MindCORE Summer Fellowship Program

May 31 – August 7, 2026

The MindCORE Summer Fellowship Program is a paid 10-week program for both Penn and non-Penn undergraduate students. 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.

Under the supervision of faculty and program staff, students participate in:

A 1-week introductory workshop on interdisciplinary research in cognitive science
9 weeks of mentored research
Weekly lunches for research discussions & faculty seminars
Research ethics training
Technical training
Lab demos
Professional development opportunities that prepare participants for pursuing advanced education and careers in related fields of research
Guidance toward creating a final poster or presentation of the student’s summer research work

Click here for a sample schedule.

Eligibility

Applicants must be enrolled as full-time undergraduate students at an accredited institution. First year, second year, and third year students are encouraged to apply; graduating seniors are not eligible. All applicants must also be able to attend the full duration of the program. Students who are unable to join the start of the program are not eligible to apply.

Non-Penn applicants must be U.S. citizens or Permanent Residents, without exception. Non-Penn students who are in the U.S. on any type of visa are not eligible for the program.

Our program is funded through gift and grants from the following sources:

Applications

Applicants are asked to indicate their area(s) of research interest in the application form, contact information & demographic data, as well as provide a resume, unofficial transcript, contact information for 2 professional references (e.g., college instructor(s) and/or work manager), and a short personal statement of no more than 500 words. The personal statement asks applicants to state reasons for wanting to participate in the program, relevance of the program to future research plans, and provide brief details of research interest and/or experience.

Please note that we do not require or review recommendation letters, and that not all references will be contacted.

The application deadline is January 11, 2026.

Click here for the Penn student application.

Click here for the non-Penn student application.

Participating Mentors – Summer Program 2026