IMPORTANT: All REU candidates must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents and undergraduates at a four-year university. Students graduating before the start of the program (June 2009) cannot participate.

We anticipate that our REU participants will be those who can meet the challenge of achieving leadership in research at an early point in their careers. We thus require students who are both bright and prepared. Our selection criteria will include:

1. Short statement from the student explaining their interest in the program and career goals (1-2 pages)

2. Current transcripts. We expect that most successful applicants will have higher GPAs than 3.3, but we also have observed that some undergraduates with lower GPAs may also be able to supply compelling reasons for us to believe that they will become successful researchers. Only in special situations will we consider candidates with less than a 3.0 GPA, since that is frequently the cutoff mark for acceptance into graduate school.

3. Advanced sophomore/early junior standing in a curriculum majoring in or leading to a neuroscience support field such as biology, zoology, psychology, mathematics, physics, chemistry, computer science, or engineering equivalent. We have found that students in their sophomore year can become outstanding participants in undergraduate research if properly teamed with more advanced students.

4. Additional weight will be given to applicants who have exhibited leadership, participated in team activities, performed social service, or shown other evidence of creative and independent thinking and/or acting. Supportive materials may be selected by the student - possibilities include a short personal written summary of such activities, or letters from someone involved with the service or activity.

5. At least two letters of recommendation from faculty members of their home institution; recommendations from employers, etc. recommended but not required.

6. Commitment to participate in after-REU activities on their home campus and at the REU site, as well as to participate in assessment activities after the REU experience.

REU applications are available in PDF form.