For highly competitive internships, college students should generally apply in the fall of the year before. For small organizations, applying in the early spring gives the best chance at securing a spot.

For students early in their college career, landing an internship can help you determine what career most suits you while giving you valuable work experience, new industry connections, and insight into a specific company’s culture. According to the Hechinger Report, over 60% of students get at least one internship completed before graduation.

While it’s possible to get a summer internship as late as May, most students will want to start prepping and applying well beforehand, especially if they plan to apply to a well-known company or get a paid offer.

 

 

What makes an internship competitive?

The main determinant of when to apply to a company is based on how competitive the position may be. Large companies, like Booz Allen, begin accepting summer applications as early as September of the prior year. The company and the pay largely determine when you should apply.

 

The company

Large, well-known, or highly reputable companies and organizations will require fall applications. According to the University of Arizona, the larger the organization is, the earlier they will recruit. For instance, the U.S. Department of Energy closes their internship applications at the end of September, while NASA keeps a rolling deadline that can quickly be filled.

Large companies are generally those with over 1,000 employees, including well known organizations in the tech industry like Nvidia, Microsoft, Apple, Google, and others. For those looking to score an internship at these organizations, applying in the early fall gives you the best chance.

 

The pay

Outside of looking good on a resume, many candidates also gravitate towards high-paying summer internships, like Booz Allen, which offers pay similar to those in entry-level careers. These jobs should also be applied to in the fall. However, as students progress through college, it becomes more common for mid-level and large STEM companies to offer pay, according to the University of Minnesota. Non-profits or smaller start-ups may not offer pay, but can still provide valuable experience, especially for students early in their college career. Overall, according to the National Association of Colleges and Employers, approximately 57% of interns are paid for their work.

While many internships are paid, not all will be. However, even unpaid internships can offer valuable experience, and scholarships through universities and programs like Paubox’s Kahikina Scholarship can help offset low pay.

 

The best timeline for applying

Summer (one year before)

While applications generally aren’t open quite yet, this is the ideal time to start preparing for application season. Students should…

  • Update their resume. Include classes, volunteer work, awards, and other jobs if you don’t yet have internship experience. Aim to keep your resume to one page and follow tips from prestigious universities like Harvard, which offer guidelines for what hiring managers are looking for.
  • Seek out letters of recommendation. Ask former teachers or professors, employers, or mentors. Consider providing them with a brag sheet, as suggested by the University of California’s College in Irvine, which can help a recommender learn more about you beyond what they may have seen when you worked with them.
  • Research companies you want to work for. Create a list of the top companies you plan to apply to, especially those that may be more competitive. Some organizations will list their application deadlines on their website. For those that don’t, check back monthly to see when applications go live.

 

Fall

Begin applying to large and mid-size companies, like Google, Apple, NASA, Tesla, Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer, and others that made your list. Stay on the lookout for more job openings that may come up. The University of Arizona recommends students set aside a few hours each week to apply to internships during this busy season. Don’t be deterred if you miss some application periods; many organizations will continue to post throughout the fall.

Since you're back in school, the fall season is also a good time to take advantage of your university’s career center and begin networking. Reach out to any connections you may have to companies that interest you and take time to chat with professors who may offer insight into specific internship opportunities.

During the fall season, you may hear back from some organizations and begin the interview process. For other companies, they may take some time. According to Towson University, it can take between three to six months to find and be accepted into a program.

 

Winter and early spring

Now is the ideal time to prepare for interviews. Many companies will have multiple rounds of interviews, where you may be tasked with technical problem-solving challenges and behavioral interviews, according to The Calculated Chemist. Start preparing by completing practice interviews and researching more deeply into what the company you are applying for does, as well as what your internship will entail.

During this time, continue applying to mid-sized companies that may still have openings. Remember that mid-size and smaller, local companies, will still be actively seeking candidates. Keep your options open by regularly using tools like LinkedIn or Handshake to find new opportunities and network.

 

Spring time

During this time, you’re most likely to find internships at smaller organizations. Keep applying! Internships at smaller companies may be less competitive, but can still offer amazing learning opportunities and even pay. If you don’t land an internship at a large organization, smaller companies could be the stepping stone you need to land the job in the next cycle.

At this point, you may also start hearing the results from previous interviews and applications. If you haven’t had success yet, increase your time spent on applications.

 

FAQs

Should you keep applying even if you’ve gotten a lot of rejections?

Yes! Summer internships are fairly competitive, and it may take many applications to find the right job. However, even the process of applying can be a beneficial learning experience. Plus, new internship opportunities may regularly pop up, even as late as may.

 

What does it mean if a company has rolling applications?

Rolling applications means a company will fill an internship job as soon as the right person comes along, which means applying early provides a strong competitive advantage. Interested candidates should apply within the first two weeks of the job posting, according to a study by Finances Online.

 

Is an internship at a smaller company worth it?

Yes! Internships at smaller companies can offer invaluable work experience. For those who have aspirations to work at large companies, working at smaller ones is almost always the first step. Others may realize that working at a smaller or mid-size company is a better fit. As an intern, mid and small-sized companies may be more likely to utilize their interns, as their staff is smaller.