Am I too late to apply for summer internships?

The short answer is no… but you should get a move on!

While there is no industry standard for when a company seeks, interviews, or hires interns, there are a few rules of thumb:

• More competitive internships (bigger companies, household names, industry leaders) may have earlier deadlines. This is because many people apply, so they need more time to review applications, and because earlier deadlines mean slightly fewer applicants – they kind of count on the fact that some students will miss the deadline!
• Some companies may not specify a date and simply say that they have “rolling deadlines.” This means that prospective interns’ applications are reviewed and interviews are arranged when it is convenient for the company. It’s best to just think of these opportunities as having early deadlines, too, to ensure that you’ll be in the mix when applications are reviewed.
• Most other companies’ summer internship deadlines will land between late January and mid-February, but there will always be outliers.

If you’re starting to consider your options for summer now, you’re probably in ok shape. There are still lots of internships whose deadlines have not yet passed, but you should get organized today. The worst reason to not get an internship is because of missed deadlines!

How to get started? Begin by compiling your list of companies you might be interested in. Consider what skills you want to build and what types of companies might offer that kind of opportunity. Come up with a list of specific companies by looking for the types of companies you thought of in the geographic location you’ll be in this summer. Check their web sites and social media content for information. If you don’t see the internship details you’re looking for, research how you should get in touch with the company. A phone call will give you the absolute best chance of actually getting an answer, but you may have to email if you can’t find a phone number.

After the deadline, companies will take a little while to review applications and then will move on to setting up interviews. Interviews may take place anywhere between March and May! Remember: there is (frustratingly!) no industry standard when it comes to the timeline for this process, but starting as early as possible will prevent you from missing out on any opportunities that may be a fit.