An Intern Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) is a legal contract that requires an intern to keep certain business information confidential during and after their internship.

Intern Non-Disclosure Agreement Template
Use this free Intern Non-Disclosure Agreement template to have interns protect your trade secrets and confidential information․ This NDA ensures that the intern will not disclose any of your data during or after their internship․

About This NDA
By requiring interns to sign this Intern Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA), your business can ensure that your trade secrets, intellectual property, and other internal information remain confidential while the intern is employed․
This template protects startups, businesses, and organizations that provide internships to interns by outlining the internship's confidentiality, confidential information, work product, and other related legal issues․
Key highlights:
- Requires the intern to only use information for the internship and properly safeguard it․
- Prohibits use of confidential information in competing development, public disclosure, or in any activity not associated with the internship․
- Anyone using the internship in their academic work requires prior written approval from the employers․
- All intellectual property created during the internship is assigned to the employer, and there is no license to use confidential information․
- The survival period is two years after the time disclosure, while trade secrets are protected as long they are protected by law․
- No employment or agency relationship
The template can be downloaded, customized, and used as an Intern NDA in Word, PDF, or editable online formats.
When to Use this Intern NDA Template
An Intern Non-Disclosure Agreement is recommended when interns will have access to sensitive business information․
Interns are regularly exposed to confidential commercial information, including product development information, software codes and technical systems and proprietary research and designs․ In the absence of a written document which governs the internship, confidentiality obligations or intellectual property rights which apply to the internship may be difficult to enforce․
Thus, interns who sign an NDA will have an understanding of their duties towards confidential materials․
What’s Included in the Intern NDA Sample
This Intern NDA template is suitable for use with candidates who have received an internship offer, and covers internship-specific responsibilities, obligations, and exceptions without being overly complicated or lengthy․ Among the clauses typical to a standard NDA, the Intern confidentiality agreement includes:
- Non-Use Obligations
- Intellectual Property and Work Product Assignment
- Academic Submission Restrictions
- Portfolio and Public Disclosure Restrictions
- No Employment Guarantee; No Agency Relationship
Who Can Use This Template
This Intern NDA template is designed for:
- Startups and tech companies
- Small and mid-size businesses
- Research labs and universities
- Marketing agencies
- Product development teams
- Corporate internship programs
It works for both paid and unpaid internships. The agreement clarifies that the internship does not guarantee a job, nor does it create a partnership, agency, or any type of joint venture․ For employment scenarios, use an Employee Non-Disclosure Agreement template for a simple, customizable option.
How to Fill Out the Intern Non-Disclosure Agreement
The Intern NDA template can be customized using the scope, definition of confidential information, duration of confidentiality, and allowed use and return/destruction of material․ Follow the steps to fill it out.
1. Enter the Effective Date, Employer & Intern Information
The employer's details, as they are to appear in the agreement, should identify the organization hosting the internship․
Next, fill out the intern's personal contact details as displayed on their identification card or onboarding documentation․
2. Confirm the Purpose of the Agreement
Check the Purpose section and ensure it states that the intern may have access to confidential information only for tasks specified in the internship agreement․
3. Review Confidential Information Scope
The Confidential Information section should contain a list of information the intern may have access to during the internship, including:
- Business strategies and plans
- Software code or technical systems
- Customer and vendor information
- Internal reports or financial information
This section provides guidance as to what should be protected․
4. Verify Intellectual Property and Work Product Terms
Confirm that the Intellectual Property and Work Product clause in the agreement states that any work product created during the internship belongs to the employer․
This is especially important for engineering or software development internships, product design, research projects, artificial intelligence (AI) projects, and marketing or creative projects․
5. Review the Agreement Terms & Sing
Prior to signing the NDA, all parties should review critical clauses such as confidentiality, portfolio and academic use, and so on․
The agreement must be signed by the employer representative and the intern, signifying that both parties accept the confidentiality obligations․
FAQ
Interns often access sensitive information such as product plans, software systems, financial data, or customer information. An NDA helps protect these materials and clarifies that they cannot be shared or used outside the internship.
Yes. Whether the internship is paid or unpaid, interns may still access confidential information. An NDA protects the organization regardless of compensation.
It solely depends on the organization policy and decision. Our Intern NDA sample requires written permission before internship work can be shared publicly or included in portfolios, academic papers, or case studies which is intern-friendly and at the same time protects organization from information leaks.
Confidentiality obligations typically continue after the internship ends. Many agreements specify a fixed period (such as two years) while trade secrets remain protected indefinitely under applicable law.
If confidential information is disclosed without authorization, the employer may pursue legal remedies. This may include court orders to stop the disclosure (injunctions) and financial damages.
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