How to Find Life Sciences Internships & Fellowships in 2026

Life sciences internships and fellowships in 2026 are more competitive — and more diverse — than ever. Here is how to find them and stand out.

Where to Search

University Labs

Cold-email PIs whose recent papers excite you. A specific reference to their work beats any generic cover letter. Aim for 20-30 targeted emails.

Pharma & Biotech

Roche, Novartis, Pfizer, Genentech and hundreds of biotech startups run structured internship programs (usually opening October-December for the following summer).

Hospitals & Academic Medical Centers

Clinical research internships, translational bioinformatics, diagnostics — often less visible but very hands-on.

NGOs & Nonprofits

Wellcome, Gates, Doctors Without Borders — mission-driven and globally distributed.

Government Agencies

• NIH — IRTA and Summer Internship programs
• CDC — ORISE fellowships
• WHO — internships and consultancies
• National Cancer Institute — CRTA program
• EMBL, Sanger, Pasteur, Riken — international powerhouses

How to Write a Science CV

• One page for undergrads, two max for graduates
• Reverse chronological
• Quantify everything ("processed 240 samples", "analyzed 1.2 TB")
• List techniques, tools, software, languages
• Include preprints and posters — not just published papers

Cover Letter Tips

• Address a real person, not "To Whom It May Concern"
• Opening line: why this lab, this company, this fellowship
• Middle: two specific technical fits from your CV
• Close: proposed next step ("open to a 15-min call")

Remote vs On-Site

Wet-lab internships are on-site. Computational internships are increasingly hybrid or fully remote — but ask about time-zone expectations before signing.

Summer Programs Worth Applying To

• Amgen Scholars
• HHMI EXROP
• Simons Summer Research
• Broad Summer Research Program (BSRP)
• iGEM
• Google Research BrainScience internships

Post-Doc Fellowships

• HHMI Hanna Gray
• NIH F32
• EMBO Long-Term
• Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
• Damon Runyon

Industry vs Academic Internships

• Academic — publication potential, mentor for grad school, lower pay
• Industry — better pay, product experience, faster feedback

Do both if you can.

Fund Your Internship

Many are unpaid — see our [scholarships and funding guide](/blog/life-sciences-scholarships-funding-guide) for stipend sources.

Get Hired

• Apply 6-9 months before start dates
• Search live openings on our [jobs board](/jobs)
• Ask a mentor to review your CV — book one via [mentoring](/mentoring)

The internship you'll remember in ten years is the one you started applying for today.