Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU)

How to Find and Apply to a Summer REU (Research Experience for Undergraduates)

 

Want to get a taste of what a career in research is like and get paid for it? Apply for a Research Experience for Undergraduates(REU)! REUs are intensive research opportunities funded by the National Science Foundation(NSF) in a large variety of STEM subjects. There are numerous REU sites that you can apply to hosted by Universities and located both nationally and internationally as well as virtually. Each REU typically lasts 10 weeks, is over the summer, and hosts 10-15 (depending on the program). Students can also receive stipends for work, accommodations, and travel.

 

Here’s how you apply!

 

1. Visit an REU website to discover potential sites: NSF provides multiple websites to assist with finding an REU opportunity:

• NSFREU: To search for a site based on the subject, visit this page and you can filter them by subject and location. The links that correspond with individual sites will give you in depth information on the program and who to contact for questions as well as how to apply.
  • NSFETAP: This page also allows you to search for sites and filter them based on your preferences. This site is great because it allows you to directly apply for the REU using the same application materials, saving you A LOT of time. You can search for sites without creating an account, but once you want to apply, you will want to create one in order to save all of your materials. 

2. Gather your application materials: Most REUs require the same application materials: a resume or CV, academic transcripts, 1+ references, and a written personal statement.

3. Be prepared to write essay questions: Along with the standard application materials, many programs also have their unique essay questions that cover topics such as why you are interested in applying, which labs you might be interested in working in, etc.

4. Be prepared to participate in an interview: The program managers will want to meet you in order to ensure that you are a good fit for their program and also to see if the mentors available will suit your interests.

FAQs

1. How long is the application process: Depending on the program, applications may be due anywhere between January-early March. It’ll take about a month before you hear anything back, and then if chosen, programs usually start late May or early June and finish in August.

2. When do applications open: Many applications are currently open 

3. Who can I use as a reference: academic references are preferred and that can include a professor or advisor.

Tips and tricks:

1. Come to Research Ambassador office hours: If you need guidance on anything, please come visit Research Ambassador office hours. They can help write resumes, personal statements or essay questions as well as help you prepare for an interview, find the program that best suits you, and request references.

• The writing center is also available to help you with your essays and the Career Exploration and Development center can help you with your CV and resume.

2. Request references early: many of the programs require at least 1 academic reference. In order to provide the ample time to write it for you, make sure you request it at least a month in advance. 

3. Keep copies of your essays: Some of the essay questions asked by programs are very similar. If you keep track of what you have already written, you can modify it for each program to save time.

4. There is no limit on how many REUs you apply to! REUs are hard to get into so apply to as many as you want.

5. You DO NOT need to have ANY experience conducting research or being in a lab. In fact, this is explicitly mentioned in many applications because they just want students who are passionate in STEM to experience what a career in research could look like.

 

Testimony from Research Ambassador Nyrobi Whitfield '26: 

During the summer after my first year at Oberlin, I was unsure of what I wanted to do after college with a Geoscience and Environmental Studies Double major. I began looking for summer internship sites and learned about NSF and applied to as many as I could. I was able to get into an REU with the UCONN and Mystic Aquarium where I spent 10 weeks in Connecticut directly interacting with the beluga whales and penguins and studying competitive interactions between snail species. I was selected to present this research at the ASLO Oceans and sciences conference in New Orleans, which was another fantastic experience. This past summer I got into another REU with the University of New Mexico on the Sevilleta National WIldlife Refuge. This program allowed me to live off the grid for 10 weeks studying nematode trophic levels, identifying endemic snail species, and mapping out the refuge using GIS. These REUs showed me that I have a love for field work and that I wanted to pursue a PhD and a career in marine ecology. 

Find an appointment with Nyrobi here.