Intensive Research Experience

According to the Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR), intensive research experiences over the summer are a best practice for students. The Office of Undergraduate Research's (OUR) Summer Undergraduate Research Program helps support students in full-time research endeavors during the 8-week summer session. 

Selected students will conduct research under the guidance of a full-time tenured or tenure-track faculty member (Primary Investigator [PI]) at Kennesaw State University. Faculty and students will be paid a stipend in order to work collaboratively full-time on a research project.

This is a competitive process with specific application requirements and post-award procedures. Two mechanisms of funding are described below for internally funded and externally funded student scholars. Terms of this funding opportunity are subject to change at the discretion of the Executive Director of Undergraduate Research. Please contact our@kennesaw.edu for questions.

Summer with SURP: Summer Undergraduate Research in the News

Program Guidelines & Information

The intention of this program is to provide undergraduate research students and Primary Investigators (PIs) the opportunity and support for full-time research over the 8-week summer session. To that effect, the Office of Undergraduate Research serves as the sole-employer for students accepted into the program during this time period, and maintains expectations to that of a full-time work experience. 

Summer scholars cannot enroll in any course during the 8-week summer session (within KSU or other institutions) because the workload for summer courses is intended to be high, and we do not want to incentivize students to overwork themselves. The only exception is the zero-credit HLE course for Honors College students.

View the explanation of credit hours and time spent on the class.

Student Eligibility: Primary Investigator (PI) Eligibility:
  • Degree seeking student, consistently enrolled in classes at Kennesaw State University
  • Minimum GPA of 3.0
  • Enrolled in classes the following fall semester 
  • Undergraduate student who will not graduate until at least one semester after the program ends
  • Has not previously participated in the Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP)
  • Has already identified a faculty research mentor* with whom to work on research in the summer

International Student Considerations:

  • International students on H-4, L-2, R-2, or E-2 dependent visas are not eligible for stipend payments, and therefore cannot be considered for SURP
    • Visa status must allow for work authorization in order to receive stipend payments
    • Student "volunteers" are not allowed to participate in a program where other students are being compensated for the same work
  • The Office of Undergraduate Research recommends students falling into those categories get involved in undergraduate research through the following options:
  • Full-time tenured or tenure-track faculty member at Kennesaw State University
  • Available to actively mentor the student for the entire 8-week summer session (no planned extended personal/professional leave or traveling during this time)
  • Has already identified a student* with whom to work on research in the summer
  • Has a well-defined project or multiple projects which the student will work on during the 8-week summer session
  • Eligible for the entire stipend payment ($4000) without exceeding the summer payment cap
    • Faculty members who cannot receive the full payment without exceeding the summer salary cap, are not eligible for SURP.
    • Please check your summer commitments before applying.

 
*Please note: While we encourage multiple student/faculty partnerships to apply, only one (1) student per PI will be accepted.

Post-Award Instructions:

  • Upon notification of awards, student/faculty pairs will have five (5) business days to sign the SURP MOU as acknowledgment & acceptance of the position.
    • Failure to do so (or to notify the Office of Undergraduate Research of any delays) will be considered a forfeiture.

Accepted Student Requirements:

  • Required to work 40 hours per week during the entire 8-week summer session
  • Required to attend professional development workshops in-person (not virtually)
    • See schedule below
  • Required to submit an abstract and actively present at the Fall Symposium of Student Scholars
  • Required to work supervised by a full-time tenured or tenure-track faculty member
  • Required to abide by the KSU Codes of Conduct at all times, including proper usage of institutional resources and funding
  • Required to complete bi-weekly progress reports and an End of Program Experience Survey

Failure to complete these requirements will result in ineligibility for future OUR funding for a minimum of one (1) year.

Accepted PI Requirements:

  • Required to actively mentor the accepted student for the entire 8-week summer session
  • Required to attend first (orientation) and last (wrap-up) professional development workshop
  • Required to complete bi-weekly progress reports and an End of Program Experience Survey
  • Required to commit a minimum of 1-hour to judge at the Symposium of Student Scholars, each semester

As this program provides a funding resource for the accepted research projects, the Office of Undergraduate Research maintains the above requirements for all Primary Investigators (PIs) accepted into the program. These requirements, particularly the progress reports and survey, are vital to collecting data on how the funding is being utilized, as we rely on the PIs to relay this information to us. Should an audit of Office of Undergraduate Research funding usage be requested, this is our current reporting method.

Failure to complete these requirements will result in ineligibility for future OUR funding for a minimum of one (1) year.

 

  • Students will earn a stipend of $4,000.*
    • The stipend will be awarded in three (3) payments
      • Payment one: June ($2000)
      • Payment two: July ($1500)
      • Payment three: November ($500)
  • Accepted students must show a commitment to the stated working hours and attending the professional development workshops in order to receive the second payment
  • The Symposium requirement must be fulfilled to receive the final payment
    The Office of Undergraduate Research cannot cover the cost of living expenses, including but not limited to:
    • Housing (dorm or off-campus)
    • Transportation/Parking

*Please note: International Student payments are taxed at a higher rate, and therefore final payments will be less than what is noted.

  • PIs will earn a stipend of $4,000*

*Please check with your Chair or Faculty Affairs Coordinator to ensure you are eligible for the full payment, before applying

  • Accepted projects can apply for additional summer funding for supplies and/or materials (excluding participant gift cards) needed to conduct the research
    • The available amount varies based on funding, but more details will be provided upon acceptance to the program.
  • A supplies order form will be provided upon acceptance to the program.
    • Due to the end of fiscal year requirements, there may be a tight deadline for ordering, so please be prepared to submit your requests in a timely manner
       

How to Apply:

Students Seeking Internally Funded Positions

A limited number of internally funded summer research scholars by the Office of Undergraduate Research will be selected by a review panel that will be assembled by the Director of Undergraduate Research to evaluate applications from student/faculty pairs.  

Apply Here
  • The application must be started by the student applicant, and they must complete their section by Wednesday, March 11th at 11:59pm
  • The Primary Investigator (PI) section should be completed within 5-7 business days of receipt, but no later than Wednesday, March 18th at 11:59pm
Application to Seek Internally Funded Positions:
  • Student Application [to ensure that the student has a general understanding of the research project, and is not just copy/pasting information from the PI, each section of the student application must be written by the student in their own words] 
    1. Abstract: 100 words maximum
      • Please note that applications with abstracts exceeding the maximum word count will be disqualified
    2. Full Project Description: 750 words maximum. Required sections:
      • Significance/Introduction with citations from previous research
      • Methods
      • Expected Results and Timeline
    3. References/Works Cited/Bibliography (these are the sources used in the project description). Your References/Works Cited section should adhere to the formatting for your discipline (e.g., MLA, Chicago, APA, IEEE).
      • This will be a file upload
  • Primary Investigator Application (will be auto-routed once the student application section is completed)
    1. Previous Office of Undergraduate Research funding received in the last 3 fiscal years
    2. Recommendation letter: Maximum one (1) page single-spaced on letterhead and signed (12-point font, 1-inch margins).
      • In the letter, the PI should address the following at minimum:
        • How long and in what capacity you've known the student.
        • Previous work together and any outcomes from the work (for example, grant applications, presentations, publications, student awards, scholarships).
        • Ability of the student to complete this work in the time frame.
    3. Please list any additional summer obligations (i.e. travel, teaching hours, etc.)
    4. Student's Weekly Schedule
      • Over the 8-wk session, please indicate, week by week, what tasks the student will be required to complete
      • Please note: Your bi-weekly progress reports will ask for a status update on the provided schedule 
    5. Has this project been granted IRB or IACUC approval (if applicable)?
      • Yes (provide IRB or IACUC number)
      • No (provide timeline of approval)
    6. Anticipated long-term deliverables

Please note that submitting any additional materials that were not requested, may lead to application disqualification. 

Please note: If the PI section is not submitted by the deadline, the application will be considered incomplete. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

Students with External Funding

The Office of Undergraduate Research would like to strongly encourage students in seeking external funding to conduct research over the summer while remaining at Kennesaw State University under the guidance of a full-time tenure-track faculty. This mechanism is to encourage our student scholars to compete on a national or an international level to bring pride to Kennesaw State University. The application must be initiated by the student or student/faculty pair. This mechanism also encourages faculty to mentor and discover students who are competitive in external awards.

For students receiving external funds for performing research on campus during the summer, the OUR will provide a matching stipend for Primary Investigators (PIs) at the discretion of the Director of Undergraduate Research. Student scholars who receive external fellowship/scholarships for work performed under the guidance of a full-time KSU faculty member will be featured in news stories from the Office of Research.

Limited funds for supplies will also be provided. Work must be performed under the supervision of full-time tenured or tenure-track faculty at Kennesaw State University. Students are allowed to apply for internal funded positions while pursuing external ones. For faculty to receive summer stipends, proof of acceptance for externally funded students must be provided to the OUR. Please email this documentation to our@kennesaw.edu.

Documents for Summer 2026 will be accepted January 14, 2026 - March 18, 2026

Accepted Student Professional Development Activities

Students in the Summer Undergraduate Research Program will participate in in-person meetings with the other students in the program and staff from the Office of Undergraduate Research. The PIs should attend the first (orientation) and last (wrap-up) meetings.

Date Time Location(s) Topic

 

Wednesday June 3, 2026

11:00am

Academic Learning Center (ALC) 5500 (Kennesaw Campus)

 

Orientation (Students & PIs)

3:30pm

 (Marietta Campus)

 

Tuesday June 16, 2026

11:00am

Academic Learning Center (ALC) 5500 (Kennesaw Campus)

 

Elevator Speeches

3:30pm

(Marietta Campus)

 

Tuesday June 30, 2026

11:00am

Academic Learning Center (ALC) 5500 (Kennesaw Campus)

 

Resumes and Curriculum Vitaes (CVs) 

3:30pm

(Marietta Campus)
Wednesday July 15, 2026

11:00am

Academic Learning Center (ALC) 5500 (Kennesaw Campus)

 Snacks and Speeches with the VP of Research, Dr. Karin Scarpinato

Tuesday July 21, 2026

 

11:00am

Academic Learning Center (ALC) 5500 (Kennesaw Campus)

 

Practice Symposium Presentations

3:30pm

 (Marietta Campus)
Thursday July 23, 2026

12:00pm

Academic Learning Center (ALC) 5500 (Kennesaw Campus)

Wrap-Up Pizza Party (Students and PIs)

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

  • The student portion must be submitted by Wednesday, March 11, 2026 at 11:59pm

    The PI sections must be submitted by Wednesday, March 18, 2026 at 11:59pm

  • The following criteria are used to evaluate the applications submitted:

    • Extent of prior working relationship between the student and the PI
    • Extent to which the project advances work in that field and represents a quality undergraduate research project
    • Degree to which the timeline is feasible for an 8-week summer session working 40 hours per week
    • Quality of writing
    • Word counts on application form not exceeded
    • Application guidelines were met, and no unrequested "extra" documents were submitted
  • We will accept up to 35 students into the program.
  • The 8-week session dates for 2026 are Wednesday, June 3, 2026 - Thursday, July 23, 2026

  • The Office of Undergraduate Research cannot help with door access; however, there are two ways PIs can mitigate this challenge:

    Before the end of the spring semester create an "Access Group" through Door Access for the required space(s) and add the student to that group.

    OR

    The PI's department must register the student as a "visitor" through KSU's Human Resources Department

  • In the past, we've heard from students that when the PIs have a lot of other obligations in the summer, they are sometimes less available for their students and less able to effectively mentor such an intensive research experience. In order to make sure that both the student and the PI have the best possible experience, we want to make sure that the supervisors are not overcommitted.

  • This program requires students to work 40 hours per week for 8 straight weeks. This experience can be isolating for students working on individual projects, so we wanted to provide a forum for students to interact with other students in the program. In addition, it's helpful for students to see research in other disciplines and to see how others approach activities like making a resume, making a poster, etc. 

    In addition, the professional development activities help the students become connected to the Office of Undergraduate Research and helps OUR staff become better acquainted with the students in the program. SURP students are often tapped for promotional stories and events because the OUR knows the students and their work so well.

    Finally, most intensive summer undergraduate research experiences include professional development activities; see, for example, Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REUs) site descriptions from the National Science Foundation (NSF). 

  • This program is made possible through state funding, and as such, we are required to demonstrate that the funding was used appropriately and effectively. Being able to show a strong Return on Investment (ROI) of this funding allows us to show that the funding is impactful. Completing reports is required for external funding sources like NIH and NSF, and it is required for internal funding sources as well.