National Security Agency Summer Internship Programs: Eligibility & How to Apply

Who can apply?

• NSA's Summer 2027 announcements required US citizenship and enrollment in a degree-seeking undergraduate, graduate or doctoral program at the time of application. They describe the programs as open to undergraduate freshmen up to PhD students depending on each program's education requirements.
• A cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher is preferred rather than required. Applicants must be eligible for a TS/SCI clearance after a background investigation, a full-scope polygraph and a psychological evaluation, and some may be asked to complete an unproctored online test of cognitive ability, motivation and English proficiency.
• Applicants had to be available and in the US for operational and technical interviews and other processing, in person and remotely, between October 2026 and April 2027.

Dates, pay & program timing

NSA's student-program page says its programs are paid, with salary based on education level; the Summer 2027 announcements list pay on the GG-4 to GG-9 scale. Those announcements opened August 15–19, 2026 and closed September 5–6, 2026, with the complete application package due by September 5 (stated as 11:59 p.m. EST). The programs run 10 to 12 weeks, roughly mid-May to mid-August. Students whose school is more than 75 miles from the site are eligible for housing and round-trip travel; daily transport to work is not provided. Summer 2028 dates are not yet published.

These details reflect the sources at the review date. An overview is not a live job offer. Check the official page for today's application status and the selected opening's written terms.

How to apply to National Security Agency

1. Watch for NSA's summer announcements from mid-August. The Summer 2027 programs were posted August 15–19, 2026 and closed about three weeks later.
2. Apply online and separately email the documents NSA requires — an official transcript (a legible unofficial one is accepted) and a PDF resume, named in the LAST_FIRST format the announcement specifies. NSA said an application is not complete until those arrive, and one set covers every program you apply to.
3. Keep October through April free for interviews, testing and suitability processing and answer scheduling requests quickly; NSA says most interviews are virtual, often on HireVue.

You leave FirstInternships to apply. We do not accept applications, offer referrals, or represent the employer.

Our editorial advice · not employer requirements

How to prepare a stronger application

One application can put you in front of several of NSA's programs, so make your strongest fit obvious at the top of your resume: the languages you speak, the mathematics or security courses you have completed, the systems you have built. The announcements name preferred majors and languages — mirror those terms where they are true of you.

NSA asks applicants to use discretion: tell family or close friends if you wish, but otherwise say you applied for a Department of Defense position, and do not post about your application or processing on social media. Start that habit when you apply, not when you are selected.

Official sources & update notes

We reviewed these publisher pages on September 29, 2026. They establish the program facts above; our preparation suggestions are independent editorial guidance.

• NSA student programs: paid, with salary based on education level
• Summer 2027 Fort Meade announcement: eligibility, processing window, pay grades, housing and package deadline
• Summer 2027 field-site announcement: Colorado, Georgia, Hawaii, Texas and Utah locations
• Application steps, interviews and NSA's request for discretion

We do not infer deadlines, remote eligibility, or guaranteed offers from older recruiting cycles. Read our editorial process.