MLH Fellowship vs Summer at Simons

Comparing two highly competitive STEM opportunities. Both are internships for high school students.

MLH Fellowship Summer at Simons
Prestige Tier Tier 2 — Highly Competitive Tier 2 — Highly Competitive
Type Internship Internship
Organization Major League Hacking (MLH) Simons Foundation
Acceptance Rate Not publicly disclosed; competitive program but exact rate unknown Not publicly disclosed, but estimated at 5-15% given high prestige and limited spots per center (~3-10 positions per center per summer)
Applicants Not publicly disclosed; appears to have multiple cohorts annually Likely 200-500+ total applications across all centers annually, though not confirmed
Deadline Rolling Rolling
Cost to Apply Free Free
US Only No / International No / International
Grades College students and above (program appears designed primarily for undergraduates; high school eligibility unclear) Undergraduate students and graduate/post-doctoral students only - high school students are NOT eligible
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... Summer at Simons is viewed VERY POSITIVELY by graduate admissions committees and prestigious employers. Impact includes: 1) STRONG indicator of research capability and commitment to academic career - ...