SPUR – Programs and Disciplines

The chart below provides a quick reference of participating summer programs at UCLA and their related academic fields. Additional research programs available at UCLA during the summer, see other UCLA programs.

 

Program Name Open to Depts/Disciplines Academic Level
Amgen Scholars Program Biochemistry; Bioengineering; Bioinformatics; Biopsychology; Biotechnology; Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering; Chemistry; Immunology; Medical Pharmacology; Microbiology; Molecular, Cell & Developmental Biology; Molecular Genetics; Molecular Medicine; Molecular Pharmacology; Neurobiology; Neuroscience; Pathology; Physiological Psychology; Physiological Science; Statistics; Toxicology.
Sophomores (with 4 quarters or 3 semesters of college experience), Juniors and non-graduating Seniors who are returning in the fall to continue their undergraduate experience.
Bioscience Scholars Program (formerly known as SPUR LABS) Bioscience Scholars Program solicits applications from outstanding students whose goal is to pursue a career in bioscience research. The program aims to prepare and inspire a diverse population of undergraduates for graduate study in biosciences. Students from underrepresented or economically disadvantaged backgrounds are encouraged to apply. Rising Juniors & Seniors
Bruins-in-Genomics (B.I.G. Summer) Life and physical science departments, computer science and bioengineering.  Students should have some background in programming, biology, and interest in genomics.

Applications must be submitted directly to the Bruins-in-Genomics (B.I.G) Program website. Learn more and apply. For more information please email: bigsummer@ucla.edu.

Masters and undergraduate students are encouraged to apply. Preference will be given to students planning to apply to graduate school in Fall 2023 or Fall 2024.
Brain Research Institute Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (BRISURE) For Minority Access to Research Careers (MARC) scholars in Neuroscience or Physiology. Rising Juniors and Seniors; open to current CSU/HBCU/MARC students
California State University (CSU) Sally Casanova Pre-Doctoral Scholars Program Must already be a California State University Sally Casanova Predoctoral Scholar. Juniors, Seniors and Master’s-Level Students.
Community College Field Biology Alliance Open to all disciplines. Open to currently enrolled full time community college students. 
The Diversity Project Biology, Ecology, Evolution, Marine Biology, Environmental Science and related disciplines. Some funding dedicated to students from Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs) and Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).
Preferences for rising juniors and seniors, but well-qualified rising sophomores are encouraged to apply.
HBCU – Evolutionary Medicine Must be student at an HBCU institution.

Interdisciplinary interest in ecology and evolutionary biology, anthropology, psychology, zoology, systems biology and microbiology with medicine.

Current junior or senior.
Maximizing Access to Research Careers (MARC) U* STAR Program  Open to Life/Physical Sciences or Engineering majors who are conducting research (or planning to conduct research) with a “biomedical” application.  For UCLA students only. Junior or senior standing (completed 90 or more units) by the time that the student will begin as a MARC trainee, AND have two years remaining at UCLA at the start of the program. 
Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship Writing and Research Training Program Open to students who are currently Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellows at their home institutions.
Rising juniors and seniors
Summer Nursing Program Nursing Rising Seniors

U.S. citizen or permanent resident. For qualified nursing students currently holding undergraduate junior status. Preference is
given to first-generation college students and applicants who are attending Historically Black Colleges and Universities
(HBCU), Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSI), Minority Serving Institutions (MSI), Tribal Colleges and Universities Programs
(TCUP). Cumulative, minimum GPA of 2.80.

 

Summer Training for Excellence in Education Research (STEER) Applications must be undergraduates from Howard University, Spelman College, Morehouse College, and Delaware State University and interested in pursuing a PhD in Education
Juniors and Seniors may apply
University of California Leadership Excellence through Advanced Degrees (UC LEADS) 2nd Summer Must already be in the UC system-wide UC LEADS Program. Open to all departments and disciplines in Science, Engineering & Math.

 

Open to 2nd-Summer UC LEADS STUDENTS (those from other UC campuses who have completed their first year in the program).
UCLA-HSI SOMA Summer Fellows Must be student at a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI).   Undergraduate Students
UCLA-HBCU Neuroscience Pathways Program
Open to all HBCU undergraduate students. Open to rising Juniors and Seniors from any HBCU institution.
UCLA Neuroscience Scholars Program (NeuroScholars) Neuroscience, Physiological Sciences, Psychobiology, and other neurobiology-related fields. Sophomores and junior undergraduates. Candidates must be enrolled at UCLA or any other accredited University in the US.
Vision Science Summer Research Program  Open to life science majors; pre-med Rising Junior or Senior.