NSA Summer Internship Acceptance Rate
The acceptance rate for NSA summer internships is highly competitive, estimated at 3-5% of all applicants. This selectivity reflects the agency's rigorous screening process, which includes academic performance, security clearance eligibility, and a thorough background investigation.
Application Volume: The NSA receives over 9,000 applications annually for its internship program.
Selection Process: Of those, approximately 1,000 candidates are considered, and around 280 are invited for interviews, with about 70 ultimately hired.
Key Requirements:
Must be a U.S. citizen.
Enrolled in a degree-seeking program (undergraduate to Ph.D.).
Preferred GPA of 3.0 or higher.
Must be eligible for a Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmented Information (TS/SCI) clearance, including a polygraph and psychological evaluation.
While the process is demanding, successful applicants often receive competitive pay, real-world experience in national cybersecurity, and a strong likelihood of receiving a full-time job offer post-graduation.
I assume you mean like summer intern (the agency uses the word intern in a non-standard way, including for full-time, permanent employees). I was a summer intern at the NSA a few years ago. It was extremely competitive in the sense that something like 24 people out of the 2000 that applied were accepted. But they weren't competitive in the sense that you had to go to a top college or be able to solve really hard programming puzzles on a white board. I think the GPA cutoff was 3.0. And you have to be eligible to receive a top secret clearance, so that I guess makes it competitive too, since a lot of people have something in their background that would make them ineligible. Answer from FTUSAF17 on reddit.com
Reddit
reddit.com › r/cscareerquestions › anyone had a cs internship at nsa?
r/cscareerquestions on Reddit: Anyone had a CS internship at NSA?
September 10, 2020 -
I'd like to know if anyone has had previous internship experience at the NSA, and would like to know if it's a lot of competition to get into?
U.S. Intelligence Community
intelligencecareers.gov › nsa › students-and-internships
NSA student and internship programs
The National Security Agency offer internships, scholarships, a co-op program and more.
Vpntierlists
vpntierlists.com › blog › how-do-nsa-summer-internships-actually-work-september-2025
Do NSA Summer Internships Actually Work Signals Shift
September 10, 2025 - We're talking acceptance rates of just 3-5% of all applicants. This kind of selectivity means only the most talented and dedicated students actually make it through the door. You might think NSA internships are all about Hollywood-style hacking and dramatic spy stuff, but that's not really ...
National Security Agency
nsa.gov › Careers › Student-Programs
Student Programs
NSA offers paid programs for college and high school students. Learn about our summer internships, co-op program, Stokes Scholarship and work study program.
ClearanceJobs Blog
discuss.clearancejobsblog.com › security clearance q&a
WIll I get accepted into the NSA? - SECURITY CLEARANCE Q&A - ClearanceJobs Blog - Security Clearances
December 8, 2021 - Hey! This is a question that has been driving me crazy I am a high school student looking to apply for the NSA intern program but I’m wary of doing it because of things I’ve done in the past. All the things I’ve done include: DDoS attacks of people who threaten and annoy me on xbox I’ve been peer pressured by my friends into doing this but I admit sometimes I’ve done it when I haven’t been peer pressured (I’ve attempted this 5 times only one time I can guarantee succeded I’ve quit this and reg...
Business Journals
bizjournals.com › baltimore › blog › cyberbizblog › 2014 › 05 › nsa-internships-are-extremely-competitive-but-if.html
NSA internships are extremely competitive. But if you can ...
May 14, 2014 - If you can get an internship here, you probably won't have to worry about where you'll work after college.National Security Agency · By Ryan McDonald – Digital Producer, Baltimore Business Journal ... There are more than 10,000 applicants every year for about 250 NSA internships.
GovExec
govexec.com › defense › 2018 › 08 › nsa-director-agency-sells-itself-potential-recruits › 150451
NSA Director: The Agency 'Sells Itself' to Potential Recruits - Government Executive
April 13, 2021 - Meade, Md.-based agency has a retention rate of 92 percent, Nakasone reported, and receives some 17,000 applications per month—40 percent of which come from sources that promote diversity.
National Security Agency
nsa.gov › Academics › For-Students
Academics - For Students
The National Security Agency/Central Security Service leads the U.S. Government in cryptology that encompasses both signals intelligence insights and cybersecurity products and services that enables computer network operations to gain a decisive advantage for the nation and our allies.
Nsepnet
nsepnet.org › JobDetail.aspx
(featured!) nsa summer 2025 internship program
September 6, 2024 - REMINDER: You could be contacted and/or considered for more than one specific internship. DEADLINE: Applications are accepted 1 September - 1 October; however, selections for this program are made on a rolling basis and applicants are encouraged to apply as soon as possible to allow sufficient time for review and security clearance processing. CONTACT INFORMATION: If you have any questions about NSA Summer Internships, please contact us at [email protected] or call us at 410-854-4726.
Ltsnet
ltsnet.net › computer-science-intern-program.html
COMPUTER SCIENCE INTERN PROGRAM - LABORATORY FOR TELECOMMUNICATION SCIENCES
About the Program The Computer Science Intern Program (CSIP) is an intense and exciting 12-week immersive internship open to select college undergraduate and graduate students majoring in computer science or closely related disciplines. Interns are assigned to projects that contribute to NSA's mission. Projects culminate in a short presentation and technical paper. Projects are typically in the areas of: ... Architecture & Systems Application Deadline Applications are accepted Sept.
Glassdoor
glassdoor.com › Reviews › National-Security-Agency-Intern-Reviews-EI_IE41534.0,24_KO25,31.htm
National Security Agency Intern Reviews | Glassdoor
Despite the internship being marketed as "a way in" to the NSA, it was hard to push the application process any further.
Intelligencecareers
apply.intelligencecareers.gov › student-programs
IC Candidate Portal
November 14, 2025 - Learn about, and apply to, federal government career opportunities and job openings in the U.S. Intelligence Community.
Ucsc
undergradresearch.ucsc.edu › home › national security agency (nsa) internships
National Security Agency (NSA) Internships – Undergraduate Research
December 9, 2024 - Nothing looks better to future employers than real world experience. As a college undergrad, you can gain the experience you need while working toward your degree. And you’ll get to experience first hand what life at NSA is really like. NSA offers internships, a co-op program, and scholarships ...
Indiana University of Pennsylvania
iup.edu › cybersecurity › news › 2024 › 08 › nsa-internship-applications-now-open.html
NSA Now Accepting Applications for Internships - IUP
August 30, 2024 - The NSA is now accepting applications for multiple open internship positions to be offered in summer 2025.
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
newsroom.unl.edu › announce › metr › 17781 › 96790
NSA Summer 2025 Internship Program | Announce | University of Nebraska-Lincoln
These internships are open to a wide variety of majors and give students the opportunity to work directly with mission-critical problems and experience the excitement of working in NSA spaces. Qualifications To be accepted into a NSA Summer Internship - candidates must: - Must be a U.S.
NSA
nsa.gov › Press-Room › News-Highlights › Article › Article › 3142811 › college-students-from-research-outreach-programs-solve-hard-mission-problems-pr
College Students from Research Outreach Programs Solve Hard Mission Problems, Present Find
August 30, 2022 - College interns from the National Security Agency's (NSA) Director’s Summer Program (DSP) and Graduate Mathematics Program (GMP) recently briefed top Agency leaders on their work to address mission-critical problems in mathematics, cryptology, and computer,
National Security Agency
nsa.gov › careers
National Security Agency Careers | Apply Now
The National Security Agency offers challenging career opportunities in a variety of career fields from analysts, to lawyers, to linguists, to communications and cybersecurity professionals to produce national security outcomes.
Indiana University of Pennsylvania
iup.edu › cybersecurity › files › news › 2024 › 1725026991_nsacareers_internshipprograms_poster_508.pdf pdf
IntelligenceCareers.gov/NSA INTERNSHIP PROGRAMS Internship Programs College
IntelligenceCareers.gov/NSA · INTERNSHIP PROGRAMS · Internship Programs · College · Freshmen · College · Sophomores · College · Juniors · College · Seniors · Graduate · Ph.D. Computer Science Skills-Based Programs · CAE Hawaii Summer Internship ·
Indeed
indeed.com › national security agency › salaries › intern
NSA Intern Salaries in the United States
Explore National Security Agency Intern salaries in the United States collected directly from employees and jobs on Indeed.
Hawaii
natsci.manoa.hawaii.edu › sasc › post
The National Security Agency (NSA) Summer 2024 ...
Department of Microbiology at the University of Hawaii at Manoa