These institutions offer regular summer science experiences for undergraduates:

Pathways to Science:  This is an excellent search engine for summer research and other opportunities for undergraduates.  Many opportunities below are also listed here.  Searchable by discipline and other parameters.

National Science Foundation (NSF) Summer Programs:  These NSF programs span the STEM disciplines.  They are funded by NSF but are hosted at institutions across the US and are searchable by discipline, institution, or key words.

  • NSF REU – National Science Foundation Research Experiences for Undergraduates: The Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program supports active research participation by undergraduate students in any of the areas of research funded by the National Science Foundation. REU projects involve students in meaningful ways in ongoing research programs or in research projects specifically designed for the REU program. This solicitation features two mechanisms for support of student research: (1) REU Sites are based on independent proposals to initiate and conduct projects that engage a number of students in research. REU Sites may be based in a single discipline or academic department or may offer interdisciplinary or multi-department research opportunities with a coherent intellectual theme. Proposals with an international dimension are welcome. (2) REU Supplements may be included as a component of proposals for new or renewal NSF grants or cooperative agreements or may be requested for ongoing NSF-funded research projects.
    • STEM Disciplines: Astronomical Sciences, Atmospheric and Geospace Sciences, Biological Sciences, Chemistry, Computer and Information Science and Engineering, Cyberinfrastructure, Department of Defense (DoD), Earth Sciences, Education and Human Resources, Engineering, Ethics and Values Studies, International Science and Engineering, Materials Research, Matemathical Sciences, Ocean Sciences, Physics, Polar Programs, Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR), Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences
    • Location: Varies, hosted at institutions across the US
    • Requirements: Full proposal submission
    • Upcoming Deadlines: August 24, 2022
    • Eligibility: Undergraduate student participants in either REU Sites or REU Supplements must be U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, or permanent residents of the United States.

Albert Einstein College of Medicine:

  • AECM – Hispanic Center of Excellence Summer Undergraduate Mentorship Program: The Bronx Health Opportunity at Einstein (HOPE) Virtual Summer Program was launched in the Summer of 2020 to provide diverse pre-health undergraduate students with a high-quality virtual summer experience at Einstein. Our program offers mentorship, professional development, and information on the various careers in the medical field and clinical issues. It is a 4-week program that meets three days a week through Zoom-facilitated sessions led by Einstein and Montefiore faculty and medical students. The program will include sessions to give you exposure to and understanding of medicine and biomedical science with a focus on health disparities. There will be information on entering the medical field, clinical simulations, and case presentations. Furthermore, there will be multiple opportunities to learn from clinical experts and receive mentoring from Einstein medical students. Additionally, each participant will have a personalized experience through small group mentoring and forums with healthcare providers. Lastly, students will create a short project on health disparities with the guidance of Einstein students and faculty.
    • STEM Disciplines: Clinical experience for pre-medical students
    • Location: Bronx, NY
    • Requirements:
      • Must have completed at least 2 science courses prior to the beginning of the summer program. 
      • While a GPA of 3.0 is generally required, a GPA of less than 3.0 may still considered after a comprehensive application review.  
      • Students must complete the online application, provide an official college transcript and obtain a letter of recommendation from a faculty member before the deadline.
      • If accepted, medical clearance will be required prior to starting the program.
      • Live in the Bronx or nearby metropolitan area.
    • Upcoming Deadlines: March 2, 2020*
    • Program Dates: July 6 – July 29 tentatively
    • Eligibility:
      • Rising freshman-recent (within 1 year) college graduates. Priority will be given to students from underrepresented in medicine and/or disadvantaged backgrounds.
        • Students will be considered if they are US citizens, Permanent Residents or individuals granted Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) status by the U.S Citizenship and Immigration Services from an underrepresented group in medicine and/or have an economically disadvantaged background.
    • Please use this link to enter your information (full-name, email address) and receive the program application

  • DSSROP – Diversity Student Summer Research Opportunity Program: DSSROP gives college sophomores and juniors an opportunity to do biomedical research in a mentored program. DSSROP is a part of the Summer Undergraduate Research Program directed by Einstein’s Graduate Division in the Biomedical Sciences. The eight-week program consists of laboratory research, lectures by faculty, discussions on “hot topics,” and training in writing and oral presenting research work. Students conduct research under the direction of a faculty member. Research assignments will be made based upon availability of research opportunities and according to the mutual interests of the faculty sponsors and student participants.
    • STEM Disciplines: Biomedical research
    • Location: Bronx, NY
    • Requirements:
      • Completed online application
      • Scanned copies of academic transcripts
      • 2 letters of recommendation
      • Personal statement
    • Upcoming Deadlines: February 1, 2022
      • Application must be received by the application deadline.
      • Supporting materials can be received after the deadline.
    • Program Dates: June 8, 2022 – July 29, 2022
    • Eligibility:
      • A strong background in the sciences (biology, biochemistry, chemistry, physics, bioengineering or chemical engineering, etc.).
      • Completion of junior year in college. In rare instances, sophomores with strong science and/or research backgrounds may be considered. Freshmen and seniors (graduating in Spring/Summer 2022) will not be considered.
      • U.S. citizenship or permanent residency.

American Association of Medical Colleges: 

American Museum of Natural History:

  • AMNH REU Program:  The Research Experience for Undergraduates Program in Systematics and Evolutionary Biology is funded by the National Science Foundation and has been in place for 30 years. Our program brings approximately ten students to the American Museum of Natural History in New York City each summer for a ten-week experience working with our curators, faculty, and post-doctoral fellows. Students receive a $6,000 traineeship stipend, as well as per diem costs for housing and meals, relocation expenses, and transportation subsidies. Pending COVID pandemic conditions, and assuming the program is held onsite at AMNH, housing at nearby Columbia University is made available. In addition to conducting original research projects throughout the summer, students also participate in formal instruction in systematics and evolution, and receive training in ethics, networking, communication, and other career-building skills.
    • STEM Disciplines: Research projects span diverse fields of comparative biology including paleontology, genomics, population biology, conservation biology, and phylogenetics and taxonomy. Students have access to the Museum’s immense natural history collections as well as state-of-the-art equipment for advanced imaging (CT scanner, SEM, TEM) and genomics (Sanger and pyrosequencing platforms).
    • Location: New York City
    • Requirements:
    • Upcoming Deadlines: Applications will be accepted from January 1-31, 2022
    • Program Dates: May 31, 2022 – August 5, 2022
    • Eligibility:
      • All students in the program must be U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals or permanent residents of the United States.
      • Students must be entering or continuing in an Associates or Baccalaureate degree program following their summer internship.
      • As part of the National Science Foundation’s commitment to broadening participation in STEM fields, we especially encourage students who come from community colleges, undergraduate-only institutions, and minority-serving institutions to apply.
      • For questions with application process, contact [email protected]

American Physiological Society:

  • UGREF – Undergraduate Research Excellence Fellowship: APS is opening the Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) applications and the review process with the intent of the program moving forward as planned. However, the Society reserves the right to cancel the program at any time due to the coronavirus pandemic. Thank you for your understanding. The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowships (SURF), allow students to participate in hands-on research in the laboratory of an established researcher and APS member for 10 weeks. Fellows have the opportunity to network with other APS Fellows interested in and conducting biomedical or basic research; explore the nature of research and the scientific process; investigate physiology career options, what it takes to find career success; learn about scientific writing and draft a meeting abstract, learn about common ethical issues in figure and text preparation; and pose their career questions to members of the APS. The award will be presented annually (contingent upon funding) up to 12 students.
    • STEM Disciplines: Biomedical or basic research
    • Location: Bethesda, MD
    • Requirements:
      • A 500-word description of the student’s research project to be written by the student. If this is not written in the student’s own words, it will not be reviewed by the Committee.
      • A copy of the student’s transcript (official or unofficial).
      • One-page personal statement written by the student that describes their background, achievements, interest in short-term goals, long-term career goals, how the research experience will positively influence their career development, and a statement concerning the student’s choice of the APS member researcher who will host them in their lab.
      • Two letters of recommendation: One from the research host the applicant proposes working with over the summer; and one from a faculty member at the student’s home institution.
      • Student Application Instructions
    • Upcoming Deadlines: February 1
    • Program Dates: TBA
    • Eligibility:
      • Only one SURF application per research host may be submitted.
      • Applicant must be enrolled as a full-time undergraduate student. 
      • Applicant should not have more than nine calendar months of research experience in a physiology laboratory, no previous peer-reviewed publications and no previous abstracts submitted to national or international meetings.
      • Applicant must be working with an APS member in good standing. 
      • Applicant must have an overall GPA of >3.0 (0-4.0 scale).
      • There are no citizenship requirements for this award.

American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology:

American Society for Microbiology:

  • URF – Undergraduate Research Fellowship:  Washington, DC.
  • https://explorehealthcareers.org/enrichment/asm-microbiology-undergraduate-research-fellowship-asm-murf/
    • STEM Disciplines:
    • Location:
    • Requirements:
    • Upcoming Deadlines:
    • Program Dates:
    • Eligibility:

AMGEN Scholars Program:

  • AMGEN Scholars are hosted by a large suite of research institutions in the US and abroad, across a wide range of STEM disciplines. Each summer hundreds of undergraduates step into some of the world’s premier research universities and institutions to participate in the Amgen Scholars Program. Students conduct hands-on research in the lab alongside top faculty, participate in seminars and networking events, and take part in symposia with their peers and leading scientists.
    • Learn about the AMGEN Scholars Program and how to apply in the following regions:

Baylor College of Medicine:

  • SMART – Summer Medical and Research Training: The Summer Undergraduate Research Training (SMART) Program provides frontier-level, biomedical summer research projects for undergraduates in a supportive environment with supplemental educational activities. The program offers nine paid weeks of biomedical related research in a broad range of areas, research and professional development seminars designed for undergraduates, career development activities, and designated housing near Baylor College of Medicine.
    • STEM Disciplines: Students from all science and math majors, and even non-science majors with appropriate background and interest welcomed. Projects span the spectrum of biomedical science, including projects in bioengineering and computational biology.
    • Location: Houston, TX
    • Requirements:
    • Upcoming Deadlines: The application for summer 2023 will open in October, 2022.
    • Program Dates: June 6, 2022 – August 5, 2022
    • Eligibility:
      • Solid academic background, strong reference letters, and a statement demonstrating passion for research and knowledge of the scientific process. The ideal candidate has intellectual curiosity, drive, and perseverance.Each year, the group is diverse in background, talent, experience, and personality.
      • Previous research experience (outside of classes or associated lab courses) is highly valuable, however it is not required (except of first-year students – freshman status in college). We understand that your college may not have many laboratories or you may not have yet had the time to devote to research.
      • Only students attending college in the U.S. accepted.

Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences:

BioPharmGuy:

  • This website is a database listing biotech companies, many of which would potentially provide summer opportunities for students who reach out.  Searchable by region, and science field/business type.
    • STEM Disciplines:
    • Location:
    • Requirements:
    • Upcoming Deadlines:
    • Program Dates:
    • Eligibility:

Boston Museum of Science:

Boston University:

Broad Institute (pronounced Brōd):

California Academy of Science

California Institute of Technology:

  • WAVE Fellows:  Pasadena, CA.
    • STEM Disciplines:
    • Location:
    • Requirements:
    • Upcoming Deadlines:
    • Program Dates:
    • Eligibility:

Carnegie Mellon University:

Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory:

  • CSHL URP:  Their summer program on Long Island NY offers experiences in a variety of bioscience topics. 
    • STEM Disciplines:
    • Location:
    • Requirements:
    • Upcoming Deadlines:
    • Program Dates:
    • Eligibility:

Dana Farber/Harvard Cancer Center:

  • CURE – Continuing Umbrella of Research Experiences:  for students from underrepresented populations whose home state is Massachusetts.
    • STEM Disciplines:
    • Location:
    • Requirements:
    • Upcoming Deadlines:
    • Program Dates:
    • Eligibility:
  • YES for CURE – Young Empowered Students for Continued Research Engagement:  a three-year program for high school and undergraduate students from underrepresented population, includes academic-year programming in addition to summer programming.
    • STEM Disciplines:
    • Location:
    • Requirements:
    • Upcoming Deadlines:
    • Program Dates:
    • Eligibility:
  • Other:  Dana Farber scientists also hire summer research assistants outside of this program, and Colby students have been frequent participants in Dana Farber cancer research.  Some of these positions are advertised via the lab holding the position. In other cases, students have taken the initiative to reach out to Dana Farber scientists on their own.  If a position is available but funding is not available via Dana Farber, students may apply for funding via the Linde Packman Lab for Biosciences Innovation.

Dartmouth College:

Department of Energy:

Duke University:

Eppley Institute:

Federal Bureau of Investigation:

Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory:

Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center:

Friday Harbor Laboratories: 

  • REU-Blinks Program:  This program at University of Washington’s Friday Harbor Laboratories provides marine science research opportunities.
    • STEM Disciplines:
    • Location:
    • Requirements:
    • Upcoming Deadlines:
    • Program Dates:
    • Eligibility:

Genentech:

  • Genentech Internships offer students the opportunity to explore both the business and the science sides of biotechnology and the pharmaceutical industry.
    • STEM Disciplines:
    • Location:
    • Requirements:
    • Upcoming Deadlines:
    • Program Dates:
    • Eligibility:

GlaxoSmithKline:

  • GSK Internships provide students with experience in the pharmaceutical and consumer healthcare industries.  Rockland, MD.
    • STEM Disciplines:
    • Location:
    • Requirements:
    • Upcoming Deadlines:
    • Program Dates:
    • Eligibility:

Hackensack University Medical Center:

Harvard University:

Howard Hughes Medical Institute:

  • HHMI’s Janelia Undergraduate Scholars Program provides opportunities in a broad array of fields in addition to the traditional biosciences:  computational biology, instrumentation and computational tool development, optical physics and imaging, and computational neuroscience.  Ashburn, VA.

Hunter College – City University of New York:

Icahn School of Medicine:

J. Craig Venter Institute:

Jackson Laboratory:

Johns Hopkins University Institute for NanoBioTechnology:

Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine:

Joslin Diabetes Center:

Keck Graduate Institute:

Maine INBRE Program:

  • Maine INBRE Undergraduate Research Fellowship Program:  This NIH-sponsored program supports summer research fellowships for two Colby students per summer; students may select mentors from among all research institutions in the network (Colby, Bates, Bowdoin, MDIBL, and UMO).

Maine Medical Center Research Institute:

MaineHealth:

Marine Biological Laboratory at Woods Hole:

Maryland Sea Grant:

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT):

Max Planck Institutes of Neurobiology and Biochemistry:

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center:

Michigan State University:

Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute:

Mount Desert Island Biological Laboratory:

Mount Sinai School of Medicine:

Mountain Lake Biological Station, University of Virginia

Summer REU Program focuses on Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior Field Research.

National Aeronautics and Space Administration:

NASA Space Telescope Science Institute:

National High Magnetic Field Laboratory:

National Institute of Standards and Technology Physics Laboratory:

National Institutes of Health (NIH) Summer Programs:  These NIH programs are biomedical in focus and are on-site at the various National Institutes of Health branches in Bethesda, MD.

National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian:

National Radio Astronomy Observatory:

North Carolina State University:

Northwestern University:

Oak Ridge National Laboratory:

  • ORNL, the Department of Energy’s national laboratory in Oak Ridge, TN, lists nearly 200 Department of Defense/Department of Energy science programs for undergraduates in areas related to clean energy and global security, in fields such as biological, chemical, computational, engineering, environmental, physical, and social sciences. These opportunities are available in laboratories across the country.

Pathways to Science.org:

Penn State College of Medicine:

Princeton University Graduate School:

Rockefeller University:

Roswell Park Cancer Institute:

Rutgers University:

Sackler Institute of NYU School of Medicine:

Scripps Institution of Oceanography:

Shoals Marine Laboratory:

Smithsonian Institute:

Society of Physics Students:

  • The SPS site lists some summer research assistantships for physics students.

Spelman College:

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital:

Student Conservation Association:

STEMUndergrads.gov:

Tufts University – Sackler School of Graduate Biomedical Sciences:

University of Arizona:

University of California Berkeley College of Engineering:

University of California Davis:

University of California Los Angeles:

University of California San Francisco:

University of California Riverside:

University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine:

University of Colorado:

University of Colorado, Charles Gates Center for Regenerative Medicine:

University of Florida Whitney Laboratory:

University of Georgia:

University of Illinois at Chicago:

University of Iowa:

University of Massachusetts at Boston, Department of Biology:

University of Michigan Medical School:

University of Minnesota:

University of Nevada Las Vegas:

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Schools of Medicine and Dentistry:

University of Oregon – Oregon Institute of Marine Biology:

University of Pennsylvania:

University of Rochester:

University of Southern California – Viterbi School of Engineering:

University of South Florida:

University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio:

University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas:

University of Utah:

Vanderbilt University School of Medicine:

Virginia Tech:

Washington State University:

Washington University in St. Louis:

Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute: