Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) runs the Undergraduate Research Program (URP). About 20 undergraduates a summer join a CSHL lab on Long Island, New York, and carry out an original project under a faculty mentor.
Alongside lab work, participants take weekly Python workshops and seminars on research ethics, careers and scientific communication. They write a manuscript and present at the end-of-summer URP Symposium.
Benefits & funding
- US$7,000 stipend.
- Room and board covered: on-campus cabin housing and three meals a day.
- 2027 program: 7 June – 7 August; participants must be at CSHL for the full dates as a cohort.
Eligibility
- Current sophomores and juniors, or the equivalent, who will return to undergraduate study after the summer; first-year students only in exceptional cases, with prior independent research experience.
- Any nationality, but foreign students must be enrolled full-time at a US college or university on a student visa or, in limited cases, attend a foreign university with a pre-existing CSHL agreement.
- A strong academic background in a science; biology is the focus, but engineering, chemistry, computer science, math and physics students are welcome.
- No minimum GPA; no official transcripts, TOEFL or IELTS required.
Application process
- 1Complete the online application, including a personal statement of up to 500 words.
- 2Arrange two recommendation letters from professors, preferably in math or science; no more than two are accepted.
- 3Application and letters must arrive by 15 January 2027, 11:59 pm Pacific (16 January, 07:59 UTC); late items are not reviewed.
Program timeline
Application and letters deadline
15 Jan 2027
Notification of status
End of Mar 2027
Program starts
7 Jun 2027
Program ends
7 Aug 2027