ABF Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship Program
Forecasted
ABF Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship Program supports undergraduates in mentored legal and social science research to introduce research careers and broaden inclusion in academia.
This grant was recently updated
Applications now cover the 2027 cycle, with a deadline of January 14, 2026, replacing the 2026 cycle’s January 16, 2026, 11:59 PM CST deadline; the application portal also changed. Fellows are now described as developing an original research proposal from an initial idea with faculty mentorship, rather than assisting faculty projects.
Funder: American Bar Foundation
Due Dates (Anticipated): January 2027 (Application deadline)
Funding Amounts: Four to five fellowships for eight weeks of full-time research
Summary: SURF introduces undergraduates to research careers through mentored empirical legal and social science research, with a focus on broader inclusion in academia.
Key Information: Fellows work full-time at the ABF offices in Chicago and enter with an initial research idea.
Description
The American Bar Foundation’s Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) provides hands-on training in empirical legal and social science research. Established in 1988, the program introduces undergraduates to the rewards and demands of research-oriented careers while promoting broader inclusion in academia. It focuses on breaking down barriers experienced by people from diverse backgrounds traditionally underrepresented in law and social science.
Each summer, four to five fellows spend eight weeks working full-time at the ABF offices in Chicago. Each fellow works closely with an ABF Research Professor, developing an initial research idea into an original research proposal. The experience combines participation in sociolegal research with a weekly law and society seminar and conversations with scholars and practitioners.
