Columbia University Summer Internship Programs for Students
Internships provide invaluable hands-on training and industry experience, making them a crucial component of a student's academic and professional development. Most industries expect candidates to have had one or more internships during or directly following college. Columbia University offers a diverse array of summer internship programs designed to provide students with practical experience, research opportunities, and valuable networking connections. These programs cater to a wide range of interests and academic backgrounds, offering students a chance to explore potential career paths and develop essential skills.
Internship in Building Community
The Internship in Building Community offers an ideal opportunity for growth-oriented, creative college and grad students who are interested in collaborating with others to help shape and support Columbia University’s NYC Residential Summer Program. For Summer 2026, Columbia University offered an in-person residential opportunity on the Morningside campus in New York City. The position included room and board throughout the duration of the program. Applications for 2026 Residential Intern opportunities are now closed.
Summer Research Internship at Columbia Business School
This highly selective program provides interns the opportunity to work with Columbia Business School's faculty on a research project in finance, economics, marketing, management, decision sciences, operations, accounting, or data analytics.
Responsibilities and Expectations
Specific tasks vary by project but the work may include literature reviews, data collection and cleaning, web scraping, and statistical analysis. Some projects require skills in advanced analytics, machine learning, natural language processing, and artificial intelligence. Behavioral interns may be staffed on multiple projects, conducting literature reviews, coding data, performing statistical analyses, and potentially running experiments through the Behavioral Research Lab.
Summer Research Interns are expected to fully participate in all aspects of summer programming. Interns will take part in a weekly research seminar series with faculty and PhD students, allowing the interns to be exposed to the variety of research performed in the business school. The experience culminates with each intern presenting their work to the CBS research community.
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Internship expectations may include, and are not limited to:
- Commit to Internship Dates: Interns must commit to the full duration of the internship.
- Summer Project Work: Interns are assigned 1:1 to a CBS faculty advisor to work on research project(s).
- Participate in Weekly Seminar/Talking Sessions: Interns are required to attend and participate in seminar sessions led by faculty and doctoral students.
- Networking Social Events: Interns engage in networking events and opportunities to engage in activities to explore both New York City and the Columbia University Campus.
- Final Presentation: Interns will give a final presentation on their summer research project and findings to their faculty advisor and program during the last week of the internship.
Program Details
This internship is a paid, full-time program; the financial compensation is expected to be around $3,000 to $3,500 per month. The tentative dates for Summer 2026 were June 1 through July 31, 2026. Interns must be in the New York City area throughout the duration of the program, as it is an in-person, on-campus position.
Eligibility and Guidelines
This internship program is generally designed for undergraduate students entering who are in good standing in their junior or rising senior year; first-year master’s students have also participated in the program. permanent residents, and international students who are or will be currently enrolled in a degree program at a college or university in the United States for the duration of the internship (e.g. are CPT eligible) are eligible to participate in this program. Students expected to graduate by the end of Spring 2026 or who already hold a master's degree are not eligible to participate.
Prospective interns should demonstrate an enthusiasm for research and intellectual curiosity. They are expected to have excellent communication skills, basic knowledge of statistics and/or econometrics, and familiarity with statistical and computational software packages (e.g., Matlab, STATA, SPSS, etc.) and scripting languages such as Python or R. Candidates interested in working with behavioral researchers should have experience conducting experiments and coding data.
Application Process
The 2026 Summer Research Internship applications is now closed. Submissions are reviewed on a rolling basis until all positions are filled.
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REU Site at Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory: Interdisciplinary Cutting-Edge Research through the Analysis of Global Data
The REU Site at Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory offers the chance to experience scientific research as an undergraduate. This NSF REU-SITE part of the program is open only to US citizens or permanent residents. citizens or permanent residents can apply to the program, but they can only select projects that are not part of the REU-Site (see National Program Brochure or FAQ for more details). Graduating seniors are not eligible for this internship. Students from community colleges and who are first-generation are encouraged to apply.
Program Focus
Applicants should have an interest in conducting research in the Earth, Ocean, Atmospheric, and Environmental Sciences. Two previous college-level courses in one or more of these areas are desirable if they are available to the student. All students are preferred to have at least one year of calculus (high school or college) and/or good grades in college level mathematics. Students choosing research in geochemistry and chemical oceanography should have at least two semesters of college-level chemistry; in marine biology at least two semesters of college-level biology; and in geophysics should have at least two semesters of college-level physics. However, exceptions may be made in cases where the applicant’s college does not offer appropriate courses.
Program Features
The program features:
- A hands-on research project under the supervision of a Columbia-affiliated scientist.
- Opportunities to discuss science with both experts and peers.
- Training in data analysis techniques, using software environments such as GeoMapApp, R, Matlab, and Python.
- Training in lab safety, professional ethics, and career opportunities.
- Special lectures, workshops, and field trips.
- Free housing in a Dominican University dormitory.
- Ten-week stipend of $7000.
Application Requirements
In order to be able to access and complete the online application form properly, you need to have:
- The latest version of Firefox, Internet Explorer, or Safari as your browser (STRONGLY recommended).
- Javascript and Cookies turned on in your browser. Normally, these are on by default.
- Your resume completed and saved as a PDF file.
- Your top three choices for project/mentor.
Lamont Summer Intern Program for Columbia and Barnard Students
The Lamont Summer Intern Program for Columbia and Barnard students offers the chance to experience scientific research as an undergraduate. The program is open to all Columbia College, Columbia Engineering, Columbia General Studies, and Barnard College students who have completed their junior or sophomore year in college with majors (or anticipated majors) in earth science, environmental science, chemistry, biology, physics, mathematics, engineering, sustainable development, or political science. Graduating seniors are not eligible. Applicants should have an interest in conducting research in the Earth, atmospheric, or ocean sciences. Completion of at least two courses in Earth, atmospheric, or ocean sciences is desirable. All students are preferred to have at least one year of calculus (high school or college) and/or good grades in college-level mathematics. Students undertaking research in geochemistry and chemical oceanography are required to have at least two semesters of college-level chemistry. Students undertaking research in marine biology are required to have at least two semesters of college-level biology. Students undertaking research in geophysics should have at least three semesters of college-level physics.
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Program Features
The program features:
- A hands-on research project under the supervision of a Columbia-affiliated scientist.
- Special lectures, workshops, and field trips.
- Free housing in a Dominican University dormitory.
- Ten-week stipend of $7000.
Application Requirements
In order to be able to access and complete the online application form properly, you need to have:
- The latest version of Firefox, Internet Explorer, or Safari as your browser (STRONGLY recommended).
- Javascript and Cookies turned on in your browser. Normally, these are on by default.
- Your resume completed and saved as a PDF file.
- Your top three choices for project/mentor.
Internship for Credit Program
The Internship for Credit Program is an opportunity for qualified students to receive 0, 1, or 3 academic credits for an eligible internship experience. Columbia Career Center who determines if an internship meets the requirements to award academic credit, not the employer. Your Career Advisor will automatically receive your application and review it to ensure it meets the guidelines for credit. Your Career Advisor will inform you if your opportunity is approved. If it is not approved, this does not bar you from participating in the opportunity. If approved, your Career Advisor will send an electronic Internship Agreement listing the expectations of the experience, to be signed by you, your internship supervisor, the international student services office (if applicable) and lastly by your Career Advisor. It can take several days for all required parties to sign the agreement, so plan accordingly.
On-Campus Internship Program
These positions are listed on the Handshake job board and as a part of the role, students are required to register for an academic course each semester they participate in the internship. Students can participate in the internship for as many semesters as they are in the role. Students are limited to registering up to 3 one-credit courses (COLL 210) and each of the three-credit courses (COLL 230 & COLL 330).
Columbia-WHO Center for Global Mental Health Summer Internship Program
Since 2016, the Columbia-WHO Center for Global Mental Health has hosted a competitive summer internship for rising senior undergraduates interested in the growing field of global mental health. Students participating in the Summer Internship Program will participate in a variety of didactic, career, and professional development seminars and will receive mentorship from 1-3 faculty members engaged in varied global mental health research and training initiatives. Through experiential learning, students will engage in research through placement-based global mental health projects that will be assigned according to their interests and project availability prior to the start of the internship. Additionally, students will gain exposure to networking within the healthcare research environment and develop the skills to apply an equity-informed lens into global mental health research and implementation.
The summer internship typically starts in June and runs for 8 weeks, with students attending daily seminar sessions and working on their assigned projects from Monday through Thursday.
Semester in LA Internships
The Semester in LA program provides students with critical experiences in the media and entertainment industry to carry into their career after graduation. It is open to all majors. In the program, students spend a semester in Los Angeles with courses focused on professionalism and are required to find and participate in an internship.
Additional Internship Programs and Opportunities
Columbia University also provides access to other specialized internship programs and resources, including:
- Semester in LA (SILA) Internships: This program offers students experiences in the media and entertainment industry.
- On-Campus Internship Program: Provides opportunities to work in various departments and centers within Columbia University.
Benefits of Participating in a Columbia University Summer Internship
Participating in a summer internship program at Columbia University offers numerous benefits, including:
- Hands-on Experience: Interns gain practical experience in their field of interest, applying classroom knowledge to real-world situations.
- Research Opportunities: Many programs offer the chance to work alongside leading researchers and contribute to cutting-edge projects.
- Skill Development: Interns develop essential skills such as data analysis, communication, problem-solving, and teamwork.
- Networking: Internships provide valuable networking opportunities with faculty, professionals, and fellow students.
- Career Exploration: Internships allow students to explore potential career paths and gain a better understanding of their interests and strengths.
- Academic Credit: The Internship for Credit Program allows qualified students to earn academic credit for their internship experience.
- Financial Compensation: Many internships offer stipends or salaries, providing financial support to students during the summer.
- Exposure to New York City: Interns have the opportunity to experience the vibrant culture and diverse opportunities of New York City.
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