Internship Timeline and Information

The summer 2025 application period opens January 1 and remains open until 11:59pm on February 15. Email ASPIRE@jhuapl.edu with any questions.

  • The ASPIRE internship begins the last week of June. There is only one application session per year. Students accepted for the summer may continue into the academic year with their mentor’s agreement. There is no separate application period for the academic year.
  • Onboarding during the listed dates is mandatory and students must attend onboarding in-person to participate in ASPIRE.
  • Students complete a minimum of 190 hours of ASPIRE internship tasking between their onboarding date and their return to school in the fall. You may, and are encouraged to, complete additional hours past the minimum. We expect students to spread their hours over a 6-9 week period.
  • Students may only complete ASPIRE tasking between 6am-6pm, Monday–Friday and may only complete up to 40 hours of tasking each week. There are no weekend or evening ASPIRE hours.
  • All students are expected to complete and submit a digital poster of their ASPIRE project at the end of the summer.

Applicants are strongly encouraged to review their schedules to determine whether they have the appropriate time available to participate in the ASPIRE program. Students should remember to consider travel times to and from APL when considering an in-person or virtual internship. Our expectation is that the ASPIRE program be the priority.

ASPIRE Timeline

January 1 ASPIRE summer session application period opens at 12:00 a.m.>
February 15 ASPIRE summer session application period closes at 11:59 p.m.
March 1 All recommendation forms are due by 11:59 p.m.
March 1–March 15 ASPIRE eligibility is confirmed or denied.
March 15–May 15 Mentors review applications, interview students, and extend an invitation to the program. Acceptances are sent on a rolling basis.
May 15 Final status notifications are sent to students.
June 24–26 Mandatory ASPIRE onboarding is held in-person at APL. These are the earliest dates a student may begin their internship.
August 21 ASPIRE Student Showcase capstone event

Some students and mentors may agree to continue their internship through the academic year. In this case, the following will apply:

  • The academic year runs from September-May
  • Seniors complete a minimum of 130 hours over the course of their internship (60 hours before the end of the calendar year). Juniors complete a minimum of 80 hours over the course of their internship (30 before the end of the calendar year). You may, and are encouraged, to complete additional hours past the minimum, but no more than 10 hours per week. We expect students to spread their hours over the full September-May period. Internships may not be ended early.
  • Students may only complete ASPIRE tasking between 6am-6pm, Monday–Friday and may only complete up to 10 hours of tasking each week. There are no weekend or evening ASPIRE hours.
  • Students may shift their work schedule from in-person to remote or vice versa between the summer and academic year sessions.
  • All students are expected to complete and submit a digital poster of their ASPIRE project at the end of May.
  • Students are strongly encouraged to receive credit or formal recognition from their school for participation in the program.

Students considering extending their internship through the academic year are strongly encouraged to review their extracurricular schedule and determine whether they have the appropriate time available to participate in the ASPIRE program. Students should remember to consider travel times to and from APL if they are interested in in-person internship opportunities. We expect students to make ASPIRE their main priority.

Students are not guaranteed re-admission to ASPIRE and must remain in good standing with their mentor, the STEM Office, and the Lab to be considered for academic year enrollment.

There is no separate application period for the academic year.

Session Timeline

September 15 Academic year session officially begins.
December 31 Seniors must have completed 60 hours, and juniors must have completed 30 hours
May ASPIRE Student Showcase capstone event