BUGS Jr Program FAQ for High School Students

If you are currently a high school student*, or will be an incoming freshman during the upcoming school year, you are eligible to participate in the BUGS Jr Program. *Students who will graduate from high school in Spring 2025 should apply to the BUGS Jr  Program (not the BUGS undergrad program).

There is no citizenship requirement to participate in the BUGS Jr Program.

There is no GPA requirement to participate in the BUGS Jr Program.

The BUGS Jr Program typically runs from mid-June through the first Saturday in August (~7 weeks). The program culminates in a Finale Summer Symposium at which the students are introduced to the symposium attendees by their mentor and present their research results in a poster session; symposium attendees include faculty/mentors/colleagues, as well as fellow students and family members/guests.

Participants in the BUGS Jr Program are required to spend at least 30 hours each week in their research activities, and are required to participate in the mandatory programmatic activities (held at Michelson Hall on the University Park Campus one day per week). If you have outside commitments (a job, sports activity, summer school, family vacation or other plans) that conflict with this time commitment, you should NOT apply to this program.

Yes. All projects are conducted in person at USC and affiliated campuses, with an allowance for some hybrid (partly online; partly in person) participation.

Strictly virtual/online-only projects will NOT be included in the 2025 BUGS Jr Program.

Yes. All participants that successfully complete the summer research course receive a stipend payment of $800.

No. The BUGS Jr Program is not a residential program and does not offer housing accommodations or make local living arrangements for non-local participants.

No. Campus parking is available through the USC Transportation department and purchase of a USC Summer Gold permit (~$3.32/day rate). Additional information will be provided when the student is accepted into the program.

Any research that connects with understanding the human body and human health is eligible. This is defined in a broad sense and includes studies of biomedical materials, instruments or methods development, computational or animal models of disease, cinematic investigations of scientific data or methods, as well as human health topics. Research projects in geology, plant science, green energy, astronomy, marine science, etc. are NOT eligible for participation in the BUGS Jr program.

Note:

Per Department of Animal Resources (DAR)/IACUC policy, students must be at least 18 years old to participate in work with animals, even if accompanied by an adult/Principal Investigator.

• Per USC Keck policy, students must be at least 17 years old to observe patient care in the hospitals or licensed clinics. 
• Per IRB policy, there are NO age restrictions related to research participation on IRB-associated studies.

In 2025, our application process has changed. Potential students will no longer be responsible for finding a faculty mentor that will accept them prior to applying. In their application, students will be required to provide BRIEF narratives info about their research interests, experiences, and goals. If they have participated previously or had previous correspondence with a faculty member, they should include that information in response to the application question “Is there anything else you’d like us to know?”

Potential faculty mentors will be required to pre-register for the 2025 BUGS Jr program, agreeing to the various trainings, as well as supervisory and funding requirements. After the application deadline, a BUGS Jr admissions committee will review complete applications and coordinate chosen applicants with suitable mentors prior to our issuance of a provisional acceptance in the program.

Please be patient – this is a new process this year, and will undoubtedly have a few kinks to work out along the way.

We believe this will allow us to run a more equitable and attainable program for students who might have previously struggled to make connections with suitable and interested mentors.

Friday, April 18, 2025: (Student) BUGS Jr Applications due via Qualtrics.
Students (and their Parent/Guardian) will automatically receive an email via Qualtrics confirming the application submission. Any updates or changes to the submitted application should be emailed to bugsprogram@usc.edu and NOT submitted as a new application.

by Friday, April 18, 2025: BUGS Jr Faculty/Mentor Registrations due via Qualtrics

April 21-May 23, 2025: our BUGS Jr Admissions Committee will be meeting to review applications and available research slots. They will contact faculty mentors to recommend appropriate admissions pairing prior to provisional acceptance decisions.

Full acceptance in the BUGS Jr Program is contingent upon:

• Satisfactory Completion of the USC General Laboratory Safety Training Course.
• Return of completed BUGS Jr Student Contract Forms.
• If the student is under 18 years of age, contracts must also be signed by parent/guardian.
• Completion of CampDoc health and registration requirements. If the student is under 18 years of age, CampDoc materials must be provided by a legal parent/guardian.

Monday, June 16, 2025: BUGS Jr Summer Research Program begins.

Saturday, August 2, 2025: BUGS/BUGS Jr Summer Research Finale Symposium (schedule to be determined – students should be available for full period).

Youth participants taking part in the BUGS Jr program and activities are required to conduct themselves in accordance with the following standards of behavior. These standards have been established to help maintain a supportive, engaging, safe, and meaningful experience for all, and are intended to operate in conjunction with the guidelines, rules and regulations of the specific camp, program, activity or event in which youth participants are taking part.

Participant expectations:

• Be courteous and considerate, and always interact with others respectfully
• Practice good citizenship, open-mindedness, and always treat others with kindness
• Use appropriate language at all times, and be thoughtful in what you say, post, share, or comment in any online platforms
• Practice leadership and encourage fellow participants to conduct themselves appropriately and with integrity
• Be responsible for your own behavior; uphold high standards for self and accept consequences for inappropriate behavior

Behaviors that are not permitted include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Any actions that bully, tease, dominate, or display sexualized behavior towards another
• Disrespecting others, crossing personal boundaries, or exhibiting unethical or immoral conduct
• Use of inappropriate language, including profanity, slurs, insults or anything other language that could be hurtful or harmful to another person
• Possession or consumption of alcohol and illegal drugs, including the use of tobacco by a minor
• Possession or use of harmful objects with the intent to harm or intimidate others (e.g., weapons, fireworks, etc.)
• Using cameras, videos, or any other type of recording devices in private areas, such as bathrooms, changing/locker rooms, or shower facilities
• Being in spaces that are not permitted or off-limits, such as unsupervised or unauthorized spaces, etc.
• Destruction or theft of property
• Other conduct determined to be inappropriate for youth development

Violations of the standards of behavior will be handled as follows:

• If a chaperone is present for the minor involved in the violation, this person will be made aware of the violation.
• If necessary, arrangements will be made to remove the minor from the activity or program.
• The parent/guardian will be notified of the incident and actions that have been and/or will be taken.
• The minor can/may be barred from participating in future USC activities and programs with minor participants.
• When warranted (e.g., violation of law) the situation may be turned over to the appropriate external agency (e.g., law enforcement authority).