Exploring Yale's Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship Programs

Yale University offers a variety of summer undergraduate research fellowship programs designed to provide students with invaluable research experience, mentorship, and professional development opportunities. These programs cater to a wide range of academic interests, from the natural sciences and engineering to the humanities and social sciences, and are intended to encourage students to pursue research careers, particularly at the Ph.D. level.

First-Year Summer Research Fellowship in the Sciences & Engineering

The Yale College First-Year Summer Research Fellowship in the Sciences & Engineering program offers support for a summer research experience under the supervision of a Yale faculty member. Currently enrolled first-years proposing research in the natural sciences, engineering, mathematics, and computer science are eligible to apply.

Eligibility and Requirements

To be eligible for Yale College Science & QR-administered Fellowships, Yale College students must be enrolled (that is, not withdrawn) both at the time of submitting the fellowship application and at the time of receiving an award. The program provides a stipend of $5,000 for a minimum of 10 weeks of summer research. The research should be consecutive and full-time, with no other commitments, such as employment or courses.

The application requires several components:

A copy of the applicant’s transcript (an “unofficial” copy or academic record printed from the web or obtained in the applicant’s residential college dean’s office is acceptable).
A CV/resume and a detailed description of previous research experience.
A letter of recommendation from the proposed faculty mentor (head of the lab/PI). Information on what must be included in the letter of recommendation from your research PI can be found here.
A second letter of recommendation is required. Your second letter should come from a Yale professor who knows your academic abilities (first choice), or from your high school STEM teacher who knows you well. The letter should speak to the applicant's abilities and propensities to succeed in research and can be from a previous PI (within or outside of Yale) or another mentor or professor but should not be from the same lab as your proposed mentor.

Restrictions to Use of Award

Research must be supervised by a member of the Yale faculty (including the Graduate and Professional Schools). For the sciences, research is normally conducted at Yale. Your project is expected to be your sole, full-time commitment for an uninterrupted period of at least 10 weeks.

Read also: Decoding Yale Admissions

Yale Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Program

The Yale Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Program is an eight-week program that brings a group of undergraduates to Yale to explore what a Ph.D. could offer them. The SURF Program is intended for students with a strong desire to pursue research careers at the PhD level. Preference is given to students completing their sophomore or junior years. Applicants must exhibit outstanding academic promise and achievement.

Program Benefits

As a SURF program participant, you will:

Learn about the kind of work you can expect to do in graduate school.
Gain insight into building a career based on PhD-level training.
Become more confident in your academic abilities and potential.

During the program, you will be immersed in an academic, professional setting with a faculty mentor, a post-doctoral associate, and/or an advanced graduate student.

Logistics

Free housing in a Yale dormitory is provided to SURF participants, along with a $1,000 allowance for food. Air or train transportation to and from the program is covered up to $400 (not including excess luggage charges). All travel arrangements are made through the SURF Program Office.

A Student's Perspective

Omkar A. shared his experience: “It has been a couple of days since I’ve returned home, and I am already missing my time at Yale University. Thank you all for an incredible summer. The friends I have made, the experiences I have had, and the moments we have shared will be near and dear to my heart. You are a huge part of why this summer has been one of the greatest summers in my life. From writing proposals and manuscripts to giving presentations, I have learned the skills necessary to conduct quality research, and I will carry these skills with me for the rest of my research career. Perhaps more uniquely to this program, you created an environment that mirrored the real-world experience of conducting research. From exchanging business cards to networking with strangers, I learned what it means to be a polite and productive citizen of academia. I know that in future iterations of the program, you will continue to deliver the same experience to aspiring researchers like me."

Read also: Graduates of Yale University

Additional Summer Research Opportunities

Besides the First-Year Summer Research Fellowship and the SURF program, Yale students have access to a multitude of other summer research opportunities.

External Programs

US Department of Energy Summer Undergraduate Laboratory Interships (SULI): This program encourages undergraduate students to pursue science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) careers by providing research experiences at the Department of Energy (DOE) laboratories. Selected students participate as interns appointed at one of 16 participating DOE laboratories, performing research under the guidance of laboratory staff scientists or engineers on projects supporting the DOE mission. Internship appointments are 10 weeks in duration for the Summer Term (May through August) or 16 weeks in duration for the Fall (August through December) and Spring (January through May) Terms.
NCI Division of Cancer Biology Summer Undergraduate Research Program: This program is for undergraduate students interested in solving complex problems in cancer through interdisciplinary research. The application is open to rising Junior and Senior undergraduates with 0-1 years of research experience. Applicants must be eligible to work in the United States.
Hertz Fellowship: This fellowship provides financial and lifelong professional support for the nation’s most promising graduate students in science and technology. The fellowship includes up to five years of funding, valued at up to $250,000, and the freedom to pursue innovative projects wherever they may lead.
DAAD RISE Germany: This program offers undergraduate students from North American, British and Irish universities the opportunity to complete a summer research internship at top German universities and research institutions.
Sigma Xi Grants-in-Aid of Research: Since 1922, the Sigma Xi Grants in Aid of Research (GIAR) program has provided undergraduate and graduate students with valuable educational experiences. The program awards grants of up to $1,000 to students from most areas of the sciences and engineering. Designated funds from the National Academy of Sciences allow for grants of up to $5,000 for astronomy research and $2,500 for vision related research.
Yale-UC Louvain Summer Research program: This program offers engineering summer research internships in Belgium. Yale students can investigate 70 (engineering, computer science /computer engineering) research internships subjects to apply for the Summer Research program 2026. Sophomores and juniors are eligible to apply. Students should contact the relevant Faculty or their assistants directly to apply with a cover letter and CV.
CanSUR (Cancer-focused Summer Undergraduate Research program): The goal of the Cancer-focused Summer Undergraduate Research program is to generate excitement for a future career in cancer research in highly motivated undergraduates and help them prepare for the next stage of their careers. The CanSUR Program supports 32 undergraduates for a 10-week period (June through August) each summer. Undergraduates will be accepted from colleges and universities from across the country to work with one of 82 Case Comprehensive Cancer Center (Case CCC) researchers. Stipends of $5,000 are provided for the 10-week program.
Slifka Center Travel Grant applications: Yale College Science & QR and Slifka Center encourage Yale STEM majors to consider a summer lab internship in Israel. Such students are welcome to apply to two fellowships that can help partially defray the costs of such travel: the Schusterman Israel Travel Grant (up to $3,500) and Elisa Spungen Bildner ’75 and Robert Bildner ’72 Israel Travel Grant (up to $1,500). Students must contact a faculty in an Israeli University and submit a fellowship proposal through the Tetelman Fellowship for International Research in the Sciences.
Yale-Weizmann Israel Science Collaboration Program: This program supports Yale undergraduates who undertake summer research at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot, Israel. For students doing summer research, the program can provide travel and housing/stipend support.
AMGEN Scholars Program: The AMGEN Scholars Program is a national program aimed at increasing research opportunities for students committed to pursuing careers in the sciences. At Caltech, they provide visiting students the opportunity to conduct research in biology, chemistry, and bio-technical related fields under the guidance of some of the world’s leading academic scientists. Research projects, along with scientific seminars, workshops, and networking events, prepare participants to pursue a Ph.D. or the joint M.D./Ph.D.
Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) Research Institute Summer Scholars Program - CRISSP: The program runs from each year from June to August. Interns will receive a $5,000 stipend. Free housing will be available.
Kyoto University Amgen Scholars: The Amgen Scholars Program at Kyoto University is eight weeks of intensive research in the sciences. Amgen Scholars will be assigned to one of several Kyoto University departments or interdisciplinary areas that traditionally support science and biotechnology research.
Pediatric Oncology Education (POE) Program: The program offers a unique opportunity for pre-doctoral students preparing for careers in the biomedical sciences, medicine, and pharmacy to gain biomedical and oncology research experience. A primary goal of the POE program is to encourage students to pursue a career in cancer research.
Undergradaute School on Experimental Quantum Information Processing: This program offers a two-week program, running from May to June on the theoretical and experimental study of quantum information aimed primarily at students one year away from completing their undergraduate studies.
University of Rochester - School of Medicine and Dentistry Undergraduate Summer Scholars and Post-baccalaureate Research Education Programs: The URMC Post-baccalaureate Research Education Program (PREP) application is designed to encourage applicants from populations underrepresented in science who recently earned or plan to earn a baccalaureate degree in a biomedically-relevant field of study. Applicants should be interested in pursuing a research doctorate. The program prepares scholars for careers as outstanding research scientists and leaders in the biomedical community.
Cancer Research Opportunity Summer: Apply for the NIH/NCI-funded Pediatric Oncology Education (POE) Program. The program offers a unique opportunity for pre-doctoral students preparing for careers in the biomedical sciences, medicine, and pharmacy to gain biomedical and oncology research experience. Students participate in basic or clinical oncology research, a core lecture series designed specifically for them, as well as research and clinical conferences. All participants make a PowerPoint presentation on their research project on our core lecture series.
HKUST Summer UG Research Program: This is an opportunity for undergraduate students to take up research placement for 10 weeks at HKUST. There are no constraints on field of study.

Yale-Funded Fellowships

Yale College students may apply for one or more of the following Yale-funded fellowships for projects if they are planning to take a leave of absence to pursue the project full-time. Applications are made via the Summer Fellowships Common Application in the Yale Student Grants Database.

Richard U. Light Fellowship: Supports intensive language study at approved sites in East Asia. Eligible are currently-enrolled Yale University students, including graduating seniors. Campus application deadlines typically begin in September or December.
Alexander P. Boas Fellowship: Supports international students pursuing summer travel within the US for research, independent projects, or internships lasting at least 6 weeks. Students may apply for one or more of the following Yale-funded fellowships depending on project type. Eligibility varies by fellowship. Applications are made via a common application in the Yale Student Grants Database. Application deadline typically in February/March.
Jehiel R. Elyachar Fellowship
Charles H. Farnam Fellowship
Robert C. Bates Fellowship
Lewis P. Curtis Fellowship
Robert S. Oliver Memorial FellowshipEligible internships must be low/unpaid.
Robert C. Leet and Mildred Fischer Leet Fellowship
Wendy E. Davies Fellowship
Stacey L. Carter Fellowship
Thomas C. Hofeller Fellowship

With durations ranging from 3 months to 12 months, this collection of fellowships support graduating seniors across a variety of purposeful activities - public service, travel, research, work, study.

Charles P. Noyes Fellowship
Robert C. Bates Fellowship

Wu Tsai Undergraduate Fellowships Program

The Wu Tsai Undergraduate Fellowships Program is an opportunity for Yale undergraduates to perform cutting-edge research at the intersection of neuroscience, psychology, computer science, and engineering. Students from any major are invited to apply!

Alexander P. Boas Fellowship
Edward A. Bouchet FellowshipThe Edward A. Bouchet Fellowship

Mellon Mays Fellowship

The Mellon Mays Fellowship is a project of the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation’s Higher Learning Program. Fellowship supports students in the humanities work on paid research projects during the academic year and to pursue full-time research during the summers between sophomore and junior years and between junior and senior years.

Read also: Yale's Tuition Explained

Tax Implications of Fellowships

Under federal tax law, a scholarship or fellowship provided to a student in a degree-granting program is generally taxable. If you are a candidate for a degree, however, you can exclude from taxable income that part of the award used to pay the costs of tuition, required fees, books, equipment, and supplies (required fees, books, equipment, and supplies are limited to those specifically required of all students in a course). You cannot exclude from taxable income any part of the grant used for other purposes, such as room and board. Please refer to IRS Publication 970, Tax Benefits for Higher Education, Section 1, Scholarship, Fellowships, Grants, and Tuition Reductions and the IRS tax guide for students, Taxable Income for Students.

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