2023 Community College Summer Enrichment Program

COVID-19 Update: At this time we expect that the 2023 NIH SIP will be in-person.  We will continue to update this page and notify applicants with any changes as they occur. 

The application period for the Summer 2023 session is now closed. 

The purpose of the 2023 NIH Community College Summer Enrichment Program (CCSEP) is to increase the number of community college students who participate in the NIH Summer Internship Program (SIP). The long-term goal is to increase the number of community college students who transfer to four-year colleges and universities and consider careers in the biomedical sciences (At the NIH "biomedical sciences" includes everything from behavioral and social sciences, through biology and chemistry, to physics, mathematical modeling, computational biology, and biostatistics.). In addition to performing full-time research in a research group at the NIH, CCSEP interns will meet each week as a group with students in the College Summer Opportunities to Advance Research (C-SOAR) program. Together they will participate in workshops and courses focused on the development of academic, professional, and wellness skills in preparation for careers in health care and in social, behavioral, and biomedical research.

CCSEP/C-SOAR activities will include:

• Full-time research
• Orientation
• A leadership development program focused on self-exploration, building resiliency, understanding conflict, finding mentors, and understanding emotional intelligence
• Completion of an Individual Development Plan or IDP
• The NIH Graduate & Professional School Fair
• NIH Summer Poster Day

Attendance at these CCSEP/C-SOAR group activities will be required.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Community college students from areas that have been negatively impacted by recent natural disasters are particularly encouraged to apply.

Individuals from racial and ethnic groups that have been underrepresented in health-related sciences; Students with disabilities; students who are Pell Grant-eligible; students who are enrolled in Tribal Colleges and Universities, Hispanic-serving institutions, or Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs); students who identify as LGBTQ; and individuals disadvantaged by circumstances that have negatively impacted their educational opportunities, including recent natural disasters, are encouraged to apply.

CCSEP interns are a part of the larger NIH Summer Internship Program or SIP, so all opportunities and responsibilities that apply to other SIP interns also apply to CCSEP interns.

Eligibility

CCSEP applicants must meet all eligibility requirements for the NIH Summer Internship Program. They must be:

• U.S. citizens or permanent residents;
• Enrolled at least half-time in an accredited Community College (this includes two-year Tribal Colleges) in the U.S.** at the time of application submission; and
• At least seventeen years of age by June 15, 2023.

In addition, applicants must have a minimum GPA of 3.0.

**Students enrolled in dual programs with four-year institutions or high school accelerated programs are ineligible for CCSEP.

To Apply

To apply, applicants should complete the standard NIH Summer Internship Program (SIP) for 2023. Students must choose 'CCSEP' in Item 9 to be considered by the CCSEP program. The online application deadline is January 15, 2023, and the deadline for receipt of letters of recommendation is January 23, 2023.

Watch the YouTube video entitled Successfully Applying to CCSEP if you need assistance.

How will the program work?

Individuals who are selected to participate in the 2023 CCSEP Program will work closely with OITE staff throughout the mentor selection process. They will be matched with NIH principal investigators (PIs) who have indicated their interest in hosting a community college student. Every effort will be made to match the research interests the applicant describes in the application with the principal investigator's ongoing projects. CCSEP applicants should not contact NIH intramural scientists to discuss placements on their own.

ALL interns in the CCSEP program will be required to be available during the core program period: from June 5, 2023, to August 4, 2023. Summer internships are full-time positions; interns are expected to devote a minimum of 40 hours per week to their projects and training. In return, interns receive a stipend, determined by educational level. Funds for local transportation to and from the NIH will be provided as well.

Table comparing CCSEP and other summer programs at the NIH

Support for CCSEP is generously provided by the NIH Office of Research on Women's Health and the NIH Office of AIDS Research.

Quotes from CCSEP Participants

"It is a great program! Most of the seminars were extremely helpful to my research, and I was really glad that there were talks geared to help those with limited research experience (the lab notebook and ethics lectures were especially useful). The program exceeded my expectations, and made starting out in my lab far less intimidating."

"The program met my expectations because I got a lot from the training sessions and gained research experience. I now know what being a scientist entails."

"I learned a lot about science and the careers it offers."