CALTECH University Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowships 2026 in USA | Fully Funded

CALTECH University Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowships 2026 program is a ten-week summer research fellowship where undergraduates work full-time in person on a defined project, write a proposal, carry out the work under a mentor’s guidance and conclude with a technical paper and oral presentation.

For Caltech students: you must be a continuing undergraduate, have a cumulative GPA of at least 2.0, have completed the third term at Caltech (or equivalent) and be eligible for fall‐term registration before July 1. For visiting (non-Caltech) students: you need a minimum 2.5 GPA, have completed your second semester or third quarter at your college/university, and meet other standard eligibility requirements.

CALTECH University Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowships 2026 program will receive an award of US $8,110 for the ten-week period.

First, identify and contact a prospective mentor who agrees to support your application and a project definition. Then submit the online application via the SFP system by the stated deadline, including your research proposal and letters of recommendation (and unofficial transcript for visiting students).

Applications for CALTECH University Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowships 2026 must be submitted by February 22. After submission, mentor evaluations are requested and award notifications are typically sent by April 1.

Participants must devote full effort to the research for all ten weeks, hold no other job or course, conduct the work in-person (remote not allowed), submit two interim reports plus an abstract and final technical paper, and give an oral presentation at the end.

You collaborate with a mentor to define a research project, write a proposal outlining background, methods, work plan and relevance, and then carry out the project under supervision. The project should offer significant intellectual content and be feasible in ten weeks.

Yes — international students may apply to the campus SURF at Caltech. However, note that for the SURF program at certain sites (like JPL) only U.S. citizens or permanent residents may apply. International students must secure any necessary authorization (e.g., CPT, OPT, Academic Training) if eligible.

Fellows are invited to attend weekly seminars by faculty and JPL scientists/engineers, academic and professional development sessions (e.g., on research careers and graduate school), communication workshops, student-faculty dinners and social/cultural activities.

CALTECH University Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowships 2026 program has been offered since 1979 and is described as one of the “crown jewels” of the Institute. It models real research grant-seeking processes, allows hands-on collaboration with mentors, yields a technical paper and presentation, and provides a paid fellowship for intensive summer research.