UPENN CURF |

The Center for Undergraduate Research and Fellowships

helps all Penn students deepen their academic experience through participating in research, applying for nationally competitive fellowships, or engaging intellectually within a cohort of scholars.

Undergraduate Research
Assist a faculty member or develop your own project, no matter your experience level or field of interest. Discover CURF's many options for securing research positions with faculty and grants to support your own research.

Nationally Competitive Fellowships
Take your leadership, academic, professional, and community engagement expertise even further with opportunities both in the U.S. and abroad. Fellowships are available from your first year through graduate school, and beyond.

Benjamin Franklin Scholars
Join a residential program of students from across all four undergraduate schools who share a passion for broad academic exploration. BFS Seminars allow students to delve into a wide array of challenging topics.

University Scholars
Connect with a community of intellectually dynamic students making the most of their undergraduate years by participating in undergraduate research and scholarly events.

Presidential Prizes
Create tomorrow's solutions to today's challenges through civic engagement and innovation.

Check out this quickstart guide (pdf) on how to get started in research and fellowships at Penn!

CURF's Mission:

The Center for Undergraduate Research and Fellowships (CURF) supports all students as they pursue transformative experiences through fellowships, scholars programs, and undergraduate research. CURF promotes connections between faculty and students, encourages mentorship, and educates the Penn community about opportunities for all students and alumni.

Recent News

Shirin Vetry (COL '18) named Thomas R. Pickering Graduate Fellow

January 6, 2020

An alumna of the University of Pennsylvania, Shirin Vetry (COL ’18), has been selected as a Thomas R. Pickering Graduate Fellow. The Pickering Fellowship, funded by the U.S. Department of State and managed by the Ralph J. Bunche International Affairs Center at Howard University, supports extraordinary individuals who want to pursue a career in the U.S. Foreign Service.

Penn senior and a 2018 graduate receive Marshall Scholarship

December 9, 2019

University of Pennsylvania senior Christina Steele and 2018 graduate Erin Hartman have been named Marshall Scholars. Established by the British government, the Marshall Scholarship funds up to three years of study for a graduate degree in any field at an institution in the United Kingdom.

Penn has three new Schwarzman Scholars

December 5, 2019

University of Pennsylvania senior Andrew Howard and alumnus Malik Abdul Majeed from The Wharton School, and master’s student Zinan Chen in the Graduate School of Education were chosen to receive the Schwarzman Scholarship, which funds a one-year master’s degree in global affairs at Tsinghua University in Beijing.

Two Rhodes Scholars from Penn

November 24, 2019

Nurul Ezzaty Binti Hasbullah (COL '20) and Stephen Damianos (COL '19) have been named Penn's 29th and 30th Rhodes Scholars.

Welcome to the 2019-20 academic year!

August 23, 2019

Dear CURF Friends and Family: As the new Executive Director for CURF, I am delighted to welcome you home to Penn! I hope you all have had wonderful summers and are ready to embark on the wonders that await you in the 2019-20 academic year. We in CURF look forward to being your partners in navigating new and engaging opportunities to grow intellectually, civically, and socially this year. I hope to meet you all at our annual CURF Research Expo on September 11, from 5:00-6:30 pm in the Hall of Flags. The Expo features the summer research of over 300 Penn undergraduates who worked with faculty in all 12 Penn schools. I know that you have all been given advice from a myriad of sources on how to make the most of your college experience. Here, I will share my reflections about navigating four years at Penn. Enjoy!