Purdue Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship: An In-Depth Guide

The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) program at Purdue University offers a transformative, hands-on research experience, inspiring undergraduate students to pursue advanced education and research careers. This 11-week immersive program provides a platform for top undergraduates to engage in research activities, attend professional development seminars, and complete assignments, dedicating approximately 40 hours per week to their projects. Participants collaborate with faculty members on either the West Lafayette or Indianapolis campuses, benefiting from the guidance of a faculty mentor who establishes their research schedule and assigns a graduate student or post-doctoral mentor.

Program Overview

The SURF program is designed to offer undergraduate students a hands-on research experience that inspires interest in advanced education and research careers. It's an intensive 11-week program to advance students’ research potential. During the program, you will conduct research activities 40 hours per week (if fulltime student) or 20 hours per week (if part time student) including attending and participating at SURF seminars and events and completing assignments. The SURF program uses Purdue’s BrightSpace to support your learning and research experience this summer. You should access this site multiple times each week throughout the summer.

The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) program offers a unique, immersive, 11-week research experience designed to encourage undergraduate students in their pursuit of advanced educational and career opportunities in research. This competitive fellowship is a paid opportunity complemented with weekly professional development workshops and seminars to help build the technical and communication skills of participants. The program culminates with a student research symposium in which participants present their findings.

Key Features

Hands-on Research Experience: The program offers a 10-week immersive summer research experience, where selected students work on Purdue's West Lafayette, Indiana campus with faculty members and graduate student mentors. Students will get to work with cutting-edge research tools in science, engineering, and technology.
Professional Development: The program is competitive and provides a paid opportunity for selected students to engage in research activities, participate in weekly professional development workshops, and present their research at a student research symposium.
Mentorship: Participants work on Purdue's West Lafayette or Indianapolis Campuses under the guidance of faculty member, who establishes student's research schedule and assigns a graduate student or post-doctoral mentor to work with the undergraduate.

Eligibility and Application Process

Students will be selected based on eligibility, application information and academic record, qualifications for available research projects, and a successful match to a project. We strongly encourage applicants to explore their areas of interest and review the research conducted at Purdue. While the SURF program provides a list of projects with potential openings, it is not exhaustive.

Who Can Apply?

The SURF program welcomes applicants from diverse academic backgrounds. You are welcome to apply. "We do not have any major requirements, and students from all academic backgrounds are encouraged to apply."

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Application Requirements

Transcript: Upload a PDF of your university transcript directly to the application system. The transcript must include your name, program of study, past courses with grades, and current course enrollments.
Letter of Recommendation (Non-Purdue Students): External (non-Purdue) students are required to submit a letter of recommendation as part of their application. The letter should come from a professor or professional who has worked closely with you and can attest to your work ethic, attitude, behavior, skills, and interests related to the SURF program. It’s recommended to allow your recommender 2-3 weeks to submit the letter, so plan accordingly to ensure it is submitted before the application deadline.
Project Details: Indicate the details of the project in the application when prompted.
Essays:
- Briefly describe to us what instances or experiences have led you to pursue your current field of study, and why you continue to pursue it. Mention any significant questions or problems in the field that you find particularly intriguing and that motivate you to delve deeper.
- There are many programs that offer summer research opportunities, what attracted you to SURF and the resources it offers? Moreover, how would participation in SURF contribute toward the pursuit of your career goals?
- Explain how the research experience gained through the SURF program will contribute to your career goals.
- What have you done so far to explore the field of study you are interested in? This could include coursework, independent projects, internships, or participation in relevant clubs or organizations.
- If you have encountered any obstacles or challenges in your pursuit of higher education or research, please discuss how you have addressed or overcome these obstacles.

Application Deadlines

For maximum visibility and applicants, submit your project by the priority deadline. All other students are encouraged to apply by this date for full consideration, but applications will be accepted on a rolling basis afterward. Applicants who meet the Priority Application Deadline are considered for some additional, highly competitive funding opportunities. Faculty begin reviewing applications after the priority deadline, but many research positions are typically still available at that time.

Tips for a Strong Application

Explore Research Areas: We strongly encourage applicants to explore their areas of interest and review the research conducted at Purdue.
Connect with Professors: Connect with Purdue professors to discuss your research interests and explore potential opportunities in their labs.
Browse Project List: Browse the SURF project list to discover available undergraduate research positions. New projects will continue to be added, so check back regularly for updates.

Program Structure and Expectations

The program officially begins on May 25, no in-person events are required by the SURF program at large until June 1. During the first week, students will complete trainings (e.g., CITI), meet with their graduate assistants (GAs), review project materials, and connect with their faculty or lab mentors. We aim to provide flexibility regarding physical presence, recognizing that labs and students may need to travel for data collection, conferences, or manage personal conflicts. However, the following dates require students to be physically present for SURF obligations. Missing these will result in ineligibility for the program. From June 1 to July 31, students must be on campus and actively engaged. Purdue students already on campus can begin in-person work the week of May 25.

Key Dates and Requirements

Program Duration: 11 weeks
Start Date: May 25 (though in-person events are not required until June 1)
Mandatory On-Campus Engagement: June 1 to July 31
Professional Development: All professional development activities (i.e. workshops, seminars, and assignments) are designed to support you this summer in both your research work and career planning, and help you make the most of your SURF experience. You are required to attend the Professional Development Seminars marked ‘Attendance Required’ on BrightSpace.
Research Presentation: As part of the SURF program, students are required to present their research in a public forum, and the abstract of their work will be made public in an abstract booklet. Projects with confidentiality restrictions are generally not suitable for this program. AAMP-UP, affiliated with PERC, has a separate conference to ensure only those with proper export controls training and clearances will engage with the data. We are open to negotiating other presentation methods with faculty and program administrators but do require the students to present their work to an audience outside of their lab in some format.
Brightspace: The SURF program uses Purdue’s BrightSpace to support your learning and research experience this summer. You should access this site multiple times each week throughout the summer.

Responsibilities of SURF Participants

As a SURF participant, you are responsible for fulfilling all program requirements and abiding by all policies presented in this document. Read it carefully and seek clarification as needed. In order to successfully complete the program AND receive the full summer stipend, each participant must fulfill the program requirements. Vacation days (if needed) are to be discussed with faculties and are subject to approval at the discretion of the faculty. Part-time SURF students (only applicable to Purdue students) may enroll in classes.

Role of Mentors

Your role as a mentor is crucial in encouraging undergraduate students to pursue a research career. Start by assessing your student's skills, knowledge, and interests. Create a welcoming and open environment that encourages your students to ask questions. Explain the overall goals of the research project and the role your student will play in achieving those goals. Meet with your student on a regular basis. Clearly define your expectations and outline your student's tasks and responsibilities. Develop a schedule with your student to complete various aspects of the project within the length of the program. Explain the role of other members of the team and the reporting structure. Provide guidelines and expectations regarding the lab notebook and data collection. Provide constructive feedback and employ active listening skills. Get to know your student on an informal basis. Review the schedule of SURF activities and encourage your students to actively participate in them. Additional Resource: Graduate Students Mentoring Undergraduate Students: Opportunities, Expectations, and Strategies (PDF); Presentation by Dr.

Financial Information

Stipend and Housing

Purdue SURF students can only receive pay for completing the program. All students are expected to secure their own housing. Non-Purdue students accepted into the program will automatically qualify for the housing subsidy.

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Housing Allowance: All Non-Purdue students receive the housing allowance. For Purdue students, they must apply by the priority deadline to be considered.*Non-Purdue students: All external students (Visiting Scholars) will receive a housing subsidy, regardless of application date. After this date, any faculty or centers wishing to admit more students will need to send out their own offer letters. EURO will no longer offer cost-sharing or housing support. These dates will be listed in the offer letter.

Funding Model

Once the applications are submitted, faculty members review them and identify qualified students for one of their projects. Faculty are welcome to interview students if they wish. The SURF funding model splits the cost equally between the professor, the professor’s school/department, and the professor’s college. If a PI wishes to recruit more than one student, various departmental and college agreements will determine the funding breakdown. We offer a "cost estimator" at the bottom of this page so you can see how much was contributed per student last year based on agreements at that time. In addition to the stipend contribution, PIs recruiting external students are requested to contribute $1000 toward external student housing costs. This contribution will be waived for students the EURO office identifies as "high potential" candidates.

Tax Information

U.S. citizens, permanent residents, and resident aliens may have tax withholding applied to their stipend. If you are an international student on an F1 visa studying at Purdue, CPT authorization is not required.

Safety and Insurance

Every SURF student must become familiar with laboratory safety practices. SURF participants are not employees of the University and therefore are not covered under Workman’s Compensation. During the summer, each SURF student is covered with limited medical insurance through the Risk Management Office. This coverage is primary but does have limitations.

Additional Information

Quarter System

If your university is based on a quarter system, you will still need to submit an application.

Second-Time Participation

However, students may participate a second time with the explicit support of their Principal Investigator (PI). PIs should note that funding preferences are given to first-time participants. Demonstrate the ability to actively participate in the majority of program activities.

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International Students

If you are an international student on an F1 visa studying at Purdue, CPT authorization is not required.

Non-STEM Majors

I am a non-STEM major with a STEM background or interests. Yes. You are welcome to apply. We do not have any major requirements, and students from all academic backgrounds are encouraged to apply.

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