Requirements for Application
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Be 16 years old by June 16, 2025.
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Have an annual household income of less than $120,800 for a family of 4 if you live in Alameda or Contra Costa counties or $156,650 for a family of 4 if you reside in San Francisco County. Additional income guidance can be found in the chart below. We use the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development definition for low-income which is 80% or less of an area’s median income.
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Be currently enrolled as a sophomore or junior in high school.
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Be a resident of Alameda, Contra Costa, or San Francisco County.
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Be a US citizen or permanent resident.
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Have a GPA of at least 2.5 and have passed Algebra 1 and Biology.
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Commit to one prep week: June 16 – June 19, 2025 (mostly virtual) to complete required trainings and orientations.
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Commit to being in-person in our laboratories in Emeryville, CA: June 20 – August 1, 2025.
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If you do not meet all of these requirements, here are some other high school internship opportunities:
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Do you need prior experience in research to apply to be an intern for the iCLEM program?No, most of our participants have little to no experience. However, you must have at least a 2.5 GPA and have passed Algebra 1 and Biology in order to participate (or an equivalent course that covers these topics). You definitely should have the willingness to learn!
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Can I still apply even if you don’t fall into the income range?No, iCLEM is targeted specifically at low-income participants based on donor requirements. We hope you will find another STEM program this summer and have provided links to other programs. We are unable to review applications for candidates that don't meet all of the qualifications. If you have a complicated income situation, you are welcome to email us and we can figure out if you qualify. Otherwise, please do not email us to ask if we can waive the income requirement - we will always say no.
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Are the income requirements before or after dependent deductions?The income requirements are accounted for before deductions.
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Do I have to include my family's income when I apply?Yes. Applications without an income will not be reviewed. Income will be confirmed before final selections are made.
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Are the income requirements before or after taxes?We will utilize the income before taxes.
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I live in San Francisco, Alameda, or Contra Costa Counties, but I am homeschooled and attend a private school, online charter, or other educational arrangement. Am I eligible?Yes, as long as you meet all the other requirements.
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How much work should I be expected to put in each week?All iCLEM students will be working synchronously 30+ hours a week and are expected to complete regular homework.
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How much will I be getting paid from this program/What forms are needed to be completed?All participants will receive a stipend of $3,000 upon completion of the program. Participants will receive guidance in completing required tax and payroll forms.
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What is JBEI?JBEI is one of four BioEnergy Research Centers funded by the Department of Energy where iCLEM takes place - learn about all of them here: https://www.genomicscience.energy.gov/bioenergy-research-centers/https://www.genomicscience.energy.gov/bioenergy-research-centers/
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What is the internship schedule?The schedule for the research component (June 23 - August 1) will be Monday - Friday, 9am - 4pm. There may be some days that the schedule gets adjusted due to research needs or other events. M,W,TH,F will be in person at our Emeryville laboratories and Tuesdays will be held remotely (morning will be College Knowledge sessions and application planning and the afternoons will be professional development in conjunction with the Berkeley Lab K-12 program). June 16-19 will be a prep week for training and mostly remote. There will be some set timing on some things but there will be asynchronous assignments as well. We are expecting that the 6/20 date will be in person and where we will go to the main laboratory site to get site badges. Some of the onsite dates will involve field trips to local colleges, laboratories, and companies.
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Where is the lab located?Emeryville, CA, near Berkeley and Oakland, CA. The lab is accessible by public transportation. iCLEM staff will work with each participant to ensure they have a way to get to the internship.