Summer Scholars Program

The Summer Scholars 2025 application is open! All application materials are due by February 21, 2025.

We will be holding info sessions in January, but in the meantime, you can check out a recording of an info session from Jan 22, 2024 here. 

Interested in seeing some of last year’s posters? Check it out.

About the Program

What’s your obsession? Particle physics? History of dance? Early American political poetry? Crepidula Fornicata? Kant? Spend this summer working closely with a faculty mentor and a cohort of like-minded nerds from across the disciplines in Tufts’ Summer Scholars program.

The Summer Scholars program funds rising juniors and seniors to pursue ten-week independent research projects. As part of the program, you will work closely with a faculty mentor to create a poster to present at a poster session in the fall. Summer Scholars then present the next stage of your research at the Undergraduate Research Symposium in the spring. Often, the summer project will culminate in your senior honors thesis.

The program is open to Tufts undergraduates currently in their second or third year of study with a minimum GPA of 3.0. Each student can only apply with one faculty mentor, and each faculty mentor is limited to apply with one student. Faculty mentors must be Tufts faculty, and can come from any of the Schools.

Applicants in the fine arts should upload 5-10 images or recordings to a Box folder as well as a document briefly describing each piece, and add anne.moore@tufts.edu as a collaborator. (.pdf) or (.jpg) format is preferred.

You can see a preview of the application here.

For information about the selection process, see this read-only PDF of a sample rubric.

To download the Programs Requirements, see Program Requirements.

Applications are due February 21st, 2025, at 5 p.m. EST. If you have any questions, please contact anne.moore@tufts.edu.

Application Materials

• A series of short-answer questions
• A 1-2 page CV or resume
• A copy of your transcript(s)
• A brief abstract, in accessible language, free from jargon or acronyms
• A 750-word project proposal that you author yourself
• A brief description of how your research will change if conducted remotely
• A letter of collaboration, co-authored with your faculty mentor
• A signed copy of the Program Requirements
• Fine arts applicants should upload 5-10 images or recordings to a Box folder as well as a document briefly describing each piece and add anne.moore@tufts.edu as a collaborator. PDF or JPG format preferred. 
• Two letters of recommendation, sent directly to anne.moore@tufts.edu. Neither letter can come from your faculty mentor or someone associated with your lab, and at least one letter needs to come from a Tufts faculty member.

Expectations and Award

The Award

• $3500 for living expenses 
• $1000 research budget for the student, available to you until you graduate
• $1000 research award for the faculty mentor, deposited directly into their research account
• Housing  scholarships are available to students who receive financial aid from Tufts. This scholarship consists of a room in Hill Hall through first and second Summer Session, as well as a full meal plan. 
• Note: for international students, stipends are taxed upfront up to 30% depending on your country of origin. You can recoup this money by filing a 1042-S form when you file your taxes.

Expectations

The Summer Scholars program is a full-time commitment. As such, students may not simultaneously pursue full-time employment. Students may work 5-10 hours per week if approved by Anne Moore. Additionally, students may not take summer classes or participate in internships while participating in the program. Students need to commit to the program full-time for at least ten weeks.

Each faculty member can only apply with one student. 

Students are expected to present their work three times:

• At a two-day conference at the end of the second summer session
• At a poster session in the fall
• At the Undergraduate Research and Scholarship Symposium the following spring

Students can conduct research abroad, but must secure an affiliation in their host country to do so. For more information, see our official policy on student travel.

While the dates of the ten-week program are flexible, we do ask that those students who are not conducting their research abroad be on campus for the end-of-year conference, which is held during the final week of Summer Session II.

Funding

The Tufts Summer Scholars Program is funded by the Office of the Provost and by generous gifts from:

Andrew Bendetson, A81, in honor of Laura and Martin Bendetson; Steven J. Eliopoulos, A89; Will Evans, Esq., A92; Michael A. Ewald, A94; Dr. Wyllys “Chip” Terry, A91 and Dr. Dellara “Lara” Farmanfarmaian Terry, J91,  James F. Fowler, A02 and Catherine  Fowler Antonelli, A05; Kimberly D. Gatof, Ph.D., J82 and Robert S. Gatof, A81; Shailesh G. Jejurikar and Sankhya S. Jejurikar, A17P, A20P; George C. Kokulis, A82, A11P, A16P and Susan A. Kokulis, A11P, A16P; John L. Kokulis, E81; Richard R. Miselis, V.M.D., Ph.D., A67; Ashleigh E. Nelson, J97, and Justin D. Nelson, A98; Ashvin I. Patel, M.D., A84, M88 and Vidisha A. Patel, Ed.D., in honor of IshvarbhaiS. Patel and Remaben I. Patel; Julia Reidhead, A21P; Kenneth Usdin, A95; Mark D. Young, A74, A03P and Rachel A. Carren, J76, A03P; and the Board of Trustees in honor of former Chairman, Mr. Nathan Gantcher, A62, H04. 

The program is also supported by the Schwartz-Paddock Family Fellowships in the Visual and Performing Arts, the Helen and Werner Lob Student Research Fund in Economics, and the Christopher Columbus Discovery Summer Scholarships for research spanning disciplinary boundaries. The Summer Scholars Program is administered by the Office of Undergraduate Education

2025 Application Timeline   

Summer Scholars in the News

• Read about how 2016 Summer Scholar Jenny Skerker explored air quality in Boston
• Read about 2022 Summer Scholar Izaiah Rhodes's art installation and research on the history of lynchings.