Penn offers many resources for students conducting research. Please note that funding options are often specific to particular kinds of research, fields of study, grad year, etc. Also, CURF funding is reserved for research conducted under the mentorship of a Penn faculty member.
Use the Funding Opportunities database (below the highlighted opportunities) 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.
Highlighted CURF Opportunities
Penn Undergraduate Research Mentoring Program
PURM provides students completing their first or second undergraduate year the opportunity to spend a summer conducting cutting-edge research under the guidance of a standing Penn faculty member. No prior experience is required.
Learn more about PURM
Summer Humanities Internship Program
Each year the College of Arts and Sciences and CURF fund approximately twenty-five summer research internships for students in the humanities and social sciences. Internships provide undergraduates with the opportunity to work in a cultural, historical, or archival setting.
Learn more about SHIP
Independent Research Grants
Undergraduates pursuing an independent or semi-independent research project with a Penn faculty member can apply for funding to offset research-related expenses. Multiple opportunities are available each fall and spring. Click below and then scroll down to see a filtered list of CURF-administered research grants.
browse CURF grantsClass of 1971 Robert J. Holtz Fund
Deadline: 03/17/26 (Tentative)The Holtz Fund provides funds for students pursuing an independent scholarly project during the academic year or summer, where funds can be used for costs of materials and supplies, toward travel costs, or for costs of the project.
Penn Museum Field Research Grants
Deadline: 03/17/26 (Tentative)The Penn Museum provides support for current Penn undergraduate and graduate students to pursue field research related to Archaeology and Anthropology.
Center for the Advanced Study of India
Deadline: 03/17/26 (Tentative)The Center for the Advanced Study of India (CASI) offers several opportunities for Penn students, including the Summer Internship Program in India and summer research funds.
College Alumni Society Undergraduate Research Grant
Deadline: 03/17/26 (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.
Penn Undergraduate Sustainability Action Grant
Deadline: 03/17/26 (Tentative)Penn’s Climate Action Plan aims to keep Penn at the forefront of addressing global climate change by supporting undergraduate research in any academic field related to sustainability. Projects that lead to environmentally sustainable programs and policies, contribute to scientific innovations related to sustainability, or deepen our understanding of the social, cultural, artistic, and humanistic aspects of sustainability are encouraged, provided the research is conducted under the direction of a Penn faculty member. Projects in other related fields that support the goals outlined in Penn’s Climate Action Plan are also welcome.
Pincus-Magaziner Family Undergraduate Research Fund
Deadline: 03/17/26 (Tentative)2nd or 3rd year students majoring in Art History, English, Literature, Biology, Mathematics, or Neuroscience are eligible to apply for research and travel support from Pincus-Magaziner funding each Fall and Spring semester through the College Alumni Society Research Grant program.
Frances Velay Fellowship
Deadline: 03/17/26 (Tentative)Funding for undergraduate women in science to conduct a summer research project with a Penn faculty.
Association of Alumnae Rosemary D. Mazzatenta Scholars Award
Deadline: 03/17/26 (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.
Paul and Kathleen Barthmaier Award
Deadline: 03/17/26 (Tentative)Financial support to assist with travel expenses related to intellectually enriching undergraduate research or fellowship experiences.
Wolf Humanities Center
Deadline: 03/19/26 (Tentative)The Wolf Humanities Center awards several Undergraduate Humanities Research Fellowships each year to further undergraduate research in the humanities.