The Irvine Summer Institute in Neuroscience Program

The Irvine Summer Institute in Neuroscience Program is an intensive 10-week program that immerses undergraduate students in neuroscience research and trains them with the skills necessary for success in graduate school and beyond.

The program admits 20 students each year. Ten are funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF-REU) and ten are funded by the University of California Office of the President's UC-Historically Black Colleges and Universities (UC-HBCU) Initiative. Students will engage in 2 weeks of remote programming, which includes onboarding, literature reviews, online safety courses, research methods and data analysis workshops and activities that encourage cohort building. Weeks 2-10 will be held in person on the UC Irvine campus in Irvine, California. Students will be housed together in dorms. Transportation to and from UCI, housing and meals will be covered. Additionally, students will receive a stipend of $700/week for 10 weeks.

Weeks 1-2: Remote Programming
These two weeks of remote programming are designed to equip students with the logistical, safety, and background knowledge and skills necessary for a productive residential experience. Students will engage in daily cohort-wide sessions and will participate in laboratory-specific trainings and activities. Students will travel to UC Irvine at the end of week 2 (Sunday).

Programming during weeks 1-2 will include:

• Onboarding
• Safety training
• Laboratory placements
• Literature reviews
• Research methods workshops
• Data analysis workshops
• Coding workshops

Weeks 3-10: In-Person Programming
The two weeks of remote programming will be followed by 8 weeks of in-person immersion. Students will engage in one cohort-wide session daily and will spend the remainder of each day in the laboratory with their research group.

Programming during weeks 3-10 will include:

• Journal club
• Scientific seminars
• Methods workshops
• Professional development workshops
• End of the summer research symposium

Undergraduate students who meet the criteria below are encouraged to apply:

• 3.0 grade point average (exceptions reviewed on a case by case basis)
• US citizen or permanent resident
• Must have completed 1st year of undergraduate studies by June 2027
• Must be enrolled as a full-time student
• Must be graduating in 2028 or later (those graduating in 2027 are not eligible to participate)

Participants will be selected based on interest in pursuing neuroscience research, academic preparation, overall achievements, personal statement, and responses to short answer questions. 

Please complete your application on the ETAP website by clicking here. Deadline: January 15, 2027

Application includes:

• Personal Statement
• CV or resume
• Unofficial transcript
• 1 letter of recommendation
• Brief responses to 3 prompts:
  • Describe your research interests and why you are interested in participating in this summer research program.
  • Reflect on a challenge or difficult circumstance that you feel you have overcome and learned from. What was the challenge or circumstance, and what did you learn?
  • Please describe your career goals. How do you feel your participation in the Irvine Summer Institute in Neuroscience help you to achieve your goals?