The Purdue University Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Program is a paid research opportunity created to support undergraduate students who are interested in advancing their academic and career goals through hands-on research experience.
Selected participants will receive a $6,500 stipend, paid bi-weekly, for full participation in the 11-week immersive research programme hosted in the United States.
Program Summary
- Host Country: USA
- Category: Undergraduate Scholarships | Fellowships
- Eligible Countries: All Countries
- Reward:
- Full Sponsorship
- $6,500 Stipend
- $1,000 Travel Expenses
- $2,500 Accommodation Allowance
- IELTS: Not Required
- Deadline: January 15, 2026
Program Details
The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) is an intensive 11-week research experience designed to encourage undergraduate students to explore advanced educational pathways and research-focused careers. The programme is open to students from Purdue University, other U.S. institutions, and international universities.
Participants will conduct supervised research at either Purdue’s West Lafayette or Indianapolis campus, working closely with faculty members, graduate students, or postdoctoral mentors. In addition to research activities, the fellowship includes weekly professional development workshops and seminars aimed at strengthening participants’ technical, academic, and communication skills.
The programme concludes with a student research symposium, where fellows present their findings. All participants are also required to submit a final research report to their project advisor and the Engineering Undergraduate Research Office (EURO).
Eligibility Criteria
To be considered for the Purdue University Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship, applicants must:
- Be currently enrolled as a full-time undergraduate student pursuing a bachelor’s degree at Purdue, another U.S. institution, or an international institution
- Be a first-time participant in the Purdue SURF programme
- Have completed at least one academic semester or quarter at the time of application
- Maintain undergraduate enrollment for at least one academic semester or quarter after completing the SURF programme
- Be a rising junior or senior
- Purdue-affiliated rising sophomores, including Purdue-Indy rising sophomores, are also eligible
- Have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.8/4.0 or equivalent at the time of application
- Demonstrate the ability to actively participate in most programme activities
- Requests for alternate start dates (up to one week after programme commencement) may be approved with faculty permission
Program Benefits
Successful applicants will receive:
- $6,500 stipend, paid bi-weekly for participation in the 11-week programme
- Expert mentorship from experienced faculty and graduate student researchers
- Professional development seminars focused on academic and research careers
- Opportunity to present research findings at the SURF Research Symposium
- Participation in social and collaborative activities with fellow researchers
- Access to networking opportunities, workshops, and seminars
- Development of strong technical and professional communication skills
- $2,500 housing allowance
- All external students receive this allowance
- Purdue students must apply by the priority deadline to be considered
- Travel reimbursement of up to $1,000
- Available to external and Purdue-Indy students
- External students must apply by the priority deadline to be considered
Required Documents
Applicants must be prepared to submit:
- Completed application form
- Resume
- University transcript
- Statement of Purpose
- Letter of Recommendation
How to Apply
To apply for the Purdue University SURF Program, interested candidates should:
- Complete the online application form
- Upload a current resume
- Upload a university transcript
- The transcript must clearly show your name, programme of study, completed courses with grades, and current enrolments
- Submit a Statement of Purpose
- External students must request a Letter of Recommendation from a professor or professional they have worked closely with
- The letter must be uploaded by the application deadline
- Discuss your research interests with Purdue faculty members
- Review the SURF list of available undergraduate research projects
- Indicate interest in up to three research projects directly within the application
- Additional projects may be added as they become available
To apply for this program, click HERE
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