INTERNSHIPS
PAID INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITIES (FROM THE QC EXPERIENTIAL EDUCATION OFFICE)
1/30/2026
Applications for several paid internship opportunities are currently available for summer 2026 and the 2026-2027 academic year. All internships are paid and several prioritize CUNY student applicants. From the CUNY Career Launch to the LifeSci NYC Internship program, more information and links can be found in the pdf below:
PENN MUSEUM SUMMER INTERNSHIP
1/10/2026
Position Description:
This internship is with the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia and ideal for students interested in Anthropology, Archaeology, Museums Studies and Education, and related fields. It runs for 9 weeks and interns are paid $17 per hour. For more information, click here: https://www.penn.museum/learn/penn-students/summer-internship-program or download this flyer here: Penn Museum Summer Internship.
Application deadline is 2/8/2026.
MUSEUM INTERNSHIPS FAIR
1/10/2026
Learn more about Summer 2026 internships at cultural organizations throughout the greater Philadelphia area. Register for the information session that will be held through Zoom on Thursday, January 22, 2026 from 4-5pm. For details and the QR code to register, download this flyer: Museum Internships Fair.
CULTURAL CORPS INTERNSHIP
1/10/2026
CUNY Cultural Corps provides students with paid work experience in NYC’s arts and cultural sector, creating a pipeline for students to have successful careers, while diversifying NYC’s cultural institutions. Partnering institutions include non-profit cultural organizations involved in the visual, literary and performing arts as well as public-oriented science and humanities institutions including zoos, botanical gardens and historic and preservation societies.
Applications for the undergraduate Spring 2026 cohort are now closed. For more details and updates on the next round of applications, click here: https://www.cuny.edu/academics/current-initiatives/cultural-corps/
AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY (AMNH) NORTH AMERICAN ARCHAEOLOGY INTERNSHIP
10/8/2025
The North American Archaeology Department of the American Museum of Natural History offers Lab Researcher Internship positions in the North American Archaeology Lab (NAARCH Lab) for undergraduates, recent graduates, and graduate students. The interns will handle, store, and analyze a wide variety of artifacts from southeastern North America. Lab interns have the opportunity to work with faunal remains, lithics, Native American and European ceramics, Spanish colonial artifacts, and numerous other material types. Lab work typically consists of washing, cataloging, and organizing recent collections as well as data management. Additional projects have involved fine-grained sorting of excavated materials, photogrammetry and 3-D modeling of artifacts, and basic level artifact analysis and documentation. In addition to lab work, interns will also be considered for our ongoing fieldwork program in Georgia, USA (offered only for the fall and spring semester). Our fieldwork package offers room and board, transportation, and a monetary stipend for the duration of the trip, usually 2-3 weeks.
Individuals interested in joining the NAARCH Lab Internship should be highly motivated, patient, detail-oriented, and professional. Prior archaeological experience in either the field or in the lab is not necessary but will be a factor in our selection. The application form can be found at: http://www.amnh.org/our- research/anthropology/policies-links/internship-program, and is also available here: North American Archaeology Internship Application
The internships are unpaid volunteer positions. Course credit can be offered to those individuals currently enrolled in an accredited school of higher learning. The North American Archaeology Lab offers three internship sessions a year (summer, fall, and spring). The NAARCH department asks interns to commit three days a week, for a period of 10 weeks per semester. The number of interns accepted varies according to the research goals per semester.
Internship Application Deadlines 2025
Summer Session (June to August), submit January 1 – March 1
Fall Session (September to December), submit June 1 – July 10
Spring Session 2026 (January to May): submit October 1 – November 10
Interested applicants must submit a resume or CV, contact information for three references, a one-page statement of purpose and the completed application form. The statement of purpose should briefly outline the applicant’s prior experience in archaeology as well as their future plans within the discipline. Individuals with questions should feel free to email coshaughnessy@amnh.org. Applications may be sent to coshaughnessy@amnh.org or mailed to:
Caitria O’Shaughnessy
Anthropology Department
American Museum of Natural History
200 Central Park West
New York, New York 10024-5192
AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY – MUSEUM EDUCATION EXPERIENCE PROGRAM (MEEP)
10/8/2025
Do you want to inspire curiosity in a captivating environment where science, community, and communication intertwine?
Consider applying to the Museum Education Experience Program (MEEP)! Through our comprehensive learning program, interns develop the skillful art of initiating engaging science conversations through our interactive and reflective workshops. MEEP interns initiate science discussions with our Museum’s visitors using the halls as a launchpad. They go beyond conveying mere facts to support our people in fostering a deeper understanding and connection to the science content in our exhibition spaces. Interns can be awarded a stipend of up to $2,500 to support their commute and other expenses while participating in the program
For more information and details on the application process, click here: MEEP at AMNH
(deadline has passed – August 2026 is the new deadline for next year)
FIELD SCHOOLS
Semliki Chimpanzee Project: Primate Behavior and Conservation Field Course in Uganda (July 2025)
10/8/2025
The Semliki Chimpanzee Project is now accepting applications for its Primate Behavior and Conservation field course in Uganda. The course dates are July 15-31, 2026. Students can participate on a credit or non-credit basis.
Students will gain an in-depth understanding of Uganda culture, geography and wildlife. They will attend lectures on Ugandan conservation and wildlife by a guest lecturer from the Uganda Wildlife Authority (the national parks oversight organization); they will learn about the Ugandan independence and Kampala city history; they will visit the Entebbe Zoo where they will see a wide variety of Ugandan wildlife; they will live in tents in Semliki surrounded by wildlife including warthogs, kob, bushbuck, baboons, chimpanzees, redtail monkeys and forest elephants; at dusk they will be serenaded by black and white colobus (among the loudest animals on the planet) and during the night they will hear bushbabies and owls; they may see a nocturnal potto in the tamarind tree near the toilets; they will visit the famed Queen Elizabeth National Park where they will see wildlife such as millions of Uganda kob as well as elephants, hippos, crocodiles, banded mongoose, vervets, baboons and possibly lions; they will visit local markets in Ntoroko, Karagutu and Fort Portal; at Lake Albert they will see the famous and rare shoebill stork; they will look out over the famed Rift Valley, a mile below them, from the top of the rift escarpment; they will visit a tea plantation and see the harvesting and drying of the famous Ugandan tea (and receive a free sample); they will visit a smallholder family farm to see how self-sustaining families manage to produce their own vegetables, protein and natural products on a family-owned plot of land; they will trek gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. They will be immersed in Ugandan culture, nature and animals and guided by Ugandans and instructors with decades of experience in Uganda and all of Africa.
For more information and to apply, visit Semliki Chimpanzee Project Field School – Semliki Chimpanzee Project
If you have any questions or would like a course information packet, please contact us at kdingess@semlikichimpanzee.org.
RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES
Summer Research Opportunities across Biological Sciences
1/30/2026
Several summer undergraduate research opportunities are now accepting application. These programs span a range of institutions and research areas and represent genuinely strong opportunities for undergraduate trainees to gain research experience, expand their professional networks, and strengthen their preparation for graduate school and related career paths. QC Biology has compiled a spreadsheet with these programs and relevant links. Click below to access the spreadsheet and note application due dates as some of the deadlines have passed.
Research Opportunities in Biological Sciences
The Rockefeller University’s Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF)
new application cycle opens in November
The Rockefeller University’s Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) program is designed to provide qualified, highly motivated college students majoring in the life or physical sciences, an opportunity to experience laboratory research. Each year, outstanding college sophomores and juniors are chosen from a large pool of applicants. SURF students are matched according to their stated field of interest with faculty, postdoctoral researchers or graduate students. SURF students work with leading scientists in a broad range of areas including biochemistry; structural biology and chemistry; molecular, cell and developmental biology; immunology; virology and microbiology; neuroscience; physics; and mathematical biology. The 18 students accepted into the SURF program will receive a stipend of $4,000.00 for the 10-week period between June and August. Free housing will be provided for students who cannot commute. The application deadline is usually Feb 1st each year.
FELLOWSHIPS
Ina Rosenthal-Urey Mentoship Award
1/29/2026
Established by a gift from Elizabeth Briody and Marc Robinson, this award funded through the American Anthropological Association (AAA), pairs undergraduate anthropology majors with mentors from both academia and practice, who will support them in learning about their educational and career options after graduation. Mentees also receive a $500 award ($250 at the start of the program and $250 at the end) and complimentary AAA membership.
To be considered, you must submit the application found here: Ina Rosenthal-Urey Mentorship Award by March 15, 2026. Create a free AAA account to access the application and then answer the series of questions about your plans and aspirations. You will also need to upload a recent transcript. Reach out to an Anthropology advisor if you need guidance on some of the questions.
The Belle Zeller Scholarship
10/10/2025
The Belle Zeller Scholarship, established in 1979, honors the legacy of Professor Belle Zeller, a pioneer of the American Labor Movement and founding president of the Professional Staff Congress. Professor Zeller dedicated her career to Brooklyn College from its inception in 1930 until her retirement in 1973. This scholarship celebrates her profound contributions by supporting exceptional CUNY students pursuing undergraduate, graduate, law, and professional school programs within the CUNY system. To be eligible, applicants must:
• Completed at least 16 credits at a CUNY college,
• Be enrolled full-time
• Maintain a GPA of 3.75 or higher, and
• Demonstrate a strong commitment to voluntary community service.
Recipients are awarded a generous scholarship of $5,000. Scholars are recognized across three categories:
• Undergraduate students,
• Doctoral candidates at the CUNY Graduate Center (recognized as Irwin Polishook Scholars, after the former PSC president), and
• Students enrolled in the CUNY Law School and Professional Schools.
Applications and detailed information are available at www.bellezeller.org. The deadline for submission, including letters of recommendation, is February 27, 2026. Feel free to reach out to scholarship@bellezeller.org if you have any questions.
OTHER OPPORTUNITIES
Conversations to Remember – Virtual Visits with Seniors by College Students (Volunteer Opportunity)
12/4/2025
Conversations to Remember is a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping seniors by arranging weekly virtual visits between them and college students. It is an great way for college students to make a big difference in the lives of seniors. In addition, it is easy and convenient. Conversations to Remember does all the work of finding the seniors, coordinating the calls, and finding other students to partner with on the calls. Volunteers are always needed as there are new senior citizens joining the program all the time.
For more information check out the website: http://conversationstoremember.org.