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Summer Internship Program

We will not host interns in summer 2025. Check back in late 2025 for information about the summer 2026 season.


Internship descriptions

Click on the internship name to view the position description and access the online application link (not currently active).

Note: International students applying for a DLC internship must already have a F-1 Visa through their academic institution in the United States in order to be considered for a position.


Application questions

Do you have questions about applying for the DLC summer internship program?

Join us for one of the following optional Zoom application workshops, which are an opportunity for prospective applicants to drop in and ask any questions about the application process or the intern program in general. Click to join anytime during these hour blocks!

If you have general questions regarding internships at the DLC, please check out our Intern FAQs below or contact DLCinternships@duke.edu.

Do you have to be a Duke student to apply to the summer internship program?

You do not have to be a Duke student to apply to DLC internships! When you click on the application link, you will be prompted to either enter your Duke NetID (for current Duke students) or create a Duke OneLink ID as a first time user (for non-Duke students or recent grads). Save this login information so that you can access your application to make edits before submitting and so you can check on your application status throughout the review process.


Internship FAQ


Internship funding

Funding is available for a small number of intern positions, with the purpose of reducing financial barriers to students pursuing experiential learning opportunities in STEM. These paid positions are open only to students who were eligible for need-based financial aid at their institution during the 2024-2025 academic year. Compensation is $16/hour and students in the paid positions must work a minimum of 30 hours per week, with the opportunity to work up to 40 hours.

To be considered for one of the paid positions, please make sure to indicate your intent on the internship application AND submit the following supplemental materials to the application portal, alongside the required application materials.

  1. Statement of Financial Need: Please write a 200-word statement detailing how a paid position would benefit you financially and make it possible for you to participate in the DLC summer internship program.
  2. Student Aid Report: Please provide the SAR summary produced after submitting a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form from the previous academic year. Click here for more information about the Student Aid Report.

Paid internship position offers will go out at the same time that offers are made for the unpaid internship positions. If you apply for a paid position but are not selected, you will still be considered for an unpaid position in the same department.

It is also possible to receive academic credit for the internship, although some schools may not give course credit for paid positions. Be sure to check with your institution if you plan to apply for one of the paid positions and also hope to get course credit.


Help support our interns!

Did you know that until 2022, the Duke Lemur Center only offered UNPAID undergraduate internships? Summer ’22 was the first year we were able offer some funded intern positions, thanks to support received from donors willing to provide $8,000 to cover one intern’s hourly compensation for the 10-week program. Since introducing paid internship positions, we have received more applications than ever before, making the applicant pool more competitive and including applicants from a broader range of racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic backgrounds. Our goal for the future is for all internship positions to be funded. If you or your organization would like to fund an intern for summer 2025, contact our Development Officer, Mary Paisley, at mary.paisley@duke.edu!

You can also support the intern program while showing off your love of lemurs with this limited edition, glow-in-the-dark t-shirt featuring the remarkable aye-aye! Donations raised through this t-shirt promotion will go directly toward the DLC Internship Program, supporting student opportunities that equip the next generation of environmental stewards with hands-on experience and mentorship. Click here to learn more about the “Dark Side” fundraiser and to order your shirt!