Last updated: October 2026
Google STEP was a paid, 12-week summer internship for first- and second-year computer science students. As far as Google's own site shows, there's no STEP for summer 2027: the STEP page now redirects to the Google Careers home page, and no STEP posting is on Google's job board as of October 16, 2026. Google hasn't announced that the program ended. If you're a first- or second-year, watch the internships Google does post, and see our Google internship guide for that timeline.
Quick Facts
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Where to apply | Google internships. There's no STEP application to submit |
| Status (October 2026) | The STEP program page redirects to the Google Careers home page, and Google's job board shows no STEP posting as of October 16, 2026 |
| Official announcement | None. Google hasn't said STEP ended or was renamed |
| Summer 2027 | No STEP cohort shown anywhere on Google's site |
| Who it was for | First- and second-year undergraduates in computer science or a related field |
| Format (past cycles) | A paid, 12-week summer internship, working on a software project with another STEP intern, full-time Googlers and a mentor |
| Last cycle we confirmed | Summer 2025 in EMEA (London, Zurich, Munich, Dublin): deadline October 25, 2024, program June 30 to September 26, 2025 |
| India | Student write-ups say STEP became the Associate Software Developer Intern (ASDI) role, but no ASDI posting is on Google's board and Google hasn't confirmed it |
| Alternatives for first- and second-years | Microsoft Explore (next windows early November and early December 2026) and NVIDIA Ignite (closes October 18, 2026) |
The detail most people miss: Google's US BS/MS Software Engineering intern posting for summer 2027 wasn't on the board as of October 16, 2026, so nobody can confirm yet whether first- and second-years qualify. Check its qualifications as soon as it appears.
Without STEP, first- and second-years need a project that holds up against older applicants. A remote Externship like the Wayfair n8n AI Agent Engineering Externship gives you a finished AI build to put on your resume for Google's regular internships or programs like Microsoft Explore.
What Was Google STEP?
STEP, short for Student Training in Engineering Program, was Google's summer internship for students early in a computer science degree. It ran 12 weeks and was paid. Each STEP intern worked on a software project alongside another STEP intern, with full-time Googlers and a mentor, and attended technical and professional skills training. Past postings said Google aimed to grow future computer scientists, particularly those historically underrepresented in the field. In North America, programs ran May to August or June to September. The last cycle we could confirm from a posting was summer 2025 in EMEA, which ran June 30 to September 26, 2025. Today, the STEP page at buildyourfuture.withgoogle.com redirects to the general Google Careers home page.
Who Was Google STEP For?
Based on past STEP postings and university pages, STEP was for:
• Class year: students in the first or second year of a bachelor's degree
• Region: separate postings for North America and EMEA. The 2023 North America page covered first- and second-year students at a university in North America
• Courses (North America): first-years had taken at least one college computer science course, second-years at least two
• Languages: programming experience in C, C++, Java, JavaScript or Python (North America) or Java, C++ or Python (EMEA)
• Application materials: a resume and an unofficial transcript
• Today: no eligibility rules apply, because no STEP program is posted
Without a current posting, there's no way to check today's GPA or work authorization rules. If Google brings back an early-year program, its posting will be the only reliable source for who can apply.
Is Google STEP Open for Summer 2027?
No. As of October 16, 2026, Google's job board has no STEP posting: a search for STEP among intern roles returned three jobs, none of them STEP. The STEP program page redirects, and Google hasn't published a notice that STEP ended, so there's no defensible date to project for a 2027 cycle. The timeline below shows what first- and second-years can apply to instead, using dates from those programs' own postings.
No STEP posting for summer 2027. Watch Google's internships page for the summer 2027 BS/MS Software Engineering intern posting and check whether its qualifications admit first- and second-years. NVIDIA Ignite, for freshmen and sophomores, closes October 18, 2026.
Next Microsoft Explore window for summer 2027, for first- and second-year students, per Microsoft's posting.
Last Microsoft Explore window listed for summer 2027, if positions are still open.
No STEP cohort is shown on Google's site. If Google posts an early-year program, its own posting will give the dates.
Expected NVIDIA Ignite window for summer 2028, based on its October 2025 and October 2026 windows. Useful if you're a first-year now.
How to read this page: our dates come from tracking previous recruiting cycles and the employer's own postings. Treat future dates as informed estimates based on historical patterns, not confirmed dates. The program's official page is always the most current source. If it's posted there, go by that, even if this page suggests the window hasn't opened yet.
How Do You Apply to Google Now That STEP Isn't Posted?
There's no STEP application to submit. Here's what to do instead:
1. Check Google's internships page and job board for summer 2027 intern postings. As of October 16, 2026, only PhD intern postings matched a software engineering intern search in the US.
2. When the BS/MS Software Engineering intern posting appears, read its minimum qualifications to see whether first- and second-years are eligible.
3. Apply to early-year programs at other companies at the same time, such as Microsoft Explore (first week of November and December 2026) and NVIDIA Ignite (closes October 18, 2026).
4. Keep a resume and an unofficial transcript ready. Past STEP applications asked for both, and most intern applications still do.
If you see a page or post promising a STEP 2027 application, check that it links to Google's own careers site. Google's board doesn't list one.
Did Google STEP Lead to a Job at Google?
Possibly, in its day, but Google never promised it. A 2023 Northeastern University page listed a "potential return offer" for STEP, and nothing current from Google speaks to outcomes, since no program is posted. If you want a path into Google now, it runs through Google's regular internships. Our Google internship guide covers the summer 2027 timeline and which roles to watch.
How Should First- and Second-Years Prepare Without Google STEP?
STEP's absence means first- and second-years compete for regular internships with less experience than older applicants. The fix is a portfolio of finished work. Here's what to show.
| What to show | Why it matters here | Externship that builds it |
|---|---|---|
| A finished coding project | STEP asked for programming experience in C, C++, Java, JavaScript or Python, and regular intern roles expect at least that | Wayfair n8n AI Agent Engineering |
| Product thinking | When we searched Google's board for STEP, one of the results was an APM BS/MS intern role, so product tracks are worth a look | BeReal Product Management |
| Working with real data | Data skills help across engineering and product roles. This externship builds analysis, not software engineering | Center for Improving Youth Justice Data Analytics |
Keep taking computer science courses. STEP expected first-years to have at least one college CS course and second-years at least two, and that's still a fair benchmark for early-year applications.
What Should You Apply to Instead of Google STEP?
These programs still take first- and second-year students, or students early in their degree:
- MicrosoftExplore, a 12-week internship for first- and second-yearsGuide →
- NVIDIAIgnite, a 12-week pre-internship for freshmen and sophomoresGuide →
- SalesforceFutureforce Tech Launchpad, a paid pre-internship for rising juniorsGuide →
- SnapSnap Academies, for community college students and recent transfersGuide →
- GoogleGoogle's regular internships, once you qualifyGuide →
If Google posts a new program for early-year students, we'll update this page. Until then, apply widely, and use our Google internship guide to time your Google applications. For the wider field, see our tech internships guide.
FAQ
Is Google STEP open for summer 2027?
No, as far as Google's site shows. As of October 16, 2026, the STEP program page redirects to the Google Careers home page, and Google's job board has no STEP posting. Google hasn't announced that STEP ended, so check its internships page for any new early-year program before you rule it out.
Did Google end the STEP program?
Google hasn't said so. The evidence is indirect: the STEP page redirects and no STEP posting is on the job board. The last STEP cycle we confirmed from a posting was summer 2025 in EMEA, with an October 25, 2024 deadline. We found no official notice for North America.
Was Google STEP renamed?
Possibly in India, but it isn't confirmed. Student write-ups say STEP became the Associate Software Developer Intern (ASDI) role there. A search of Google's job board for Associate Software Developer returned no jobs on October 16, 2026, and Google hasn't published anything about a rename.
Can first- and second-year students apply to Google internships?
It depends on the posting, and the key one isn't up yet. Google's US BS/MS Software Engineering intern posting for summer 2027 wasn't on the board as of October 16, 2026. When it appears, read its minimum qualifications. Until then, apply to programs that take early-year students, like Microsoft Explore.
Was Google STEP paid?
Yes, past postings described a paid 12-week summer internship. There's no current pay figure because there's no current posting. For pay at Google's regular internships, check the pay range on each live posting, and for comparison, NVIDIA Ignite lists $20 to $56 an hour for summer 2027.
Who was eligible for Google STEP?
First- and second-year undergraduates in computer science or a related field. In North America, first-years needed at least one college CS course and second-years at least two, plus programming experience in C, C++, Java, JavaScript or Python. Applicants sent a resume and an unofficial transcript.
Did Google STEP lead to a full-time offer?
Not by any guarantee. A 2023 Northeastern University page listed a potential return offer, but Google publishes nothing current about STEP outcomes. Today, the path into Google for students runs through its regular internships, which our Google internship guide covers.
What should you apply to instead of Google STEP?
Programs built for early-year students. Microsoft Explore takes first- and second-years, with windows in the first weeks of November and December 2026. NVIDIA Ignite takes freshmen and sophomores and closes October 18, 2026. Salesforce's Futureforce Tech Launchpad is for rising juniors.
With no STEP for summer 2027, first- and second-years need to build their own head start. Apply to the early-year programs that are still running, and if your resume needs a finished project, a remote Externship gives you one.
About the Author
Bifei Wang has spent 17 years focused on human flow and the growth of young professionals, spanning international education, career training and coaching, and recruitment process outsourcing. Over 7 years at Extern, he has had one-on-one sessions with thousands of students exploring careers in consulting, finance, tech, marketing, and data, giving him a firsthand view of how the job market has shifted for early-career professionals and what it actually takes to break in.
