It’s the beginning of January. You just celebrated the new year! That means it’s also time to start thinking about applying to undergraduate summer research programs.

Most of these programs have application deadlines in the first or second week of February. Whether you already started preparing your applications or didn’t even know these programs existed until reading this bite, that leaves you with about three more weeks to apply — more than enough time if you plan accordingly.

For those of you not familiar with summer research opportunities, undergraduates in astronomy (as well as other sciences) can apply to summer programs (often called REUs in the US) that give you the chance to conduct research somewhere different from your undergraduate institution. Besides these programs, your own department or institution may also have funding opportunities that you can use to do research over the summer or any time during the year.

Check out the Astrobites linked below for more information, and best of luck to all of the undergraduates applying to research programs this summer!

Helpful Astrobites:

What is a summer research program and why should I apply?

Dan’s Astrobite introduces REU programs and talks about how to get the most out of participating in one over the summer.

How do I apply to a summer research program?

Ben’s Astrobite discusses the application process and what you need to apply. It also includes a more detailed FAQ section.

How do I get started with research at my own institution?

Josh’s Astrobite goes over how to get started on a research project with researchers at your own institution.

FAQ:

Where can I apply if I am not a U.S. citizen?

Most summer research programs in the United States require you to be a citizen or have a green card to apply. If you do not meet this criteria, there are still some programs that accept international students. Here is a list of many of them:

In the United States, international students are eligible to apply to…

In the rest of the world, you are eligible to apply to…