Paid Internship Opportunities

If you are looking for paid internship opportunities in India and abroad then this blog is dedicated to you!

There are various internship programs that are fully funded, so students going for an internship through those are paid accordingly. Popular ones in India are the Indian Academy of Sciences SRFP, TIFR’s VSRP, JNCASR’s internship program, etc. Popular international ones are DAAD WISE of Germany, Charpak of France, Mitacs of Canada, S.N. Bose/ Khorana of the US, etc.

 

In India:

 

Summer Research Fellowship Program (SRFP), Indian Academy of Sciences:-

The Indian Academy of Sciences provides this fellowship program for undergraduates( 2nd year onwards). The selected candidates work under an assigned guide for two months, preferably in the summer.

This program provides research opportunities for students and teachers in Physics, Chemistry, Life Sciences, Earth and Planetary Science, and Mathematics. 

The application process for this program usually starts in October and lasts till the end of November. There are no fees for submitting the application form. Applicants need to submit the contact details of a referee, who is later contacted for a Letter of Recommendation by the organisers. Information on selection is released around February–March. The selected students/teachers are provided appropriate round-trip train fare and a monthly fellowship of about Rs.10,000 / month to meet their living expenses at work.

Through this fellowship, you can interact with the best researchers in India and get a reference that will help you in your foreign scholarships and higher studies.

Visiting Students’ Research Programme (VSRP), Tata Institute of Fundamental Research:-

This program is for students interested in physics and astronomy who are in M.Sc., Integrated M.Sc.(3rd year), or in the final year of B.Sc. degrees (in Physics, Astronomy, Applied Mathematics, or Electronics). Based on their performance in the research project, the project seminar, and subsequent interviews, outstanding students are offered a research scholarship towards a Ph.D. at NCRA, to be taken upon completion of the qualifying degree.

The application form usually opens in mid-January and closes by February end. The application procedure requires the contact details of two referees whom the organizers reach out to for Letters of Recommendation. The program is usually held at NCRA-TIFR during the summer for two months. The VSRP consists of a research project on astronomy and astrophysics, either theoretical, observational, or computational, depending on project availability and student preferences.

Students selected for the VSRP are paid a stipend of Rs. 7000/- per month and are provided hostel accommodation on the NCRA-TIFR campus during the program. They are also paid 1.33 times the second-class return railway fare between the place of their residence or education and Pune.

Summer Research Fellowship Program(SRFP), Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research:-

This program is for bachelor’s and master’s students interested in Physics, Chemistry, Life Science, Mathematics, and Engineering. JNCASR is the best research institute in India for Material Science. About 150 fellowships are offered each year. The admitted students are given a fellowship of Rs. 10,000/- per month.

The application process usually starts in January and closes by the end of February. There are different eligibility criteria for other fields. The application process requires a letter of recommendation from one or two referees. There is an application fee of Rs. 500.

This program provides good exposure that helps get enormous research opportunities in foreign universities. This is one of the highly acclaimed programs of the Centre that enables students to get inspired toward scientific research during the early stage of their education. 

SPARK (Summer Internship at IIT-Roorkee):-

IIT Roorkee offers institute-funded (with a stipend of Rs. 2,500/week)    and project-funded summer internships under the SPARK program. This program aims to attract and nurture talented undergraduate students (2nd year onwards) across the country. This program provides training in Physics, Chemistry, Life Sciences,  and Earth and Climate Sciences.

The application process starts in January and ends in February. Along with a Letter of Recommendation and Statement of Purpose, an official No Objection Certificate(NOC) from your institute is required.

While applying, each student can apply under five projects(max.) and have to set their priorities according to them. In this program, you will primarily be working with a faculty member of IITR on any of his projects. This program will introduce you to research and help you choose future career options. If you feel you have an interest, go ahead and apply.

Summer Research Programme, S. N. Bose National Centre for Basic Sciences:-

This is a  two-month-long summer internship provided by S.N. Bose National Centre for Basic Sciences, Bangalore (SNBNCBS or NCBS), where selected candidates work under the supervision of a Faculty Member of NCBS in an area of mutual interest. This is an excellent program for students in the first/second year of M.Sc. or 4th/5th year of Integrated M.Sc. in Physical, Chemical, and Mathematical Sciences (including Applied Mathematics). 

The Centre provides a stipend of Rs. 1250/- per month to each student selected for the program. The program is conducted primarily through Online mode while the experimental projects requiring laboratory work can be completed offline.

The application process usually takes place in March-April. You need to contact and take the approval of respective faculty members before submitting the application form. 

SURGE, IIT-Kanpur:-

Under this program, students from IITK and other participating institutions undertake short-duration, focused research projects. This  program helps gain experience and push intellectual abilities beyond those driven by the classroom.

The duration of the SURGE program is approximately eight weeks, usually in summer. Students from SARC countries are also invited to this program. The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation ( SAARC) is the regional intergovernmental organization and geopolitical union of states in South Asia. Its member states are Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.

The application process starts in January and lasts till February. All the applicants who aren’t from IIT-K must submit an application fee of Rs.500. Non-IIT-K students who are in the pre-final year of their B.Tech/B.Sc/B.A/Bs, etc., and 3rd/4th year of their 5-year degree program can apply for this program. Two letters of recommendation are required while applying. The selected candidates are paid a stipend of Rs. 12.5k for two months.

 

Abroad:

Most foreign internship programs are fully funded. Here are some of the fully-funded programs:

DAAD, Germany:-

This program is for Indian students pursuing Basic Science and Engineering. It provides excellent opportunities to students who wish to research at a publicly-funded German higher education institution or a research institute. Students in the third or fourth year of the five-year and third year of their four-year degrees are eligible for this. 

Search for the guides/professors under whom you want to do your internship, but your guide must not be from a private institution. The program is of 60-90 days. It is necessary to obtain a “No Objection Certificate” for the entire duration of the internship from the home institute, a Letter of Recommendation (LOR), a research proposal, a passport, an approval form by your German Host, and proficiency in the English language are some essential things required for the program.

A monthly scholarship of Rs.76,304.40 (860 Euros), travel subsidy, and health and accident insurance are covered by DAAD. The application procedure starts six weeks before the application deadline.

Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship(SURF), Caltech:-

This program is one of the most salient features of Caltech. It provides incredible opportunities for students to work under top researchers in their fields of choice. SURF offers internships in Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Engineering, Earth & Climate Science, and Mathematics. Students in a second or higher level in their degree and with an excellent academic record can apply for this program.

The application process for this 10-week-long program closes in February. Applicants need to contact a mentor/researcher who can agree to guide them before submitting their application. A research proposal and two letters of recommendation are required while submitting the application form.

Fellows receive about Rs.5 lacs for a period of 10 weeks. The selected students get the chance to interact with scientists of JPL(Jet Propulsion Laboratory, NASA), work on a research project, and have other social interactions with the top researchers and students from various communities worldwide. 

CHARPAK, France:-

Charpak is the French government scholarship program in India. The scholarship program is divided into three sub-programs: Bachelor, Master, and Lab. It allows Indian students to study at undergraduate or postgraduate levels in public and private institutions in France. You can apply for any subject under this program.

The application process starts in February and ends in April. Though the letter of recommendation is optional, it is advantageous if you get one. The selected students get a monthly allowance of about Rs. 76k, a student visa, and assistance in accommodation.

Khorana Program for Scholars, Indo-US Science & Technology Forum:-

The program is named in honor of Dr. Har Gobind Khorana, who won the Nobel Prize for his work at the interface of Chemistry and Biology. It aims to provide research opportunities to Indian students at leading U.S. universities over summers for 10-12 weeks.

The application process usually closes in January. Pre-final year students of B.Tech./M.Tech./B.Sc./M.Sc./B.E./M.E./M.S./Integrated      BS-M.S./MBBS.at recognized institutions of higher education in India in Biotechnology and allied areas are eligible to apply. 

The program provides monetary aid, which covers stipend, health insurance, and travel. If you are interested in the advancement of Bio-technology, you must consider applying for this program. 

Kupcinet-Getz International Science School, Weizmann Institute of  Science:-

This program provides internship opportunities for physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, and Life Sciences students. Under this program, you get associated with a laboratory or a theoretical research project under the supervision of an experienced scientist. You can apply if you are in year two of a three-year program, year three of a four-year program, or years three or four of a five-year program.

The application process starts in December and ends in January. This program lasts for two months of summer. The selected applicants receive an overall stipend of Rs.96k and housing facilities. But the travel expenses need to be made by the student only.

The application process requires at least one recommendation letter and a proper research proposal. Applicants need to choose the guide under whom they want to do their project.

 Apart from these programs, you can also apply under a professor. You will be paid if they have funds or grants in mind that the student can apply to. Still, you should remember that if an internship is perfect for building your skills, it is worth going for it even if it still needs to be fully paid.

Now you are probably wondering, ‘How to write emails to professors asking for internships.’ Worry not! We got you covered. Visit our website to get free resources.

    *All the information is updated and as per the Covid-19 situation.