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FAQs – NIST SHIP Program
Q: What does the SHIP acronym stand for?
A: Summer High School Internship Program
Q: Who can participate in the SHIP program?
A: The SHIP program is for students, US citizen Only, in their Junior and Senior year of high school. You can still participate in the program if you have just graduated High School and have NOT started college yet.
Q: Can a sophomore in high school participate in the SHIP Program?
A: No, only Juniors and seniors in High School or just graduated high school and have NOT started college.
Q: How long is the SHIP program?
The SHIP program is 7 weeks long and held during the summer months of June to August.
Q: Can students participate in the SHIP program year-round?
A: The SHIP program is only held in the summer months of June to August.
Q: Which locations/campuses conduct the SHIP Program?
A: The SHIP is conducted at the Boulder, Co and Gaithersburg, MD NIST Campuses.
Q: Does the SHIP Program offer housing and transportation to students?
A: No, the SHIP program is an unpaid internship and students MUST have a permanent residence within a 50-mile radius of their host campus (NIST Boulder or NIST Gaithersburg).
Q: How do I access the SHIP application?
A: Access the SHIP application using the "Apply to SHIP" link on https://www.nist.gov/ship.
Q: How can I get more information on the NIST SHIP program?
A: Please visit the SHIP program using the link below https://www.nist.gov/ship or by sending you inquiries to ship [at] nist.gov (ship[at]nist[dot]gov)
Q: Is SHIP a paid internship?
A: Currently, the NIST SHIP program is an unpaid internship program. We are currently working on providing a stipend to the SHIP students’ participants and announcement will be made once approval have been obtained from upper management.
Q: How many recommendation letters are needed to apply to the SHIP program?
A: You must list two (2) recommenders. One recommender must be a teacher in a STEM field. The second may be any teacher or a professional reference, such as a club advisor, coach, volunteer supervisor, or workplace supervisor.
Q: What is a professional recommendation?
A: Professional recommendations speak to your specific performance on the job and should be from current or former employers. Supervisory contacts as well as co-workers, coach or Boys or Girls Scout Club can provide professional recommendations. Be certain that your contact list includes individuals that can speak directly about your experience.
Q: Who can write a professional recommendation?
A: Ask a trusted adult who is not your family member. This could be a teacher, a coach, a mentor, someone from your faith community, a boss, someone who you have volunteered with, etc. Pro Tip: Ask someone who has known you for a long time or who has seen you work hard at school, a job, or an extra-curricular activity.
Q: When is the recommendation due?
A: ALL letters for 2026 SHIP are due by 11:59PM ET on January 30, 2026.
Q: How can I change information for, add, or remove a recommender?
A: Students may change their recommenders before the application closes by emailing ship [at] nist.gov (ship[at]nist[dot]gov) with the name, email, recommendation type and institution of the recommender to remove and/or add. Once the application is closed, no changes can be made to the application.
Q: When will applicants know the status of their applications?
All applicants will receive status of their application by the end of February.
Q: Where is the link that recommenders use to submit their letters?
All SHIP recommendations requests will come from noreply [at] monster.com (noreply[at]monster[dot]com). Recommenders must use the link contained in the recommendation request email to submit their letters. Please have references check their spam or junk email.
Q: When will I know if I've been accepted into the SHIP Program?
By early May, all students will be notified about their acceptance into the program.