Caltech’s Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowships (SURF) Program

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Caltech’s Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowships (SURF) program introduces students to research under the guidance of seasoned research mentors at Caltech and JPL. Students experience the process of research as a creative intellectual activity. SURF is modeled on the grant-seeking process: students collaborate with potential mentors to define and develop a project; applicants write research proposals for their projects; faculty review the proposals and recommend awards; students carry out the work over a 10-week period during the summer. At the conclusion of the program, students submit a technical paper and give an oral presentation at one of several SURF Seminar Days, symposia modeled on a professional technical meeting.

Award / Eligibility Details:

To be eligible for SURF, applicants must: be a continuing undergraduate student and eligible for fall term registration; have a cumulative GPA of at least 2.5/4.0; complete the second semester or third quarter at your college or university; and not be under any academic or disciplinary sanction. Students must identify and contact a mentor in advance of submitting an application. A mentor must agree to support your application, help you to develop and define a research project, and assist you in the writing of the research proposal. Fellows receive a $6,000 award for the ten-week period. Award payments are distributed in equal installments in late June and late July.

Deadline: Late February each year

Academic Levels: Undergraduate

Type/Purpose: Research

Field of study: Arts & Humanities, Business, Education/Teaching, Public Affairs/Policy, Social Sciences, STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math)

Location: United States

Citizenship eligibility: All, Foreign Citizen/International Student, Permanent Resident, US Citizen, US National

For more information: https://sfp.caltech.edu/undergraduate-research/programs/surf