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
Search for opportunities
| Research Opportunity | Research Area | Opportunity Timing | Deadline Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigating Neurosciences, a Summer Program to Ignite Research and Education (INSPIRE) Investigating Neurosciences, a Summer Program to Ignite Research and Education (INSPIRE) allows early-stage undergraduate students an opportunity to study Alzheimer's disease and related dementias research in a multi-week summer research program. |
Medicine & Health, Science & Technology | Summer | 1/15/26 |
| 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 | 1/15/26 |
| Purdue University Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) The Purdue University Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) program provides an action-oriented research experience for selected students to be introduced to the research tools used on the cutting edges of science, engineering, and technology. |
Science & Technology | Summer | 1/15/26 |
| Undergraduate Pre-Renal Initiative Stanford's Pre-Renal Initiative seeks to develop a thriving research training program in adult and pediatric nephrology and benign urology for undergraduate students with varying backgrounds. |
Medicine & Health | Summer | Anticipated 1/15/26 |
| 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 1/15/26 |
| Human-Computer Interaction Institute (HCII) Summer Undergraduate Research Program The HCII summer research program is an opportunity for students to study human-computer interaction at the intersection of psychology, computer science, design, and technology with faculty at Carnegie Mellon University. |
Science & Technology | Summer | 1/15/26 |
| Old Sturbridge Village Internship Explore Museum careers at Old Sturbridge Village, New England's largest outdoor History Museum. Gain hands-on experience through internships and practical knowledge. |
Agriculture & Food Sciences, Education, Humanities & Arts, Natural Sciences, Social Sciences & Behavior | Summer | 1/15/26 |
| Natural History Research Experiences (NHRE) NHRE offers a 10-week summer opportunity for students to work alongside museum scientists to complete a research project in Anthropology, Botany, Entomology, Invertebrate Zoology, Mineral Science, Paleobiology, or Vertebrate Zoology. In addition to the research project, students will a competitive stipend, attend lectures, and receive tours. |
Natural Sciences | Summer | 1/16/26 |
| Cancer-focused Summer Undergraduate Research (CanSUR) This 10-week program starts with cancer research immersion, followed by mentored research and opportunities for career and networking enrichment to prepare them for their careers. Participants will present their findings at the end of the summer. |
Medicine & Health | Summer | 1/16/26 |
| Pharmacology Summer Research Program This 10-week research experience involves intensive research with faculty, weekly seminars, professional development, and presentation of your work at the end of summer. |
Medicine & Health | Summer | 1/18/26 |
| Improving Access to Research and Training (IMPACT) Program The IMPACT program provides an 8-week mentored research experience for undergraduate students from backgrounds traditionally underrepresented in health sciences interested in future careers in cardiovascular, pulmonary, hematologic, and sleep disorders research. |
Medicine & Health | Summer | Anticipated 1/19/26 |
| Significant Opportunities in Atmospheric Research and Science (SOARS) Program The NSF SOARS Program fosters research and mentoring in atmospheric and earth-system sciences, offering paid opportunities for underrepresented groups in STEM disciplines. |
Natural Sciences, Science & Technology, Social Sciences & Behavior | Summer | 1/20/26 |
| The MIT Summer Research Program (MSRP) The MIT Summer Research Program (MSRP) seeks to promote graduate education as a meaningful and attainable goal; broaden perspectives and participation in research and innovation; prepare and recruit talented undergraduates for graduate programs at MIT and beyond. |
Agriculture & Food Sciences, Business & Economics, Data Science, Education, Humanities & Arts, Medicine & Health, Natural Sciences, Science & Technology | Summer | 1/20/26 |
| Mickey Leland Energy Fellowship (MLEF) Program MLEF offers students majoring in STEM the opportunity to complete a cutting-edge research project under the mentorship of scientists and engineers at one of the Department’s National Laboratories or DOE Headquarters. |
Natural Sciences, Science & Technology | Summer | 1/20/26 |
| Carnegie Mellon Robotics Institute Summer Scholars (RISS) The RISS program provides undergraduate students with opportunities to participate in a 11-week research immersion. Select students will explore robotics labs and topics, meet with leaders in the field, attend workshops, be coached and mentored, present and publish your research, and grow as a scholar. |
Science & Technology | Summer | 1/21/26 |
| Geohydrology Internship Program The Kansas Geological Survey runs a paid internship program for graduate students, upper-level undergraduates, and recent graduates with an interest in water science. Interns will gain experience with field, lab, and computational skills to prepare them for future careers in the water sciences while contributing to ongoing research on Kansas's water resources. |
Natural Sciences | Summer | Anticipated 1/21/26 |
| Michigan Semiconductor Hands-On Research Experience (M-SHORE) The M-SHORE program is for students interested in semiconductor materials and devices. |
Science & Technology | Summer | Anticipated 1/21/26 |
| Alpine Plant Ecology REU Participants will perform independent research in the context of an ongoing long-term study of alpine plants and how they respond to drought and climate change. Students will perform field work, communicate research findings, and participate in weekly professional development workshops. |
Natural Sciences | Summer | Anticipated 1/21/26 |
| Brain Research Institute Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (BRI-SURE) BRI-SURE Pathway is an 8-week, intensive summer research- training program for students interested in pursuing research careers in Neuroscience or Physiology. Participants conduct research, receive career guidance, attend workshops, and prepare for graduate programs. |
Medicine & Health | Summer | Anticipated 1/21/26 |
| Biomedical & Bioinformatics Research Internship and Training Experience (B-BRITE) The B-BRITE summer internship program seeks students interested in exploring biomedical research as a career path. B-BRITE interns will work directly with established mentors during an 8-week immersive research experience. |
Medicine & Health | Summer | Anticipated 1/23/26 |
| Research Experience for Undergraduates in Arctic Renewable Energy Development, Economics, and Integration The ACEP Summer Internship Program provides undergraduate students the opportunity to engage in challenging and exciting energy research in the Arctic through a 10-week program at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. The internship cohort is composed of students from diverse geographies and disciplines. Students are mentored by an ACEP researcher in a wide range of topics including microgrid power systems integration, electric vehicles in the North and solar technologies. |
Data Science, Natural Sciences, Science & Technology | 1/23/26 | |
| Katz and Manne Research Institute Summer Scholars Program The program is designed to provide undergraduates summer experiences in research related to childhood health and disease. Summer Scholars spend eight or more weeks working daily with their faculty mentor and research team during the summer. In addition, the Summer Scholars participate in a weekly course to socialize while learning about scientific presentations and careers in science from participating faculty members. |
Medicine & Health | Summer | Anticipated 1/24/26 |
| NU-CURE: Cancer Undergraduate Research and Education This program offers research experience with top scientists in various cancer-related fields. Students will learn key principles of cancer biology and laboratory investigation, gain hands-on laboratory experience, explore possible career paths and receive career guidance through program seminars and activities, individual mentoring, and ongoing interactions with multidisciplinary researchers, students, and colleagues in the Northwestern community. |
Medicine & Health | Summer | Anticipated 1/24/26 |
| Marine Physical Laboratory (MPL) Summer Internship Program MPL is currently seeking applications for its Summer Intern Program. Applicants should be inquisitive and motivated undergraduate students with a strong background in quantitative science with majors in Marine Science, Applied Mathematics, Chemistry, Physics, and Engineering. |
Natural Sciences, Science & Technology | Summer | Anticipated 1/24/26 |
| Lurie Cancer Center Undergraduate Summer Research Internships Students are invited to participate in cutting-edge cancer research where they will work full-time alongside leading researchers in various biomedical fields. The program includes hands-on research experience, faculty lectures, skills workshops, and career development activities to help students understand cancer biology and explore potential career paths in the health sciences. |
Medicine & Health, Science & Technology | Summer | Anticipated 1/24/26 |