ISB Summer Undergraduate Research Experiences Program

Are you a current undergraduate student with an interest in biology, chemistry, computer science, information science, applied mathematics, and/or engineering? An internship at the Institute for Systems Biology (ISB), might be a good fit for you.

Our application process occurs in 2 stages. The preliminary stage is open to everyone and the application does not require any prior preparation. Those students who are a best fit for our program will be invited to complete a full application. The preliminary application opens on Monday, December 1 and closes Tuesday, January 20 (11:59 ET).

Link to the preliminary application.

Important Dates for Summer 2026:

• December 1, 2025 – Preliminary Application Opens
• January 20, 2026 – Preliminary Application Closes
• January 30, 2026 – Full application opens – invitation only
• February – Info sessions and office hours for invited applicants
• February 27, 2026 – Full Application closes
• March – ISB Scientists review applications, conduct phone interviews and make informal offers
• First week of April – Formal offer letters sent to selected applicants
• Late April – All applicants notified of their status
• June 22 – August 7 – Required weeks at ISB facility, additional 3 weeks determined by student and mentor schedules

To support learning, student interns will:

• Be paired with a mentor based on their interests. Students with a demonstrated interest in fields such as biology, chemistry, computer science, information science, applied mathematics, and/or engineering are all good fits for the types of research projects available.
• Complete a research project developed with/by the student intern’s mentor
• Be included in all events at ISB, including lab meetings and retreats
• Participate in ongoing professional development including attendance at workshops, seminars, & team tasks
• Complete a poster with the support of their mentor and other ISB staff to be shared at an ISB-wide mini-symposium
• Be included (where applicable) on the development of publications that result from their research project

Logistics of research experiences at ISB:

• The program selects a broad range of students, from current freshmen through to seniors with a diversity of backgrounds, career goals and experiences
• The program prioritizes students who have fewer opportunities to participate in research activities based on their current academic context
• Student interns will work 30-40 hours per week at the state of the art research facility in Seattle, WA
• Student interns receive a stipend of at least $625/week or equivalent hourly wages
• ISB does not  provide housing but some students will qualify for a housing stipend of $4200 and can choose from a variety of options including  summer intern housing at UW
• To allow students from a variety of institutes to participate, interns will participate for 10 consecutive weeks during the summer that must include the seven weeks from June 22 to August 7. (e.g. a student from a semester system school might participate from June 1 to August 7 and a student from a quarter system school might participate from June 22 to August 28.)

Participant Requirements:

• Authorized to work in the US
• An undergraduate student who is enrolled in a degree program (part-time or full-time) leading to a baccalaureate or associate degree
• A student at an accredited college or university in the United States
• Planning to attend either an undergraduate or graduate program in Fall following participation in the program
• In possession of a high school diploma or equivalent before applying to this program. (Note: current Running Start students are not eligible)
• Check our frequently asked questions page for more information

Please direct questions to internships@isbscience.org with Summer Undergraduate Research Experiences question in the subject line.