Cancer Research Interns Summer Program

Guidelines

How To Apply

The Cancer Research Interns Summer Program (CRI SP) is a summer program at the NIH that is funded by the National Cancer Institute's Center for Cancer Training. Students interested in the CRI SP are strongly encouraged to complete the NIH Summer Internship Program (SIP) Application in addition to the CRI SP Application.

The CRI SP application must be submitted by 11:59 PM EST on January 5, 2026.

CRI SP Application

The CRI SP application will ask you to provide:

  • Basic Information – name, current/permanent address, email, phone, citizenship
  • Demographic Information – race, ethnicity
  • Education – degrees awarded or expected
  • Research Interests
  • References – name and email of 2 references
  • The number of your application to the general Summer Internship Program

Additionally, you will need to upload several documents. These documents should be saved as PDFs and uploaded to your application.

Document Description
Curriculum Vitae

General

Applicants are encouraged to use their current curriculum vitae and to add any necessary information.

  • Please include your name and a page number on each page of the curriculum vitae.
  • Some of the information requested below will not be applicable to all individuals.

Please do not include any personal information beyond what is requested below. In particular, please do not provide your social security number, date of birth, USCIAS number (alien resident number on your green card), student ID, or home address.

Personal Information

  • Name (First middle last)
  • Preferred Telephone Number
  • Preferred E-mail

Education

Please list all colleges and universities attended and any other relevant training. Include the following information for each institution:

  • School, department, city and state, country
  • Dates attended, academic major degree(s), minor degree(s), year degree(s) awarded/expected

Work Experience

Please list current and past employment. Include the following information for each position:

  • Position title, employer's name, city and state, country, and telephone
  • Dates of employment, hours per week
  • Brief description of duties and accomplishments

Bibliography

Please list all publications and indicate whether they are "published," "in press," "submitted," or "in preparation."

Other Information

Please note that the items requested below may not be relevant to all applicants:

  • Board certification
  • Committee memberships
  • Grants awarded
  • Honors and awards
  • Patents
  • Peer-review service
  • Professional licenses
  • Professional society memberships
  • Scientific presentations
  • Teaching
  • Mentoring
Personal Statement

250 words or less per prompt:

  • Describe your interest in cancer research. Discuss how your experiences and background have influenced your research interests. Please include examples of your motivation, excitement, and drive for research.
  • Please describe your career aspirations. How will training at NCI help you achieve your career goals?
  • The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?
Transcripts Official transcripts are not required at this point in the application process.

You can complete a CRI SP application at your own pace and in multiple sessions before the deadline.

Your referees will receive an email request to submit a reference letter once your application has been submitted. They can prepare the letter in advance if they wish and upload it once they receive the request.

If you have questions about the CRI SP application process, please Contact Us.

NIH SIP Application

You are strongly encouraged to submit an NIH SIP Application. It will increase your chances of obtaining a summer internship, as your application can be viewed by all NIH investigators (not just those at NCI).

The NIH SIP Application will ask you to provide:

  • A CV or resume
  • A list of coursework and grades
  • A cover letter describing your research interests and career goals
  • The names and contact information for two references

You can learn more about the NIH SIP application and apply when the application is available.

Advice for Referees

An applicant may ask you to write a letter of reference because of your knowledge of their scientific accomplishments, motivation, skills, and potential for future leadership in their field. As a current or previous employer, professor, colleague, or collaborator, you may be asked to provide a letter. Please note that reference letters from peers are discouraged.

When can I begin writing the requested letter?

You may begin writing the requested letter as soon as an applicant asks you. Your letter must be:

  • a current and original letter (the same letter for the 2026 NIH Summer Internship Program can also be used for CRI SP)
  • typewritten on official letterhead
  • written in English
  • signed
  • saved as a PDF document

How do I confidentially and securely provide the letter to the CRI SP?

Once an applicant submits their application, you will receive a request for the letter of reference you are being asked to provide. This is the only method allowed for submitting your letter. If you do not receive a request, please contact the applicant to be sure they sent the request. If the applicant has sent a request, then please contact us for assistance.

When is the letter due?

Submitting the letter as early as possibly is strongly recommended. If a letter is determined to not meet the aforementioned guidelines, you will be asked to submit a corrected version. All letters must be submitted by 11:59 PM EST on January 12, 2026. No new letters or corrected versions will be accepted after this date.

Is this request the same as the reference request from the NIH Summer Internship Program?

The email requests are distinct for both applications. With that said, you can choose to use the same letter for both.