How to Spend Your Summer

There are so many ways to spend your summer in a productive way!

Internships 

HANDSHAKE

Explore internships posted for UVA students on Handshake – sort by keyword or industry for best results. Look for recently posted positions by sorting by “date posted”

INTERNSHIP PLACEMENT PROGRAM (IPP) 

Each semester the IPP team matches students with a customized, pre-qualified internship placement based on the best opportunities for your interests, skills, and goals. We will help you develop your skills and knowledge through a Professional Development Workshop and provide ongoing support in all aspects of your internship experience. To see current IPP internship opportunities, search "IPP:" in Handshake.

OTHER INTERNSHIP JOB BOARDS

Search internship posting beyond Handshake at our favorite 3rd party internship websites and platforms

UVA POLICY INTERNSHIP PROGRAM (PIP) 

The Policy Internship Program (PIP) is a unique combination of coursework that focuses on communication and policy analysis skills and real, hands-on internships with top science and technology policymakers in Washington DC. The Deadline for the PIP program is typically in the Nov - Dec time frame.

Deadline: Fall

FORGE

Forge offers a number of skill building courses, internship programs and events for students looking for experience in data analysis, UX, marketing, design and software. The Forge Launch Summer Internship program typically has a deadline n the February time frame each year.

Deadline: February

 

Research

UVA ENGINEERING UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES

This database is updated at the beginning of each semester and the positions are posted in Handshake. You can apply through Handshake or contact the main point of contact directly

UVA BIOCOMPLEXITY INSTITUTE COMPUTING FOR GLOBAL CHALLENGES PROGRAM

This undergraduate program is a training ground for the next generation of data-driven researchers. Working in teams with peers and scientists from the Institute's Network Systems Science and Advanced Computing division, students learn a new way to address real-world issues while working on critical research projects.

Deadline: Applications reviewed on a rolling basis beginning in February.

UVA DECARBONIZATION ACADEMY

The Decarbonization Academy provides an immersive sustainability learning experience for students who are interested in working towards UVA’s goals of being carbon-neutral by 2030 and fossil fuel free by 2050.

Deadline: April

IGEM 

A student-run research team and synthetic biology interest group. Selected students will participate in the International Genetic Engineering Machine competition through Spring semester, Summer and Fall. Team members work together to discover problems that can be solved using synthetic biology, design and engineering solutions to those problems, and implement functional prototypes of those solutions that will be presented during the iGEM Conference.

Deadline: Typically in November of each year.

RESEARCH EXPERIENCES FOR UNDERGRADUATES (REUS)

Research experiences at universities across the country are listed with the National Science Foundation. REU Deadlines are usually in the Dec - Feb. time frame each year.

Deadline: December - February

NSF ETAP (National Science Foundation Education and Training Application)

NSF connects students and professionals at all stages of their academic journey through OPPORTUNITIES that foster growth. Get involved to build your career and contribute to advancing science, technology, and engineering.

Deadline: Various

SYSTEMS BIOENGINEERING REU

Each summer, UVA trains undergraduates from a variety of STEM backgrounds in the skills, confidence, and mentorship necessary for successful careers in the exciting field of systems bioengineering.

Priority Deadline: March 1
Rolling Admissions begin March 8th

SUMMER RESEARCH INTERNSHIP PROGRAM

The School of Medicine offers a ten-week research internship to qualified undergraduates considering a career in biomedical research. Generous financial support, housing, and travel are provided to participants. Applications for the SRIP open in September of each year.

Deadline: February

THE UVA KIDNEY TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT RESEARCH EDUCATION PROGRAM

The NIH-funded UVA Nephrology undergraduate training program (supported by NIDDK grant 1 R25 DK124918) will provide an immersive research and education experience for technology-oriented undergraduate students to participate in cutting-edge research in kidney diseases to generate innovative solutions for promoting kidney health.

Deadline: December

OTHER UVA UNDERGRADUATE SUMMER RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES

Deadline: Various

MEMORIAL SLOAN KETTERING CANCER CENTER COLLEGE RESEARCH PROGRAMS

Deadline: Various

NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF STANDARDS AND TECHNOLOGY (NIST) SUMMER UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH FELLOWSHIP

Deadline: January

AMGEN SCHOLARS PROGRAM

Deadline: February

NIH SUMMER PROGRAMS

Deadline: February

Skill Building Courses

COURSERA

Coursera is an online learning platform in which students can foster and refine their career readiness by taking flexible online skill-development classes.

LINKEDIN LEARNING

LinkedIn Learning is the new platform for free access to video tutorials that have been available from lynda.com; and although you will be asked if you want to connect this service to your LinkedIn account when you log in, you are not required to do this or to have a LinkedIn account.  Access LinkedIn Learning's online training video library for courses and tutorials on hundreds of topics.

LEARN APP DESIGN WITH SWIFTUI – FROM APPLE

SwiftUI Tutorial from Apple Developer. 4.5 hour estimated time to complete.

THE FORAGE

Explore careers and prepare for the job with hundreds of free job simulations designed by the world's top employers.

CODEPATH.ORG

CodePath offers a summer Technical Interviewing Training program for all levels. It's 10 weeks and requires 5-10 hours per week. Best of all, it's free!

 

Projects

PARKER DEWEY PROJECTS 

Students from all majors can execute professional assignments to build and demonstrate skills while exploring a variety of career paths.

HACKATHONS

 

UVA HOOHACKS

Check out Hackathons posted on MAJOR LEAGUE HACKING (MLH) for hackathons that match your interests! Most have a virtual option so opportunities are available throughout the year. Employers tell us they love to see hackathons on student resumes.

GAME JAMS

Game Jams, like hackathons can be a great way to try something new and learn new skills.

Personal Projects

Need ideas for projects you can work on on your own time?  Here are a couple of good places to start:

 

Other UVA Summer Programs

MORVEN SUMMER INSTITUTE

The Morven Summer Institute is an innovative summer program hosted on UVA’s 3,000-acre Morven Farm, an emerging landscape for interdisciplinary learning at the University, located 20 minutes from UVA Grounds. At the Morven Summer Institute, undergraduate and graduate students with interests in sustainability, design, food systems, and ecology will have the opportunity to escape traditional confines of the classroom while working on projects with real-world applications.

SUMMER LANGUAGE INSTITUTE

The Summer Language Institute (SLI) is rapid language acquisition. It offers eight-week Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Latin, Russian, and Spanish courses. Students attend classes five days a week and up to seven and a half hours a day. Listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills are developed in a student-centered environment. 

 

Volunteering

MADISON HOUSE

Charlottesville area volunteer opportunities

CODE FOR CHARLOTTESVILLE

Code for Charlottesville brings together coders, designers, data analysts, researchers, and community partners to work on projects with local nonprofits and governmental agencies. We are a local chapter of Code for America, a national nonprofit dedicated to civic tech and volunteerism.

VOLUNTEERMATCH

VolunteerMatch matches inspired people with inspiring causes. It's how volunteers and nonprofits connect to achieve remarkable outcomes.

DEVELOP FOR GOOD

Join hundreds of design, engineering, and product students who have volunteered with leading nonprofits to gain experience and address the world's biggest problems.

Deadline: Spring