MLH Fellowship vs Simons Summer Research Program

Comparing two highly competitive STEM opportunities. MLH Fellowship is a internship while Simons Summer Research Program is a summer program.

MLH Fellowship Simons Summer Research Program
Prestige Tier Tier 2 — Highly Competitive Tier 2 — Highly Competitive
Type Internship Summer Program
Organization Major League Hacking (MLH) Simons Foundation
Acceptance Rate Not publicly disclosed; competitive program but exact rate unknown Approximately 11-12% (40 fellows selected from ~350 applicants annually as of 2015)
Applicants Not publicly disclosed; appears to have multiple cohorts annually Approximately 350 per year
Deadline Rolling Rolling
Cost to Apply Free Free
US Only No / International Yes
Grades College students and above (program appears designed primarily for undergraduates; high school eligibility unclear) High school students (primarily juniors and seniors)
College Impact Highly valued in college admissions and recruiting. Shows: (1) Real-world experience with production-grade code, (2) Demonstrated commitment to open-source/collaborative development, (3) Recognition b... Highly positive impact on college admissions. Summer research programs, especially prestigious ones like the Simons program, are viewed very favorably by college admissions officers because: (1) They ...