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.
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| Research Opportunity | Research Area | Opportunity Timing | Deadline Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 | 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 | 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 | 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 | 1/13/25 |
| 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 |
| Neurotechnology REU Program: Sensorimotor Neural Engineering This program provides undergraduate students with opportunities to work on research projects with scientists and to take part in workshop training sessions in ethics, communications, and scientific presentation skills designed to provide the undergraduate scientist with a solid foundation for graduate study. Student projects will focus on cutting edge research at the neurobiology/engineering interface. |
Medicine & Health, Science & Technology | Summer | Anticipated 1/15/25 |
| Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Undergraduate Research Program The Undergraduate Research Program (URP) at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) is available to sophomores and juniors interested in the following: Molecular Biology & Cancer, Genetics & Genomics, Neuroscience, Plant Biology, and Quantitative Biology. Students come to CSHL for a 10-week summer program where they will work in a lab, attend workshops, and work among CSHL scientists. |
Medicine & Health, Natural Sciences, Science & Technology | 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 |
| Vienna BioCenter Summer School The Vienna BioCenter offers summer research experiences for students to work side by side with leading researchers in a dynamic scientific environment. The program aims to attract talented students interested in life sciences from around the world, creating a vibrant and diverse atmosphere. |
Natural Sciences | Summer | 1/15/25 |
| 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 |
| The Museum Seminar (MuSe) Internship Program at the MET MuSe at The Met provides a ten-week, interdisciplinary experience for undergraduates interested in the arts. Interns work in various museum departments, participate in weekly seminars, and engage with visitors through tours and programs, gaining valuable skills and insight into museum operations. |
Humanities & Arts | Summer | 1/15/25 |