External Funding and Fellowship Opportunities

While there are many opportunities at Loyola for research fellowships, including the 12 LUROP Fellowships, students may be interested either in alternative funding or an experience with another university or organization.

This list provides just a few examples of the hundreds of current external funding opportunities available to undergraduates.  

Students are encouraged to find more external research opportunities by visiting PIVOT, a search engine for finding scholarships, fellowships and paid internships. To help ensure that your COS search is successful, read our brief PIVOT instructions. Additionally, the Council on Undergraduate Research has an extensive list of student research opportunities. These resources are sure to give you a jumpstart on your quest for research!

Below you will find an assortment of opportunities organized alphabetically by deadline. Expired opportunities are at the bottom of the page.  

Featured Opportunities:

Albert Einstein College of Medicine Diversity Student Summer Research Opportunity Program (DSSROP)

Deadline: March 1st, 2013

The Diversity Student Summer Research Opportunity Program is designed to provide educational opportunities for undergraduate students who have a strong interest in a research career in biomedical or biological or medicine. In keeping with Albert Einstein College of Medicine’s overall commitment to diversity, we strongly encourage applications from those groups historically underrepresented in medicine to apply. The program will provide students with eight weeks of research experience. College Sophomores and Juniors are encouraged to apply. A $3,000 stipend will be provided.

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Chemistry Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (Chem-SURF)

Deadline: March 1st, 2013

The Chem-SURF Program at the University of California, Irvine (UCI), provides a 10-week summer research opportunity for undergraduates to become fully immersed in challenging, cutting-edge, exciting, and transformative interdisciplinary research projects in the fields of chemical biology, chemical physics, computer science, molecular biology, nanoscience, pharmaceutical sciences, pharmacology, and analytical, atmospheric, biochemistry, bioinorganic, bioorganic, computational, environmental, inorganic, materials, organic, physical, polymer, surface and theoretical chemistry.

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LIU-Post Summer Internship Program

Deadline: March 1st, 2013

The Biology Department at LIU-Post (Long Island University), is hosting its second summer internship program for undergraduate research. The program will fund four highly-motivated undergraduate students to work with LIU Post science faculty for 10-week research projects. Internships include a $3,000 student stipend and additional financial support for on-campus housing.  Up to $500 in additional funding is available for research materials.

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Monmouth University Summer Research Program

Deadline: March 1st

The Monmouth University School of Science-SRP, located in New Jersey, is a 12-week research experience for students to work on collaborative research projects under the supervision of School of Science faculty and staff. An assortment of different projects are available ranging from Biology to Mathematics and Medical Technology.

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National Institutes of Health: Summer Internship Program in Biomedical Research

Deadline: Open mid-November through March 1 (but you are highly encouraged to apply early)

Summer programs at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) provide an opportunity to spend a summer working at the NIH side-by-side with some of the leading scientists in the world, in an environment devoted exclusively to biomedical research. Internships cover a minimum of eight weeks, with students generally arriving at the NIH in May or June. Stipends are about $2,000.  This is a highly prestigious and highly coveted research opportunity--only about 1 in 7 are accepted--so explore the SIP website to learn as much as you can before applying, and look out for possible workshops on applying to this excellent research opportunity for those interested in biomedical research.  For students about to graduate, consider applying for the NIH's Postbaccalaureate Intramural Research Training Award, which provides recent college graduates who are planning to apply to graduate or professional (medical/dental/pharmacy) school an opportunity to spend one or two years performing full-time research at the NIH.

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Summer Medical and Dental Education Program (SMDEP)

Deadline: March 1st

The SMDEP is a FREE (full tuition, housing, and meals) six-week summer academic enrichment program that offers freshman and sophomore college students intensive and personalized medical and dental school preparation. Programs take place at several universities throughout the country and students that identify with a group that is racially/ethnically underrepresented in medicine or dentistry is a factor that is highly considered.                                                                                                                   --

Psi Chi, The International Honor Society in Psychology, Awards and Grants

Deadline: Varies, but Mar. 1 for several summer programs

Psi Chi offers many grants and awards for undergraduates conducting research in psychology or presenting that research.  Take a look at their brief overview of awards and grants.  For more information, check out their complete list.  You will need to become a member of Psi Chi if you are not already one. Loyola Professor, Robert Morrison, Ph. D., sponsors many of the summer  programs, so he should be a great resource for you.

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Donald A. King Huntington's Disease Society of America (HDSA) Summer Research Fellowship

Deadline: March 8th

There is a continual and important need to continue to train the next-generation of scientists with research expertise in neurodegenerative disorders, especially Huntington’s disease.  The purpose of the Donald A. King Summer Research Fellowships program is two-fold:  first, to attract the brightest young scientists into the field of Huntington’s disease research for a 10-week summer fellowship and secondly, to facilitate meaningful HD research to clarify the biological mechanisms underlying HD pathology.

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The Epilepy Foundation Grant and Fellowship Opportunities

Deadlines vary - Many due by March 22, 2013

The Epilepsy Foundation supports a series of grants and fellowships to advance the understanding of epilepsy that will lead to better treatment, more effective prevention, and ultimately to a cure. Funding is available to researchers at all professional levels including students, junior investigators and established investigators.

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American Museum of Natural History Internship Program

Deadline: April 1st (for summer internships)

The Anthropology Internship Program offers internships for undergraduate and graduate students interested in careers in anthropology, museums or related fields. Anthropology interns work on projects relating to the collections or to the ongoing research interests of the curatorial staff in the museum or in the field. The department's collections and research are focused on North American, Mexican/Central American and South American archaeology and ethnology; Asian, African and Pacific ethnology; and Biological Anthropology. In addition, internships are awarded in collections management, archives and conservation. Applicants should be enrolled in or have recently graduated from an academic institution.

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Active Minds Emerging Scholars Fellowship

Deadline: Dec. 31

The Emerging Scholars Fellowship program aims to expand the body of literature, creative expression, and discourse devoted to mental health with a particular emphasis on issues relevant to young adult communities.  The program encourages a wide range of project types, and research is one of them.  Emerging Scholars will be awarded a $750 stipend to support their work and may apply for an additional $250 in reimbursement for material expenses. After reading about the program on their website (linked in the title above), click here to apply.

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Research in Science and Engineering, RISE

Deadline: Rolling admissions untill open spots have been filled

Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, invites students to apply for our highly successful Summer Research Program, RiSE. We are seeking sophomores, juniors, and non-graduating seniors with strong academic credentials, a passion for research in the STEM disciplines or social sciences, and an interest in graduate school. We particularly encourage applications from underrepresented minorities and students from disadvantaged or first generation college families.

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Cystic Fibrosis Student Traineeships

Deadline: Continuous

Student traineeships are offered to introduce students to research related to cystic fibrosis. Applicants must be students in or about to enter a doctoral program (M.D., Ph.D., or M.D./Ph.D.) Senior-level undergraduates planning to pursue graduate training may also apply.  Each applicant must work with a faculty sponsor on a research project related to CF. The stipend is $1,500 and is paid directly to the trainee. 

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ORISE: Maryland Office of Oak Ridge Associated Universities 

Deadline: Continuous 

The Student Internship Program provides high school juniors or seniors, undergraduate students, and graduate students the opportunity to participate in research and development activities.  As part of the Research Participation Program (RPP), this program is intended to enhance the students’ educational development by providing practical research experiences closely related to their academic pursuits. Students can participate full-time or part-time as long as they meet eligibility requirements. Appointments for students can be during the summer, winter breaks, or during the academic year.

National Science Foundation: Research Experiences for Undergraduates

Deadline: Varies by program site, but generally Jan-March

This is an EXCELLENT place to look for summer research opportunities.  The Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program is actually an umbrella of dozens of funded summer research opportunities for undergraduates in a wide range of scientific fields, including astronomic, atmospheric, and biological sciences, chemistry, computer engineering, earth sciences, education, engineering, math, physics, social and economic sciences, and more.  You apply for each program individually, and programs are spread throughout the country.  Check this website to search for specific programs, each of which is funded for three years.  Many have not yet updated for 2013, but still contain important information.  You are highly encouraged to apply for REU programs outside of Chicago, yet because that is not always possible for those students from the area, click here for a list of REU programs in the Chicago area.

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Expired Opportunities

Science Undergraduate Laboratory Internships (SULI)

Deadline: Jan. 10 for summer programs, May 31 for fall programs

Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy and Office of Science, the SULI program encourages undergraduate students to pursue science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) careers by providing research experiences at the Department of Energy (DOE) laboratories. Selected students participate as interns appointed at one of 15 participating DOE laboratories. Research interns spend 10 weeks (summer term) or 16 weeks (semester term) performing research under the guidance of laboratory staff scientists or engineers, on projects supporting the DOE mission. A stipend of $5,000 is also awarded. 

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Lawence S. Linn Grant,"to study or improve the quality of life for persons with AIDS or HIV"

 Deadline:  Jan. 14

 Sponsored by the Society of General Internal Medicine, the Lawrence S. Linn trust grants awards to young investigators "to study or improve the quality of life for persons with AIDS or HIV infection." The maximum amount that will be funded is $5,000. The award, endowed by the Lawrence Linn Trust, will be recognized at SGIM’s Annual Meeting.  To learn more about the grant, and to apply, click here.

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United States Department of Homeland Securty (DHS) Internship Program

Deadline: Jan. 15th, 2014

DHS sponsors a 10-week summer internship program for students majoring in homeland security related science, technology, engineering and mathematics (HS-STEM) disciplines. This program is open to undergraduate students in a broad spectrum of DHS mission-relevant research areas and graduate students interested in the specific field of Nuclear and Radiological Threat Detection.
This program provides students with the opportunity to conduct research at federal research facilities located across the country. The goal of this program is to engage a diverse, educated, and skilled pool of scientists and engineers in HS-STEM issues and to promote long-term relationships between student researchers, DHS, and federal research facilities to enhance the HS-STEM workforce.

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The Institute for Humane Studies (IHS) Journalism Internship Program\

Deadline: Jan. 31st (for summer program - others are available)

The IHS Journalism Internship Program places aspiring journalists who support individual rights and economic freedom at media companies and non-profit, investigative newsrooms. Participants work on real assignments and learn core reporting skills, such as how to identify compelling stories, secure sources, research facts, and ask the right questions. The following internship tracks are available: Newspaper, Broadcast, New Media, and Investigative.

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American Physiological Society (APS) Summer Research Fellowships

Deadlines vary - Typically mid January to mid February

The program funds fellowships during the summer to support full-time undergraduate students to work in the laboratory of an established investigator. The intent of this program is to excite and encourage students to pursue a career as a basic research scientist. Up to 24 fellowships are available and funding consists of a $4,000 summer stipend to the student, a $300 grant to the faculty sponsor/advisor, and up to $1,300 travel award/reimbursement to the student for attending the APS annual meeting or Fall Conference.

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APS/IBM Research Internship for Undergraduate Women

Deadline: Feb. 1st

The American Physical Society and IBM co-sponsor a research internship program for undergraduate women. The goal is to encourage women students to pursue graduate studies in science and engineering. The internships are salaried positions typically 10 weeks long at one of three IBM research locations (San Jose, CA, Austin, TX, or Yorktown Heights, NY), and give the opportunity to work closely with an IBM mentor. Research areas of the internship are individually chosen so as to optimize the match between the skills and interests of the student, and the ongoing research programs of the laboratory.

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American Society for Microbiology (ASM) Undergraduate Research Fellowship 

Deadline: Feb. 1st

The ASM Undergraduate Research Fellowship (URF) is aimed at highly competitive students who wish to pursue graduate careers (Ph.D. or MD/Ph.D) in microbiology. Students will have the opportunity to conduct full time research at their home institutions with an ASM member and present research results at the ASM General Meeting the following year.

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Computationally-Driven Experimental Biology in Engineered Tissues

Deadline: Feb. 4th, 2013

Are you a student majoring in a biological or a computational science or in engineering? Are you interested in how computation or molecular and cellular biology plays a role in tissue engineering? Are you thinking about graduate school in one of these fields? This great summer opportunity is for you! Be a part of this exciting state-of-the-art research experience. What is Tissue Engineering? Tissue engineering is a field that uses principles from engineering and life sciences to develop biological substitutes that restore, maintain, or mimic the function of a tissue or organ within the body. Advances in this field can have major impacts on human health. For example, if a patient has a damaged liver, it may be possible to engineer or regenerate a human liver from a patient's own liver cells so that she does not have to wait many years for a transplant. Another great potential of tissue engineering is being able to test the side effects of drugs on artificial tissue cultures instead of expensive animal testing and complex clinical trials.

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Iowa Summer Undergraduate MSTP Research (SUMR) Program

Deadline: Feb. 4th

The SUMR Program offers an intensive experience for highly motivated undergraduates interested in future combined MD/PhD training for a career as a physician-scientist. The program provides the opportunity to conduct hands-on intensive research with scientists at The University of Iowa. Participants carry out independent research conducted under the direction of an established mentor in the biomedical sciences. In addition, the program offers weekly seminars emphasizing the intersection of science and medicine, career development seminars, case-based learning sessions and physician-scientist shadowing. A stipend of $4,150 plus lodging and travel expenses is provided.

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Broad Institute Summer Research Program in Genomics (SRPG)

Deadline: Feb. 5th

The Broad Institute's Summer Research Program in Genomics is designed for underrepresented minority undergraduate students with a commitment to research and an interest in genomics. Students spend the summer performing original computational or experimental-based research in laboratories across the Broad Institute’s research areas, from cancer to infectious disease to bioinformatics. The nine-week paid program, part of the Broad Institute's Diversity Initiative, features a rich curriculum outside the lab designed to support students’ development as scientists, including a scientific communication course, faculty-led seminars and workshops on graduate school admissions and fellowships. Each student presents the results of his or her scientific research in written, oral, and poster presentations.

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Summer Public Health Scholars Program (SPHSP)

Deadline: February 8th

The Summer Public Health Scholars Program (SPHSP) is designed for undergraduate students to increase interest in and knowledge of public health and biomedical science careers. SPHSP is a partnership between Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University College of Dental Medicine, Columbia University School of Nursing, and the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health. Together they represent the broad spectrum of public health practice. SPHSP grant funding was awarded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Office of the Director, Office of Minority Health, and Health Equity (OMHHE).

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ASPB Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowships (SURF)

Deadline: Feb. 12 2013

SURF enables undergraduate students to conduct 10 consecutive weeks of mentored plant biology research while still undergraduates. All students must apply with the expectation that they will present their completed SURF research at Plant Biology 2014. The fellowship gives a $4,000 summer stipend, a one year membership in ASPB, and $700 (to the mentor or institution) for materials. Recipients may not accept another salary or stipend for SURF research.

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American Bar Foundation (ABF) Summer Research Fellowship

Deadline: Feb. 15th, 2013

The American Bar Foundation sponsors a program of summer research fellowships to interest undergraduate students from diverse backgrounds in pursuing graduate study in the social sciences. The summer program is designed to introduce students to the rewards and demands of a research-oriented career in the field of law and social science. The program is supported in part by the Lloyd A. Fry Foundation, Seyfarth Shaw, LLP, and the National Science Foundation Research Experiences for Undergraduates.

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The Edward M. Chester, M.D. Summer Scholars Program

Deadline: Feb. 15th, 2013

For residents of Ohio, this program offers scholars to spend the better part of each weekday participating directly in the research project activity. There are also opportunities for observation of surgery, hospital rounds, and other experiences at MetroHealth that are an integral part of the program. At the end of the ten-week experience, the scholars are required to prepare a project report for presentation. A stipend of $2500 is provided. 

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