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By spending your summer doing research, you may find inspiration for a future thesis topic, learn about careers in academia and possibly contribute to published works. See below for some potential options. Since the quantity and type of summer research opportunities will vary by academic discipline and funding source, meet with a career adviser and consult with your academic department for more specific guidance.
Princeton Programs
- High Meadows Environmental Institute: Mentored assignments with Princeton faculty and other qualified hosts. Focus is on global environmental issues including climate science, energy alternatives, water, health, biodiversity, conservation, ocean biogeochemistry and sustainability.
- Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship: Two-year cohort starting junior summer for highly qualified underrepresented students and other students who have demonstrated a commitment to diversity. Program provides support and mentorship to prepare for doctoral programs and careers in the professoriate.
- OURSIP (Office of Undergraduate Research Student-Initiated Internships Program): Grants for Princeton first-year and sophomore students (and occasionally juniors with projects not related to their senior thesis research) who have independently created or secured an unpaid faculty-mentored research internship over the summer.
- ReMatch and Rematch+: Meaningful research collaborations between Princeton first-year and sophomore students, graduate students and postdoctoral researchers across all departments to provide undergraduates with early hands-on opportunities for mentored research.
- Additional Departmental Opportunities: Some academic departments offer summer research opportunities for their undergraduates, either as part of independent work or separately. Example emails on how to inquire about independent research opportunities can be found in our Internship & Job Search Email Samples.
External Programs
- REU (Research Experiences for Undergraduates): The National Science Foundation funds undergraduate research opportunities at host institutions around the United States. Each student is associated with a specific research project and works closely with faculty and other researchers. Students are granted stipends and, in many cases, assistance with housing and travel.
- SR-EIP (Summer Research Early Identification Program): Fully paid summer internships that provide undergraduates with training and mentoring in the principles underlying the conduct of research to prepare them for competitive applications to Ph.D. or MD-Ph.D. programs.
- SURF (Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship): Gain hands-on experience working with technology at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), in one of the world's leading research organizations.
- Work with individual researchers: Many times, if students have very specific research interests, they may directly contact professors or researchers that interest them to ask about research opportunities. Example emails on how to communicate your interests can be found in our Internship & Job Search Email Samples.