Research Internships

Undergraduate Internships

Opportunity Awaits

The journey to a Ph.D. starts far earlier than graduate school. To help undergraduate students prepare for the next steps in their academic careers, Van Andel Institute Graduate School is pleased to offer several outstanding programs.

For questions, please email [email protected].

Internship Opportunities

Student Research Fellowships are designed to provide undergraduate college students opportunities to be mentored by professionals in their chosen research field, to become familiar with the use of state-of-the-art scientific equipment and technology, and to learn valuable interpersonal and presentation skills. The goal of this program is to expose aspiring researchers and clinicians to exciting advances in biomedical sciences that will help define their career paths.

VAI is committed to excellence through broad participation and diverse perspectives. We welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds and experiences who share our passion for innovation and collaboration. Van Andel Institute is an Equal Employment Opportunity and Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Employer.

Why Intern at VAI?

Summer interns gain a wealth of hands-on research experience during their time in the Institute’s labs. They play key roles in the day-to-day operations of the lab and have the opportunity to work closely with and learn from technicians, graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, lab managers and their principal investigator.

Experiments

Interns design and conduct experiments as part of the projects underway in their assigned lab. The experimental approaches and specific techniques vary widely, depending on the lab’s expertise and the demands of their current projects. Approaches range from molecular biology (DNA, RNA and proteins) to cell biology (culturing and characterizing mammalian cells) to structural biology (X-ray analysis of protein crystals) to bioinformatics (making sense of huge volumes of genomic information). Interns are expected to maintain accurate and complete records of their work in lab notebooks, and to comply with appropriate lab safety guidelines.

Weekly meetings

Most labs have weekly meetings at which lab members (including interns) describe and discuss their results. Interns are also encouraged to attend weekly journal clubs during which recent papers from the scientific literature are presented. Van Andel Institute often hosts seminar speakers from other institutions, and each Friday a VAI scientist presents recent work in a Research in Progress talk.

Workshops

Several workshops and lunch events are designed specifically for summer interns. These include:

Workshops on effective oral communication, on preparing scientific posters and on career pathways
A lunch with postdoctoral fellows to discuss steps in scientific training and the range of career options
A workshop on the process of applying to and selecting graduate schools
A symposium with students presenting their research projects, via a talk or a poster, to Institute scientists.

Social events

Other events encourage team building and social interaction, such as an ice cream social, game night and Friday coffee chats.

Each year, the Institute hosts 30-35 interns (10-week internships) in its laboratories and cores. Interns are paired with a scientific investigator and/or their designee for an intense 10-week research experience that provides interns with an understanding of the latest research methods, instruments and testing procedures. At the end of the internship, students give an oral presentation or poster presentation about their experience to the research staff.

Thank you to our sponsors and their generous gifts to support student research fellowships:

The Meijer Foundation
Maas Family Foundation – Hope College
Van Andel Institute Purple Community – Hope College
Van Andel Institute Graduate School

Learn more about this program

Guest Student Program

Van Andel Institute hosts guest students who are seeking academic credit through their college or university. To receive academic credit, students must receive approval from their home institution. The guest student program is an unpaid student research opportunity.

BEFORE APPLYING
Review and complete the individual application for guest students

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS

Completed guest student application
Cover letter
Resume
Official transcript

DEADLINES | 2025-2026 ACADEMIC SCHOOL YEAR

Winter Semester (January 2026-April 2026) | Apply by October 1, 2025
Summer Semester (May 2026-July 2026) | Apply by February 1, 2026
Fall Semester (August 2026-December 2026) | Apply by June 1, 2026

International students are eligible to apply if they meet the requirements for the program and are legally permitted to work and earn income in the United States. Van Andel Institute does not sponsor visas for interns and guest students.

Undergraduate Student Research Fellowship

Van Andel Institute (VAI) offers a Student Research Fellowship Program designed to provide undergraduate students the opportunity to work closely with a research mentor on a project exploring the cellular, molecular and genetic basis of human disease. The goal of this program is to introduce undergraduate students to the concepts and practice of design, implementation, interpretation and presentation of basic biomedical research.

We expect to support 30-35 internships (10-weeks/40 hours per week), depending on the needs of the Institute’s faculty and core directors/managers. Students are expected to work full-time for the duration of the internship, so participation in this program is not compatible with working at another job. Each experience will be different based on the research question, mentor and status of the project. Work environments include any of the basic science laboratories and core technologies at VAI.

2026 Application Process

Application for the 2026 Student Research Fellowship begins Dec. 1, 2025. The deadline to apply is Feb. 2, 2026.

Undergraduate students are required to complete their internships in one of two sessions in 2026:

Session I: May 4, 2026-July 17, 2026 | 11 Weeks
Session II: June 1, 2026-Aug. 7, 2026 | 10 Weeks

As Van Andel Institute is a drug and alcohol-free employer, all prospective new employees undergo a urinalysis/drug test as part of our pre-employment process. This is a 7-panel drug screen and it includes testing for marijuana, cocaine, amphetamines, opiates, PCP, barbiturates, and benzodiazepines.

Undergraduate college students must be currently enrolled in a science/research related degree program and maintain a minimum of a 3.0 GPA. Student applicants are required to submit a complete transcript that includes all courses and grades (including Fall 2026). Students who have graduated before the start date of and/or during the summer internship program (Apr. 1, 2026 – Sept. 1, 2026) are ineligible. If you are currently enrolled as a high school student or in a Master’s degree program, you are ineligible to participate in the Undergraduate Student Research Fellowship.

Physical Demands

Assignments may involve the use of potentially hazardous chemicals, hazardous or radioactive materials, or maybe in areas where such materials are used. Adherence to safety policies and procedures along with proper storage and disposal methods are required.

Orientation

Student interns will be required to complete orientation. Session 1 interns will complete orientation on May 12 and May 13. Session 2 interns will complete orientation on June 2 and June 3.

Final Research Presentations

Student interns will be required to present a final research presentation at the end of their internship. Interns can give their final research presentation either as an oral presentation or poster presentation, or both. Session 1 final research presentations will take place on July 15, July 16 and July 17. Session 2 final research presentations will take place on August 5, August 6 and August 7.

Professional Development Events

Student interns will participate in professional development events. Mandatory professional development events include orientation, how to workshops on oral presentations and poster presentations, intern-led research in progress, networking events with interns from local colleges and universities, and final research presentations. Optional professional developments include Resume vs. CV workshop, and informational luncheons with Van Andel Institute Graduate School and VAI Postdoctoral Fellows.

Social Events

Student interns will have the opportunity to participate in optional social events including on-sites coffee conversations and intern brunches, as well as off-site dinners and recreational events.

2026 Holidays

Student interns are not eligible for holiday pay on the following days:

Memorial Day – Monday, May 25, 2026
Juneteenth – Friday, June 19, 2026
Independence Day – Friday, July 3, 2026 (observed by VAI)
Labor Day – Monday, September 7, 2026

Housing

Below are tentative dates for housing at Grand Valley State University, Calvin University and Aquinas College. Please reach out directly to the Housing/Residence Life for each institution regarding application dates and deadlines.

Grand Valley State University
There are on-campus summer guest student/intern housing options both at the Downtown Campus and the Allendale Campus. From the Downtown Campus to VAI, it is a 6-minute commute by car or 25-minutes by foot (1.2 miles). From the Allendale Campus to VAI, it is a 25-minute commute by car or 35-40 minutes by bus.

Housing Application Deadline: The application process begins mid-January, and closes when all our units are full. Downtown has limited availability while Allendale has more availability.
Housing Dates for Guest Students/Interns: TBD
Questions? Contact Housing & Residence Life at [email protected] or at 616.331.2713

Calvin University

Housing Application Deadline: Call or email Calvin College’s Event Services for the application deadline
Housing Dates for Guest Students/Interns: TBD
Questions? Contact Event Services at [email protected] or at 616.526.7045

Aquinas College

Housing Application Deadline: TBD
Housing Dates for Guest Students/Interns: TBD
Questions? Contact Residence Life Office at [email protected] or at 616.632.2944

Alternative Housing Options | Off-Campus Housing near Grand Valley State University’s Allendale Campus

The Locale Apartments are alternative housing options for guest housing.
Call 855.961.3161 for more information on their housing options.

Parking and Bike Racks

Student Interns will be offered FREE parking in the Michigan Street Development ramp during their internship. During the orientation process, Physical Security will provide Student Interns with a parking permit for their vehicle. The parking structure is located on Michigan Street, directly north of VAI. Parking in this ramp is contingent upon availability. Additionally, there are bike racks available for your use outside of the main entrance.

Funding to support the salaries and benefits for the Student Research Fellowship is provided by The Meijer Foundation, Hope College/VAI Purple Community Game and VAI Graduate School:

Salary | $15.00 per hour
Reimbursement for on-demand transportation to and from home airport (for student interns without vehicles)
Reimbursement for on-demand transportation to and from Gerald R. Ford International Airport/Grand Rapids (for student interns without vehicles)
Ground transportation (bus passes are for student interns without vehicles)
Free covered parking for students with vehicles

Completed applications for the 2026 Student Research Fellowship will be reviewed by the Student Research Fellowship Committee and Van Andel Institute faculty after February 7, 2026. Applicants selected for interviews are generally contacted by mid-March and employment offers are extended by the end of March. If additional summer opportunities become available after this time, waitlisted applications may be considered.

All offers for the Undergraduate Student Research Fellowship positions will be contingent upon the satisfactory results of a Background Investigation and Drug Screen.

Questions about applying for the Student Research Fellowship?

If you have questions about the Student Research Fellowship or the application process, please email the Student Research Fellowship Committee at [email protected].

Informational Zoom Meetings

Want to learn more about applying for the Student Research Fellowship? Join us for one of our informational Zoom meetings. Registration required.