Admissions

Thank you for your interest in the Summer Student Fellowship. The application for summer 2023 is now closed.

Summer Student Fellowships are awarded to undergraduate students who will have completed their junior year at colleges or universities by the start of the fellowship period. Students who will graduate before the fellowship begins are not eligible to apply. Applicants may be studying in any of the fields of science or engineering including but not limited to biology, chemistry, engineering, geology, geophysics, mathematics, meteorology, physics, oceanography, and marine policy. Students must have at least a tentative interest in the ocean sciences, oceanographic engineering, or marine policy.

Members of groups underrepresented in ocean science and engineering are encouraged to apply. WHOI actively recruits underrepresented minorities in ocean science as defined by the National Science Foundation (African-, Hispanic- and Native-Americans, and Pacific Islanders) in all of our education programs, as well as programs of the Woods Hole Diversity Initiative, such as the Woods Hole Partnership Education Program.  More information can be obtained by contacting: education@whoi.edu.

Requirements

In addition to the on-line application form (see link in box on right), the following are required. All documents are submitted through the application platform:

• A current CV or resume that shows educational background and work experience
• A current unofficial transcript, a PDF document. (Note: An Official Transcript will be required from any applicant who receives a Summer Student Fellowship.)
• Two letters of recommendation from professors or others familiar with the applicant's academic credentials (you may submit the name of one additional recommender for a maximum of 3). Your recommenders will receive a unique link to submit, more information here.
• A research statement, no longer than three double-spaced, typewritten pages, that addresses the following five questions:
  • How would a summer of research at WHOI benefit your education and career plans?
  • What skills do you expect to obtain from this research experience?
  • What qualities and characteristics will you bring to our program as a result of your work/activities/other life experiences?
  • Have you previously been involved in research projects as part of your classwork, a job or an internship? If so, what did you gain from this experience?
  • What areas of marine research are you interested in and why? You may refer to a specific lab at WHOI or a general area, see 2023 Potential Projects,  WHOI Departments and WHOI Areas of Research
  • And please include anything else you would like our selection committee to know about you that hasn’t already been covered.

Questions can be directed to:
Email: education@whoi.edu

Completed applications must be submitted by 11:59pm EST, February 5. Applicants will be notified of decisions in mid-March.

All students who are offered a position at this REU Site have until March 15th or later to accept or reject the offer. Any student who is asked to accept or reject an offer prior to March 15th should contact the NSF Division of Ocean Sciences REU Program Director, Elizabeth Rom.

Funding for this REU site is provided by the National Science Foundation's Division of Ocean Sciences located in Arlington, VA. (Award NSF REU OCE-1649563) The NSF contact for this program is Elizabeth Rom. NSF does not handle REU applications; please contact each REU site directly for application information.

The Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution is an Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action Organization.