Summer REU FAQs
Students entering their sophomore, junior, or senior years, and majoring in the life sciences with an overall GPA of at least 3.3 preferred, but minimally 3.0. Preference will be given to students with strong interest in gaining research experience in preparation for graduate study. Members of underrepresented or underserved minority groups; students with disabilities; first generation college students; women; and students who would contribute to diversity in other ways, are encouraged to apply. Students from smaller undergraduate institutions with limited opportunities for research are also encouraged to apply. Participants in the REU program must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents. Students who will have completed the bachelor's degree by August 2023 are not eligible for REU programs, but are invited to apply to the University's graduate programs.
Participants receive a $7,000 stipend, meal allowance, travel assistance, and group housing on the Cornell campus. The REU program is funded by the National Science Foundation (Research Experience for Undergraduates, REU Award # 1659534).
Housing accommodations will be made in Cornell University housing. Roommates will be assigned based on age and gender.
We do not provide meals, but do provide a partial meal allowance. A weekly lunch will be provided as part of the seminar program. Participants interested in utilizing Cornell’s summer dining program can find more information here: Cornell Summer Meal Plans (updated after April 1).
Participants will receive a Cornell ID card, which will allow free access to the TCAT bus system on the Cornell campus and within Ithaca city limits. If you wish to travel outside this area, bus passes can be purchased online (TCAT bus). Parking permits are available for purchase from Cornell transportation if you are bringing a car to campus.
You will be asked to provide us with your top three choices of preferred mentors. If, for various reasons, your top three choices do not work out, the selection committee and faculty will do our best to match you with a project that is of interest to you and aligned with your academic background and experience.
In the lab, you will attend lab meetings, read and discuss recent literature related to your project, and you will work directly with graduate students, postdocs or other lab personnel in a friendly, stimulating and international environment.
You will attend a weekly REU lunch seminar where you will hear scientific presentations by different faculty, learn about graduate school and scientific careers, and practice and critique poster and platform presentations. At the beginning of the program, you will attend a lab safety training session, a responsible conduct of research (RCR) symposium, take workshops on citation software and database management and learn about applying to graduate school.
The program starts with a welcome lunch for participants, faculty and mentors. Peer mentors (current graduate students) host activities every weekend that allow you to explore Ithaca and its surrounding areas. Through the summer session program, the Cornell campus has a large number of free, exciting performances and lectures. The Finger Lakes region of New York has an abundance of local stages, bookstores and museums, so there’s plenty to do when you want to go off campus, or when your family and friends come to visit (visitithaca.com). Nearby Collegetown has many restaurants and cafes as well as access to the Cascadilla Gorge trail which leads to the Ithaca Commons. The Ithaca Commons is home to many community events throughout the summer. Ithaca is pedestrian friendly and public transportation is readily available. The office of Engineering Diversity Programs, home to the LSAMP summer REU program, sponsors two optional self-paid day trips to Niagara Falls and New York City.
No. The REU program is a very intensive 10 week program. Your time commitment to the program does not allow participants to take classes.