NSA Summer 2027 Internship Program - Directors Summer Program - Entry - Maryland

The NSA Summer Internship Programs at our Fort Meade, MD location offers students exciting, impactful professional work opportunities (with pay and limited benefits!) to grow their knowledge of the Intelligence Community and federal government while advancing NSA's two primary missions: 1) Collecting, analyzing, and producing foreign signals intelligence; and 2) Providing cybersecurity solutions and guidance to protect critical national infrastructure. These summer internship opportunities are open to students who are pursuing education in a variety of degree programs.

The Directors Summer Program:

The DSP provides a summer opportunity to outstanding undergraduate mathematics majors. We invite students who have demonstrated superior mathematical aptitude to collaborate with each other and NSA mathematicians on problems critical to the intelligence gathering and cybersecurity missions of the Agency. DSP participants work on problems in mathematics, cryptology, and communications science that involve applications of abstract algebra, geometry, number theory, probability, statistics, combinatorics, graph theory, algorithms, computer science, and analysis. Each student chooses one of these problems as the focus of their research and documents the work in technical papers which are internally published at NSA.

Admission to this program is highly competitive. Applicants should have demonstrated superior mathematical aptitude. One full year of abstract algebra or analysis is strongly recommended. Some experience in computer programming, especially in C, Python, and in mathematical software packages is desirable.To be accepted into the NSA Summer Internship - Directors Summer Program, candidates:

• Must be a U.S. Citizen
• Must be enrolled in a degree-seeking program (undergraduate,) at time of application.
• Strongly recommended to have a full year of abstract algebra and analysis
• Experience in computer programming, especially in C, Python, and in mathematical software packages is desirable but not required.
• Specific education requirements vary by program
• Preferred cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher
• Must be eligible to be granted a TS/SCI security clearance after successfully completing a background investigation, a Full-scope Polygraph and a Psychological Evaluation
• Must be available and in the U.S. for operational and technical interviews and other applicable processing, both in-person and via telephone/internet, between the months of October 2026 and April 2027

Preferred majors:

• Computer Science
• Mathematics
• Physics
• Related majors with a strong background in math or computer science
• 1 Letter of Recommendation from a faculty member familiar with your technical work
• PLEASE NOTE: Other majors may be considered, however the majors listed above are highly recommended.
• PLEASE NOTE: You may be required to complete an Unproctored Internet Testing (UIT) requirement measuring cognitive ability, motivation, and English proficiency.Students are paid a competitive salary commensurate with their education level.
• All internships are 10 - 12 weeks during the summer.
• Receive annual leave, sick leave and paid federal holidays.
• Students who attend school in excess of 75 miles from Fort Meade, MD are eligible for housing accommodations and travel entitlements of a round trip airfare ticket to and from school or mileage reimbursement up to the cost of a government-issued airline ticket.
• Daily transportation to and from work is NOT provided. Students participating in the program are highly encouraged to bring a vehicle. Carpooling with other students MAY be available, but is NOT guaranteed.
• Participation in agency-wide extracurricular programs.