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

Last updated: October 2026

NIST's flagship summer internship opened for applications today and closes on 26 January 2027. The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) is an 11-week paid research fellowship in Gaithersburg, Maryland or Boulder, Colorado, with a stipend of $6,390 to $7,810 on the 2027 announcement and about 150 students each summer. NIST's FAQ says roughly one in three applicants gets an offer, though its published 2024 lab tables add up to about one in four. In plain words: you apply between now and January 2027, you intern in summer 2027, from 2 June to 13 August.

Quick Facts

SURF summer 2027 is open from 16 October 2026 to 26 January 2027, pays a stipend of $6,390 to $7,810, and sends offers between 1 March and 2 April 2027.

Externships are short, remote programs where you finish a real project for a real company, most commonly over 8 weeks at 5 to 10 hours a week. The ARCeH Data Analytics, Health Outcomes Externship gives you applied data analysis on a real dataset, the kind of work NIST's measurement labs value, and the vCISO Cybersecurity Risk Assessment Externship fits standards and risk work. Explore all Externships.

What Is a NIST Internship?

A NIST internship usually means SURF, the Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship at the National Institute of Standards and Technology. NIST is part of the Department of Commerce, was founded in 1901, and works on measurement science, standards and technology. SURF places undergraduates with a NIST mentor in one of its laboratories for 11 weeks of full-time research, with about 150 students each summer. Fellows are guest researchers, not federal employees. NIST also offers Pathways internships, PREP through partner universities, a volunteer high school program (SHIP) and a doctoral fellowship (GMSE), which are separate programs with their own rules.

When Do NIST Internship Applications Open for 2027–2028?

SURF has one application window a year, and it has opened in October or November. USAJOBS records show 17 October 2024 to 31 January 2025, then 21 November 2025 to 26 January 2026, and now 16 October 2026 to 26 January 2027. That's a lead of about 7.5 months from opening to a 2 June start, and 4 months from the close. NIST sends offers by email between 1 March and 2 April 2027 and tells every applicant their status by 15 April.

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

This is a hard deadline, not a rolling review. The SURF announcements close at 11:59 pm Eastern on 26 January 2027, NIST says paper applications aren't accepted, and every required document must be in by that time. NIST also advises submitting well before the closing date. Your two referees get only 3 days after the close, so ask them now and give them the announcement link.

Which NIST Internship Programs Should You Target?

SURF is the program most people mean, but NIST runs other student routes with different rules.

Details sit on NIST's student opportunities page and the SURF FAQs. Don't mix the eligibility rules of the programs.

What Are the Eligibility Requirements?

These come from the SURF 2027 announcement and NIST's FAQ.

• Citizenship: U.S. citizens or U.S. permanent residents, with proof such as a birth certificate, passport or green card. A driver's license doesn't count.

• Visa holders: the FAQ says students on F-1 student visas, and U.S. students at foreign universities, are not eligible.

• Enrollment: a full-time, degree-seeking undergraduate at an accredited 2-year or 4-year U.S. college, from first-year to senior. First-year students and graduating seniors are encouraged to apply.

• Age and time: at least 18 by 2 June 2027, and 11 continuous weeks or at least 9 full weeks.

• Screening: a background check, proof of health insurance, and Selective Service registration for males born after 31 December 1959. No clearance or drug test.

• Documents: two recommendation letters, a resume, a transcript (unofficial is fine), proof of citizenship or residency and a personal statement.

Is the GPA a Hard Cutoff?

No. The announcement says good academic standing, with 3.0 on a 4.0 scale preferred. NIST also says it weighs the impact SURF will have on your future career in research, and it prefers STEM majors with coursework that fits your year, so a strong project fit can offset a lower GPA.

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

The announcement prefers "strong computer and laboratory skills", motivation and an interest in a STEM graduate degree. Across 57 Gaithersburg project descriptions, hands-on lab, instrument or experimental work is the most common ask, followed by programming, modeling or simulation and data analysis. Python is the language named most often.

How Is Demand for Research Interns Moving Right Now?

Build These Skills Before You Apply

Each row ties a skill NIST's projects ask for to a remote Externship that gives you a finished project to cite in your personal statement.

None of these Externships is connected to NIST. They help because the SURF application asks for a personal statement and a resume, and a finished project gives you something specific to describe.

What Is the NIST Application and Interview Process Like?

The steps below come from the SURF 2027 announcement and NIST's application page.

1. Open the right announcement. Gaithersburg and Boulder are separate applications, and you can reuse the same documents.

2. Apply in NIST's system, not with a USAJOBS resume. The announcement says to use the application link on nist.gov/surf and upload your documents there as PDFs. Remove Social Security numbers and dates of birth from transcripts and proof of citizenship first.

3. Choose first and second host labs. The first-choice lab reviews your application primarily, so read the lab pages.

4. Wait for review. NIST screens for completeness, then labs review. Offers arrive by email between 1 March and 2 April 2027, and there is a waiting list.

5. Accept promptly and confirm your start date, since SURF expects quick replies.

Ask your two referees now, because their letters are due 3 days after the closing date.

What Students on Reddit Say

Applicants on r/REU and r/UMD mostly discuss when offers arrive, and the answer depends on the lab.

How Do You Stand Out for a NIST Internship?

First, pick your two host labs with care. Your first choice reviews you primarily, and NIST's 2024 lab table shows offer rates from 18% (Physical Measurement) to 30% (Engineering), so read each lab's project list before you rank them. Second, write a specific personal statement that names the work you want to do and what you've built or measured so far. Third, get two strong recommenders early. NIST says it considers the impact SURF will have on your future career in research.

What Other Companies Should You Consider?

Students applying to NIST often also look at these federal research employers.

For more federal options and USAJOBS timing, see our government internships summer 2027 guide.

FAQ

Can I still apply for a summer 2026 NIST internship?

No. SURF 2026 applications closed on 26 January 2026, and the summer 2026 fellows presented their work in early August. What's open now is SURF for summer 2027, which opened on 16 October 2026 and closes on 26 January 2027. The 2027 program runs 2 June to 13 August.

When do NIST summer 2027 internship applications close?

Both SURF announcements close at 11:59 pm Eastern on 26 January 2027, and referees have 3 days afterward to upload letters. Offers go out by email between 1 March and 2 April 2027, and all applicants are told their status by 15 April 2027.

Is the NIST SURF internship paid?

Yes, with a stipend. The 2027 announcements list $6,390 to $7,810, depending on how many weeks you work. In 2026, the 11-week stipend was $7,810, or $710 a week, with limited help of $4,500 for housing and up to $500 for travel. Fellows earn no benefits and no paid time off.

Who is eligible for NIST SURF?

U.S. citizens and permanent residents who are full-time undergraduates at an accredited U.S. college, from first-year to senior, and at least 18 by 2 June 2027. NIST's FAQ says students on F-1 visas are not eligible. First-years and graduating seniors are encouraged to apply.

What are my odds of getting into NIST SURF?

NIST's FAQ says roughly one of every three students receives an offer. Its 2024 Gaithersburg lab table shows rates from 18% (Physical Measurement) to 30% (Engineering), and adding the table up gives 133 offers on 544 complete applications, about one in four. Boulder figures aren't published.

Where does NIST SURF take place, and can it be remote?

In person only, at NIST's campuses in Gaithersburg, Maryland or Boulder, Colorado. The 2027 announcements show no remote or telework option, and you find your own housing. Apply to each location separately if you want both, using the same documents.

What GPA do I need for NIST SURF?

NIST prefers 3.0 on a 4.0 scale but doesn't set it as a hard floor; the announcement asks for good academic standing. It also prefers STEM majors with coursework suited to your year and weighs how SURF will affect your future research career, so fit and motivation matter alongside grades.

Does a NIST internship lead to a job?

NIST publishes no SURF conversion rate. SURF fellows are guest researchers, not federal employees. NIST's Pathways internship page says completers are eligible for non-competitive conversion to a term or permanent job, but it isn't guaranteed. Use SURF as a research credential and a route into STEM graduate study.

SURF closes on 26 January 2027, and offers start in March. Ask your referees this month, and if you want a finished project to put in your personal statement, a remote Externship fits around classes at 5 to 10 hours a week.