Technology Internships for First Years and Sophomores

While it is true that many internship opportunities are geared towards students in their junior year, an increasing number of companies are creating first-year and/or sophomore-focused internship programs. Please note that this is certainly not an exhaustive list, and there are a number of additional companies that may not have first-year/sophomore specific programs, but that are first-year/sophomore-friendly.

Explore Microsoft

Deadline: Rolling
Explore Microsoft is a 12-week summer internship program specifically designed for students in their first or second year of a bachelor’s degree program and provides the opportunity to experience the main phases of the product development cycle: Design, Build and Quality. This program is designed to encourage your interest in in computer science, computer engineering, or a related technical discipline.

The Explore Internship is intended for students who are beginning their academic studies and would like to learn more about careers in software development through a learning program. Interns will gain group project experience working alongside other Explore Interns. Your on-the-job learning will be enhanced with mentoring, community building and networking opportunities.

Qualifications:

  • Must be freshman or sophomore student, currently enrolled in a bachelor’s degree program within the United States, Canada or Mexico.
  • Demonstrated interest in majoring in computer science, computer engineering, software engineering or related technical major.
  • Completed an Introduction to Computer Science course (or equivalent class) as well as one semester of calculus (or equivalent) by the start of the program.
  • Demonstrated interest in the software industry.

Google Engineering Practicum

Application Open: Fall 2019
Deadline: TBA
The Google Engineering Practicum program is a 12-week developmental opportunity for first and second-year undergraduate students with a passion for technology—especially students from historically underrepresented groups including women, Native American, Black, Latino, Veteran and students with disabilities. Our unique internship offers the opportunity to work on a software project alongside other EP interns and full-time Googlers, and gives you the chance to bridge the gap between academic understanding and practical professional experience.

Minimum qualifications:

  • Must be a first-year or second-year undergraduate student currently pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science or a related technical field at a university in North America.
  • Programming experience in one or more of the following languages: C, C++, Java, JavaScript or Python.
  • First-year students must have taken one college level Computer Science course by end of first semester. (AP or IB Computer Science is acceptable).
  • Students must be available for a full-time 12-week internship from May 2020 to August 2020 or June 2020 to September 2020.

Preferred qualifications:

  • Second-year students should have taken two Computer Science courses.
  • Authorization to work in the United States.
  • Returning to a Bachelor's degree program with at least two years remaining in their academic program after completion of the Summer 2020 internship.

 

Google Summer of Code

Applications Open: March 2020
Spend your summer break writing code and learning about open source development while earning a stipend with the Google Summer of Code! Accepted students work with a mentor and become a part of the open source community. Many become lifetime open source developers! Google Summer of Code is open to post-secondary students, age 18 and older in most countries.

Qualifications:

  • You must be at least 18 years of age
  • You must currently be a full or part-time student (or have been accepted for the fall term) at an accredited university as of the student acceptance date
  • You must be eligible to work in the country you will reside in during the program
  • You have not already been accepted as a Student in GSoC more than once
  • You must reside in a country that is not currently embargoed by the United States. See Program Rules for more information.

Facebook University

Applications Open: September 15, 2019
Deadline: October 31, 2019
Facebook University: We believe that anyone, anywhere can make a positive impact by developing products to bring the world closer together. Facebook University (FBU) for Engineers is a paid eight-week training program designed to provide mobile development experience to students who are historically under-represented in computer science.

The eight-weeks is broken down by three-weeks of mobile development training in either iOS or Android, followed by five-weeks of hands-on project work on small teams of three. Throughout the duration of the program you’ll be paired with a Facebook Engineer who will serve as your mentor and guide you along the way.

Requirements

  • Current first year (Class of 2023) or second year (Class of 2022) college student studying at a four-year university (or equivalent program for special cases) in the U.S.
  • Must have authorization to work in the U.S. at the time of hire and for the duration of the internship; June 15 thru August 7, 2020
  • Must be at least 18 years old by June 15, 2020
  • Demonstrated interest in science and technology
  • Available to work in Menlo Park, CA or Seattle, WA for the duration of the internship
  • Knowledge of at least one programming language (ie: C/C++, JavaScript, Java, PHP, Ruby, Python, Lua, Objective C etc.)
  • Must be present for entirety of internship; June 15 thru August 7, 2020

How to Apply

  • The application for FBU for Engineers - Class of 2020 opens on September 15, 2019 and closes on October 31, 2019.
  • Applicants will be asked to submit their resume, both their high school and college transcripts (official or unofficial will suffice).

Twitter Academy

Deadline: October 13, 2019 @ 11:59pm PT

Twitter Academy is a paid 12-week summer internship program designed for second-year students interested in gaining hands-on and real-life experience in the tech industry. Throughout the summer, interns participate in bi-weekly workshops and mentorship geared to sharpen your technical skills and cultivate your professional development. This program is for historically underrepresented (black, Latinx and/or Native American) students in Tech.

Eligibility

  • Interested in computer science/engineering, hardware, machine learning, network security and/or data science.
  • Full-time student identifying as black, Latinx, and/or Native American completing your undergraduate study in 2022 at a university or college.
  • Student studying in the US, Canada, and/or Mexico.
  • Available to intern the full duration of the summer 2020 internship (May - August).

Code2040 Fellows Program

Deadline: July 6, 2019 @ 11:59pm PDT
The Fellows Program is an intensive career accelerator for Black and Latinx college and graduate-level computer science students. For 9 weeks between June and August, you’ll intern at a top tech company and engage in racial equity advocacy work. You’ll participate in a series of learning experiences designed to give you the tools and resources you need to navigate the tech industry, build a lasting career, and advocate for yourself and your community.

The Fellows Program is designed for:

  • Currently enrolled students who attend a U.S. college or university
  • Students who identify as Black and/or Latinx
  • Students seeking internships in the summer of 2020 (and NOT full-time employment)
  • Students who plan on returning to school after their summer internship (Fall 2020)
  • Students with experience coding
  • Students who are interested in advocating for racial equity in the tech industry