Summer Research Program Application FAQ's

All participants must be at least eighteen years old, continuously matriculating at a 2 or 4-year college or University and must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident to apply. 

• Applicants' GPA must be 2.70 or higher and must be in good academic standing.
• Participants MUST have proof of health insurance coverage prior to acceptance to the program.
• College seniors who will have graduated by the time the program starts in June are not eligible for the program.

Funding Sources:

• National Institutes of Health (NIH) National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute and
• Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE) UMass Chan Provost’s Office

1. Do I have to complete my online application or can I save it? You can go back and complete your application a section at a time. If you do not complete the page and hit “next” it will not be saved. Only applications completed by the deadline will be considered.

2. What if I forget my “password”? Use the login page and “click” Reset password, an email will be sent to you to reset your password.

3. How do I check the “status” of my application?  When you log in to view your application, your application status will be located on the dashboard with one of the following:

• Pending - In process of filling in application.
• Submitted - Application is filled out, with Transcripts, Personal Statement Resume.
• Completed - Application is complete when all supporting documents and LOR’s have been submitted with the application before March 1st deadline. 

4. Do I need to provide an Official Transcript? Students offered acceptance or placed on the alternate list must have the Registrar at their current institution submit an official transcript that includes the spring 2025-semester courses or a letter from Registrar by email or mail confirming spring 2025 enrollment. Students who fail to meet this requirement will not be able to participate in the program.

5. Who can I ask for letters of recommendation? Best letters are written by faculty who know you, whom you have taken multiple classes and/or have completed substantial projects and/or have received very positive evaluations.

Applicants should enter the recommender’s professional email address. The application generates an email requesting the recommender to complete an online LOR form to the applicant’s application. Once you've completed the application and have entered recommenders professional email addresses, click "submit" for your page to save and send the LOR requests.

Letters of Recommendation require a professional email address to be considered. Only emails from institutional email addresses will be accepted (i.e. @college.edu, @lab.gov or @hospital.org). E-mails from non-institutional (i.e. @yahoo.com, @gmail.com, @ymail.com, etc.) will NOT be accepted. Only online letters of recommendation can be accepted. 

6. How do I know what letter of recommendation is missing? When you log in to view your application, located on the dashboard is an "LOR Received" column with "Yes or No".

7. When I enter the income it gives an error message, why? When entering income use ONLY numbers. No dollar signs or comas.

8. If the name of my college is not listed, how do I enter it? Select "other" from the drop-down menu and fill out the information requested.