Funding Opportunities

What opportunities are open to me?

There are many opportunities for Penn undergraduates to conduct research in any discipline—regardless of their previous experience. Research positions can be:

  • Volunteer
  • Arranged through work-study
  • Paid -- funded directly through a faculty member’s grant or via a program that provides a stipend
  • Conducted for academic credit, or
  • Supported via a grant for which you apply.

Keep in mind that funding options are often specific to particular kinds of research, fields of study, grad year, etc.  In addition, most (but not all) CURF funding is reserved for research conducted under the mentorship of a Penn faculty member.

Use the list below to identify research programs, grants and opportunities at Penn, elsewhere in the US and abroad.  While CURF strives to maintain a thorough and up-to-date website, these listings are not comprehensive and students are encouraged to conduct their own funding searches.

What grants should I apply for?

The Penn Undergraduate Research Mentorship (PURM) program is ideal for first and second-year students who have little to no prior research experience.  For more advanced researchers, the College Alumni Society Research Grant, the Vagelos Undergraduate Research Grant, and the Class of 1971 Robert J. Holtz Endowed Fund for Undergraduate Research are good places to start.

Other options are often specific to particular populations or kinds of research (e.g. grants for international research, social-impact endeavors, or for juniors who have not done research before). 

Search Funding Opportunities

Display funding opportunities that match ALL of my selections: (Select more options to return a narrower set of results).

The Hassenfeld Grant for Undergraduate Research in Urban Studies

Deadline: 04/26/2025 (Tentative)

The Hassenfeld Grants for Undergraduate Research in Urban Studies provide Urban Studies majors and minors with the opportunity to explore questions arising out of their internship or other coursework in Urban Studies by supporting independent research in the summer before senior year.

Junior

History Undergraduate Research Grants

Deadline: 05/03/2025 (Tentative)

The History Department Undergraduate Research Fund awards grants to students who require funds to travel to archives or for research materials for extensive projects, usually as part of a History seminar or independent study. The Department also has additional funds to support undergraduate research for students in the History Honors Thesis program.

John Carter Brown Library STEM Research

Deadline: 05/06/2025 (Tentative)

This pilot fellowship will allow STEM concentrators to work with Americana, a digitized program of the library's unique collection, under the supervision of the JCB digital team, contributing to their work on enhancing the platform’s capacities while creating their own project based on our digital assets

Junior Senior - First Semester

CIA Student Programs

Rolling Deadline

The CIA offers several student programs that offer highly unique and rewarding student experiences working alongside experts in your field of study as you gain real-world experience within the Intelligence Community.

U.S. Census Bureau's Pathway Internship Program

Rolling Deadline

The U.S. Census Bureau's Pathways Internship Program provides paid work experience to students who are in high school or pursuing an undergraduate or graduate degree in an accredited college or university (including Community College). 

Research in Industrial Projects for Students (RIPS) Program

Rolling Deadline

The Institue for Pure and Applied Mathematics at UCLA offers several versions of its Research in Industrial Projects for Students (RIPS) program, a summer research experience for students of math and related disciplines. 

First-Year Second-Year Junior Senior - First Semester

Gutmann-Doyle Research Opportunities Fund

Rolling Deadline

The Amy Gutmann and Michael Doyle Research Opportunities Fund is used at the discretion of the director of CURF to assist students with activities associated with their independent research projects. This may include covering the cost of travel to research sites, or assisting with living expenses during a research project away from campus.

First-Year Second-Year Junior Senior - First Semester

Koch Internship Program

Rolling Deadline

The Koch Internship Program combines individualized education with hands-on work experience to empower social entrepreneurs to drive their own careers and make a positive contribution right away.

First-Year Second-Year Junior

NIST Professional Research Experience Program (PREP)

Rolling Deadline

NIST’s Professional Research and Experience Program (PREP) provides valuable laboratory experience and financial assistance to researchers at various stages of their studies and careers.

Los Almos National Laboratory Undergraduate Student Internship Program

Rolling Deadline

The Los Almos National Laboratory offers an Undergraduate Student Internship Program (UGS) that provides domestic and international students with relevant research experience while they are pursuing an undergraduate degree,