Lantern Grants

NSF Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU)

REU funds undergraduate research, either as a whole site that hosts a cohort each summer or as a supplement to an existing NSF award.

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What it funds

REU Sites: a research and mentoring program for a group of undergraduates, typically about ten weeks each summer, with stipends, housing and travel. REU Supplements add students to an existing NSF project.

Who can apply

U.S. institutions and organizations apply. Participating students must be U.S. citizens, nationals or permanent residents; sites are encouraged to recruit students with limited research opportunities at their home institutions.

Award size

Site budgets scale with the number of students and weeks; many sites host 8 to 10 students a year.

Duration

Sites are usually funded for 3 years (5 for some renewals).

How applications are reviewed

Intellectual Merit and Broader Impacts, with attention to the research projects, mentoring, recruitment and evaluation.

Deadlines

REU Site proposals are due once a year (recently in late August); supplements follow the program's own timing.

Our summary, checked against NSF guidance in October 2026. Rules, budgets and dates change: always confirm in the current announcement before you apply.

Open NSF REU calls

Recently funded NSF REU awards

Writing guides

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