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).
Center for Ethics and the Rule of Law Summer Internship Program
Deadline: 03/01/2025 (Tentative)Summer internship opportunity for law, graduate, and undergraduate students interested in national security, ethics, and rule of law to participate in research, writing, and conference planning at the Center for Ethics and Rule of Law at Penn.
Wharton Summer Program for Undergraduate Research (SPUR)
Deadline: 03/14/2025 (Tentative)SPUR provides Wharton undergraduates with a funded opportunity to develop, design, and complete an independent research project with a faculty advisor.
Gelfman International Summer Fund
Deadline: 03/15/2025 (Tentative)The Gelfman International Summer Fund has been established by Robert W. Gelfman (Wharton ’53) to create opportunities for personally enriching international research and/or service for students in the summer between their junior and senior year. The Fund is expected to cover two or three students each summer. Penn juniors from any of Penn’s undergraduate schools and in any discipline are eligible.
College Alumni Society Undergraduate Research Grant
Deadline: 03/15/2025 (Tentative)Undergraduate students in the College of Arts and Sciences can apply for a number of grants supported by Penn’s College Alumni Society to fund a research or scholarly project.
Paul and Kathleen Barthmaier Award
Deadline: 03/15/2025 (Tentative)Financial support to assist with travel expenses related to intellectually enriching undergraduate research or fellowship experiences.
Sarah Katz Award
Deadline: 03/15/2025 (Tentative)The Sarah Katz Award funds projects to further opportunities for heart literacy with an emphasis on heart health.
Association of Alumnae Rosemary D. Mazzatenta Scholars Award
Deadline: 03/15/2025 (Tentative)The Association of Alumnae of the University of Pennsylvania has established the Association of Alumnae Rosemary D. Mazzatenta Scholars Award in the School of Arts and Sciences to recognize and support female undergraduates for academic achievement and demonstrated service to country, community, and family during the summer after their sophomore or junior year in the College.
Andrea Mitchell Center Undergraduate Research Grants
Deadline: 03/15/2025 (Tentative)The Andrea Mitchell Center for the Study of Democracy will award undergraduate research fellowships for projects that begin in the summer following successful application and are completed during the following academic year.
Jumpstart for Juniors
Deadline: 03/15/2025 (Tentative)The Jumpstart for Juniors program provides students with the opportunity to gain invaluable investigative skills in the summer after their junior year. These funds may be used to continue an established, ongoing independent research project under the supervision of a faculty mentor or to gather necessary data prior to embarking on a senior thesis or other significant independent research project.