The rockefeller university

The Chemers Neustein Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) program at The Rockefeller University is designed to provide qualified, highly motivated college students majoring in the life or physical sciences, an opportunity to experience laboratory research. Each year, outstanding college sophomores and juniors are chosen from a large pool of applicants. SURF students are matched according to their stated field of interest with faculty, postdoctoral researchers or graduate students. These mentors volunteer to help design and supervise individualized summer projects for their students. The 25 students accepted into the SURF program will receive a stipend of $6,500.00 for the 10-week period of June 2 through August 8, 2025. International students are eligible to apply. Free housing will be provided for students who cannot commute.

Applicants to the Chemers Neustein SURF Program must submit:

• • The completed online application form.  Accessible via link below:

SURF Online Application

• A two-page single-spaced summary statement describing the applicant’s academic background, scientific interests, research experience (if any) and career goals. Describe how your background and experiences would contribute to the SURF program, including any adversity you had to overcome in your academic pursuits. Applicants should also discuss how they would benefit from the SURF Program.
• An official transcript (uploaded as part of the online application).
• Two letters of recommendation preferably from professors or mentors who can evaluate the applicant based on performance in current or completed research projects. (These letters are critical for our selection process). Letters of recommendation should be submitted online. If letters of recommendation are not submitted online, they must be mailed in separate sealed envelopes, signed across the seal, to the address below.

Any documents not submitted online should be mailed to:

Office of Graduate Studies
The Rockefeller University
1230 York Avenue, Box 177
New York, NY 10065-6399

Completed applications will be reviewed in the order they are received. Final decisions will be made by mid-March 2025. It is imperative that applicants provide contact information for the first two weeks of March.

SURF applicants should state a preference for working in particular laboratories or areas of research; however, we cannot guarantee that specific preferences will be met. For a listing of faculty members and a brief description of their research, we encourage you to obtain further in-depth information by visiting the Our Scientists section of the site. Please be advised that placement in laboratories is centralized through the Dean’s Office. Students are neither expected nor encouraged to secure their own lab arrangements.