Diversity & Early Programs.
The programs built for freshmen and sophomores that open doors most students don't know exist.
These programs exist specifically because the standard recruiting pipeline doesn't reach everyone equally. They are not easier versions of the real thing — they are real internships with real pay and real pipelines. Apply to all of them. Multiple engineers now at Google, Meta, and Microsoft got their start this way.
Early Internship Programs
Apply to these in August and September of freshman year. Don't wait until you feel ready.
Google STEP Internship
Google's flagship early diversity internship. Real SWE work, full pay, mentorship from Google engineers. Multiple engineers now at Google full-time got their start through STEP. This is the highest-leverage program on this list.
Learn more & applyMicrosoft New Technologist Intern
Microsoft's early diversity internship specifically for freshmen. Combines SWE and PM experience. Direct pipeline into Microsoft's broader internship and recruiting funnel.
Learn more & applyMicrosoft Explore Program
Microsoft's sophomore program — distinct from New Technologist which targets freshmen. Rotates between SWE and PM. Full-time paid summer internship and one of the most structured early programs in tech.
Learn more & applyMeta University Internship
Meta's early career program for underrepresented students. Real engineering work in Meta's codebase with structured mentorship. Direct pipeline to Meta SWE internship junior year.
Learn more & applyAmazon Propel / Amazon Future Engineer
Amazon's early diversity program for CS students. Provides internship experience, mentorship, and access to Amazon's broader recruiting pipeline.
Learn more & applyMLH Fellowship
A remote 12-week fellowship where you contribute to real open source projects under mentorship from senior engineers. Treated like an internship on your resume. Excellent fallback if you can't land a company internship.
Learn more & applyNSF REU (Research Experience for Undergraduates)
Federally funded summer research at a university. Paid. Produces real research output. Highly respected by graduate schools and — increasingly — by tech companies hiring for ML and AI roles.
Learn more & applyCompetitions Worth Entering
Competitive programming competitions don't just build skills — they produce visible credentials that top companies actively look for.
ICPC (International Collegiate Programming Contest)
The most prestigious competitive programming contest in the world. Placing at regionals or advancing to the World Finals is a significant signal for competitive engineering roles at Google and Meta.
Google Code Jam / Kick Start
Google's own competitive programming competition. Winners get fast-tracked in Google recruiting. Even placing well is a visible credential.
Meta Hacker Cup
Meta's equivalent of Code Jam. Strong performance signals directly to Meta recruiting.
Hackathons (HackMIT, TreeHacks, HackHarvard, local events)
Weekend events where you build a project in 24–48 hours. The project goes on your resume. The network you build is real. Sponsors at major hackathons actively recruit participants.
When You Can't Get the Internship You Want
Internship recruiting is competitive and sometimes a summer doesn't come together. Here's what to do instead:
Build a real project.
A polished GitHub project that solves a real problem is worth more than a mediocre internship. Build something with a public URL that you can demo.
Contribute to open source.
Find a real project on GitHub with 1,000+ stars and submit a pull request that gets merged. This shows you can work in a production codebase.
Apply to MLH Fellowship.
Major League Hacking runs a remote fellowship where you contribute to open source under mentorship. Treated like an internship on your resume.
Apply to NSF REU.
Paid summer research at a university. Google and other companies specifically value students who've done research.
Do freelance work.
Build websites or apps for local businesses or on Upwork. Real clients, real money, real deadlines.
Use the time for LeetCode.
Use the summer to get very good at algorithms. This directly improves your chances in technical interviews the following year.