Career Communities

Opportunities at UD

• Summer Scholars - Application deadline is usually March 1.
• Summer Fellows - Application deadline is usually April 30.
• INBRE (IDeA Network of Biomedical Research Excellence) - Application deadline is usually March 1.

Typical components of REU applications:

CV/Resume

Prepare a good, well-crafted CV or resume. Receive feedback from the Career Center through Drop-In Hours and by uploading your resume for approval on Handshake. For industry-specific feedback, ask a faculty member to review your document.

Suggestion: Every semester, plan on adding at least one bullet point to your CV or resume. Volunteer to do some research even if it is only for an hour per week. Eventually, this will grow and give you content for publications and presentations.
 

An essay (or a research statement)

If needed for the process, read the position advertisement that you wish to apply for carefully, and identify if they are looking for anything specific in the essay or statement. If no instructions are given, you may consider covering the following:

1. Why do you want to apply for the position, or what do you wish to accomplish from participating in the research program? (Possible answers: prepare for graduate school, solve scientifically important problems, apply knowledge gained from coursework to solve real-world problems or to gain research experience.)
2. What prior experience do you have with research? If you haven't participated in research before, include relevant course projects or scientific methods with which you are familiar.
3. What are your research interests? If you already have research interests, describe them and connect them to topics mentioned in the position description. It is okay to be flexible in describing research interests so that you maximize your chances of getting the position and give yourself an opportunity to learn new things. You may consider seeking advice from a faculty member in your department.
    

Recommendation letter

Typically students ask course instructors for letters of recommendation. They can speak to your work ethic, but can't always speak to your research experience. To stand out among applicants, volunteer in labs and talk with faculty about your research interests. Once you have some experience, you can ask your research supervisors for letters of support.

Note: For UD Summer Scholars and Fellows programs, you should contact a professor with whom you want to work to discuss a research topic. You will need a letter from that professor to support your application. You may wish to contact multiple professors to see what opportunities are available.