High School & College Students

College and postbaccalaureate students identify their academic strengths and interests, and begin identifying an appropriate career. Students interested in biomedical science may be majoring in a science field, or “pre-med,” or in the liberal arts.

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Training Grants Sponsored by NIDCR

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Training at NIDCR (on the NIH campus)

  • NIH Undergraduate Scholarship Program
    The National Institutes of Health (NIH) Undergraduate Scholarship Program (UGSP) offers competitive scholarships to students from disadvantaged backgrounds who are committed to careers in biomedical, behavioral, and social science health-related research. The program offers scholarship support, paid research training at the NIH during the summer, paid employment and training at the NIH after graduation.
  • NIH Summer Internship Program (SIP)
    Intended to provide exciting research experiences on the campus of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in Bethesda, Maryland or at selected off-campus NIH locations. Summer internships generally last from eight to ten weeks. A stipend is provided. Students must be enrolled at least half-time in an accredited U.S. high school and be at least 16 years of age prior to June 1st. U.S. citizenship or permanent residence is required.
    • SIP Sub-programs
      • High School Scientific Training and Enrichment Program (HISTEP)​​ - Students who are at high schools with a large population of financially disadvantaged students are eligible to apply to HiSTEP. 
      • Community College Summer Enrichment Program (CCSEP) - This special Summer Internship Program (SIP) is designed to recruit community college students to the NIH. Students in CCSEP can take advantage of all the opportunities available to other SIP interns. In addition, they will make a commitment to completing an enrichment curriculum. 
      • Amgen Scholars - The program will give preference to undergraduates who lack opportunities to carry out independent research during the school year due, for example, to family responsibilities, economic exigencies, or inability of their institutions to provide such opportunities.
      • Graduate Summer Opportunity to Advance Research (GSOAR) - In summer 2016, the NIH will launch a SIP program designed around the unique experiences of graduate students in the biomedical sciences. This program is a partnership between the Chief Officer for Scientific Workforce Diversity and the NIH Office of Intramural Training & Education.
        • GSOAR students at NIH will spend the summer working at NIH's main campus in Bethesda, Maryland, side-by-side with some of the world's leading scientists. In addition to working in a research group at the NIH, GSOAR students will participate in an enrichment curriculum to develop critical thinking skills and graduate school survival skills, receive career guidance and mentorship focused on the broad array of biomedical careers, and attend leadership training focused on the skills needed to successfully work in team-oriented global research environments. If you are interested, please visit the GSOAR Program Web page for more information. The application for this program is not yet available.
        • Students from diverse backgrounds and students who have faced disadvantage that impacted their educational or research opportunities earlier in their educational careers are especially encouraged to apply.
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Last Reviewed
December 2023