Each of the programs below requires you to partner with a mentor before submitting your research proposal. For tips on finding a faculty mentor, see our "Preparing for undergraduate research" page or schedule an advising meeting with us.

• Undergraduate Research and Creative Scholarship Fellowships Program
  Each year, the university and the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program offer a scholarship program for students interested in earning money in the summer doing serious work engaged in active learning. Full-time VCU Freshman, Sophomores, and Juniors in all majors are welcome to apply.
  
  
• VCUarts, Undergraduate Research Grants
  Funding of $30,000 for Undergraduate Student Research Grants began five years ago with the purpose of encouraging curiosity, creativity, risk-taking and scholarly investigation into a project or subject of interest relevant to the student’s major. To date 50 big ideas have been funded at an average of $2,500 per proposal. Research and creative work that is: 1) interdisciplinary 2) involves student collaboration and 3) draws on the expertise of a faculty mentor is preferred.
  
  
• Baldacci Student Experiential Learning Endowed Fund
  The Baldacci Student Experiential Learning Endowed Fund grants academically promising, and hardworking students of diverse areas of study and backgrounds with financial support so they can pursue internships, conferences, research, domestic or study abroad, and/or social entrepreneurship opportunities. Applicants must be undergraduate rising juniors or rising seniors, in good academic standing, and be majors in the College of Humanities and Sciences.
  
  Requests can be made for, but are not limited to, research support, internship stipends, conference attendance, domestic or study abroad opportunities, and/or social entrepreneurial incubator support. Funds are awarded at the discretion of a Dean’s Office committee. Awards will not exceed $5,000.

Each of the programs below provides a paid research training experience for undergraduates. Each also has its own application requirements. Please follow the links to determine your possible eligibility and specific contact and application procedures.

• Bridges to the Baccalaureate
  The Dream-to-Goal (DTG) Summer Research Program is designed for motivated community-college students who are interested in exploring research careers in the biomedical and behavioral sciences. This program will equip you with hands-on laboratory skills, provide research experience, and prepare you for success when you transfer to a four-year college or university, and beyond.

• Clinical Trials Office Summer Internship (CTOSI) at VCU Massey Cancer Center
  The Rudene Mercer Haynes Clinical Trials Office Summer Internship (CTOSI) offers a pathway for exploration and exposure into clinical research. Interns will have the opportunity to gain insights about clinical trials and the many components of clinical research at an NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center. The internship is geared towards current undergraduate juniors and seniors who are interested in a career in health care or academic medicine. Underrepresented populations in biomedical research are encouraged to apply.

• Cancer-focused Undergraduate Research Experience (CURE) at VCU Massey Cancer Center
  Massey's Cancer-focused Undergraduate Research Experience (CURE) Program, sponsored by the American Cancer Society (ACS), aims to enhance underrepresented minority students' interest and knowledge of cancer research. Interns will receive mentorship and will build professional relationships with physicians, scientists and other health and research professionals. The program will take place on site at the VCU Medical Center campus in downtown Richmond, Virginia.

• JACK’s Pediatric and Neonatal Summer Research
  JACK’s Summer Scholars Program has a rich history of providing students with the opportunity to view the world of neonatology and pediatric subspecialties through clinical mentoring and research. Summer scholars have the opportunity to work with the neonatal team as they provide care and conduct research related to infant and maternal health. Specific emphasis is placed on developing an understanding of multidisciplinary hospital care. The program also enables participants to explore medical career opportunities in pediatric subspecialties such as general surgery, anesthesiology, neurosurgery and infectious diseases.
  
  
• Philips Institute Summer Research Program in Cancer, Infection and Immunity and Bioengineering
  The Summer Research Program is a fully funded, ten week, residential research program running from May to August. Participants will work on research projects in the fields of cancer, infection and immunity or tissue engineering. You will be paired with a faculty and a lab mentor to craft a challenging but feasible research project. The program culminates with a research symposium, where you will present your project. At the end of our program, you'll know if a biomedical research science career is right for you. Students participating in the Summer Research Program will receive a stipend and be provided with housing for the duration of the program.
  
  This program is not recommended for pre-dental students.
  
  

• REU: VCU Summer Undergraduate Research Program in Pharmaceutical Engineering
  We are pleased to announce 10 openings for a 10-week summer undergraduate research experience at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Virginia. Students admitted to the program will work on projects related to the development of complex and novel pharmaceutical products in areas including drug delivery, inhaled therapeutics, continuous manufacturing and nanomaterials in medicine. Students will be mentored jointly by faculty in the College of Engineering and the School of Pharmacy at VCU, with the participation of faculty from Virginia State University. Students will work alongside and have support from graduate students who are currently developing their dissertation work.  Please note that REU’s typically admit undergraduates from outside of VCU, though there may be openings for VCU applicants as well. 

• REU: Mechanobiology at VCU
  Virginia Commonwealth University is pleased to announce ten undergraduate student openings for a 10- week Summer Undergraduate Research Experience in the Biomedical Engineering Department at VCU in Richmond, Virginia. Students will work on biomedical engineering research projects under the supervision of faculty. Research projects will involve experimental and computational approaches to mechanobiology. Students will participate in a weekly meeting during which research ethics and mechanobiology techniques will be presented. Students will be required to participate in one outreach activity to K-12 students or teachers during the summer. Students will also present their own research findings at the end of the summer. This program is sponsored by the VCU College of Engineering and the National Science Foundation. Please note that REU’s typically admit undergraduates from outside of VCU, though there may be openings for VCU applicants as well.

• REU: Computer Science Summer Undergraduate Research Program
  We are pleased to announce undergraduate student openings for a 10-week Summer Undergraduate Research Experience centered in the Computer Science Department at Virginia Commonwealth University’s College of Engineering in Richmond, VA. Students will work on computer science research projects. Research projects will involve faculty-specific topics focused on the areas indicated below, with an emphasis on providing the student with a comprehensive summer research experience. Students will participate in weekly meetings designed to prepare them for technical careers and/or graduate school. Students will also present their own research findings at the end of the summer. This program is sponsored by the VCU College of Engineering and the National Science Foundation. Please note that REU’s typically admit undergraduates from outside of VCU, though there may be openings for VCU applicants as well. 

• VCU GREAT: Guided Research Experience and Applied Training
  The VCU GREAT summer research program provides undergraduates with funded research training under the guidance of VCU faculty mentors conducting behavioral sciences research. Second-year students from backgrounds that are historically underrepresented in health-related sciences are strongly encouraged to apply. Central to the mission of VCU GREAT is the diversification of our academic, research, and behavioral sciences professional community. VCU GREAT is supported by a team of Spit for Science faculty collaborators who offer experiential learning in alcohol research, the genetics of substance use, and related behavioral health outcomes including mindfulness, sleep, depression and anxiety, parent-child relationships, and interpersonal relationships.

• Maximizing Access to Research Careers Program
  The VCU Maximizing Access to Research Careers Program will provide undergraduate scholars with financial assistance and support for professional growth! VCU MARC will provide research training in the biomedical or behavioral sciences for individuals from groups traditionally underrepresented in biomedical research. MARC will support undergraduates with two years of undergraduate study remaining. Scholars will join the program in June and are involved in program activities during summer, fall and spring through their graduating semesters The cornerstone of the program is a long-term mentored research experience with VCU faculty members who are leaders in the fields of neuroscience, cancer biology, metabolic diseases, allergy and immunology, microbial pathogenesis, drug addiction or abuse, molecular genetics and others. MARC Scholars will have the opportunity to present their work at local, regional and national research meetings. In addition, MARC Scholars enroll in a series of courses and workshops that provide instruction in basic concepts in biomedical research, research ethics, and career development advice.

• VCU Physiology and Biophysics: Summer Undergraduate Research Program
  The duration of SURP in Physiology and Biophysics is 10 weeks, from early June to mid August. Students are expected to work full-time in the host lab. Support for living expenses will be provided by the program. During the summer, in addition to work in the host lab, students will interact with faculty members and graduate students in the department to acquaint themselves with various research opportunities, facilities and the general environment of the department. Mechanisms to encourage these interactions include: 1) a breakfast gathering once per week with scientific presentations from members of the Department or to present progress reports in the projects at the midpoint and end of the program and 2) social events for the students led by current PhD and MD/PhD candidates.

• VCU Work Study Research Assistant Program
  The VCU WSRA Program provides mentored research exposure and engagement to undergraduateswho have received a work study award as part of their financial aid package. Work Study Research Assistants are matched with faculty mentors in a wide variety of disciplines and are engaged during fall and spring semesters in a research experience that is appropriate to the respective student’s level of research preparation. To browse and apply for open positions,log in to VCU Handshake and search for “FWS: Research Assistant”.

• Applied Mathematics Research Experience for Undergraduates at VCU
  The Department of Mathematics and Applied Mathematics at Virginia Commonwealth University will host a Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) site in graph theory and computational mathematics. The site is supported by the National Security Agency.
  The REU will provide 8 undergraduates a hands-on introduction to computational research endeavors and improve their problem solving, communication, and computer programming skills. Student teams will be formed to work on the research projects listed below.
  
  Selected students will receive a $3,600 stipend ($600 per week), on-campus housing, and reimbursement of travel expenses to and from campus. Additionally, students will be funded to present their work at conferences after the REU.

• Pauley Heart Center Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship
  The VCU Health Pauley Heart Center invites undergraduate students to apply for our annual mentored research fellowship in which students will be paired with a Sponsor (faculty mentor) and take part in a cardiovascular research project. The purpose of this fellowship is to provide undergraduate students with an introduction to conducting translational multi-disciplinary cardiovascular research. By the end of this fellowship, students will develop cardiovascular disease research skills through experiential learning, with the goal of applying this experience to future research opportunities and post-graduate careers in cardiovascular research. Students will prepare and present a poster summarizing their research findings at the end of the program. We have multiple fellowship opportunities with varying requirements and application dates. For more information, please visit our website here: https://pauleyundergradfellowship.vcu.edu/

• VCU Internal Medicine R4L Program: Undergraduate Research Experience and Clinical Shadowing
  The Research4Life (R4L) scholar program is a summer scholar program offered by the VCU Department of Internal Medicine (DOIM) and consists of an 8 to 10-week structured medical research experience combined with clinical shadowing experience for VCU undergraduate students from backgrounds that are historically underrepresented in medicine and health-related sciences. Successful applicants will participate in a research project under the guidance of a faculty mentor, engage with a clinical shadowing experience for one week under the guidance from a Hospitalist attending physician, participate in weekly group meetings centered on preparation for further research, education, and career pathways, and learn about responsible conduct of research, review and discuss 1-2 assigned readings, and attend (optional) departmental grand rounds and research meetings.

• Phage Lab
  Undergraduate research in bioinformatics at VCU starts freshman year in the Phage Lab! This year-long course (BNFO 251/252) is the introductory biology laboratory for bioinformatics majors. In this course-based research experience, students discover and characterize their own virus (bacteriophage, or simply 'phage') from a soil sample. We sequence the genomes of some of those viruses, and then students learn the bioinformatics approach through examining the genes of sequenced phages and completing comparative genomics projects of their own design. If you're a transfer student or change of major and already completed your BIOZ 151/152 requirement, we encourage you to talk to us about whether you should enroll in BNFO 252 as an introduction to the major. You'll leave the Phage Lab with a solid set of microbiology, molecular biology and bioinformatics research skills, ready to enter into a faculty mentored research experience.
  
  
• Research Opportunities through VCU Spit4Science
  Become a part of the research team! We have a team of undergraduates who help with running the project. This includes handing out brochures about the project, talking to students and various organizations about the study, hanging flyers and banners, directing students to the payment collection area, following-up on participation rates, etc. In addition, students are involved in helping create and distribute newsletters with results, and running basic analyses of the data. This is a great opportunity for students who want to go on to graduate or medical school and want research experience. Students can sign up for research credit when they are part of the research team. For more information, contact the research team at spit4science@vcu.edu.
  
  
• Vertically Integrated Projects
  The Vertically Integrated Projects (VIP) program provides undergraduate students the opportunity to participate in multiyear, multidisciplinary, team-based projects under the guidance of faculty and graduate students in their areas of expertise. Undergraduate students can earn technical elective or free elective course credits (depending on major) for working on specific research projects with other undergraduates, graduate students, and faculty, in their research labs. This is a valuable team-based learning experience on cutting-edge topics that will greatly enhance your resume when applying for jobs or graduate school.

• VCU’s QEP Courses: Every Ram’s a Researcher
  A hallmark of a VCU undergraduate education is learning from incredible faculty members, looking into today’s critical questions, and bringing fresh knowledge to shape the answers we need. An UNCOMMON education gives students a place on those front lines, seeking answers to those important questions – and improving lives throughout our community. Through RAMPS, or what we colloquially call “Every Ram’s a Researcher,” we’re driving research-supportive project-based learning into ConnectEd general education courses across the disciplines, preparing students to make the most of VCU’s transformative learning opportunities, gaining the skills and experience that will set them apart as they enter today’s workforce. Along the way, we’re expanding and elevating how, when, and where research happens. From biology to ballet, our students will play expanded roles as participants in our research university’s mission to find meaningful answers.

UROP Travel Grant Program
The Office of Undergraduate Research Opportunities provides support for undergraduates who present their research at regional, national and international research conferences and symposia. Participation at these conferences is an important opportunity for you to communicate your research to others in your field, network with undergraduate researchers and faculty, and expand your understanding of your field of research. To be eligible for a travel grant, you must present your research in either a poster or oral presentation, your name must appear in the conference abstract or proceedings, and VCU and the Office of Undergraduate Research Opportunities must be acknowledged.

We encourage you to visit the VCU National Scholarship Office website to find out more about opportunities for funded research scholarships.

Internships, scholarships, and fellowships are also available through the ORAU website as well as through the ORISE website.

Browse the national programs on the Pathways to Science database.

Browse the national programs on the National Science Foundation Research Experiences for Undergraduates website.

Thinking of applying for national programs? Schedule an advising meeting with us.