To apply for an HMEI Environmental Internship, students should submit an application through Global Programs Systems (GPS). Students may apply to a maximum of three established positions at one time. A list of current opportunities and application deadlines, can be found on our Undergraduate Internship Opportunities page.
Applications for established positions are reviewed by faculty, program coordinators, and the hiring agents of host organizations in order to determine the most suitable candidate(s) for each position. In certain instances, the host may contact the student to arrange an interview via phone, online, or in-person.
Students for established positions will be notified via email and asked to confirm participation within three days of acceptance. Once a student accepts a position, a formal award letter, including the funding amount and the terms and conditions of the program, will be issued via email. Upon receipt of the formal award letter, students must accept the offer via SAFE within one week.
Students applying for student-initiated internship funding must submit the application through the Student Activities Funding Engine (SAFE). Support for student-initiated positions is available on a competitive basis for students who have secured an “unfunded” summer internship in the environmental field. Students applying for HMEI support of these internships must submit a budget (based on destination and cost-of-living) and a supervisor commitment form. To be eligible, applicants must have previously held an HMEI internship, or have had a comparable research experience. Only one student-initiated application per student will be considered per year. Internships with for-profit organizations will not be considered nor awarded.
Applications for student-initiated internships are evaluated based on the merit of the proposed work, its connection to an environmental theme, relevance to the student’s academic course of study and expected outcomes. Preference will be given to research opportunities.
To be eligible, applicants must be currently enrolled as a degree candidate at Princeton and be in good academic and judicial standing with the University. Students must maintain active enrollment at Princeton from the time of application through the following fall. Students currently on a leave of absence for the 2025-26 academic year are ineligible to apply for HMEI summer 2026 internships.
Selected students will receive a weekly stipend to defray the cost of living for the duration of their internship, along with an international travel award to defray the cost of airfare (if applicable). HMEI Internships are fully funded; students may not seek funding from other sources for the summer months, should they accept an HMEI internship.
Should a student accept an HMEI internship for the summer, they commit to the position and are ineligible for other opportunities and additional sources of funding. At the time of acceptance, all other pending applications and/or funding awards must be withdrawn (Princeton-sponsored or otherwise).
Students participating in the program must comply with the University’s standards of conduct and requirements for undergraduate travel.
Students terminating/shortening the duration of their proposed assignment will be required to return a portion (up to 100 percent) of their award, and will be responsible for incremental (transportation and accommodations) fees arising from their change of plans. Program administrators must be notified of any changes in student assignments and/or travel itineraries.