Top Summer Undergraduate Research Scholarships

November 23, 2025
by
MST

The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) is the most common and definitive term for a summer scholarship experience for current undergraduates. This type of scholarship provides funding for students to conduct full-time, intensive research over an 8- to 10-week period. These programs are a critical opportunity for students who are seriously considering a Ph.D. or M.D./Ph.D. degree, as they offer hands-on experience in a lab or field under the guidance of a faculty mentor.

Participating in a summer research program, like a SURF, fundamentally strengthens an application for graduate school. A successful summer research project demonstrates the independence, critical thinking, and commitment that doctoral admissions committees value. Institutions such as Caltech, Stanford, and UC Berkeley offer highly prestigious SURF programs that attract top students from around the world.

While many universities scholarships offer their own internal SURF programs for their students, external awards are also available and highly competitive. The major external programs, such as the NSF Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) and the Amgen Scholars Program, provide comprehensive funding that makes a research experience accessible to students regardless of their financial background.

Types of Summer Undergraduate Opportunities

There are three main types of competitive, fully-funded summer opportunities for undergraduates:

NSF Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU): These programs are sites funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and host cohorts of students in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields. NSF REUs are typically 10 weeks long and focus on a specific research theme, such as computational biology or oceanographic studies.
Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowships (SURF): These fellowships are offered and administered directly by individual universities. Students often submit a research proposal and work one-on-one with a faculty member. Programs like the Caltech SURF and the CMU SURF award funding to students who want to lead their own projects.
Amgen Scholars Program: This is a prestigious, international program that focuses on biomedical and biotechnology research. The program is hosted at 26 premier institutions worldwide, including Harvard and Duke. Amgen Scholars conduct research, attend professional development seminars, and participate in a final symposium.

Scholarship Coverage

Summer undergraduate research programs typically provide a comprehensive financial package to ensure the student can commit full-time to the research.

The funding generally includes three key benefits:

A stipend provides living expenses, typically ranging from $4,000 to $7,000 for the 8-10 week duration.
Housing and meals are covered at the host institution , often in a campus dormitory with a meal plan.
Travel costs are reimbursed for round-trip airfare to and from the program site.

Eligibility Criteria

There are three key eligibility requirements for most nationally-funded summer research scholarships:

Program Type	Target Student Profile	Citizenship Requirement
NSF REU	Students enrolled in a STEM program.	Must be U.S. citizens or Permanent Residents.
Amgen Scholars	Sophomores, juniors, or non-graduating seniors with a strong interest in a Ph.D. or M.D./Ph.D.	U.S. citizens or Permanent Residents for U.S. sites. International students may apply to select sites in Asia or Europe.
University SURF	Varies by university; often open to both current students and visiting undergraduates.	Varies greatly; many accept international students but require specific visa documentation.

You must have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher, if you are applying for the Amgen Scholars Program.

Application Process

To secure funding for a summer research program, you must follow three essential steps:

Select an institution and research topic. You should use the NSF’s REU Site search engine, if you are looking for STEM programs.
Gather required academic documents, such as official transcripts, a CV/resume, and an unofficial transcript.
Submit an application by the deadline, which must include at least two letters of recommendation (LORS) and a personal statement.

To get strong letters of recommendation, choose recommenders who know you well, provide them with your CV and personal statement, and give them at least four weeks’ notice.

Also apply for George Mason University Scholarships | Apply Now.

Deadline

The application deadline for most major summer undergraduate research scholarships is typically in the winter months.

Most NSF REU and Amgen Scholars programs have deadlines that fall between early January and mid-February. Some programs may have a later deadline, such as March 1st or April 10th, but it is highly recommended that you submit an application early, if the program uses rolling admissions.