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REU Application Form

REU Application Summer 2026

When you begin the application, below, please have an unofficial copy of your academic transcript(s) ready to upload (jpeg, PDF, png, etc).

You may upload your resume - this is optional.

To complete your application, please ask a professor, research mentor, or advisor to upload their letter of recommendation here: https://www.bu.edu/photonics-programs/reu-lor/

Eligibility

Citizenship and Residency Status(Required)

US Citizen

US Permanent Resident

Other

Our 2026 REU opportunities are only available to US citizens and permanent residents. We hope to offer REU opportunities that are open to non-citizens in future years. Please stop your application here.

Contact Information

First Name(Required)

Last Name(Required)

Email(Required)

Cell Phone(Required)

Your LinkedIn URL (if you have one)

Your Permanent / Home Address

Street Address(Required)

Street Address Line 2

City(Required)

State(Required)

Zip Code(Required)

How did you hear about our program? Please check all that apply.(Required)

Conference

Faculty member at your college

NSF search site

Posting on job or internship board

Friend or fellow student

Social Media (Instagram, LinkedIn, ...)

Other

Demographic Information

Date of Birth(Required)

Gender Identity(Required)

Preferred Pronouns

How do you identify yourself in terms of race and ethnicity? Please select all that apply.(Required)

American Indian or Alaska Native

Asian

Black or African American

Hispanic or Latino/a/e

Middle Eastern or North African

Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander

White

Prefer to self-describe

Untitled

Are you a US veteran or active member of the US military (including reserves)?(Required)

Yes

No

Are you a first-generation college student? (Being first-gen means that your parents did not complete a 4-year college or university degree.)(Required)

Yes

No

Have you received a Pell Grant?(Required)

Yes

No

Current Undergraduate Status

Your current undergraduate institution(Required)

City and state of your current undergraduate institution(Required)

Current institution type(Required)

4-Year Public College

4-Year Private College

2-Year College

Year in college at the time of this application(Required)

First Year

Second Year

Third Year

Fourth Year

Fifth Year

If you transferred to your current institution, please list previous post-secondary academic institution(s) and any degrees earned.

Current cumulative GPA out of 4.0(Required)

Major/Minor(Required)

Expected month/year of graduation(Required)

The date you expect to be finished with final exams for spring semester 2026(Required)

Research Interests and Motivation

Please list any skills you have that are relevant to research. Research skills are wide ranging. Some examples are programming languages, statistical analysis, device design, machine shop experience, 3D printing, cell culturing, microscopy, etc. (Even if you have no laboratory research experience, you've likely acquired skills in classes or clubs.)(Required)

If you have prior laboratory research experience, please briefly describe. If none, please type "NA."(Required)

If you have (non-research) work or volunteer experience, please briefly list or describe. If none, please type "NA."(Required)

Please tell us about your general research interests and career goals. What motivates your interests in science and engineering? Which classes or prior experiences sparked your curiosity and passion?(Required)

Please identify specific research areas that interest you – for example, photonics, biomechanics, biomaterials, neuroscience, robotics, translating science from the lab to the clinic, tissue engineering, etc. Please feel free to mention specific projects or faculty mentors whose work interests you. This information can help us place you in a lab.(Required)

Please explain why you wish to participate in this REU program at Boston University. How will this REU experience support your academic and career goals?(Required)

Any other information that you would like us to know.

Documents for Upload

Unofficial Academic Transcript from Current Institution(Required)

Max. file size: 100 MB.

Previous transcript(s) from other colleges if not included above (optional)

Max. file size: 100 MB.

Resume (optional)

Max. file size: 100 MB.

One Letter of Recommendation Requirement(Required)

I understand

Please ask a professor or advisor who knows your work and potential to upload their letter of recommendation at our LoR portal: https://www.bu.edu/photonics-programs/reu-lor/.

Your application is not complete until we receive this letter.

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