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.

Filters:

Endangered Species Day Events and Art Contest

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.

Ocean STEAM Powered Women (O-STEAM) Fellowship

Audience

High school

Type of opportunity

Fellowship

Youth program

Camp

Contest and competition

Citizenship eligibility

No citizenship requirement

U.S. citizen

U.S. national

Permanent resident

International student at a U.S. institution

International student living outside the U.S.

Application period

Winter

Spring

Virtual or in-person

In-person

The Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) and WHOI Sea Grant (WHOI SG) are excited to collaborate with Sea Education Association on the Ocean STEAM Powered Women (O-STEAM) Fellowship, a competitive, week-long, FREE, residential fellowship in Woods Hole for a cohort of young women from Massachusetts currently in their sophomore or junior year of high school.

During their week, fellows work with WHOI and WHOI SG staff to investigate marine mammal bioacoustics (sounds) while also meeting other female science, technology, engineering, arts, and Mathematics (STEAM) professionals and learning from their collective expertise. The immersive experience includes building and testing their own underwater microphone (or hydrophone), analyzing data of dolphin vocalizations to aid in conservation efforts, and capturing the underwater sounds of whales and dolphins vocalizing during a whale watch expedition. Fellows will learn from communications specialists about how to share their research and experiences with their community.

We are committed to assembling diverse groups of fellows. This fellowship encourages applicants from groups historically underrepresented in the ocean sciences – especially with respect to gender identity/expression, race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status. We welcome students who are interested in being in a female-identified space.

Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF)

Audience

High school

Type of opportunity

Event

Contest and competition

Citizenship eligibility

U.S. citizen

U.S. national

Permanent resident

International student at a U.S. institution

No citizenship requirement

Application period

Winter

Spring

Virtual or in-person

In-person

Flexible location

Regeneron International Science and Engineering Festival (ISEF) occurs annually and is the largest international pre-college science competition. NOAA sponsors Regeneron ISEF as a Special Award Organization, offering cash awards and certificates signed by the NOAA Administrator for students demonstrating outstanding science projects, as well as additional awards for science communication, emerging scientists, self-starters, community engagement, or passion projects. NOAA also offers awards at the local and regional U.S. science fairs that feed into ISEF. Open to 9 – 12 grade students, must attend a school in the United States (including territories) to be eligible for the NOAA awards at the ISEF competition.

Virtual Science Fairs using Satellite Data

Audience

K-8 students

High school

Undergraduate

Type of opportunity

Event

Contest and competition

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

Virtual or in-person

Virtual

Students use satellite data in a research project via a Virtual Science Fair for middle and high school students with projects accepted from October through April. Students can participate and submit individual projects from home or in small teams with classmates. There are two Virtual Science Fairs (VSF) to choose from: the GOES Virtual Science Fair or the JPSS VIIRS Virtual Science Fair.

Top projects receive $25 gift cards - all participants gain valuable research experience for college or future careers.

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.