIP)
Summer biomedical, behavioral, and social-science research in NIH's Intramural Research Program. This guide covers current college students only.
Opens Oct 13College-year matchUndergraduates · enrollment rulesIncludes year 1 · check every ruleView eligibility & steps
Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art
National Museum of Asian Art Undergraduate Internship
An undergraduate museum pathway spanning collections, education, digital media, administration, and more. The published Summer 2026 cohort has ended.
Last published cohort endedCollege-year matchUndergraduates · age 18+Includes year 1 · check every ruleView eligibility & steps
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
Undergraduate Research Program
A nine-week summer research cohort in the biological sciences, with a limited route for exceptional first-year students who already have independent research experience.
Summer 2027 applications openCollege-year matchYears 2–3 · exceptional year 1 consideredIncludes year 1 · check every ruleView eligibility & steps
Caltech
SURF at Caltech
A ten-week research fellowship built around finding a Caltech mentor and co-developing a proposal before applying.
Check next Caltech cycleCollege-year matchFreshmen through returning seniorsIncludes year 1 · check every ruleView eligibility & steps
Johns Hopkins Medicine
Computational Medicine SIP
The Computational Medicine division of Johns Hopkins' Summer Internship Program, for quantitative students interested in biomedical research.
Last published cycle closedCollege-year matchYear 1+ · one year completed by startIncludes year 1 · check every ruleView eligibility & steps
Fred Hutch Cancer Center
Pathways Undergraduate Researchers
A paid nine-week research program for students who have not yet entered their third undergraduate year; prior research is not required.
2027 information expected in NovemberCollege-year matchYears 1–2 · before third yearIncludes year 1 · check every ruleView eligibility & steps
Library of Congress
Junior Fellows Program
A paid ten-week program working with Library of Congress collections and services across cultural, technical, and research projects.
2027 application projected late OctoberCollege-year matchCurrent undergraduatesIncludes year 1 · check every ruleView eligibility & steps
Getty
Getty Marrow Undergraduate Internships
Paid museum and arts-organization internships for current associate- and bachelor's-degree students connected to Los Angeles County.
Check Getty and host openingsCollege-year matchCurrent undergraduates · one term completedIncludes year 1 · check every ruleView eligibility & steps
American Museum of Natural History
MEEP Spring 2027
A spring museum education internship for New York City undergraduate residents, with training and up to ten work hours per week.
Spring 2027 opens Oct 5College-year matchCurrent undergraduates · one term completedIncludes year 1 · check every ruleView eligibility & steps
Carnegie Mellon Robotics Institute
Robotics Institute Summer Scholars
An immersive robotics research program for undergraduates who will have two full-time college semesters before the summer and at least one afterward.
Check next RISS applicationCollege-year matchTwo semesters completed by start · returning afterwardIncludes year 1 · check every ruleView eligibility & steps
Spotify
Global Summer Internship Program
A paid ten-week summer program with business, product, and technical teams serving creators and listeners.
Check next summer cycleCollege-year matchPenultimate or graduating year · degree-dependentIncludes year 1 · check every ruleView eligibility & steps
US Environmental Protection Agency
Pathways Internships
Paid federal internships in environmental science, engineering, policy, data, communications, administration, and related work.
Check federal announcementsCollege-year matchCollege students enrolled at least half timeIncludes year 1 · check every ruleView eligibility & steps
NPR
Internship Program
Paid public-media internships spanning reporting, audio, production, editing, audience, graphics, research, social, and data work.
Check next NPR cycleCollege-year matchCurrent college students · role-specificIncludes year 1 · check every ruleView eligibility & steps
Apple
Student Internships & Co-ops
Hands-on technical and nontechnical internships and co-ops supporting products, operations, design, marketing, hardware, software, and services.
Live student role searchCollege-year matchFull-time bachelor's students · role-specificIncludes year 1 · check every ruleView eligibility & steps
Tesla
Undergraduate Internships
Full-time internships with project ownership across vehicles, energy, AI, software, manufacturing, engineering, operations, and business teams.
Live internship rolesCollege-year matchCurrent undergraduates · role-specificIncludes year 1 · check every ruleView eligibility & steps
Palantir
Year at Palantir Software Internship
A paid, year-long software internship with Software Engineer and Forward Deployed Software Engineer paths working on production data and AI systems.
Official listing availableCollege-year matchCollege years 1–4Includes year 1 · check every ruleView eligibility & steps
Medtronic
WISE Internship Program
An early-college summer internship for rising freshmen and sophomores to learn about medical technology through hands-on project work.
Prepare for the winter cycleCollege-year matchRising freshmen and sophomoresIncludes year 1 · check every ruleView eligibility & steps
National Gallery of Art
Summer Internship Program
A paid, full-time museum internship with placements in research, exhibitions, education, visitor experience, operations, digital work, data, AI, and conservation.
Last published cycle closedCollege-year matchUndergraduates · all majorsIncludes year 1 · check every ruleView eligibility & steps
U.S. Geological Survey
Pathways Internships
Paid federal internships for current undergraduate students exploring science, data, engineering, technology, operations, and public-service careers at USGS.
Check Pathways announcementsCollege-year matchUndergraduates · announcement-specificIncludes year 1 · check every ruleView eligibility & steps
Pfizer
Pfizer Futures Internship
Pfizer's paid summer internship for undergraduates, placing interns on project teams across the company's divisions with mentorship and professional development sessions.
2027 window publishedCollege-year matchCurrent freshmen–seniors at applicationIncludes year 1 · check every ruleView eligibility & steps
AstraZeneca
US Summer Internship Program
A ten- to twelve-week US summer internship across AstraZeneca's business, science, engineering, technology and safety functions, with workshops, career advising and a poster day.
Applications closed at reviewCollege-year matchFreshmen through returning seniorsIncludes year 1 · check every ruleView eligibility & steps
Gilead Sciences
Internship Program
Gilead's paid summer internship across research, development, manufacturing, commercial and corporate functions, based at its Foster City headquarters and other Gilead and Kite sites.
2027 postings live at reviewCollege-year matchFreshmen through returning seniorsIncludes year 1 · check every ruleView eligibility & steps
Central Intelligence Agency
Directorate of Operations Undergraduate Internship
A first-year-only CIA track placing undergraduates in two in-person summer tours as staff operations or targeting officers, with a possible route into the Professional Trainee program.
Window reopens Dec 15, 2026College-year matchFirst-year students onlyIncludes year 1 · check every ruleView eligibility & steps
US Department of the Treasury
Headquarters Student Internship Program
Unpaid spring, summer and fall internships in Treasury's Departmental Offices, supporting economic, financial, national-security and management work in Washington, DC.
Summer cycle: apply in DecemberCollege-year matchEnrolled students · must stay enrolledIncludes year 1 · check every ruleView eligibility & steps
12 highlighted possibilities
Check the role before counting yourself in.
These employers do not publish one universal minimum year, or they describe a preferred year rather than a hard rule. The individual opening decides.
EY US
EY College Internships
Summer and winter internship routes; use the individual listing to confirm service line, degree, and graduation criteria.
Check openingsClass-year guidanceYear depends on openingRead the role before applyingView eligibility & steps
Deloitte US
Deloitte College Internships
Student internship opportunities across different teams. Confirm the current track and requirements before applying.
Check openingsClass-year guidanceYear depends on openingRead the role before applyingView eligibility & steps
Federal Reserve Board
Federal Reserve Board Summer Internships
Paid summer work in economics, policy, finance, information systems, and data analysis at the Board of Governors—not a directory of regional Reserve Bank jobs.
Check current Board rolesClass-year guidanceUndergraduates · role-specificRead the role before applyingView eligibility & steps
Amazon / Annapurna Labs
Software Development Engineer Intern 2027
A current 2027 low-level software and systems internship supporting custom silicon and machine-learning infrastructure.
2027 posting available at reviewClass-year guidanceBachelor's students · Dec 2027+ graduationRead the role before applyingView eligibility & steps
Scripps Research
Summer Undergraduate Research Fellows
A ten-week chemical and biological science research program for students considering graduate research careers.
Last published cycle pastClass-year guidanceCurrent associate or bachelor's studentsRead the role before applyingView eligibility & steps
Scripps Institution of Oceanography
JT-SURF
A ten-week earth and ocean science research fellowship that does not require prior research or formal ocean-science coursework.
Last published cycle pastClass-year guidanceCurrent undergraduates · no universal minimumRead the role before applyingView eligibility & steps
Boeing
Supply Chain Internship 2027
A current paid 10–12-week internship across Boeing supply-chain organizations and locations.
2027 posting available at reviewClass-year guidanceBachelor's or master's · Aug 2027+ graduationRead the role before applyingView eligibility & steps
Boeing
Communications Internship 2027
A current paid 10–12-week internship producing internal, external, digital, social, video, event, and branding communications.
2027 posting available at reviewClass-year guidanceBachelor's or master's · Aug 2027+ graduationRead the role before applyingView eligibility & steps
Boeing
Sales & Marketing Internship 2027
A current internship spanning market analysis, forecasting, data visualization, financial modeling, product messaging, events, and lead generation.
2027 posting available at reviewClass-year guidanceBachelor's or master's · Aug 2027+ graduationRead the role before applyingView eligibility & steps
Boeing
Prestwick Engineering Intern 2027
A three-month structural-design and integration internship at Boeing's Aerospace Innovation Centre in Prestwick.
2027 posting available at reviewClass-year guidanceEngineering bachelor's studentsRead the role before applyingView eligibility & steps
JPMorganChase
Software Engineer Summer Internship
A team-based software internship spanning application development, cloud, security, data, mobile, and other financial-technology work.
Check current rolesClass-year guidanceUndergraduates · opening-specific requirementsRead the role before applyingView eligibility & steps
JPMorganChase
Data & AI Summer Internship
Data science, machine-learning, analytics, and visualization opportunities supporting financial products and business decisions.
Check current rolesClass-year guidanceQuantitative students · role-specificRead the role before applyingView eligibility & steps
There are 82 more opening-specific pathways in the full directory. Browse every program
Applying as a first-year student
Start with evidence, not a long work history
A lab report, small app, campus job, club event, or volunteer project can explain what you can do. Write down the task, your contribution, and the result. Never rename a class exercise as a professional internship.
Year one is not the whole eligibility test
Explore Microsoft focuses on the first two college years. DOE programs require a completed semester and specific credits, so a student in their first fall semester may not yet qualify. Research sites can set their own additional rules.
Make a manageable first shortlist
Choose opportunities whose dates, location, citizenship rules, and costs fit your situation. Use campus research and career resources alongside these national programs. Save a few realistic choices and finish the strongest applications first.
Where first-year students actually get in
The realistic routes are narrower than the internet suggests, and knowing them saves months. Programs designed explicitly for early-college students are one. Undergraduate research at your own institution is another, and it is badly underused — faculty often take first-years who simply asked. Campus jobs with real responsibility, local organisations and non-profits that never post nationally, and short early-insight programs in finance round it out. A national program aimed at penultimate-year students is not where your first yes is likely to come from.
What counts as evidence when you have none
Every applicant at this stage is in the same position, and reviewers know it. What distinguishes an application is the ability to describe something concretely: a lab report where you explain what the data actually showed, a small piece of software that works, an event you helped run and what went wrong, a class project you would now approach differently. Specificity is the whole game. Never relabel a class exercise as professional experience — describing it accurately as coursework is both honest and perfectly acceptable.
Use the resources already attached to your tuition
Your careers service, your academic adviser, departmental noticeboards, and faculty office hours are free, largely unused by first-years, and connected to opportunities that never reach a job board. Ask your adviser which students in your department found something last summer and how. Ask a professor whose subject you enjoy whether their group takes undergraduates. These conversations are how a large share of first-year placements actually happen.
First-year: questions before you apply
Is it too early to apply for anything?
No, but be selective. Some programs take first-years explicitly and some do not; this directory labels which where the publisher states it. Applying to a handful you are genuinely eligible for beats a long list you are not.
Will I be rejected just for being a first-year?
For programs that require completed credits or a later graduation window, eligibility is the deciding factor rather than a judgment about you. That is why checking the stated requirements first saves so much effort.
What if I get nothing this summer?
That is a normal outcome and not a verdict on later years. A course, a personal project, a summer job, or research with a professor at your own institution all give you something concrete to describe next time, which is exactly what this year is short of.
Explore another starting point
01First-yearEligibility & application guide02SophomoreEligibility & application guide03JuniorEligibility & application guide04SeniorEligibility & application guide
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