Summer Student Research Program FAQ

The application can be found and submitted electronically here: https://ugresearch.udel.edu/PUB_Program.aspx.

All undergraduate students are eligible to apply, provided that they:

Are enrolled full-time as a rising sophomore or above;
Delaware resident or attend Delaware college/university; and
Are U.S. citizens or permanent residents

No, only full-time, currently enrolled undergraduate students who are rising sophomores or above are eligible to apply. High school students, graduates, and medical school students are not eligible. Ineligible applications will not be reviewed.

Students must have all sections of the application completed and received by 11:59 p.m. (EST) March 1, 2025. Late or incomplete applications will not be reviewed.

Transcripts must be uploaded with your application as per Application instructions. We cannot accept applications via regular mail, fax, or email. Please include your most complete transcript which provides the most complete review of the courses you have taken.

Please provide the average GPA over both majors.

The selection procedure is as follows:
Student application, essay, resume, transcript and letters of recommendation will be reviewed by our selection committee.
Applicants will be notified if selected for an interview. Selected candidates will then complete interviews with prospective mentor for summer research if requested by the mentor.
Formal offers will be extended to those selected and notifications will be sent to those not selected.

We accept letters of recommendation from professors who know you and/or you have studied with, research mentors, physicians you have researched with, your prior employers or volunteer supervisors and other types of supervisors you may have had prior to the internship.  As stated above, we highly recommend your letter come from your research mentor if you already have research experience. We do not accept letters from fellow students, graduate students, family members or individuals who do not know you personally.

Letters can be addressed to the Delaware INBRE Summer Student Research Program Selection Committee

Only one letter will be accepted per applicant

Applicants are asked to review the research opportunities and research institutions on this website prior to applying for the program here: https://de-inbre.org/mentor-projects/

Once the student has determined there is a real interest in a project/mentor/research area, the student should submit the Delaware INBRE Summer Student Research Program application expressing an interest in a prospective mentor in their application.

We encourage students to re-apply if eligibility requirements are still able to be met.

A: The term “low-income individual” means an individual whose family’s taxable income for the preceding year did not exceed 150 percent of the poverty level amount. You may find your family’s income status by looking at the US Department of Education page.

A first-generation college student is defined as a student whose parent(s)/legal guardian(s) have not completed a bachelor’s degree at a four-year college or university. This means that you are the first in your family to attend a four-year college/university to attain a bachelor’s degree.

Program dates vary depending on which institution you will be performing your summer research with.
University of Delaware and Christiana Care begins June 9, 2025 and ends August 14, 2025 with June 19th & July 4th off.
Nemours and Delaware State University begins May 27, 2025 and end August 1, 2025 with June 19th & July 4th off.
Delaware Tech students will follow the dates of the location above they are assigned to.
Scholars must attend their institution specific orientation at the start of the program. Full-time hours are required during the program.

Participation in all Delaware INBRE Summer Scholar events (for example: weekly seminars, program orientation, supplemental seminars, annual retreat and final research symposium) is required. Program orientation and the final research symposium cannot be excused due to content requirements. Failure to attend other mandatory events without prior approval may result in loss of partial or full allowance.

The allowance for Summer 2025 will range from $5000 to $6000 depending on at which institution your mentor is located. Please contact the mentor’s institution INBRE office for more information.

Please contact the mentor’s institution INBRE office for more information (contact list here)

Summer classes have been shown to negatively impact research projects, shadowing opportunities, and other required events and are strongly discouraged. Any plans to take a class or other summer commitments that could impact full participation must be disclosed during the application or interview process. Failure to do so will disqualify you from the program.

A student may continue to train with their mentor following completion of the program at the mentor’s discretion. Not all labs or research groups will have the room or funds available for additional personnel so please ask before attempting to continue the research.
Learn more about academic year opportunities: https://de-inbre.org/academic-year-fellows/