Apply to Summer Experiences
Purpose: Scholars will learn to search for and prepare an application for summer research programs and/or experiential learning programs.
Participating in a Summer Internship
Depending on your interested graduate program, an internship will showcase your competitive edge more than participation in undergraduate research. On campus, Office of Experiential Learning helps students prepare for and connect with internships. Check out the video below from their Facebook page that showcases one student’s experience with an internship.
Participating in Summer Research Programs
One way to participate in competitive summer programs is to apply to summer research opportunities.
Academic and research institutions around the country offer summer research opportunities to undergraduate students interested in attending graduate school and pursuing careers in research.
This is a great way to gain research experience and enhance your resume for graduate school. It is a great way to get a taste for the lifestyle of a graduate student and network.
Applications for these programs often resemble graduate school applications. They require recommendation letters, official transcripts, and writing prompts similar to personal statements and statements of purpose. Completing these applications gives you a head start on your future graduate school application.
Applying to Summer Research Opportunities
Priscilla Louis, an AAP Scholar, describes what summer research programs are and what it takes to apply to a summer research program. Notice the parallel she offers between summer research applications and graduate school applications.
Leadership Alliance
Leadership Alliance’s Summer Research-Early Identification Program (SR-EIP) is a fully paid summer internship that provides undergraduates with training and mentoring in the principles underlying the conduct of research and prepares them to pursue competitive applications to PhD or MD-PhD programs.
With one application, you can apply for a research experience at three summer research sites. Click here to visit each institution’s website for specific information on opportunities and program requirements.
List of Summer Research Programs and Experiential Learning Resources
This is not an exhaustive list of all available opportunities, but it is a great start. You can also visit AAP’s website for more information on summer research programs.
Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst (DAAD) USA German Exchange Service
Participants are offered the opportunity to conduct research in Germany at universities and other higher education institutions as well as public and private sector non-university research institutions. Research internships for undergraduates is offered within the fields of engineering and science.
Deadline: December
The Summer Research Opportunities Program (SROP)
It is a gateway to graduate education at Big Ten Academic alliance universities. The program aims to increase the number of underrepresented students who pursue graduate study. Participants engage in an intensive summer research experience with faculty mentors and enrichment activities.
Deadline: February
Summer Research- Early Identification Program (SR-EIP)
It is a fully paid summer internship that provides undergraduates with training and mentoring in the principles underlying the conduct of research and prepares them to pursue competitive applications to PhD or MD-PHD programs. Participants spend 8-10 weeks at an institution that forms part of the Leadership Alliance institution.
Deadline: February
Other Summer Programs
- Pathways to Science
- Amgen Scholars Program
- Institute for Recruitment of Teachers (IRT)
- National Science Foundation REU Sites
- Summer Health Professions Education Program
- Center for Disease Control and Prevention
- AAP’s Drive of Summer Research Opportunities
- UCF’s Experiential Learning opportunities on Handshake
Suggested Assignment
Assignment #19
Summer Research Program Application Checklist
Purpose: Scholars will research and list summer research programs of interest, along with application deadlines and document requirements. For assistance schedule a visit with AAP Peer Advisors.
Download Assignment: Summer Research Program Application Checklist & Summer Research Experiences Spreadsheet
Instructions: Check out the summer program resources on this page and in the assignment document below. Use the spreadsheet to organize your interested programs and prepare for the applications.
Save Your Work: Complete the assignment by typing in the boxes in the PDF below and downloading the document for your records.
Save Your Work: Use the spreadsheet by downloading the spreadsheet here for your records, then editing the spreadsheet.
Instructions for navigation
Prepare for graduate school now by marking this topic complete: click the “Mark Complete” button below in the bottom left hand corner to keep track of the topics you’ve completed. Then, click the “Next Topic” button below in the bottom right hand corner to move onto the next topic within the lesson.