Mayo Clinic Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF)

Opportunity Description:

The Mayo Clinic SURF Program has helped thousands of undergraduate students explore their interests in research. As a summer fellow, you will be immersed in research opportunities. You’ll gain valuable experience in the lab and work closely with your mentor on a research project designed specifically for summer students.

Program highlights include:

• Mentors. The daily experience of learning from Mayo Clinic faculty, postdoctoral fellows, graduate students, medical students, and others who are farther along their career paths.
• Real-world research insight and experience. The excitement of gaining hands-on experience with real-world research projects at a major medical center. And, because the questions they are studying are at the forefront of science, many students earn acknowledgment or co-authorship in articles submitted to professional publications.
• Top-notch scientists. The opportunities they had for close collaboration with nationally and internationally recognized scientists.
• Modern facilities. The chance to learn how to use world-class instrumentation in state of the art research facilities.
• Community. Great times living, learning, and working with the whole SURF community.

Projects are available in the following research areas:

• Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
• Biomedical Engineering and Physiology
• Clinical and Translation Sciences
• Immunology
• Molecular Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics
• Neuroscience
• Regenerative Sciences
• Virology and Experiments

Minimum Qualifications and/or Eligibility Requirements: 

You can apply for the Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Program if you:

• Are currently an undergraduate student and have completed two or three years (a rising junior or senior) at a U.S. college or university at the time the SURF program begins
• Have a grade point average of at least 3.0 (4.0 scale)
• Are seriously considering a biomedical research career as a Ph.D. or M.D.-Ph.D.

International students who are attending a U.S.-based institution as a full-time student are also eligible to apply if they meet the above requirements.

Application Process: 

Complete the following steps to apply:

1. Create an account to begin the online Application for Admission
   • Select - Mayo Clinic Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences
   • Select – Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF)
2. Complete each section of the application and submit
3. After submission, view the required Supplemental Items and Documents
   • Upload each required item in the Supplemental Items section 
   • Complete the Recommendation Request section

Additional required items include:

• Personal statement to include a one to two page description of your career goals, and the steps you have already taken to achieve those goals.
• Unofficial transcripts of courses from all colleges or universities attended may be uploaded in the Supplemental Items area for application purposes. An official transcript is preferred.
• Two letters of recommendation (including letters from research mentors) are required. Within the Recommendation Request section, you will provide contact information for each letter writer. Each recommender will receive an email with a link to complete a rating form and upload a letter.

If you are selected as a SURF fellow, you will be matched with a mentor in the research area you have selected. Offers of acceptance will go out by email on a rolling basis from mid-February through mid-March. After the acceptance process is complete, the remaining applicants will be notified by email.

Application Deadline: