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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 12/8/24 |
| 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 | 12/15/24 |
| 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 | 12/15/24 |
| Dryland Sustainability Research (IRES) This International Research Experiences for Students (IRES) 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 | 12/15/24 |
| 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 12/17/24 |
| MindCORE Summer Fellowship Program at UPenn This fellowship provides students with a 10-week summer opportunity to study human intelligence and behavior spanning Biology, Neuroscience, Psychology, Linguistics, Philosophy, and Computer Science. Students will work alongside a Penn faculty mentor, attend workshops, and participate in research discussions. |
Medicine & Health, Social Sciences & Behavior | Summer | Anticipated 12/31/24 |
| 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 | 1/1/25 |
| 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 | 1/3/25 |
| Fermilab Summer Internships in Science and Technology (SIST) SIST is a research internship for undergraduate in engineering, materials science, mathematics, and computer science. The program includes work assignments, an academic lecture series, and a final oral and written report. |
Science & Technology | Summer | Anticipated 1/3/25 |
| Magazine Internship Program ASME offers undergraduate students a prestigious opportunity to gain hands-on experience in the magazine industry. Participants are placed in leading magazines and media organizations, working closely with seasoned professionals. This immersive program allows interns to develop skills in editorial content creation, research, writing, and digital media. By participating, interns enhance their portfolios, build professional networks, and gain insight into the magazine industry. |
Humanities & Arts, Social Sciences & Behavior | Summer | Anticipated 1/7/25 |
| 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 | 1/7/25 |
| 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 | 1/8/25 |
| 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 1/9/25 |
| Science Undergraduate Laboratory Internships (SULI) In this comprehensive internship, you’ll be mentored by a leading science expert who will guide you in a specific research area to gain maximum exposure to one of the many science and technology areas that underpin the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) diverse missions. |
Science & Technology | Fall, Spring, Summer | 1/9/25 |
| 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 | 1/10/25 |
| 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 | 1/10/25 |
| 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 | 1/10/25 |
| 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 | 1/11/25 |
| 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 | 1/11/25 |
| 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 | 1/12/25 |
| Undergraduate Complexity Research (UCR) REU Unlock the world of complex systems science in the Santa Fe Institute's (SFI) UCR program. Students will learn how to combine theory, methods, and data from the physical, natural, and social sciences to ask big questions about real-world complex systems using the rigorous methods employed at SFI. |
Natural Sciences, Science & Technology, Social Sciences & Behavior | Summer | 1/14/25 |
| Injury Science Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) This REU provides underrepresented students with hands-on research experience in the fields of engineering, behavioral and population science, education, and statistics. With mentoring from pediatric researchers, students will participate in fundamental research on the causes and consequences of child injury. |
Medicine & Health, Social Sciences & Behavior | Summer | 1/15/25 |
| ThinkSwiss Research Scholarship ThinkSwiss is a scholarship program managed by the Science Office at the Embassy of Switzerland in Washington, D.C. The program is funded by the State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI) and is supported by the Embassy of Switzerland in Ottawa, Canada. The aim of the program is to promote research opportunities in Switzerland for American and Canadian students and to foster exchange between Swiss, U.S., and Canadian universities and research institutions. |
Education, Humanities & Arts, Medicine & Health, Natural Sciences, Science & Technology, Social Sciences & Behavior | Fall, Summer, Winter | 1/15/25 |
| Summer Program in Cancer Research (SPCR) This program offers a summer research experience for undergraduates in cancer genetics, epigenetics, and related fields, including hands-on lab work, mentorship, lectures, and professional development. Students present their findings at a final symposium and may earn co-authorship on research publications. |
Medicine & Health, Natural Sciences, Science & Technology | Summer | 1/15/25 |
| Summer Undergraduate Science Communication Fellowship The CAICE Summer Undergraduate Science Communication Fellowship provides students with research experiences in science communication. Students are paired with a faculty mentor and work closely with researchers to create engaging and accessible science communication that conveys CAICE science to diverse audiences. Students receive a stipend and attend professional development seminars & symposiums. |
Science & Technology, Social Sciences & Behavior | Summer | Anticipated 1/15/25 |