Who would benefit from a REU?
Students who
- are curious about research or creative or scholarly pursuits
- want to conduct research at a different institution
- are eager to challenge themselves
Summer research programs are especially valuable for students considering graduate school, research-focused careers, or simply wanting hands-on experience before deciding what comes next.
Tips for finding your summer research experience
Start Early: Many deadlines fall between November and February.
Evaluate Options: Consider research fit, your personal goals, program and mentorship structure, location and logistics like housing and stipends, funding, length, and eligibility.
Cast a Wide Net: Use national databases, discipline-specific professional organizations, university webpages, LinkedIn, PIs, and faculty mentors. Search using specific keywords for your major, field, or related topics to gain varied perspectives. Refer to the list of below for a good starting point.
Check Requirements Carefully: Review eligibility rules (citizenship, GPA, class standing) and plan ahead for items like transcripts and recommendation letters.
Stay Organized: Create a spreadsheet to organize your search, noting deadlines and required documents. Ensure that all application materials are submitted before the deadline.
Tailor Your Applications: Customize your statements to each program, highlighting your interests, goals, and why you are a strong fit. There are offices on campus that can help with this process, see the list below.
Explore Summer Research Programs
This list can be a starting point to explore the programs offered in your discipline or topic of interest, but many additional opportunities and program listings are available. Be sure to talk with your advisor, faculty mentor, or career coach to see how these might fit with your goals and interests.
The American Psychological Association will offer up to 25 fellowships to support undergraduate students leading a summer research project in a psychological science laboratory. The purpose of this fellowship program is to promote access among undergraduates considering research as a career by expanding opportunities to laboratory training and mentorship to those who may have not had the opportunity to lead psychological science research.
Listing of summer programs for undergraduates interested in pursuing careers in medical research.
The Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR) provides a listing of internship and research opportunities across a variety of disciplines to help students explore hands-on research experiences and build valuable academic and professional skills.
Opportunities for STEM majors in one of the many science and technology areas that underpin the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) missions.
Search fully funded STEM summer research programs by institution and disciplinary categories, or by geography.
On-Campus and Online Resources
The Fellowships Office has a searchable database of funding opportunities for summer research or internships in a wide array of disciplines. They also offer advising appointments for essay review, reflective conversations, and interview practice to help you craft a competitive application.
You can schedule an appointment with a peer tutor to review drafts of the essay portions of your REU application. They have tutors with expertise in lab reports, scientific writing, scholarship essays, personal statments and other topics relevant to crafting a strong application.
CUR's Student Resource Center has a guide to Locating a Summer Research Program and a checklist to walk you through the process.
PTS has a library of webinars and a Resource Toolbox for finding programs and preparing applications specific to Summer REUs.
Resources and links on this page are shared for educational purposes only. Inclusion does not imply endorsement by the Office of Undergraduate Research or the University of South Carolina. Readers should verify information independently, as the OUR is not responsible for external content. This list is not exhaustive; students should be prepared to do their own searches with keywords related to their individual interests.