MITRE Internship 2027–2028: Programs, Deadlines & How to Apply

Last updated: October 2026

MITRE's summer 2027 student internships are open right now. Its own job system listed 28 student postings on October 26, 2026, the first posted August 31 and the newest on October 22, and MITRE says its primary hiring season runs from September through March. The pay ranges are annual figures: $46,500 to $69,500 (midpoint $58,000) on 26 of the postings, which MITRE doesn't convert to an hourly rate. Citizenship rules matter, because 20 of the 28 postings mention US citizenship, and MITRE doesn't hire students who need sponsorship. In plain words: you apply during 2026, you intern in summer 2027, and one program, TECH Futures, has a hard deadline of February 28, 2027.

Quick Facts

The row that matters most: applications are open and mostly rolling, pay is published as an annual range, and most roles need US citizenship.

Externships are short, remote programs where you finish a real project for a real company, most often in 8 weeks at 5 to 10 hours a week. The Hydroficient Advanced: IoT Cyber Defense Externship practices the security and IoT thinking behind MITRE's cyber and embedded roles, and the SQL & Database Architecture with Breaking Games Externship builds the data skills that its data science postings ask for. Explore all Externships.

What Is a MITRE Internship?

A MITRE internship is a paid 10 to 12 week summer placement at The MITRE Corporation, a not-for-profit that operates federally funded research and development centers for US government sponsors. MITRE says it hires 500+ interns and co-ops each year, mostly rising juniors and seniors, and its student postings cover systems engineering, cyber operations, data science, AI, networking, embedded systems and human-centered engineering. Most work is on site at McLean, Virginia or Bedford, Massachusetts. MITRE states that most internships don't require a clearance, but many postings require US citizenship and MITRE doesn't hire students who need sponsorship. This guide describes the student program only and leaves sponsor work out.

When Do MITRE Internship Applications Open for 2027–2028?

MITRE doesn't run a single application window; it posts student roles over several months. We read its job system on October 26, 2026 and found 28 student postings: the first on August 31, a talent-pool batch on September 14, and more through October 22. Start dates are late May or early June, so the first posting sits about 9 months before the internship. MITRE's own posting says the primary hiring season runs September through March, and its FAQ says it keeps hiring through spring. We only have one cycle's posting dates because older Phenom postings aren't archived, so the summer 2028 window is a projection: late August or September 2027, with low confidence.

How to read this page: our dates come from tracking previous recruiting cycles and daily posting data. Treat them as informed estimates based on historical patterns, not confirmed dates. The company's official careers page is always the most current source. If a role is posted there, go by that, even if this page suggests the window hasn't opened yet.

Why You Must Apply the Week Applications Open

MITRE's postings are rolling, and that makes timing a strategy question. No posting lists an end date, MITRE says it's hiring through spring, and its FAQ says students not under consideration hear by early November. So there is no single deadline to beat, but the pool is reviewed from September onward and each specific role can fill. Apply to a specific posting that matches your major as well as the matching talent pool. TECH Futures is the one hard date: February 28, 2027. Whatever you choose, check the citizenship line first, since it decides whether you can be considered at all.

Which MITRE Internship Programs Should You Target?

MITRE's 28 student postings fall into a few role families. We list titles from its own job system and leave out sponsor-specific detail.

Read the official MITRE internship FAQ for dates and the clearance policy before you apply.

What Are the Eligibility Requirements?

These come from MITRE's FAQ and its postings on the job system, read on October 26, 2026.

• Enrollment: most postings ask for a full-time student in an accredited degree program who stays enrolled full time the semester after the internship. MITRE says most interns are rising juniors or seniors, and it hires at every level; graduate students are about 15% of interns.

• Grades: the postings ask for sustained excellence in academic performance. They list no numeric GPA.

• Citizenship: 20 of the 28 postings mention US citizenship, usually to be considered for a clearance. TECH Futures is open only to US citizens, and the intelligence roles require it for clearance eligibility. MITRE says some positions are open to people authorized to work permanently in the US.

• Sponsorship: MITRE states it doesn't hire students who will need sponsorship to work in the US, either now or in the future.

• Clearance: MITRE says most internships don't require one. Eight postings list a clearance the hire would obtain within a year: Secret on five, Top Secret on one and TS/SCI with polygraph on two.

• On site: most roles are on site, with a stated minimum of 3 or 4 days a week on several.

Do You Need a Clearance to Apply?

No. You apply first, and MITRE says that for most internships a clearance isn't required. Where a posting lists one, it's typically something the hired candidate obtains within a year, and the posting says US citizenship is needed to be considered. If you aren't a US citizen, focus on postings that don't mention citizenship, such as Trustworthy AI, Autonomous Systems and the graduate role, and confirm with MITRE's recruiters.

What Skills Does MITRE Look For, and How Do You Build Them?

MITRE's 23 specific-role postings read like engineering internships. Most ask for programming (21 of 23), with Python named in 18, plus data analysis or statistics (14), modeling or simulation (13) and systems engineering or model-based systems engineering (12). AI or machine learning appears in 11, mostly in the AI and data roles. Communication skills and teamwork are named in 8 each, and many postings list a stated interest in serving the public. The chart counts the 23 specific roles, not the five talent pools.

How Is Demand for Software Engineering Interns Moving Right Now?

Build These Skills Before You Apply

Each skill in the chart maps to a remote Externship you can finish while postings are still being added.

The overlap is closest on the data rows. No open Externship teaches model-based systems engineering, MATLAB or clearance-related work, so these build adjacent skills, not equivalents.

What Is the MITRE Application and Interview Process Like?

MITRE describes a posting-based process and posts the steps on its umbrella requisitions and FAQ.

1. Find a posting. Search the student opportunities or apply to a talent-pool posting for your major. The pool says it isn't an application for a specific position.

2. Apply on MITRE's job system. You can track your status in your candidate account.

3. Wait for contact. A member of the University Recruiting team reaches out if you are selected for consideration. Students not under consideration this year are told by early November.

4. Interview. TECH Futures candidates are invited to a virtual interview. MITRE publishes no round count or questions for the other roles.

5. Decision. TECH Futures notifications come by April 2, 2027; other decisions run through spring.

MITRE publishes no acceptance rate, applicant count or interview questions.

What Students on Reddit Say

Applicants and alumni talk about the pace of hiring, what the internship is like and conversion. These are lightly paraphrased from threads we read in full.

How Do You Stand Out for a MITRE Internship?

First, match a specific posting rather than relying on the pool. The 23 specific roles name tools such as Python, MATLAB and model-based systems engineering, and a resume that shows that tool in a project reads as a fit. Second, show the public-interest angle. Many postings list a stated interest in serving the public, so say why government-sponsored research appeals to you. Third, be clear about enrollment and citizenship in your materials. MITRE says it converts over half of its interns to full-time employees, but it publishes no applicant count, acceptance rate or class-year breakdown, so there is no number to benchmark against.

What Other Companies Should You Consider?

If you're weighing research and government-sponsored employers, these also hire students:

Our aerospace and defense internships guide for summer 2027 compares more employers and their calendars.

FAQ

Can I still apply for a summer 2026 MITRE internship?

No. Summer 2026 internships ran last summer and are over. The cycle open now is summer 2027: MITRE's job system listed 28 student postings on October 26, 2026, the first posted August 31, and its primary hiring season runs September through March. Apply to a specific posting that fits your major.

When do MITRE internship applications open?

They are open now for summer 2027. Postings went up from August 31 to October 22, 2026, and more appear weekly. TECH Futures closes February 28, 2027. We expect summer 2028 postings from late August or September 2027, with low confidence, because we have only observed one cycle.

How much do MITRE interns get paid?

MITRE publishes annual ranges on its postings: $46,500 low, $58,000 midpoint and $69,500 high on 26 of them, $51,000 to $77,000 for Trustworthy AI, and $80,800 to $121,200 for the graduate role. MITRE publishes no hourly rate or proration, so we don't convert one.

Do I need to be a US citizen for a MITRE internship?

Often. TECH Futures is open only to US citizens, and 20 of the 28 postings mention citizenship, usually to be considered for a clearance. MITRE says it doesn't hire students who need sponsorship now or later, though some positions are open to people authorized to work permanently in the US.

Do MITRE internships require a security clearance?

Most don't, according to MITRE's FAQ. Eight postings list a clearance the hire would obtain within a year: Secret on five, Top Secret on one and TS/SCI with polygraph on two. You apply first; any clearance process happens after an offer. Check each posting for its exact wording.

How long is a MITRE internship?

Internships last 10 to 12 weeks. You and your manager pick one of three start dates in late May or early June and one of three end dates in late July or early August. TECH Futures is an 8-week program running early June through early August 2027.

Does MITRE offer full-time jobs to interns?

MITRE says it converts over half of its interns to full-time employees, and students scheduled to graduate within 12 months of the internship may receive an offer. The page is undated and gives no cohort breakdown, so treat the figure as MITRE's own and not a guarantee.

Can graduate or high school students apply to MITRE?

Yes. MITRE says it hires at every level, even in high school, and graduate students are about 15% of interns. One current posting, Organizational Science Graduate Intern, is graduate-only. TECH Futures is for rising sophomores to rising seniors in a bachelor's degree.

Apply this month to a posting that matches your major and your citizenship status, then keep checking MITRE's job system through spring. While you wait, a remote Externship gives you a finished data or security project to describe in the interview.