Summer Opportunities

Below, we've compiled several of the research and funding opportunities Harvard has to offer for undergrads over the summer. We've also included a few non-Harvard opportunities that Psychology students might be interested in!
 

Psych Department Research Opportunities - Summer 2024
 

Some Psychology department labs may have space for undergraduate summer research assistants. Please reach out directly to any labs you are interested in working with to ask about summer research opportunities.

  

Harvard-Wide Research Opportunities - Summer 2024
 

  • BLISS - Behavioral Laboratory in the Social Sciences Deadline extended to Monday, February 26, 2024, 12:00 PM EST. This is a 10-week program that provides room, partial board, and a small stipend to work in a social science laboratory on an established project. This program is NOT meant for independent projects or thesis research. It IS a great way for students to try out working in a lab for the first time or to try out a new lab topic. Several labs are from the psychology department or work on related topics in other schools or departments.
  • KRANIUM - Kempner Research in Artificial and Natural Intelligence for Undergraduates with Mentorship – Deadline is February 14, 2024: A 10-week summer program sponsored by the Kempner Institute as part of the Harvard Summer Undergraduate Research Village (HSURV). Fellows will live in one of the Harvard College houses with other fellows in the Summer Undergraduate Research Village. As part of KRANIUM, fellows will participate in rich programming, including both social and academic activities, and become members of a vibrant intellectual and social summer community.
  • PRIMO - Program for Research in Markets and Organizations Deadline is February 14, 2024, 11:59 PM EST. A 10-week summer program that aims to build community and stimulate creativity among Harvard undergraduate researchers in business and related fields. To participate, you must apply and be selected to work in one of the research areas which span diverse topics (finance, organizational behavior, marketing, etc.), disciplines (Psychology, Economics, Sociology), as well as methods (quantitative or qualitative). Successful fellows will be placed with pre-designed faculty projects at Harvard Business School. PRIMO fellows are offered Harvard campus housing, a partial board plan, and modest research support.
  • PRISE - Program for Research in Science and Engineering Deadline is February 14, 2024, 11:59 PM EST. Provides Harvard College students conducting research in the sciences (including neuroscience) and engineering with housing, possible stipend, and earnings requirement. Do not need to have summer plans finalized by mid-Feb but must be in the process of finding a lab position.
  • SHARP - Summer Humanities and Arts Research Program Deadline is February 14, 2024, 11:59 PM EST. A 10-week immersive summer program that aims to build community and stimulate creativity among a small cohort of Harvard undergraduate researchers in the humanities and arts. SHARP fellows work on research projects with Harvard-affiliated faculty, researchers, and senior library and museum staff. Fellows live together in one of the Harvard College houses and participate in rich evening programming that includes both social and academic activities. To participate in SHARP, you must apply and be selected to work on one of the available SHARP research projects.
  • SPUDS - Summer Program for Undergraduates in Data Science Deadline is February 14, 2024, 11:59 PM EST. A 10-week summer program that aims provide a formative and substantive data science research experience and to promote community, creativity, and scholarship amongst Harvard College students. SPUDS will support Fellows who are interested in data science applications across the arts, humanities, sciences and more. Prospective fellows should seek a research collaboration with a Harvard faculty host, and apply to SPUDS directly through the Office of Undergraduate Research and Fellowships. It is not necessary to have secured a research position by the SPUDS application deadline. Fellows will work with Harvard-affiliated researchers and live in one of the Harvard College houses with other fellows in the Summer Undergraduate Research Village.
  • The Summer Program in Biostatistics and Computational BiologyApplications due February 16, 2024. The Summer Program in Biostatistics and Computational Biology at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health is hosting its program on campus this year! The program, intended for undergraduate students and recent grads that are underrepresented in graduate education, provides a unique opportunity to learn about the use of quantitative methods for biological, environmental, and medical research alongside Harvard faculty, researchers, and graduate students.
  • SURGH - Summer Undergraduate Research in Global Health Program Deadline is February 4, 2024, 11:59 PM EST. SURGH offers Harvard undergraduates the opportunity to research critical issues in global health under the direction of a Harvard faculty or affiliate mentor. The program includes housing and a stipend.
  • Herchel Smith Undergraduate Science Research Program  Deadline is February 4, 2024, 11:59 PM EST. Supports undergraduates who are conducting a promising summer research project in mathematics, engineering, life, physical/natural or computer sciences. The project can be based anywhere in the world (including US), but must be affiliated with a university, lab or research enterprise and be highly substantive: at least 10-weeks in duration, full-time in commitment, and exhibiting some degree of autonomy and input by the applicant in its design and execution.
  • McLean Mental Health Research Summer Program  – Deadline is February 9, 2024, 11:59 PM EST. MMHRSP is a 10-week neuroscience and clinical psychology research experience for individuals from underrepresented groups in mental health research careers. MMHRSP offers hands-on, mentored research at McLean Hospital -- Harvard Medical School’s primary psychiatric teaching hospital. MMHRSP aims to increase representation in mental health research and careers (including neuroscience, clinical psychology, and psychiatry) by providing paid research opportunities, committed long-term mentorship, academic networking, and community engagement.

 

Non-Harvard Opportunities - Summer 2024
 

  • Hastings Center Summer Bioethics Program for Underrepresented Undergraduates - Applications due Friday, February 23, 2024 at 11:59 PM ET. Applications are now open for the 2024 Hastings Center Summer Bioethics Program for undergraduate students from underrepresented groups in bioethics. These groups include and are not limited to communities of color, Indigenous communities, rural residents, and students with disabilities. The five-day live online program will take place from June 3-7, 2024 (11am-5pm ET). Participants will have the opportunity to engage with distinguished scholars from around the country and learn about theoretical and applied issues in bioethics. Participants will develop skills in clarifying, explaining and justifying their views on topics in bioethics, and in listening with respect to divergent views. Students who complete all program requirements will receive a stipend of $500.
  • APA Summer Undergraduate Psychology Experience in Research (SUPER) Fellowships - Applications due Friday, March 1, 2024. Undergraduate students who are enrolled in the Fall 2024 term and committed to equity, diversity, and inclusion are encouraged to apply for the APA SUPER Fellowship, which provides a $4,000 stipend to the student to conduct summer laboratory research and $1,000 to their faculty host. Projects must be student-driven and supervised by a faculty member with sufficient resources to support the proposed work, although collaboration with postdoctoral fellows, graduate students, and other research staff is encouraged.
  • Summer Treatment Program with the Center for Children and Families at Florida International UniversityApplications reviewed on a rolling basis. The Center for Children and Families' Children's Summer Treatment Program (STP) is an award winning, evidence-based program for children ages 3-12 with ADHD and related behaviors. Counselors are assigned to groups of 10-15 children, with 4-5 counselors per group and will receive extensive clinical training. Counselors will provide feedback to children and parents and record behavioral data for children in their groups while also receiving daily performance feedback from experienced staff members who provide live supervision. 
  • MindCORE Summer Research Fellowship Progam - Applications due January 1, 2024. The MindCORE Summer Fellowship Program is a paid 10-week program at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia from June 2 - August 9, 2024. Summer Fellows are matched with select MindCORE faculty in interdisciplinary mind and brain studies based on student research interest and mentor preference. With their mentors, students embark on a research project shaped as much as possible by their interests.
  • Summer of Translational Aging Research for Undergraduates (STAR U) Program - Applications due January 17, 2024. STAR U is a 2-month fully funded research training program at Columbia University that is designed to encourage undergraduate students from diverse and underrepresented communities to pursue further graduate studies and careers in aging and neuroscience-related research. Throughout the summer, in addition to carrying out an individualized research project alongside Columbia faculty, students engage in a range of learning and professional development opportunities and become part of a supportive learning community.
  • Undergraduate Summer Brain Research Program - Applications due February 5, 2024. The Institute for Human Neuroscience at Boys Town National Research Hospital is inviting applications to the Undergraduate Summer Brain Research Program. The 10-week paid intensive research opportunity begins on May 20, 2024 and ends on July 26, 2024. Housing is provided for students from outside of the Omaha metro area. Students accepted to the program will be matched with experienced and well-funded faculty mentors to conduct in-depth research and data analysis in human neuroscience. Accepted students will also attend a variety of learning activities, including professional development workshops, journal clubs, lab meetings, and summer retreat presentations.

 

Harvard Summer School
 

CERTAIN Psychology courses offered by the Harvard Summer School will automatically count for concentration or secondary field credit if you have not already taken the equivalent course during the academic year.  Please see the "Certain Harvard Summer School Courses" section of our Departmental Advanced Courses page for a list of these courses and for other important information regarding departmental credit.