Applying to Summer Research Program Resources

Application Components​

  • Transcripts
    • Strong performance in topic area; if not, address any “red flags” in your personal statement​
  • Letters of Recommendation (2-3) ​
    • Pick professors who know you both personally and academically​
  • Personal Statement​
    • Share details about your research interests and experiences, your motivations (your WHY), and a bit of background info about yourself​

Summer Research personal statement guides:​

 

Duke Experiential Education Summer Opportunities Database for Summer Research Programs at Duke:

https://experiences.duke.edu/opportunities/?term=Type%3EResearch&page=1

 

STEM Summer Program Opportunities:

There are several STEM summer research programs for non-Duke undergraduate students:

https://medschool.duke.edu/research/summer-undergraduate-research-opportunities

AAMC Summer Research Programs List (by institution)​

https://www.aamc.org/professional-development/affinity-groups/great/summer-undergrad-research-programs

NSF Database*​

https://www.nsf.gov/crssprgm/reu/reu_search.jsp​

*Prioritize students from non-research-intensive institutions

American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Summer Research Program Database​

http://www.asbmb.org/summerresearch/​

Leadership Alliance Summer Research Early Identification Program​

https://theleadershipalliance.org/summer-research-early-identification-program

Pathways to Science Database ​(search by region, discipline, institution etc)​ – Biomedical, Math, Engineering, Computer Science, etc.

https://www.pathwaystoscience.org/programs.aspx?descriptorhub=SummerResearch_Summer%20Research%20Opportunity

Research Internships in Science and Engineering in Germany

https://www.daad.de/rise/en/rise-germany/

NIH Office of Intramural Training and Education Summer Internship Program in Biomedical Research

https://www.training.nih.gov/programs/sip

Department of Energy National Laboratories:

17 laboratories comprise a federal research system, providing the Nation with strategic scientific and technological capabilities to execute long-term government scientific and technological missions and develop unique, often multidisciplinary, scientific capabilities beyond the scope of academic and industrial institutions.

Ames, Argonne, Brookhaven, Fermi, Idaho, Lawrence Berkely, Lawrence Livermore, Los Alamos, National Energy Technology, National Renewable Energy, Oak Ridge, Pacific Northwest, Princeton Plasma, Sandia, Savannah River, SLAC National Accelerator, Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator

https://www.energy.gov/science/science-innovation/office-science-national-laboratories

Topic Areas:

  • Advanced and Sustainable Energy
  • Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
  • Genomics
  • High Performance Computing
  • Large Scale Scientific Instrumentation
  • Quantum Information Science

Jobs and Internships at the National Labs:

https://www.energy.gov/jobs-national-labs

 

List of Social Science Opportunities:

Pacific University of Oregon has collated a list here. 

 

Arts and Humanities Opportunities:

  • US-UK Summer Fulbright Institutes. 3-4 weeks in length, programs from UK institutions revolve but usually touch on arts, humanities fields with some in creative industries/innovation and social justice. Open only to rising Sophomores or rising Juniors. Applications for Summer 2024, open November 14, closes February 1. April interviews; May decisions.
  • Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture. In previous summers they have offered summer undergraduate research fellowship with funding from the Mellon Foundation. For 2023 that program was on-hold. Check again in late December/early January to see if it has returned for 2024.
  • Smithsonian Institute Internships. Frequently offered in Art History, Natural History, Material Culture, archival conservation, Folklore & Culture, Community Outreach. Start researching in January.
  • The National Endowment for the Humanities Pathways Summer Internships. This isn’t a formal program as much as a way to search the USA Jobs websites for opportunities at the NEH . For 2024 opportunities search “pathways” and “internship” and “humanities” starting now through early January.
  • Leadership Alliance Summer Research Early Identification Program.* SR-EIP offers a range of arts/humanities programs to explore research at the graduate level connected to CalTech, Columbia, Dartmouth, Harvard, Johns Hopkins, Stanford, Tufts, U Chicago, UVA, Vanderbilt & Yale. Applications for Summer 2024 open November 1 and close February 1, 2024.
  • Michigan Humanities Emerging Research Scholars Program (MICHHERS Rackham).* Small stipend but other expenses paid. Program has a rotating focus of disciplines open to prospective arts/humanities students. For summer 2024 the options are for students interested in the fields of Asian Languages and Cultures, Classical Studies, Comparative Literature, History, Linguistics, Romance Languages and Literatures, Sociology (qualitative), and Women’s and Gender Studies (any humanities field, especially English and History). You’ll need to attend a workshop (3 date options between November and January) and applications open November 27 and close February 12, 2024.
  • American Bar Foundation Summer Research Fellowship.* Applications for 2024 summer are open. Deadline is Feb. 1, 2024.
  • Pacific University of Oregon's List of other Arts & Humanities Opportunities 

 The programs noted with an * have specific opportunities for minoritized, first-generation, or low-income students. Some are additionally only open for student in specific years in school.

 

International Student Opportunities:

https://careercenter.umich.edu/article/health-science-research-summer-programs-open