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STEM Internships at º£½ÇÉçÇø

Science Learning Institute Internships

The Science Learning Institute (SLI) connects STEM students with opportunities to apply for and prepare for internships, while also offering our own summer internship program. Scholarships are available through the º£½ÇÉçÇø Financial Aid Office to help students participate and succeed.

Scholarships open doors for students to attend college, build workforce-ready skills, and prepare for both academic and financial challenges after transfer. They provide vital support for students pursuing STEM education and careers.

Internships benefit not only students but also our community and industry partners. Hear what one of our valued collaborators, the , has to say about .

In previous years, SLI offered two internship cycles — one during winter quarter and another during summer. Beginning with the 2024–25 academic year, the winter internship cycle has been paused due to limited staff capacity, with plans to reintroduce it in the future as resources allow.

Students who participate in the SLI STEM Summer Internship program should be aware of the following guidelines:

Commitment

  • A program orientation for the summer internship program in late June with the Science Learning Institute. Some placements also require additional meetings, sessions, and professional development.
  • In-person training on Mon, June 29, 2026.
  • Submission of a final report of your internship experience at the end of the summer.
  • Part-time weekly commitment for 9 weeks. Duration and weekly commitment varies for each placement.

Criteria

  • Each project outlines the eligibility criteria for that project. 
  • Applicants should be a full or part-time º£½ÇÉçÇø student majoring in a STEM discipline.
  • Applicants should be a first generation college goer (one or both parents did not finish college) and/or low-income as determined by receiving financial aid at Foothill College or some other description of financial need. 
  • Applicants also should be first time degree earners (no prior degree such as a Bachelor’s or Associate).

Benefits

  • Scholarship/ stipend provided through the Science Learning Institute.
  • Work-based learning and experience to add to your skillset and resume.
  • Mentoring and support from your placement and from the Science Learning Institute.

Summer SLI Internships 

SLI provides internship opportunities for º£½ÇÉçÇø students during the summer. Stipends are provided through the generous support of SLI donors and allow students to pursue these opportunities.

FLI-SLI STEM Summer Internship 2026

Through SLI, first-generation, low-income (FLI) º£½ÇÉçÇø students will have an opportunity to engage in an internship either in research or industry, under the guidance of a mentor/ supervisor. Institutions and companies include biotech startups, Stanford University labs, and more!

Review the information below before filling out the application. Keep in mind, this program is only for students who are first-generation college goers and/or low-income. Also, there have been some changes from last year's application process. 

Deadline to apply: Wed, April 15, 2026, 11:59pm

  • Information session resources
    • Live Zoom information session on Thursday, March 26, 2026 from 3 - 4pm.  for the Zoom link. 
    • Informational video by Sophia Kim, SLI director (to be posted).
  • FAQ about the internship program - this will be updated as questions come in - please review this before you send an email with any questions.
  • Fill out the  - this is not the application but is a way to show that you are interested in applying. We will be sending out updates and information to those who fill out the interest form. 
  • The application is a Google Form. We will NOT have an application through Academic Works.
  • The application will NOT include reviewing a Project and Mentor Catalog. The application will only include the following:
    • information about you
    • a PDF of your resume
    • your unofficial transcript including winter 2026 grades
    • a personal statement essay (PDF)
    • and other questions similar to previous applications
    • Here is a PDF of screenshots of the complete application so you can get a preview of what it will look like before you apply. 
  • There will not be a Project and Mentor Catalog posted for public view on this webpage. That catalog will only be provided to applicants who make it through the first review after the April 15 deadline. 

Application Process

  1. º£½ÇÉçÇø is listed as your primary institution and you are enrolled at º£½ÇÉçÇø in spring 2026 for at least 6 units.
  2. You must have demonstrated financial need through completion of the FAFSA, CA Dream Act or an explanation of financial need in the application.
    • We encourage you to fill out the FAFSA for 2025-26 if you haven’t done so already. This will greatly improve your chances of positive review, especially if you show high need.
  3. You should be a first-generation college goer â€“ this can mean one or both parents did not graduate from college in the U.S. or outside the U.S.
  4. International and undocumented students are eligible to apply. 
Priority given to:
  • Students who have not previously had an internship or company experience.
  • Students who have the intent to transfer to a 4-year university.
  • First time degree earners (no prior degree such as a Bachelor’s or Associate).

All internships will be either 6-7, 15, or 20 hours per week for nine weeks. All internships start the week of July 6, 2026 and run through the week of August 31, 2026.

All internships require:

  • A program orientation before the end of spring quarter and an in-person training before the internship starts (6/29/26). These are run by the Science Learning Institute.
  • Submission of a final report of your internship experience at the end of the summer.
  • Final presentation in early September for an audience of all interns and mentors in the program.
  • Attendance at a biweekly (every other week) in-person cohort seminar on professional development topics (included in your hours/week) – total of four seminars – all required.
  • All above activities/ sessions are included in the total hours of your internship, on top of the hours on your internship project

These are all required. You must sure you can attend for all these days. Summer vacations/ trips and transfer university start dates should accommodate these dates:

  • Program orientation (2 options) - Dates TBD
  • In-person training for all interns - Mon, June 29, 2026
  • All internships start: week of July 6, 2026
  • All internships end: week of August 31, 2026
  • Final presentations – Thurs, Sept 3 and Fri, Sept 4, 2026

Before submitting the , there are actions you can take to make the application process run more smoothly.  

  1. Fill out the  to let us know you are thinking of applying. 
  2. Prepare your resume. If you've never done a resume, check out this that has templates and guidance on creating a resume
  3. Download your unofficial transcript. If you don't know how to do that, go to MyPortal --> Student Registration --> see two options under My Records - View my Unofficial Transcript. 
  4. Prepare your Personal Statement essay. Write an essay that tells us about yourself and your background. Describe a significant life challenge (financial, personal, etc.) you faced and how you addressed it. Be specific about your academic and career goals, and how this internship would help you meet those goals. Explain why you are interested in an internship at this point in your journey. Word count - not to exceed 600 words.
  5. Fill out the  and upload resume, transcript, and personal statement. 
  6. You may use AI to help you brainstorm your essays, but DO NOT use AI to fully write your answers. AI strips your voice and authenticity, so we want to read essays that are from YOUR VOICE. 

This year, a project catalog will not be provided for view in advance of submitting the application. Instead, students who make it through a first round of review will receive the Project and Mentor catalog to review and then will be given a week and a half (with support) to submit selections and interest paragraphs for up to 5 internship projects. 

There are three types of projects and corresponding internship stipends:

  • 6 - 7 hours per week for 9 weeks - $1200
  • 15 hours per week for 9 weeks - $2800
  • 20 hours per week for 9 weeks - $3700

Scholarship payments will occur in two installments and will depend on successful completion at each stage: one in the middle of the internship and one at the end after completion of the final report and final presentation.

Depending on your eligibility and the arrangement with the partner, even though this is called a "scholarship program," there will be different ways you will get paid:

  • as a scholarship
  • through student employment
  • through temporary employee hiring
  • directly through the internship partner in which you will have to complete their hiring paperwork

 

There will be two main rounds of review for this process.

  1. Round 1 â€“ a team of reviewers from SLI will review your Google Form application after the April 15 deadline and select a group of students for first round acceptance.
  2. First round accepted students will be notified toward the end of April and required to attend an information session to receive and review the Project and Mentor catalog and make their choices of up to 5 projects they are interested in. Students in this round will also need to submit short interest paragraphs related to which projects they are interested in. There will be support for this part of the process. These interest statements will be submitted in early May. 
  3. Round 2 â€“ students’ interest paragraphs will be reviewed and will be forwarded to mentors for review and possible short interviews. From there, a final set of up to 30 students will be selected for the internship program.
  4. Don’t let this multi-step process deter you – we will support you every step of the way if you need it!

Students may get more than one interview in round 2 but ultimately can only get accepted for one project. Final decisions will be made by the end of May.

The Foothill Workforce Development department provides resources and hosts the ITRN (internship) course that is required for most SLI internships. Check out their webpage for more information.

Foothill Handshake

Handshake is an online platform for finding jobs, internships, and other career development opportunities. Foothill has its own Handshake environment where you can create a student profile and connect with employers and peers.

Activate your account now!

  1. Go to .
  2. Find and open the Handshake app.
  3. Log in. If you have not yet set up an account, you will be prompted to do so. After setup, allow up to one business day for administrator approval.
Foothill Gladeo

Gladeo is a career-exploration and development platform that helps you discover different professional paths. Foothill’s customized Gladeo platform allows you to:

  • Take a career quiz to explore your strengths and interests.
  • Watch videos featuring Foothill students in various fields and careers.
  • Explore interactive career maps and related opportunities.

Start exploring at .


For Potential Host Partners

We are always looking for more work-based learning opportunities for our students. If you are a company, organization, or institution looking to connect and provide internship placements for º£½ÇÉçÇø students, please contact us!

Host Placement Outreach and Information

SLI is looking for mentors and companies to host a fully-funded º£½ÇÉçÇø student intern for summer 2026.

Deadline to apply: Tuesday, March 31, 2026

  •  You will propose a 9 week project related to your research or work that a student can work on independently, with some guidance from you.
  • Then you'll get matched with a º£½ÇÉçÇø student, and they will work with you for the summer (starting 7/6/26 through 9/4/26).
  • You have the option for 15 or 20 hours per week for the nine weeks.
  • This will involve a 5 - 7 hour per week commitment as a mentor.

Please read more in this  and 

If you are a first-time internship mentor, these resources can help you determine the scope of an internship project:

FLI-SLI STEM Summer Internships 2026 at a Glance

School Year SLI Internships

SLI is provides work-based learning opportunities for students during the school year. See below for internship opportunities.

School Year Opportunities

Unfortunately, SLI is not running our STEM Winter Micro-Internship program. We have had some staffing changes which limit our capacity to run the program, but we hope to revive this program in the future with funding and staffing additions!

Please keep a lookout for other winter opportunites, and we will definitely be running our summer internship program. 

Learn more about completing the application on the Scholarships page. For questions about internship opportunities, contact: sli@foothill.edu.

STEM Resources & Opportunities

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Contact Us

Sophia Kim, SLI Director

Building 4400, Office 4408
650.949.7455
kimsophia@fhda.edu
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