Program Timeline for 2025
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- Early Application Deadline: December 1, 2024
- General Application Deadline: February 25, 2025
- Program Duration: 10 weeks (Summer 2025)
Students
Explore Computing Research with NSF DREU
Are you curious about what it’s like to work on cutting-edge research in computing? Whether you have prior research experience or are exploring it for the first time, the NSF Distributed Research Experiences for Undergraduates (DREU) program offers an opportunity to immerse yourself in a research environment, guided by experienced faculty mentors. Whether you’re considering graduate school or just want to explore your research interests, NSF DREU provides a unique, hands-on learning experience designed to support students at every stage of their academic journey.
Why Should You Apply?
Participating in NSF DREU will help you:
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- Gain valuable research experience early in your academic career.
- Build connections with faculty mentors and graduate students.
- Strengthen your graduate school applications with real-world research and recommendation letters.
- Explore whether graduate school is the right path for you.
Stipend and Financial Support:
- Earn $8,500 for 10 weeks of full-time research.
- Additional funding covers relocation expenses and conference travel.
Research Flexibility:
- Conduct your research either at your mentor’s institution or stay at your home institution if preferred.
Work with Faculty Mentors:
- Engage in daily collaboration with faculty mentors and graduate students to develop your research skills.
Who Can Apply?
- Applicants must be pursuing an undergraduate degree at a U.S. institution or one of its territories.
- International students are welcome to apply; however, because most program funding is restricted to U.S. citizens and permanent residents, participation for non-U.S. students will be limited.
- No prior research experience is required—students from all academic years are welcome to apply, including rising sophomores.
Encouraged to Apply:
- All undergraduates are welcome, including those from any academic year.
- Rising sophomores are especially encouraged to apply, as early research experience can enhance the remainder of their undergraduate education.
- NSF DREU especially encourages applications from students who identify as part of underrepresented groups in tech, including:
- Women
- Black/African American
- Native American, Alaskan Native, and Pacific Islander
- Hispanic/Latinx
- LGBTQIA+ individuals
- Persons with disabilities
- Veterans
Ready to explore research opportunities through NSF DREU? Follow these steps to complete your application at the NSF DREU application portal.
How to Apply
1. Identify Potential Mentors (Optional):
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- You may identify potential mentors you’d like to work with in your application, although this is not required.
- You can also indicate preferences for mentor characteristics such as gender, disability status, ethnicity, and location.
2. Prepare Your Application Materials:
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- Application Information: Basic personal and contact details.
- Educational History: List of degrees, schools attended, and other academic records.
- Coursework, Research Interests, and Technical Skills: Outline courses taken and relevant skills or research areas you’re interested in.
- Mentor, Date & Location Preferences: Indicate preferences for your mentor’s attributes or research location.
- Letters of Recommendation: Submit at least two letters from faculty or advisors.
- Transcript: Upload your most recent transcript (official or unofficial).
- CV or Resume: Provide a current resume detailing your academic and professional experience.
3. Write Brief Statements:
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- Research Statement:
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- Describe any previous research experience (if applicable).
- Discuss new areas of interest you want to explore.
- This can be brief—1-2 paragraphs will suffice.
- Statement of Honor & GDPR Questions:
- Acknowledge the honor statement and complete the GDPR section (for data privacy compliance).
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Application Deadlines for 2025:
- Early Application Deadline: December 1, 2024
- General Application Deadline: February 25, 2025
How We Evaluate Student Applications
Student applications are evaluated based on multiple factors to ensure a good match between students, mentors, and research opportunities. The following criteria guide the selection process:
- Potential for Success in Graduate School:
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- Evaluators assess the student’s academic record and letters of recommendation to determine their ability to thrive in graduate-level research.
- Experience and Skills:
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- While no prior research experience is required, students are evaluated based on any relevant coursework, technical skills, or prior research experience they may have.
- Potential Benefit from the Program:
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- Special consideration is given to students from institutions that offer limited research opportunities, ensuring they have access to this valuable experience.
- Alignment with Program Goals:
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- Students whose participation will help advance the diversity and inclusion goals of NSF DREU are prioritized.
For questions about the evaluation criteria, please contact dreu@cra.org.
Funding for students consists of $7,000 for 10 weeks of research. Students may also receive up to $750 in relocation travel assistance, if applicable. Additional funds may be available to cover travel to a technical conference or other events related to their research experience, either during or after the internship.For questions about travel and financial support, please email dreu@cra.org.
DREU Participants Procedures and Requirements Summary
*All Requirements are mandatory unless otherwise noted
| When | Requirements |
| Items Required for 1st Milestone (Before DREU Program Starts) | STUDENTS:
1. Letter of Agreement In order to submit your Letter of Agreement you will need to complete the following tasks in the DREU Program Site: – Input REU Dates (as agreed upon by you and your mentor) – Read the letter of agreement to verify all information is accurate before adding your digital signature. 2. Tax Documentation As CRA is required to issue a 1099 at the end of each year to all stipend recipients, everyone must complete and provide the appropriate form (W-9 or W-8) on the DREU Program Site: – W-9 form: for students who are U.S. Citizens or Permanent residents. – W-8 form: for students who are not U.S. Citizens or Permanent residents. International students need to fill out a W-8. 3. Sign Code of Conduct CRA provides a safe and welcoming environment, free from discrimination and harassment, for all participants in all CRA sponsored activities. 4. Direct Deposit (optional, but highly recommended) Students can receive their payment by direct deposit. 5. Complete the DREU Pre-Survey You will receive an email that includes a survey from the Center for Evaluating the Research Pipeline, you must complete this survey prior to beginning your DREU program. 6. Student Webinar We strongly encourage students to attend so they can better understand the program and expectations. 7. Relocation Travel The DREU program covers the cost (up to a maximum of $500) for the student to relocate to/from the mentor’s institution. NOTE: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this task does not apply to the DREU 2021 cycle since it will be a virtual experience. Student makes arrangements to relocate to/from the mentor’s institution by completing the Travel Arrangements task in the DREU Program Site. If students intend to relocate to their mentor’s institution via car/train or other mode of transportation, they will notify the DREU program chairs by emailing dreu@cra.org. |
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Items Required for 2nd Milestone |
STUDENTS:
Students must submit their website URL where they’ll be regularly documenting their DREU Experience. |
| Items Required for 3rd Milestone (end of week 5) |
STUDENTS:
1. Students submit their Progress Report |
| Items Required for 4th Milestone (at completion) |
STUDENTS:
1. Student submits the Student Final Report 2. Student submits their Final Website URL Students must submit the final version of their website documenting their DREU Experience. The website must also include the student’s final report of their research project. 3. Student must complete the DREU Feedback Survey. |
| During or After DREU Program |
Research Experience Related Travel Request
DREU participants are able to receive Travel funding from CRA-WP for activities directly related to the student’s research experience. |
The DREU program covers the cost (up to a maximum of $500) for the student to relocate to/from the mentor’s institution, if different from the student’s institution, at the beginning and end of the mentorship. Any special circumstances, such as travel costs more than $500 or travel that is not round-trip between the student’s home institution (or home, if in the USA) and their mentor’s institution, requires approval by the CRA in advance.
Relocation Travel by Airplane
Arrangements for the student’s relocation air travel to the mentor’s institution (if different from the student’s institution) must be made by completing the travel request task through the DREU Program Site.
CIRE Travel will be informed of which students have had their signed Letters of Agreement and W-9 forms formalizing their participation in the DREU program. It may take the travel agency a day or two to get this information. The travel agents will assist in selecting, booking, and delivering a student’s air travel tickets. CRA will handle the billing of a student’s tickets. STUDENTS SHOULD NOT CHARGE TICKETS TO THEIR OWN CREDIT CARDS.
If a student knows the exact length of their stay, they should arrange for a round-trip, early purchase fare. CIRE Travel will not book first-class or business-class tickets.
In addition, CRA will reimburse the cost of ground transportation costs to/from the airport and luggage fees.
Relocation Travel by Public Transportation, Rental Car, or Personal Vehicle
If a student relocates via public transportation, (bus, train, rental car, or personal vehicle) they should pay for the travel themselves and request reimbursement. Note that students are expected to select the most economical form of travel.
NOTE: Mileage rate covers the estimated cost to travel per mile (gasoline, wear and tear on vehicle, etc.). Participants are not allowed to claim both the mileage rate and cost of gasoline.
To request reimbursement for this type of travel, students should follow the following guidelines:
- Please review the CRA Uniform Travel Policy for more details.
- Save all original receipts
- Complete an itemized CRA Expense Reimbursement Form. You should describe your travel details (from/to location, dates, etc.) and include the address where your reimbursement payment should be sent.
For any questions please email dreu@cra.org.
EVENT NAME | DATE | ORGANIZATION | DESCRIPTION | LINK |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DREU Student Kick-Off Webinar | May 17 | CRA-WP | We will be organizing a kick-off webinar for students on Monday, May 17th at 6PM EST and strongly encourage you to join us to learn more about the program as well as have any questions answered. We encourage you to log in and complete your Milestone 1 requirements before the webinar so we can assist with any questions you may have about the DREU program and/or system. | https://bit.ly/2ZWovGY |
| DREU Mentor Kick-Off Webinar | May 19 | CRA-WP | We will be organizing a kick-off webinar for students on Wednesday, May 19th at 6PM EST and strongly encourage you to join us to learn more about the program as well as have any questions answered. We encourage you to log in and complete your Milestone 1 requirements before the webinar so we can assist with any questions you may have about the DREU program and/or system. | https://bit.ly/3BnrMNw |
| Illinois CS Summer REU Lunch and Learn: How to do Research Part 1: Coming Up to Speed | June 2 | Illinois CS | How to get started on a new research topic. How to do a literature search. How to read a paper. How to identify the researchers you’d like to follow and how to do it. How can you determine what is good research and what isn’t? Importance of reproducibility in open science. Speakers: Svetlana Lazebnik and Mahesh Viswanathan Talk Video Now Available on provided link. | https://calendars.illinois.edu/detail/7029?eventId=33408212 |
| Illinois CS Summer REU Lunch and Learn: Networking | June 9 | Illinois CS | Networking is an important skill. This session addresses the skills that are needed for networking, a very important component of your professional life. The topics include strategies for finding a community, meeting people in the field, and promoting your research and yourself: the elevator pitch. This session will also address what you should prepare for, learn, and what to do when you attend conferences, workshops, or any technical meeting, including meeting researchers visiting your department. Speakers: Dakshita Khurana and Tianyin Xu. Password: illinoisCS Talk Video Now available on Provided Link. | https://calendars.illinois.edu/detail/7029?eventId=33408213 |
| Illinois CS Summer REU Lunch and Learn: Mentors, Advisors, and Sponsors - You need them all! | June 16 | Illinois CS | Mentors, advisors, and sponsors are all important in your development as a scholar, research, and person as you move through your CS career. In this session you will learn about how people in each of these roles will support your development and growth, how to connect with each, and the various opportunities we have within the Illinois CS community to connect with mentors, advisors, and sponsors! Speakers: Colleen Lewis and Marco Morales Aguirre Password: illinoisCS | https://calendars.illinois.edu/detail/7029?eventId=33408214 |
| Illinois CS Summer REU Lunch and Learn: How to do Research Part 2: Writing & Publishing | June 23 | Illinois CS | This session will cover writing and publishing papers and code. How to write a paper; How to publish -- conferences, journals, open access; what is and isn’t plagiarism (including self-plagiarism), how/when to cite other references, dual submissions, and author ordering; How to publish code and how you can use the code of others. It will also cover common ethical issues, e.g., what to do if you find a mistake in a paper you published. Speakers: Jiawei Han and Reyhaneh Jabbarvand. Password: illinoisCS | https://calendars.illinois.edu/detail/7029?eventId=33408215 |
| Illinois CS Summer REU Lunch and Learn: Grad School 101 | June 30 | Illinois CS | This session will include information about graduate school from both the student and faculty perspective. It will address questions such as: What is grad school like? How is it different from undergrad? How do you pay for it? Is it for everyone? Masters vs. PhD--what do these degrees do for you? Do you need to put your life on hold when you are in grad school? What are some of the best things about grad school? Speakers: Yongjoo Park and Robin Kravets. Password: illinoisCS | https://calendars.illinois.edu/detail/7029?eventId=33408216 |
| Illinois CS Summer REU Lunch and Learn: Developing your Professional Persona | July 7 | Illinois CS | This session will address the dos and don'ts of building a professional image. Topics will include web presence (personal pages and social media), professional communication skills (email, etc.) and behavior. How to be a good collaborator and citizen, polite and respectful treatment of cultural differences, how to be an advocate or ally when you observe disrespectful behavior. Speakers: Julia Hockenmaier and Ranjitha Kumar. Password: illinoisCS | https://calendars.illinois.edu/detail/7029?eventId=33408217 |
| Illinois CS Summer REU Lunch and Learn: Presentation and Other Verbal Communication Skills | July 14 | Illinois CS | This session will focus on building your oral communication skills. Topics include strategies for making high quality oral and poster presentations. Speakers: Tandy Warnow and Tiffani Williams. Password: illinoisCS | https://calendars.illinois.edu/detail/7029?eventId=33408218 |
| Illinois CS Summer REU Lunch and Learn: Preparing a Competitive Application for Graduate School and External Fellowships | July 21 | Illinois CS | This session will provide information, examples, and strategies for how to prepare a competitive application for graduate school and external fellowships. The session will address questions such as: What should you write in the personal / research statement? What should you highlight in your resume? Should you take the GRE? Who and how should you ask for letters of recommendation? How are applications reviewed? Should you contact professors at the schools you are applying? How important is prior participation in research? Do awards (e.g., CRA Undergraduate Research Award) matter? Speakers: Darko Marinov and Klara Nahrstedt. Password: illinoisCS | https://calendars.illinois.edu/detail/7029?eventId=33408219 |
For questions, please email dreu@cra.org.
The DREU Program
Can a student be paired with a mentor at the same university?
DREU participants may be paired with faculty mentors at their home or another institution.
Do students have to find their own housing?
It is the responsibility of the student to find lodging for the summer.
What kind of commitment (in hours/week, or even total hours) is required to participate in the DREU?
The DREU program is meant to be a full-time intensive 10 week research experience for undergraduates.
Are there set dates for DREU internships? Do students have to be matched with mentors from universities that have the same academic calendar?
The program is very flexible and the mentorship dates are scheduled at the mutual convenience of the student and the mentor. These details are worked out during the matching process and should not prevent anyone from applying for the DREU program.
The DREU Student Application and Selection Process
What groups are considered to be underrepresented in computing?
We follow the official definitions as to who qualifies as being a member of an underrepresented group. Groups that are underrepresented in computing include women, African Americans, Native Americans (American Indians, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians), Pacific Islanders, Hispanic U.S. citizens and permanent residents (including Mexican-Americans, and mainland Puerto Ricans), individuals who identify as part of the LGBTQAI community, and persons with disabilities.
What conditions are considered disabilities?
Are international students eligible for the DREU?
Yes, as long as they are pursuing an undergraduate degree at a U.S. or Canadian college or University. However, most of the funds for the DREU program are restricted to US citizens and permanent residents.
I am an international student studying in the United States, and I do not have permission to work. Can I still participate in the DREU?
Most international students can participate in the DREU via curricular practical training (CPT). This training needs to be approved by your home institution. You should see your international advisor (or someone at your office for international students) to determine if you are eligible and to determine what you need to do to participate in DREU via CPT.
Can current seniors, or students who have already graduated with a bachelors degree, apply for the DREU?
Yes, students can participate after they have graduated. However, we would prefer for students to participate earlier. Graduating students that are already admitted to graduate school are less likely to be funded than less advanced students who have still not decided if graduate school is for them.
What is the best time in their academic program for students to participate in DREU? Can freshman apply?
The majority of DREU participants are rising seniors or juniors, this is a good time for students to participate. However, freshman have successfully participated in the DREU program.
Can male students apply for the DREU?
Yes. In fact, men from groups underrepresented in computing are strongly encouraged to apply for the DREU.
Is the DREU open to students in majors outside of Computer Science and Computer Engineering?
Yes. During the selection process, all applicants will be evaluated using the DREU selection criteria described on the DREU Application homepage .
Where do I send my official transcript?
You should send your official transcript to: Prof. Nancy Amato, Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Texas A&M University, TAMU 3112, College Station, TX 77843-3112. Note: You should enter your unofficial transcript into your DREU application.
Where do I send my letters of recommendation?
After you submit your application, we will send your references an email with directions as to how they can submit their recommendation letter. If they cannot submit their letter through our online portal then they should contact us at dreu@cra.org.
If I applied for the DREU Program last year, do I need to resubmit all my information again to apply this year?
Yes, you will still need to fill out a complete application.
Detailed Questions about the DREU Program (For Student Participants)
What does the travel relocation budget cover?
As a part of the DREU program, you are awarded a travel relocation budget of up to $500 to be used for relocating to and from your mentor’s institution. If you decide to drive, you will be reimbursed for mileage between your home or home institution at the Federal rate of $0.535 per mile. The federal rate includes fuel and mileage. In addition, you can use part of the $500 relocation budget to cover your ground transportation costs to/from the airport.
Can I use my travel relocation budget towards visiting home during the DREU program?
No, these expenses are not reimbursable.
Where can I find an overview of the program requirements, payment schedule, information about how to request travel grants, etc?
On the Travel & Financial Tab
How are DREU stipends treated for US income tax purposes?
Because these awards are not for qualified tuition and related expenses but instead represent compensation for research services rendered as a condition of receiving the grant, they are reportable as gross income, not as wages. CRA is not required to withhold any taxes on these stipends and no withholding will be done. The CRA is required to issue 1099’s or W-2’s to award recipients; these are mailed to participants in February. It is the responsibility of each recipient to properly report the award as taxable income on his or her tax return in the year received.
Can DREU stipends be paid via direct deposit?
Yes. In fact, it is highly recommended that participants take advantage of direct deposit. The Direct Deposit form can be found on the Travel & Financial Tab.
I am an international student studying in the United States, and I do not have permission to work. What do I need to do to participate in DREU?
International students typically participate in DREU via curricular practical training (CPT). This training needs to be approved by your home institution. We suggest you see your international advisor (or someone at your office for international students) to complete the appropriate paperwork.
Does the DREU program have any funding to help DREU students attend technical conferences?
Yes, DREU students can apply for research experience related travel. CRA will assist them to attend a technical conference with their mentor and their research group during or after their DREU internship. If it is after the DREU internship, then the travel must be in direct relation to the student’s internship, e.g., a conference where a paper the student co-authored as a result of their DREU experience will be presented. Students can also apply for funding to make a short duration (a week or so) return visit to work with their mentor to continue work begun during the DREU experience, e.g., for a week or so over winter or spring break.
How should the DREU program be acknowledged when research by the DREU student is included in a paper, poster or otherwise publicly presented?
Please be sure to let the program Co-Directors know about this by emailing dreu@cra.org. We recommend including a mention of the DREU program in the place where research support would normally be acknowledged. A sentence along the lines of the following is suggested:“The work of [DREU Student’s name] supported in part by the Distributed Research Experiences for Undergraduates (DREU) program, a joint project of the CRA Committee on the Status of Women in Computing Research (CRA-W) and the Coalition to Diversify Computing (CDC), which is funded in part by the NSF Broadening Participation in Computing program (NSF BPC-A #1246649).”
Program Chairs
Nancy Amato
Monica Anderson
Univ. of Alabama
iAAMCS
Website
Ming Lin
Raja Kushalnagar
Maya Çakmak
Brianna Blaser
