Summer Research Experience for High School & Undergraduate Students and Science Teachers

Year	Date
2025	Mar 18
2026	Mar 17
2027	Mar 17

Purpose
To provide high quality research experience for students or high school teachers during the summer academic break. This NOFO encourages applications from applicant organizations that propose innovative mentoring and professional development activities in the mission area(s) of the NINDS, NEI, NIDCR, NIDA, NIEHS, and NIBIB.

PD/PI Eligibility
Established investigators

Appointee Eligibility
-US citizens and Permanent Residents from the following career stages:
-High School
-Undergraduate
-High School Science Teachers

Institution Eligibility
U.S. domestic institutions

Additional Information

The NIH Summer Research Experience Program is an award to provide high quality research experiences for high school and/or college students or high school science teachers for 8-15 weeks during the summer academic break. R25 programs that propose at least 8 weeks, but fewer than 15 weeks, of full-time research experiences during the summer may request continued part-time support for the participants to work on their research projects during the school year, up to the equivalent of a total of 15 weeks of full-time participation, as long as the entire research experience is completed within a 12-month period.

All programs are expected to promote inclusive research environments, i.e., institutional and departmental environments in which trainees from all backgrounds feel integrated into and supported by the biomedical community and outline their efforts in an Enhancing Educational Inclusivity Statement.

NINDS will support applications focusing on summer research experiences that address or seek fundamental knowledge about the brain and nervous system by supporting and conducting research on the healthy and diseased brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nerves and to use that knowledge to reduce the burden of neurological disease. NINDS also encourages activities focused on understanding and addressing disparities in neurologic health, healthcare, and health outcomes in disparate populations, including racial and ethnic minorities, the geographically disadvantaged, and others who have been historically underserved, marginalized, and adversely affected by persistent inequality and socioeconomic disadvantage. NINDS supports basic, translational, and clinical research.

NINDS will support a maximum of two awards per institution (identified by a unique DUNS number) at any time: one focused on students and one focused on science teachers, except with strong justification.

Please note that the Summer R25 is an institutional grant for institutions to apply for and manage. NINDS does not handle admissions for funded R25 programs. If you're a parent or student seeking research opportunities, visit RePORTER for a list of NINDS-funded Summer R25 programs.

Applicants are strongly encouraged to consult with the Scientific/Research Contact, Dr. Marguerite Matthews, to be advised on the appropriateness of the intended project for Summer R25 program objectives and the priorities of NINDS.