What opportunities are open to me?
There are many opportunities for Penn undergraduates to conduct research in any discipline—regardless of their previous experience. Research positions can be:
- Volunteer
- Arranged through work-study
- Paid -- funded directly through a faculty member’s grant or via a program that provides a stipend
- Conducted for academic credit, or
- Supported via a grant for which you apply.
Keep in mind that funding options are often specific to particular kinds of research, fields of study, grad year, etc. In addition, most (but not all) CURF funding is reserved for research conducted under the mentorship of a Penn faculty member.
Use the list below to identify research programs, grants and opportunities at Penn, elsewhere in the US and abroad. While CURF strives to maintain a thorough and up-to-date website, these listings are not comprehensive and students are encouraged to conduct their own funding searches.
What grants should I apply for?
The Penn Undergraduate Research Mentorship (PURM) program is ideal for first and second-year students who have little to no prior research experience. For more advanced researchers, the College Alumni Society Research Grant, the Vagelos Undergraduate Research Grant, and the Class of 1971 Robert J. Holtz Endowed Fund for Undergraduate Research are good places to start.
Other options are often specific to particular populations or kinds of research (e.g. grants for international research, social-impact endeavors, or for juniors who have not done research before).
German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) RISE Program
Deadline: 11/30/2024RISE (Research Internship in Science and Engineering) Germany offers undergraduate students from North American, British, and Irish universities with the opportunity to conduct summer research at a top German university or research institution.
The Water Center at Penn Student Research Support Program
Deadline: 12/08/2024 (Tentative)The WCP Student Research Support Program provides support for undergraduate research in water science, policy, and sustainability.
MindCore: Undergraduate Summer Fellowship Program in Interdisciplinary Mind and Brain Studies
Deadline: 01/01/2025 (Tentative)Paid 10-week summer research program for Penn undergraduates (1st, 2nd, and 3rd years) as well as select students from other institutions interested in interdisciplinary approaches to the study of the mind and brain.
Penn Global Research & Internship Program (GRIP)
Deadline: 01/10/2025 (Tentative)The Global Research & Internship Program (GRIP) offers outstanding undergraduate and graduate students the opportunity to intern or conduct research with a variety of organizations and companies abroad for 8 to 12 weeks over the summer.
Undergraduate Clinical Scholars Program (UCSP)
Deadline: 01/12/2025 (Tentative)The Undergraduate Clinical Scholars Program (UCSP) is a 9-week rigorous summer research enrichment program for undergraduate students with an interest in clinical/epidemiologic research, with an eventual goal of MD, PhD, or MD-PhD degrees.
RealArts@Penn Internships
Deadline: 01/15/2025 (Tentative)RealArts@Penn Internships help students jumpstart their chosen artistic lives and career paths through paid internships with creative professionals across the country.
UROP International at RWTH Aachen University
Deadline: 01/15/2025 (Tentative)UROP International is designed for students from North American universities who wish to gain research experience by conducting research projects at RWTH Aachen University in Germany.
Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship (MMUF) Program
Deadline: 01/16/2025 (Tentative)The MMUF Program at Penn provides a small cohort of extraordinary Humanities and Social Sciences undergraduates with an intergenerational, intellectual family that nurtures their disciplinary aspirations.
Ralph Bunche Summer Institute
Deadline: 01/22/2025 (Tentative)The Ralph Bunche Summer Institute Program (RBSI) is a five-week program at Duke University designed to introduce to the world of doctoral study in political science to under-represented undergraduate students interested in broadening participation in political science and pursuing scholarship on issues affecting underrepresented groups or issues of tribal sovereignty and governance.
Sachs Program for Arts Innovation
Deadline: 01/22/2025The Sachs Program for Arts Innovation provides numerous grants for Penn students and faculty in support of support teaching art, making art, and presenting art, as well as to provide Penn students with increased access to the arts and humanities.