Summer Opportunities
Are you interested in doing (and getting paid for) summer research in mathematics (either pure or applied), data science, or (bio)statistics? You might be wondering what opportunities are out there.
Many colleges and universities organize Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) opportunities in the summer. These are designed to provide early research opportunities to undergraduate students who are considering a career in mathematics. REU programs pay a stipend and usually offer some support for room and board.
See the links and resources below for more information about REUs and for some other summer opportunities for mathematics majors.
REUs, internships, and other summer programs:
- Only US citizens and permanent residents are eligible to apply to NSF-funded REU programs
- The IPAM RIPS program does not require US citizenship for eligibility
- Women and gender nonconforming individuals applying to PhD programs in mathematics are eligible for the EDGE summer program
- This program targets U.S. students from groups underrepresented in applied mathematics and computational mathematics in the US. Only US citizens and permanent residents are eligible
- For students interested in biology, including biomathematic
Application Advice:
Application Deadlines
Most summer research programs have application deadlines in January, February, and March. That means you should start making your summer plans before winter break.
Letters of Recommendation
Most programs require 1-3 letters of recommendation (LORs). It鈥檚 important that you ask for LORs from people who know you well, have positive things to say about you, and can describe specific examples. It is not a trivial investment of time and energy on the part of your recommenders to write strong LORs. So be sure to request letters well in advance, ideally at least 1 month before the application deadline. Be prepared to send your letter writers an up-to-date curriculum vitae (CV) and details about the programs to which you鈥檙e applying, including deadlines and instructions for submittng their letters. You might also want to remind them of specific examples of work you鈥檝e done with them that highlight your strengths and suitability for the programs to which you鈥檙e applying so that they can discuss these in their letter.
Personal Statements
Most applications request a personal statement where you discuss your mathematics background, qualifications, and interest in doing research. Make sure to give yourself ample time to prepare tehse statements, and be sure to personalize them for each application. In particular, in these statements you should address what interests you about the project you're applying for, and what courses you have taken that prepare you to work on that project.
Apply Broadly
Summer research program applications are very competitive! Apply to many different programs to maximize your chances of getting into one.
More Advice
You can find more advice about REU applications and .