2023 College Summer Opportunities to Advance Research (C-SOAR)

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 goal of the 2023 College Opportunities to Advance Research (C-SOAR) program is to encourage a diverse group of individuals to 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 laboratory or on a project at the NIH, C-SOAR interns will meet each week as a group with students in the Community College Summer Enrichment Program (CCSEP). 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.

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.

C-SOAR/CCSEP 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 C-SOAR/CCSEP group activities will be required.

C-SOAR 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 them.

eligibility

C-SOAR 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 US college or university at the time of application submission; and
• At least seventeen years of age by June 15, 2023.

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

**Students enrolled in high school accelerated programs are ineligible for C-SOAR.

To Apply

To apply, applicants should complete the standard NIH Summer Internship Program (SIP) for 2023. Students must choose 'C-SOAR' in Item 9 to be considered by the C-SOAR program.  The online application is due January 29, 2023, and the deadline for letters of recommendation is February 5.

How will the program work?

Individuals who are selected to participate in the 2023 C-SOAR 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 C-SOAR student. Every effort will be made to match the research interests the applicant describes in the application with the principal investigator's ongoing projects. C-SOAR applicants should not contact NIH intramural scientists to discuss placements on their own.

ALL interns in the C-SOAR 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. If the program is on-site rather than virtual, funds for local transportation to and from the NIH will be provided as well.

Table comparing C-SOAR 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.