The Summer Undergraduate Research Opportunity Database includes a list of primarily off-campus summer research opportunities available for undergraduate students.

Please note - This is not an exhaustive list of all summer opportunities. Though we actively manage and update this database, there are likely many opportunities, both on-campus and external, that our office has missed.

This database is maintained by the Illinois Office of Undergraduate Research. If you have any corrections, suggestions, or would like to add an opportunity to our database, please email ugresearch@illinois.edu.

How to use

Most students choose to filter by "Research Area" and leave the "Keywords" field blank. You can also search using keywords; however, we recommend the use of general keywords (broad search terms) for best results (e.g., "chemical" instead of "crinine and haemanthamine alkaloids".)

Press "Apply" to apply these filtering criteria and update the list of opportunities shown.

Block Reference

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Research Opportunity Research Area Opportunity Timing Deadline Date
Kennedy Center Internship Program
The Kennedy Center Internship Program is a holistic and rigorous professional development program designed to elevate the next generation of leaders in the arts, cultural, and non-profit fields.
Humanities & Arts Spring 11/14/25
Junior Fellows Summer Intern Program
Through this summer internship, fellows are exposed to a broad spectrum of library work: copyright, preservation, reference, access, and information technology. Working under the direction of Library curators and specialists in various divisions, fellows explore digital initiatives and increase access to the institution’s unparalleled collections and resources.
Humanities & Arts Summer Anticipated 11/26/25
Research Internships in Science and Engineering
Students are matched with a host university or institute according to their area of interest (biology, chemistry, physics, earth sciences, engineering, or a closely related field). Host universities, universities of applied sciences, and institutes provide housing assistance and match students with Ph.D. student mentors or researchers.
Medicine & Health, Natural Sciences, Science & Technology Summer Anticipated 11/30/25
Congressional Hispanic Caucus Insititute (CHCI)
CIP provides Latino undergraduates of all majors with paid placement in congressional offices for a period of 10 weeks. Interns will learn how the legislative system works, respond to constituent inquiries, write policy briefs, gain work experience, and participate in community service.
Social Sciences & Behavior Fall, Summer Anticipated 12/1/25
Mystic Aquarium REU
This REU program offers a unique collaboration between the renowned Mystic Aquarium and the University of Connecticut, Avery Point located on Long Island Sound. Participants will work with faculty to develop their own independent research project as well as participate in a variety of professional development activities.
Natural Sciences Summer 12/2/25
Watershed Management Research and Outreach Undergraduate Internship Program
This program will provide students with broader perspectives and experience in water-related research and extension education. Students will gain real world experience with the complexities and trade-offs associated with water-related decisions in rural and urban landscapes.
Agriculture & Food Sciences, Natural Sciences, Science & Technology, Social Sciences & Behavior Summer Anticipated 12/8/25
Lunar and Planetary Institute (LPI) Summer Intern Program
The LPI Summer Intern Program in Planetary Science provides undergraduate students with an opportunity to perform cutting-edge research, learn from widely respected planetary scientists, and discover exciting careers in planetary science.
Natural Sciences, Science & Technology Summer 12/12/25
PINNACLE - Renewables and Cybersecurity for the Power Grid in France
In this eight-week program, students will gain experience in inverter-based electric power systems and addressing challenges in control, communication, and cybersecurity. Participants engage in research, language instruction, and industry visits.
Science & Technology Summer Anticipated 12/15/25
Dryland Sustainability Research (IRES)
This program offers students the chance to conduct hands-on research in Kenya's drylands, focusing on socio-environmental system transitions and sustainability challenges. Combining fieldwork at the Mpala Research Centre with collaboration alongside local pastoralist communities, participants gain critical research skills and cross-cultural insights into global environmental issues.
Agriculture & Food Sciences, Humanities & Arts, Natural Sciences, Social Sciences & Behavior Summer Anticipated 12/15/25
Chemistry REU at Colorado State
This REU program offers students a comprehensive introduction to chemical research, covering synthesis, characterization, modeling, and device performance. They'll engage in cutting-edge projects, learn hypothesis testing, data analysis, and utilize advanced lab equipment. Additionally, participants will enhance their presentation, ethics, and career skills.
Natural Sciences Summer 12/31/25
Mass Media Science & Engineering Fellowship through AAAS
This program strengthens connections between scientists and journalists by placing undergraduate scientists, engineers, and mathematicians at media organizations (National Public Radio, Los Angeles Times, WIRED, etc.). Students sharpen their abilities to communicate complex scientific issues and enhance coverage of science-related issues in media.
Humanities & Arts, Natural Sciences, Science & Technology Summer Anticipated 1/1/26
National Opinion Research Center (NORC) Summer Internship Program
NORC’s nine-week summer program provides hands-on experience for students to conduct research in the social sciences, survey research, data analysis, and research methodology.
Data Science, Social Sciences & Behavior Summer Anticipated 1/3/26
Summer Training in Academic Research and Scholarship (STARS) Program
This program offers juniors and seniors from underrepresented groups training in research methods in the labs of BWH and Harvard Medical School’s leading researchers. This opportunity caters to undergraduates interested in careers as research scientists, physicians, and/or health care professionals.
Medicine & Health Summer Anticipated 1/3/26
NIDA Summer Research Internship Program
This internship program is an eight-week internship researching substance use and addiction with the National Institute on Drug Abuse.
Medicine & Health Summer Anticipated 1/6/26
Yale Conservation Scholars
Students directly work with and are mentored by professors, research scientists, and environmental professionals. They are exposed to research projects relating to conservation research, environmental policy, conservation finance, environmental education, environmental justice, energy justice, water pollution, food insecurity, community action, and much more.
Natural Sciences Summer Anticipated 1/7/26
University of Tokyo Research Internship Program (UTRIP)
UTRIP is an intensive summer research program targeted at undergraduates who have a keen interest in pursuing an M.S. or Ph.D. degree in the future.
Natural Sciences Summer Anticipated 1/7/26
Oak Ridge National Laboratory Science Undergraduate Laboratory Internships
This program encourages undergraduates and recent associate and bachelor’s graduates to pursue STEM careers by providing research experiences at a DOE laboratory.
Science & Technology Fall, Spring, Summer Anticipated 1/8/26
Caltech WAVE Fellows Program
The WAVE Fellows provides support for undergraduate students, who are underrepresented in STEM and intent on pursuing a Ph.D., to conduct a 10-week summer research project. A wide range of research opportunities are available from biology, chemistry, and engineering to environmental science, sustainability, humanities, and social science.
Medicine & Health, Natural Sciences, Science & Technology Summer Anticipated 1/10/26
Broad Summer Research Program (BSRP)
This program is a summer research opportunity designed for undergraduates with a commitment to biomedical research and an interest in genomics.
Medicine & Health, Natural Sciences, Science & Technology Summer Anticipated 1/10/26
Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) Scholars Program
AFRL Scholars Program offers opportunities to undergraduates pursuing STEM degrees. Application deadline dates differ per program. Selected interns gain valuable hands-on experiences working with full-time AFRL scientists and engineers on cutting-edge research and technology.
Science & Technology Summer Anticipated 1/10/26
Diverse Voices in Science Journalism Internship
This summer program is designed for undergraduate students who are deeply committed to diversity and interested in pursuing journalism as a career. Interns spend 10 weeks working in the news room at Science magazine, covering the scientific and technological issues that shape our global community.
Humanities & Arts, Natural Sciences, Science & Technology Summer Anticipated 1/10/26
Algebra, Analysis, and Combinatorics REU at UT Tyler
In this eight-week program, students will focus on topics like integer partitions, mathematical modeling, and inverse semigroups. Students will work closely with faculty to learn how to conduct mathematical research, write professional articles, and present research findings.
Natural Sciences Summer Anticipated 1/11/26
Caltech LIGO Summer Research
The Caltech LIGO Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowships (SURF) program invites undergraduate students in physics, astronomy, and engineering to engage in gravitational-wave astronomy research at Caltech or LIGO observatories. Students will pursue research projects under mentorships from various scientists and engineers.
Natural Sciences, Science & Technology Summer Anticipated 1/11/26
Data Science Institute Summer Lab
DSI Summer Lab is an immersive research opportunity for undergraduates, pairing them with data science mentors for rigorous, applied, and interdisciplinary research within a cohort community setting.
Data Science, Medicine & Health, Natural Sciences, Science & Technology, Social Sciences & Behavior Summer Anticipated 1/12/26
Injury Prevention Center Summer Internships
The internships are designed for students interested in injury prevention research or practice experiences. They offer important opportunities to gain mentored research and practice-based experience in a CDC-funded multidisciplinary injury prevention center. Interns could work with a mentor from the University of Michigan, the Michigan Department of Health & Human Services, or other organizations on ongoing injury prevention research or practice projects.
Medicine & Health Summer Anticipated 1/13/26
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