Student opportunities database

Welcome to NOAA’s student opportunities database! NOAA has opportunities for students of any level — from kindergarten through high school, undergraduate and graduate, and even recent graduates. Opportunities include one-day events, summer internships at NOAA, multi-year fellowships, and more. Use the filters to narrow your search and find the opportunities that work for you.

If you have issues, feedback, or would like to report incorrect information, please let us know by filling out our feedback form offsite link or sending us an email at education@noaa.gov.

Tips for using the database

Search for content areas of interest.

NOAA has student opportunities in STEM fields, social science, computer science, education, and more. Try searching for topics of interest to you, like ocean, fish, climate, weather, modeling, or satellite.

Searching for terms that contain more than one word.

Use quotation marks around multiple-word phrases you want to search. For example, searching “climate change” will return opportunities with the term “climate change” in it. If you don’t include quotation marks, it will return opportunities that include either the word “climate” or “change.” 

Open opportunities in a new tab.

 Follow the instructions below for the device you are using.

  • PC: Hold down the control (ctrl) key while clicking the link. Or, right-click the link and select “open in new tab.”
  • Mac: Hold down the command key while clicking the link.
  • iPhone or iPad: Press and hold the link. Select “open in new tab” from the pop-up menu.
  • Android device: Press and hold the link. Select “open in new tab” from the pop-up menu

Application period.

This filter refers to seasons in the Northern Hemisphere. If you’re interested in an opportunity, be sure to check the opportunity’s website for specific application opening and closing dates. 

Keep the future in mind.

If you don’t find anything that works out for you now, try looking for an opportunity that would be available to you in the next step of your education or career.


Audience

High school
Undergraduate
Graduate student
Postdoc
Recent graduate (degree or certificate program)

Type of opportunity

Volunteer
Citizen science program

Citizenship eligibility

No citizenship requirement
U.S. citizen
U.S. national
Permanent resident
International student at a U.S. institution

Application period

Fall
Winter
Spring
Summer

Virtual or in-person

In-person

The Alaska Beluga Monitoring Program (AKBMP) is a community science NOAA Fisheries-led monitoring program that facilitates collaboration between organizations, communities, and individuals to collect standardized shore-based observational data on the critically endangered Cook Inlet beluga whales. All participants under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

Audience

High school

Type of opportunity

Camp

Citizenship eligibility

No citizenship requirement

Application period

Winter
Spring

Virtual or in-person

In-person

The Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies (CIMSS) is hosting a week-long residential summer camp for high school students (since 1991!). CIMSS invites high school students to join them to learn about basic meteorology, satellite remote sensing, severe weather, and climate change.

Audience

High school

Type of opportunity

Youth program
Camp

Citizenship eligibility

No citizenship requirement

Application period

Winter
Spring

Virtual or in-person

Virtual

NOAA's Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies (CIMSS) host an online weather camp for high school students each summer. Participation is limited to the first 50 high school students who apply. Camp dates and registration links are updated in February each year.

Audience

K-8 students
High school

Type of opportunity

Event
Contest and competition

Application period

Spring

Virtual or in-person

Virtual
In-person
Flexible location

Endangered Species Day (the third Friday in May) is an annual day of celebration for the public to learn about endangered and threatened species and what we can all do to help them. Every May-June, NOAA Fisheries participates in several Endangered Species Day events and also holds their own annual Marine Endangered Species Art Contest.

Audience

High school
Undergraduate

Type of opportunity

Paid internship

Citizenship eligibility

U.S. citizen
Permanent resident

Application period

Spring

Virtual or in-person

In-person

The Geosciences Bridge Program offers a 6- week paid internship at University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) for graduating high school students, particularly from underrepresented groups, planning to pursue careers in a field of geoscience. The interns:

  • Reside in the UMES residence halls (housing and meals are provided), accompanied by trained resident assistants.
  • Participate in lectures and field trips with hands-on activities in areas of geoscience such as atmospheric science, biogeochemistry, civil and environmental engineering, environmental science, marine biology, marine chemistry, marine geology, physical oceanography, remote sensing/GIS, and related fields.
  • Enroll in either College Algebra or Calculus I (dependent upon math placement test score) and Freshman Seminar course.
  • Receive $500 per week, paid bi-weekly and reimbursement for travel to/from UMES.

Eligibility: High school seniors who are entering their first year of an undergraduate degree program in the fall. Must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident and have a minimum 2.7 GPA.

Important dates: Applications due in the spring of every year.

Audience

K-8 students
High school
Undergraduate

Type of opportunity

Event

Citizenship eligibility

No citizenship requirement

Application period

Spring

Virtual or in-person

Virtual

The GLOBE International Virtual Science Symposium (IVSS) is a way for primary through undergraduate students from all GLOBE countries to showcase their research and hard work. With GLOBE, students learn the practices of science through hands-on investigations in their own communities, sparking their curiosity and interest in science. This often leads to inquiries that help solve real-world problems and further understanding of our global environment. It's time for your students to show the world what they've learned!

Projects are accepted January through March.

Audience

High school

Type of opportunity

Paid internship

Citizenship eligibility

No citizenship requirement
U.S. citizen
U.S. national
Permanent resident
International student at a U.S. institution

Application period

Fall
Winter

Virtual or in-person

In-person
Flexible location

The Hutton Junior Fisheries Biology Program is a paid summer internship and mentoring program for high school juniors and seniors interested in pursuing the disciplines of fisheries science, marine biology, and STEM related fields, and is sponsored by the American Fisheries Society (AFS).

Our mission is to increase diversity within the fisheries professions. The principal goal of the Hutton Program is to stimulate interest in careers in fisheries science and management among groups underrepresented in the fisheries professions, including minorities and women. Selected students known as “Hutton Scholars,” are matched and mentored by a fisheries professional to enjoy an 8-week hands-on fisheries science summer experience in a marine and/or freshwater setting.

Audience

K-8 students
High school
Undergraduate

Type of opportunity

Citizen science program
Youth program

Citizenship eligibility

No citizenship requirement

Application period

Fall
Winter
Spring
Summer

Virtual or in-person

In-person

LiMPETS is a citizen science program that monitors the coastal ecosystems of California and helps youth develop a scientific understanding of the ocean. LiMPETS monitors the biology in rocky intertidal and sandy beach ecosystems and aims to provide publicly accessible, scientifically sound, long-term data to inform marine resource management and the scientific community.

Audience

K-8 students
High school
Undergraduate

Type of opportunity

Event

Citizenship eligibility

No citizenship requirement

Application period

Fall
Spring
Summer

Virtual or in-person

Virtual

Bring the excitement of deep sea exploration LIVE to your classroom, science center, or community events! Shipboard interaction capabilities aboard Exploration Vessel (E/V) Nautilus enable students or the public to engage in a unique two-way, live Q&A dialogue with scientists, engineers, and educators of the Corps of Exploration. Live interactions are available free to any classroom or community audiences to introduce learners to the excitement of ocean exploration and increase access to career role models, thanks to the support of Ocean Exploration Trust's education partners. Ship-to-Shore connections are available daily during all at-sea expeditions during the field season. Available across time zones worldwide, subject to ship schedule.

Contact Kelly Moran, Ocean Exploration Trust's Education Program Coordinator, with questions: kelly@oet.org.

Audience

K-8 students
High school
Undergraduate
Graduate student
Postdoc
Recent graduate (degree or certificate program)

Type of opportunity

Citizen science program
Volunteer

Citizenship eligibility

U.S. citizen
U.S. national
Permanent resident
International student at a U.S. institution
No citizenship requirement

Application period

Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall

Virtual or in-person

In-person
Virtual
Flexible location

Citizen science is a term that describes projects in which volunteers partner with scientists to answer real-world questions. These volunteers can work with scientists to identify research questions, collect and analyze data, interpret results, make new discoveries, develop technologies and applications, as well as solve complex problems.

For NOAA staff and partners: Is the NOAA opportunity that you manage missing from this page, or do you need to update a currently listed opportunity? Please fill out the NOAA opportunity submission and update form offsite link.