Who can apply?
- NSF-funded REU participants must be undergraduate students pursuing an associate or bachelor's degree and US citizens, US nationals, or permanent residents.
- Individual sites can set additional coursework, class-year, or other eligibility criteria.
- There is no blanket rule that all REU sites accept first-years or graduating seniors.
NSF does not collect one universal application for all REUs. Site requirements and student-status rules differ.
Dates, pay & program timing
Dates vary by site. NSF says participants receive stipends and many sites provide help with housing, meals, or travel; confirm each site's package.
View the deadline calendarThese details reflect the sources at the review date. An overview is not a live job offer. Check the official page for today's application status and the selected opening's written terms.
How to apply to NSF-funded research sites
- Find sites in NSF's REU directory or ETAP. Not every site uses ETAP, so follow each site's own application instructions.
- Check the site's specific eligibility, research themes, dates, stipend, and housing arrangements.
- Submit the site's requested materials, which may include a statement of interest, academic records, and references. Track each deadline separately.
You leave FirstInternships to apply. We do not accept applications, offer referrals, or represent the employer.
Our editorial advice · not employer requirements
How to prepare a stronger application
Build a short comparison of research questions, not just university names. Read the site description and identify which methods you have used in class and which you hope to learn. Explain why that particular research setting fits your next step.
For your statement, describe a question that caught your attention and what you did to explore it. Our advice is to use an honest, specific example rather than broad claims about loving science since childhood.
Your preparation, on this device
Make it a plan.
Checking an item saves this program. These are planning prompts, not a substitute for the employer's full requirements.
Add a stage & next actionOfficial sources & update notes
We reviewed these publisher pages on . They establish the program facts above; our preparation suggestions are independent editorial guidance.
We do not infer deadlines, remote eligibility, or guaranteed offers from older recruiting cycles. Read our editorial process.