- 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).
Bodek Prize for Research on Interracial and Interfaith Relations
Deadline: 03/24/2025 (Tentative)The Gordon Bodek Prize will be awarded annually to a student in any of the undergraduate departments and schools at Penn for the best paper addressing issues of interracial and interfaith relations.
Joseph Warner Yardley Prize
Deadline: 03/24/2025 (Tentative)The Yardley Prize is awarded to the best thesis on political economy written by a member of the senior class in any undergraduate school at Penn.
Rose Award
Deadline: 03/24/2025 (Tentative)The Rose Foundation generously funds the Rose Undergraduate Research Award recognizing outstanding undergraduate research projects completed by graduating seniors under the supervision of a Penn faculty member.
Carroll Smith-Rosenberg Senior Thesis Award in Women's Studies
Deadline: 03/25/2025 (Tentative)Annual award for a superior senior thesis paper in the field of Gender, Sexuality & Women's Studies.
Center for the Advanced Study of India
Deadline: 03/25/2025 (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.
Dr. Rosane Rocher Prize for Best Undergraduate Essay in Asian American Studies
Deadline: 03/25/2025 (Tentative)The Dr. Rosane Rocher Prize for Best Undergraduate Essay in Asian American Studies is offered every year for papers submitted from an ASAM course taken during the prior calendar year.
Lynda S. Hart Award in Sexuality Studies
Deadline: 03/25/2025 (Tentative)Annual award for a senior thesis or seminar/course paper in the field of LGBTQ Studies.
Hayden Scholars
Deadline: 03/29/2025 (Tentative)The Hayden Scholars program aims to build a community of undergraduate researchers in the geosciences at Penn through extra-curricular, independent research experiences affiliated with the Department of Earth and Environmental Science.
Millennium Oceans Prize
Deadline: 03/30/2025 (Tentative)The Millennium Oceans Prize supports students passionate about conserving, protecting, and sustainably using oceans, seas, and marine water and life.
Mongolia Field School Program
Deadline: 03/30/2025 (Tentative)The Mongolia Field School Program offers an educational travel experience blending academic insights and discussions with travel experiences that allow participants to interact with local people and locations off the usual tourist track.