NSF REU: Information for Faculty

The NSF REU program aims to increase the involvement of undergraduates (college and university students) in all types of NSF-supported research in STEM, including disciplinary, interdisciplinary and education research. The program embraces the integration of research and education to attract a diverse pool of talented students into STEM careers and to help ensure that these students receive the best education possible. It stresses the engagement of students in authentic, intensive research that is as independent as each student's level of preparation will allow.

NSF REU research projects are conducted at colleges and universities, research centers, national labs, observatories, museums, field sites and many other settings in the United States and worldwide.

The REU program offers two mechanisms for supporting student research:

1. REU Sites are based on independent proposals, submitted for an annual deadline date, to conduct projects that engage a cohort of undergraduate students in research. These projects may be based in a single discipline or academic department or may offer interdisciplinary or multi-department research opportunities that share a coherent scientific/intellectual theme.
2. REU Supplements typically provide support for one or two undergraduate students to participate in research as part of a new or ongoing NSF-funded research project. Centers or large research efforts may request support for a larger number of students.