Program Description | Eligibility Statement | Application Information | FAQ | Interview Guidelines | Proposal Guidelines | Announcements of Opportunity
Please read this entire page before beginning the application process!
The Application Process
Students must identify and contact a mentor, collaborate with the mentor to develop and define the research project, and write and submit a research proposal.
The Online SURF Application
All documents will be submitted directly to the SFP online system. The application
contains:
- An online application
- A proposal written by the student and uploaded to the application
- Two confidential letters of recommendation (at least one from
a faculty member)
- A confidential mentor evaluation of the applicant
Create an application at sfponline.caltech.edu
Identify a Mentor
It is the responsibility of the student to identify a suitable mentor: a member of the Caltech faculty, JPL technical staff, an off-campus mentor, or an international SURF mentor. Students who have not yet developed working relationships with faculty may review Announcements of Opportunity.
Off-Campus SURFs
Students may arrange a SURF project with a faculty member at another university.
Each off-campus SURF requires a Caltech Associate Mentor, perhaps your advisor
or another faculty member who can collaborate on the technical aspects of your
project and who will read your progress and final reports. The Associate Mentor
provides faculty oversight for off-campus SURFs.
Students should follow the procedures for on-campus SURFs, making
contact with potential mentors at the institution at which they want to do
a SURF. The SURF program may pay a portion of the summer award for the most
meritorious proposals. Some listings of off-campus research opportunities and
programs may be found here.
The Interview
A vital part of the SURF application process is the interaction between student and mentor prior to submission of the proposal. This is the best time to find out information about the project, the laboratory, and your role in the group. During the interview, you should develop your expectations of what it will be like to work in this group as well as the nature of your research project. Interview guidelines may be accessed here.
The Research Project
The most important factor in selecting a project is your enthusiasm for the project itself and for working with the mentor. Although most students seek projects in their options, SURF provides an opportunity to explore other fields. SURF is not "just a summer job"; a project should have significant intellectual and creative content. See Review Criteria below.
The Proposal
The proposal should be as technical and specific as you can make it as it will be read by people in the field. It must outline what you plan to do, and why it will be useful. The outline consists of theoretical and experimental techniques, how the work fits into the flow of the research in the field, and a work plan for the project. Proposals will be reviewed and evaluated by the mentor and by a member of the faculty or JPL technical staff in the project field. For further guidelines on writing an excellent proposal, access the Proposal Guidelines.
Recommendations
Recommendations are completed online with the
application form. The online application will request recommender contact information
from the student. The recommender will then be emailed directly and asked to
submit his or her recommendation into the online system. Students
are required to submit two letters of recommendation. At least one should be
from faculty member in the relevant field. The second may be from an RA, TA,
coach, or employer. If you have done a previous SURF with a different mentor,
that mentor should write one of your recommendations. Your
mentor will complete a separate evaluation and should not write a letter of
recommendation.
Review Criteria
Applications are judged on the following criteria:
- Research proposal is a clear description of the proposed project. It demonstrates the applicant's understanding of the nature and purpose of the project, how it relates to other work in the field, and it includes a work plan for accomplishing project goals.
- Proposed project allows student to take intellectual ownership and has potential for publication in refereed journal. Proposed project can be reasonably done in a 10-week period.
- Student is prepared for the project (coursework, experience, etc).
- Mentor and faculty have submitted supportive recommendations and evaluations.
Eligibility
To be eligible for SURF you must:
- Be a continuing undergraduate student
- Have a cumulative GPA of at least 2.0
- Complete the third term at Caltech, or at another school under a program approved by a Dean
- Be eligible for fall term registration before beginning your SURF project and no later than July 1.
- Not be under any disciplinary sanction
SURF Awards
Awards will be announced on April 1. Students will receive e-mail notification of the outcome of their applications and instructions and forms required to accept the award. Awards will be posted on the website.
