Frequently Asked Questions

The 2026 DoW HBCUs/MIs Summer Research Internship Program application period opens on October 13, 2025.

The 2026 DoW HBCUs/MIs Summer Research Internship Program application period closes on January 6, 2026, at 11:59 PT.

You can visit the Program Details page and the Apply Now page for more information about the documents and information you will need to apply.

Applications are open from October 13, 2025, to January 6, 2026. The application can be started by going to the Apply Now button on the website.

Yes. You can pause your application and come back later to finish it using the “Save and Continue” button on the application. You will have 30 days to complete your application, though the deadline for submission still applies.

Students must be either enrolled or recently graduated from any Historically Black College/University (HBCU) or Minority Institution (MI) to qualify for this internship.

Dual citizens are not eligible for this program.

No. All applications must be submitted online.

The cumulative GPA must of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale. Applicants should not round their GPA and their GPA should match the transcript.

Exceptions to the requirement to attend all weeks of the internship are rare and made on a case-by-case basis. Exceptions are never granted for vacations or social obligations.

No, both graduate and undergraduate students are encouraged to apply.

Yes, graduate students are encouraged to apply.

The program runs from May 27, 2026, to August 8, 2026.

The selection process is divided into four phases, and applicants will need to pass all phases to be accepted for participation. Emails and updates are sent out for every phase so applicants are aware if they are advancing or not.

No. Mentors will only interview students who may match their area of research interest.

No. While you may select the labs you are interested in on the application, labs with multiple locations assign interns to specific locations at their discretion.

No. Even if you have an interview with a mentor, you may not be selected for the program. See the Selection Process page for more information.

Phase 1 involves a thorough review of all applications to confirm eligibility. This includes verifying the applicant’s U.S. citizenship, academic discipline, GPA, and enrollment at an eligible institution.

In Phase 2, mentors from participating organizations evaluate eligible applicants and may conduct interviews, though not all applicants will be interviewed. Mentors then recommend applicants for selection and issue a Partnership Agreement Form (PAF) to their chosen participant. Each applicant may sign only one PAF; if multiple PAFs are submitted, only the first received by the program administrator will be considered valid. To advance to Phase 3, the mentor must submit the signed PAF to the program administrator.

In Phase 3, Partnership Agreement Forms are first reviewed for accuracy and approval. Once verified, the student receives a congratulatory letter, followed by instructions to create an account in the onboarding portal. After the account is established, the official offer letter is issued. The student must sign and return the offer letter within two business days. Applicants who sign an offer letter but later decline to participate may be disqualified from future program opportunities. While an offer letter may be issued prior to the completion of the background investigation, participation cannot begin until a favorable interim background investigation has been determined.

Phase 4 is the background investigation. The administrative office will provide instructions and support for completing the required steps, including fingerprinting and submission of forms. Participants must begin this process immediately, as investigations may take one to three months depending on the level of clearance required. Fingerprinting and all required forms must be completed within seven business days of receipt. A favorable result is mandatory for the participant to continue in the program.

No. Students may only sign one partnership agreement. If you receive more than one interview, whichever mentor you sign a partnership agreement with will be the organization you are assigned to.

No. If you sign an offer letter but then do not participate in the program, you may not be eligible for the follow-on years of the program.

The location of your internship will depend on the organizations you select in your application and whether those organizations select you. Once accepted, you will receive a welcome package with details about your assigned laboratory, travel arrangements, and housing for the program.

Housing will be arranged as close as possible to the assigned organization, based on local availability. The welcome letter will specify the distance between the housing site and the facility to help participants determine whether to drive or use local transportation for their daily commute.

The DoW program office will provide and book the housing. The housing is as near to the facility site as possible.

Housing is as near to the facility site as possible. However, some housing is outside of bases and several miles away. We recommend carpooling with other students or other transportation (bus, walking, etc.), depending on how far the housing is from the facility.

Yes, housing will be furnished and include a kitchenette.

No. Students will not have to share a room, but some students may be in a quad facility where bathrooms, living areas, and kitchens are shared between four students.

No. The DoW program will book your travel (unless you are driving) roundtrip via plane or train from your home or school to the housing location and back again.

Yes. Participants are required to arrange or provide for their own daily travel back and forth from the housing location to the facility site.

No, participants are responsible for shipping or driving their car (if they would like to) to the internship location. The Government will not provide any shipping reimbursements or funding.

No. As some participants will be placed in quad units, the program is not housing any family members, regardless of housing type.

Participants may bring service animals to the internship; however, prior approval from the host organization is required, and all service animals must comply with program guidelines. Participants must notify both their mentor and the program administrator within ten business days of selection if they plan to bring a service animal. This advance notice ensures that reasonable accommodations can be arranged in a timely manner for the research facility, housing, and travel.

No. Pets or emotional support animals will not be allowed in the housing during the internship. However, if you have a disability that requires the use of a service animal (certified with paperwork and required training), and you have been selected for the program, please contact us.

The participant will be asked to leave the program if a pet or emotional support animal is found at the internship. The participant will be required to pay all housing and travel pet fees and will be removed from the housing.

You can subscribe to the Student Announcement List or Academia Announcement List to receive relevant announcements to the program and stay up to date.

Contact us at internsupport@dodhbcumiinternship.com for flyers and/or other marketing materials and information.