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Applying for Undergraduate Summer Research Fellowships

Many academic institutions have undergraduate summer research fellowships for both internal and external students. They provide a modest stipend, housing (not all), structured mentorship (i.e. journal clubs, end-of-summer poster presentations), and a community of fellows. These programs, often called SURF or REUs, mostly target rising juniors and seniors. Following the COVID pandemic, some programs are accepting rising graduates. It is (basically) impossible to obtain a fellowship at a different university without prior research experience. I highly recommend looking into your home institution’s summer research program by applying through your current undergraduate lab for the first summer. These are often separate programs and are less competition for intramural applicants.

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​These summer research fellowships are also excellent opportunities for both personal and professional growth. You should try living in a different city/state while performing research outside your home institution’s lab interests (think different model organism or subfield).

Quick Tips:

  • Most programs are only for permanent residents or citizens. Further below, I list programs that accept international students (as of summer 2021, h/t Nina Harano).

  • Many target underrepresented minorities in STEM. Make sure to spend your time and resources on programs for which you are competitive!

  • If you come from small colleges/universities (i.e. liberal arts, community college) that have limited research opportunities throughout the academic year, there are summer fellowships that specifically target this demographic!

  • Most programs specifically recruit people who are interested in pursuing PhDs in the future. If you are interested in medicine, there are a few programs that specifically target aspiring MD/PhD students. These programs will often have hospital/clinical opportunities in their curriculum. 

  • Don’t get discouraged! Many people don’t receive an extramural summer fellowship until the summer after their junior year. These programs are also small, competitive, and has a large element of luck. For example, a graduating senior who receive ~75% acceptance to “X” tier PhD programs will get into ~25% of “X” tier summer fellowships as a rising senior in their previous year. It’s a numbers game once you are somewhat competitive (have prior research experience).

  • Ask for recommendation letters 2+ months in advance! Many of these programs are due end of January through early March. Letter writers (professors) are swamped with requests. They often knock them out in one sitting, usually between Thanksgiving and Near Year.

    • In your request, attach your CV and a spreadsheet of all the programs with deadlines, logistics (i.e. submission link, email), and any program-specific requirements (i.e. page limit). 

  • Request letters from people who can speak to your research abilities. A mediocre letter can harm your application. Example tiers below.

    • S Tier: Your main lab’s PI (first draft written by your direct supervisor, often a graduate student or postdoc)

    • A Tier: Your direct supervisor in lab. Your prior summer research fellowship PI

    • B Tier: Professor you TA for. 

    • C Tier: Lab instructor. Upper level (graduate) course professor

    • D Tier: General chemistry professor

    • F Tier: Your family friend

  • Start your applications early. Requested materials (i.e. personal statement, research statement) will take weeks and numerous revisions to prepare.

  • Spend time on your personal statement! You were never trained to write such a piece in your high school and college coureses. The last time you wrote something like this was probably for college applications. The expectations are now higher. Your personal statement should have a clear narrative (think storytelling), be concise, and have a section individually tailored to the programs that you are applying. Do NOT regurgitate your CV. Ask for feedback from your direct mentors in advance.

  • Make sure you have a clear CV. An academic science CV is particular. Find examples by going to (young) faculty, postdoc, or graduate student websites. At this point in your carer, the CV should not be longer than 2 pages.

Resources for Applicants:

 

Good luck!

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