Off-Campus SURF
ForecastedInternal — California Institute of Technology only
Off-Campus SURF supports Caltech undergraduates conducting summer research with mentors at universities in the United States or abroad, fostering intellectual ownership and potential for publication.
Funder: California Institute of Technology
Due Dates (Anticipated): March 2027 (Application and recommendation letters)
Funding Amounts: Ten-week award; off-campus mentors are asked to fund half the award and all research costs
Summary: Supports Caltech undergraduates conducting in-person research with an off-campus mentor in the United States or abroad.
Key Information: Applicants must attend an Off-Campus SURF Information Session and secure a Caltech faculty associate mentor.
Description
Off-Campus SURF allows Caltech students to undertake a Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship with a mentor at another university in the United States or abroad. Administered by Caltech’s Student-Faculty Programs (SFP) office, it follows the standard SURF application framework while requiring research in person at the host mentor’s home institution. A Caltech faculty associate mentor in an aligned research area helps ensure the proposed project meets Caltech’s academic standards.
Projects should have significant intellectual and creative content, allow students to take intellectual ownership, and offer potential for publication in refereed literature. The work must be feasible within ten weeks. SFP offers cost-sharing for the most competitive applications, while students must consider the additional costs of travel, housing, visas, and any host-institution fees.
