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).
Project in Humanities, Urbanism, and Design
Deadline: 08/26/2024Small research grants will be awarded to support interdisciplinary design/humanities projects undertaken by undergraduate and graduate students in humanities and design disciplines that focus on the built environment. Eligible research must draw from both humanities and design disciplines.
Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute Internship
Deadline: 09/15/2024Opportunity to conduct three months of hands-on, collaborative research at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI) in Panama.
College Alumni Society Undergraduate Research Grant
Deadline: 10/13/2024Undergraduate 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.
Vagelos Undergraduate Research Grant
Deadline: 10/13/2024 (Tentative)The Vagelos Undergraduate Research Grant funds an independent scholarly project conducted by an undergraduate student during the academic year.
Wilson Center Research Assistance Internship
Deadline: 11/15/2024 (Tentative)Research Assistant interns have the unique opportunity to work directly with experts at the Wilson Center, as they examine issues of contemporary public policy or explore topics that provide the historical context behind today’s pressing policy debates.
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.
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.
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.
NIST Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF)
Deadline: 01/31/2025 (Tentative)The NIST Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) provides students with the opportunity to spend 11 weeks conducting hands-on lab research with world-class mentors in one of NIST's six labs or other offices.
Park City Mathematics Institute's Undergraduate Summer School
Deadline: 01/31/2025 (Tentative)The Undergraduate Summer School (USS) at Park City Mathematics Institute (PCMI) provides a unique opportunity for undergraduate students to learn some fascinating mathematical ideas in a setting that allows them to interact with mathematicians at all levels.