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Student Undergraduate Research Program

The CLA Student Undergraduate Research Program or SURP is designed to support research and creative activities while engaging undergraduate students in mentor-led scholarship. All students who are CLA majors and/or minors may apply.

SURP Goals

  1. Promote diverse and equitable engagement for CLA students in mentor-led research and creative activities
  2. Build lasting student-mentor mentoring relationships
  3. Enhance faculty/staff participation in scholarship
  4. Enrich a culture of scholarship in the CLA

2026 SURP Mentor Dates

All CLA faculty, including full- and part-time lecturers, are eligible to submit SURP proposals for Summer 2025. Submissions can be from an individual faculty member, a faculty pair, or a faculty/professional staff pair.

  • The application to serve as a SURP Mentor in Summer 2026 is Friday 2/13/26 at 11:59 p.m. CA time.
  • Faculty in all disciplines are encouraged to apply to serve as a research mentor in the CLA Summer Undergraduate Research/Creative Activities Program. 
  • This program is open to all lecturer and tenure-line faculty in the CLA. Professional staff may serve as a co-mentor.
  • Individuals who have previously served as SURP mentors, including in Summer 2025, are encouraged to apply to serve as mentors in Summer 2026. 
  • CLA SURP Mentor Project Proposals: 
    • RFP Open: Jan. 6, 2026
    • Microsoft application form to be posted)
    • Application deadline: Friday Feb. 13, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. CA time
    • CLA SURP Mentor Info Session:
      • Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2026, 3:10–4 p.m. Zoom Meeting ID  770 101 3932

2026 CLA SURP Mentor RFP

2026 SURP Student Application Dates

  • Open: Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2026

Student Application (MS Form)

  • Regular student application deadline: Friday, March 6, 2026, 11:59 p.m.
  • Notification by: Friday, March 20, 2026
  • Info Sessions:
    • Thursday, Feb. 26, 10:10–11 a.m. (Zoom 770 101 3932)
    • Wednesday, Mar. 4, 2:10–3 p.m. (Zoom 770 101 3932)

More information on CLA SURP 2026 for Students

  • You have the opportunity to explore the available projects to which students can apply.
  • Remember that you can apply to projects in departments across the college, as long as you meet the required qualifications listed. 
  • When applying, students must specify to which position(s) they are applying.
  • Students can apply for up to three positions at the same time.
  • Some SURP opportunities are virtual; others require that you be in-person. This information is listed by project. 
  • Selected CLA SURP students will receive a financial award of $3,500 to support their engagement and participation in this opportunity. This will be processed through Financial Aid. Please note that this is a fellowship, not employment, and is CADA / AB 540 eligible
  • The $3,500 financial award is designed to enable students to participate in mentor-led scholarship and mentoring activities for 7 weeks in Summer 2026 for approximately 20 hours per week. These weeks may be non-contiguous. This engagement may occur in-person, virtually, or hybrid as required by the project. Depending on the project, an alternative but equivalent timeline may be utilized. 
  • Students who graduate in Spring 2026 are eligible to apply. All continuing students (e.g., enrolled in Summer or Fall 2026) are eligible to apply.

More about Applying

Many of the mentors listed may have time to email/meet with you prior to the application deadline to further discuss their projects. You are encouraged to ask if the mentors listed have this capacity and to meet with them, if so! This might be in office hours or by appointment.

Each application will contain the following sections (each with a maximum of 500 words). 
Directions about these different sections are provided as part of the application.

  1. Personal Statement (general; applies to all projects to which you are applying)
  2. Benefits Statement (general; applies to all projects to which you are applying)
  3. Project-specific Interest Statement (submit one for each project to which you are applying)
  4. Project-specific Preparation Statement (submit one for each project to which you are applying)

Note: prior to Fall 2026 this program was titled "Summer Undergraduate Research Program".