Research Internships at IITs for UG Students: How to Apply

Last updated: 23 October 2026 · By the Asuraa Team

Quick answer: B.Tech students from non-IIT colleges usually get IIT research internships through formal summer programmes such as IIT Madras's Summer Fellowship, IIT Kanpur's SURGE and IIT Hyderabad's SURE. Most take pre-final-year students, open between January and March, and run from May to July. In 2026 SURGE accepted applications from 2 to 22 February and asked for a minimum CPI of 6.0, according to IIT Kanpur.

Key takeaways

• IIT Kanpur's SURGE 2026 accepted non-IITK B.Tech students in third year with a minimum CPI of 6.0, through a portal open from 2 to 22 February 2026.
• SURGE's institute-funded stipend of Rs 16,000 goes only to students with a CPI of 8.5 or higher and is capped at 60 participants.
• IIT Madras's Summer Fellowship 2026 offered Rs 15,000 a month for two months, from 18 May to 17 July, according to Careers360.
• IIT Hyderabad's SURE 2026 paid Rs 7,500 a month and required applicants to be in the top 20% of their discipline.
• IIT Bombay's Research Internship Awards pay Rs 15,000 a month for four to six months, with applications in August and September.

B.Tech and other undergraduate students from non-IIT colleges can get research internships at IITs mainly through structured summer programmes that each IIT runs on its own: IIT Madras's Summer Fellowship Programme, IIT Kanpur's SURGE, IIT Hyderabad's SURE, IIT Mandi's summer internship, IIT Gandhinagar's SRIP and IIT Bombay's longer Research Internship Awards. Most open between January and March for a May-July internship and expect you to be in your pre-final year.

Which IITs run summer research programmes for undergraduates?

Several IITs run formal programmes that external undergraduates can apply to online. The table below collects the eligibility, money and timing each programme published for its most recent cycle. Treat it as a starting map and confirm every detail on the official page before applying, because rules and amounts change each year.

Sources for each row: IIT Madras SFP stipend and dates as reported by Careers360 in February 2026; SURGE from IIT Kanpur's eligibility, funding and fees pages; SURE from the government portal Vikaspedia-internships-at-iit-hyderabad?lgn=en); IIT Mandi from Careers360; SRIP from IIT Gandhinagar; IIT Bombay from its IRCC internship page.

For a full walkthrough of the Madras programme, read our IIT Madras Summer Fellowship guide. For internships by year, degree and type beyond research, see the internships guide for India.

Who is eligible for a research internship at an IIT?

Most IIT programmes want undergraduates in their pre-final year with a strong academic record. Second-years have fewer options, and first-years almost none.

The details differ by programme:

• Year of study. IIT Madras SFP and SURGE take B.Tech students in third year. IIT Hyderabad's SURE also accepts second-year B.Tech students, and SURGE accepts B.Sc/B.A. students in second year.
• Marks. SURGE sets a minimum CPI of 6.0 for external students, but its institute-funded stipends go only to students with a CPI of 8.5 or higher, capped at 60 participants (SURGE funding). SURE asks for a top-20% rank in your discipline, certified by your head of institution.
• Home institute. IIT Madras's SFP is closed to IIT students, and SURE is for students from outside IIT Hyderabad.
• Full-time attendance. SURE does not allow part-time or online internships, and SFP is on campus.

If you are in first year, the research route starts later; our post on internships for first-year college students covers what to do now.

How much do IIT research internships pay?

Most IIT summer programmes pay a modest stipend that covers part of your living costs, and some charge fees. As of the 2026 cycle, IIT Madras SFP paid Rs 15,000 a month for up to two months according to Careers360, IIT Hyderabad SURE paid Rs 7,500 a month, and IIT Mandi paid Rs 10,000 a month.

SURGE works differently. It has institute-funded seats with Rs 16,000 for the programme, partially funded seats with up to Rs 8,000, project-funded seats paid by the faculty mentor, and self-funded seats with no stipend. Non-IITK applicants pay a Rs 750 application fee, and selected non-IITK students pay Rs 4,000 in non-refundable administrative charges, plus hostel and mess (SURGE fees).

Budget for hostel and mess at every IIT. SFP offers hostel and mess on a payment basis subject to availability, and IIT Mandi expects interns to bear their own travel and living costs.

How do you apply for a research internship at an IIT?

You apply online through each programme's portal with marksheets, a bonafide or principal's certificate and, for some, a research proposal and recommendation letters. A typical sequence:

1. Shortlist in December. Pick three or four programmes whose year and marks rules you meet.
2. Collect documents early. Most ask for marksheets from Class 10 onwards in one PDF and a bonafide letter from your institution. SURE needs a top-20% certificate from your principal.
3. Write the proposal or statement. SURGE asks for a research proposal of no more than 500 words on a listed topic, plus two signed recommendation letters from faculty at your institute addressed to the Professor In-Charge, Office of Outreach Activities (SURGE documents).
4. Register and pay. SURGE's 2026 portal was open from 2 to 22 February, and registration is complete only after the fee is received (SURGE how to apply).
5. Name a mentor where asked. IIT Mandi asks applicants to state a proposed area and potential supervisor, so read faculty pages first.
6. Track results in March and April. SURGE declared 2026 results on 23 March, with a fee-confirmation window after that.

A clean, specific resume helps with every one of these steps; see our guide to a resume for an internship.

Can you get an IIT internship by emailing a professor directly?

Sometimes, but many IIT faculty say they do not take external interns by email and point students to formal programmes instead. One IIT Delhi computer science professor states on his page that offering projects to non-IITD students is not feasible (IIT Delhi faculty page), while an IIT Madras professor asks for individual, not bulk, emails and prefers third-year students (IIT Madras faculty page).

Read each professor's page before writing. If they welcome emails, our guide on how to email a professor for a research internship has a template and follow-up timing.

There is also a route through the science academies. The Science Academies' Summer Research Fellowship Programme places students with scientists and faculty who have agreed to guide short projects, for two months, with a monthly fellowship and round-trip train fare; the 2026 deadline was 31 January (Science Academies SRFP 2026).

What do most guides on IIT research internships get wrong?

Most guides repeat old stipend figures and copy dates from previous years. IIT Madras's own SFP page still shows its 2024 cycle with Rs 6,000 a month (IIT Madras SFP), while the 2026 cycle was reported at Rs 15,000 a month. Always check the year printed on the page you are reading.

Two more corrections:

• "Selection is about CGPA." Marks get you past screening, but SURGE asks for a proposal and recommendations, and SFP's official page invites you to list projects, seminar papers, design contests and Olympiad ranks. Evidence of real work matters.
• "Stipend means free." SURGE charges application and administrative fees, and most programmes leave hostel, mess and travel to you. Work out the full cost before accepting.

When should you start preparing?

Start preparing about six months before the summer you want. In practice, that means picking a research area in your second year, doing one course project or reading project with a faculty member at your college, and having two teachers who know your work well enough to write a letter by January of your third year.

Related guides

• Internships in India: A Guide by Degree, Year and Type
• Can First-Year College Students Get Internships in India?
• IIT Madras Summer Fellowship Programme: Eligibility and Process
• How to Email a Professor for a Research Internship

FAQ

Can a non-IIT B.Tech student do a research internship at an IIT?

Yes. Programmes such as IIT Madras's Summer Fellowship, IIT Kanpur's SURGE and IIT Hyderabad's SURE are designed for students from other institutions, and IIT Madras's SFP and IIT Hyderabad's SURE exclude their own or all IIT students. You apply online with marksheets and an institutional certificate, and some programmes also ask for a proposal and faculty recommendations.

Which year is best to apply for an IIT summer research internship?

The pre-final year, usually third year of B.Tech, is when most programmes accept you. SFP and SURGE take B.Tech students in third year. IIT Hyderabad's SURE also accepts second-year B.Tech students in the top 20% of their discipline, and SURGE accepts B.Sc and B.A. students in second year. First-years generally do not meet the eligibility rules.

Do IIT research internships charge fees?

Some do. IIT Kanpur's SURGE charged non-IITK applicants a Rs 750 application fee in 2026 and selected non-IITK students Rs 4,000 in non-refundable administrative charges, plus hostel and mess. Other programmes may not charge an application fee but still expect you to pay for hostel, mess and travel, so check the official page for the full cost.

What is the stipend for IIT summer internships?

It varies by IIT and year. For 2026, IIT Madras SFP was reported at Rs 15,000 a month, IIT Hyderabad SURE paid Rs 7,500 a month and IIT Mandi Rs 10,000 a month. SURGE paid Rs 16,000 for the programme only to funded seats with CPI 8.5 or more, and some SURGE seats are self-funded with no stipend.

When do IIT summer research internship applications open?

Most open between January and March for internships running from May to July. In 2026, SURGE ran from 2 to 22 February, IIT Madras SFP closed on 2 March, IIT Hyderabad SURE on 14 March and IIT Mandi on 30 March. IIT Bombay's longer Research Internship Awards follow a different calendar, with applications in August and September.

Is a recommendation letter needed for an IIT internship?

For some programmes, yes. SURGE asks external students for two signed recommendation letters from faculty at their own institute, on letterhead. IIT Madras SFP asks for a bonafide letter from your head of institution rather than recommendations, and IIT Hyderabad SURE needs a principal's certificate that you are in the top 20% of your discipline.

Final thoughts

IIT research internships reward students who plan a year ahead: meet the year and marks rules, build one real project, and line up two teachers who can vouch for you. If you are unsure whether research or industry suits you better, map both routes with Asuraa's career path planner.