The Summer Undergraduate Research Fund (SURF) and Summer Humanities Undergraduate Research Experience (SHURE) provide funding to USC Dornsife undergraduate students for participation as a research assistant in a Dornsife faculty member’s project, either on or off campus, during the summer. The purpose of SURF/SHURE is to connect students with faculty members and their research. It allows students to be mentored one-on-one by USC Dornsife faculty, introduces students to the process of serious scholarly inquiry early in their academic careers, and fosters valuable relationships between students and faculty.

Students in good standing with a USC Dornsife major may apply for research funding up to $3,000 to supplement expenses while working on a Dornsife faculty member’s research. Students participating in an eligible USC Dornsife Problems Without Passports (PWP) research course may use these funds to offset summer tuition for the course.

Please note that we do not fund student-driven/led research projects (including those related to 490 courses or honors theses), PhD student research, or research that is not affiliated with USC.

Students interested in pursuing student-driven/led research should apply for PURF, the Provost’s Undergraduate Research Fellowship.

Students participating as a research assistants in a Dornsife faculty member’s project during the academic year (fall and/or spring) should apply for SOAR.

To explore current faculty research projects, please visit the USC Handshake job and internship feed.

Click here to apply for SURF/SHURE

If there is any uncertainty about whether a project meets SURF requirements, students are welcome to contact our office for clarification prior to applying.

SURF/SHURE awards are administered consistent with the University’s Notice of Non-Discrimination. Recipients are chosen without regard to race, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, or any other prohibited characteristic.

For Students

Click on the tabs below to learn more about SURF and SHURE.

    • The amount of funding is up to $3,000 for the summer. No student-driven/led research projects will be funded.
    • The funding can be used to cover personal expenses or expenses directly related to a faculty-led research project or Problems without Passports (PWP) program. This commonly includes housing, meals, research materials, equipment, equipment rental, and/or travel. We cannot directly purchase travel or equipment or compensate third parties through SURF/SHURE. If you receive SURF/SHURE for a PWP course, it can go directly toward offsetting summer tuition costs for the course.
    • Students who are already receiving funding through the ExL award, Provost’s Undergraduate Research Fellowship (PURF), Rose Hills, or other USC research/travel funding sources may not receive a SURF/SHURE grant for the same time period. A student’s total summer award from USC research funding sources should not exceed $3,000.
    • We highly recommend that students sign up for direct deposit if they are selected to receive a SURF/SHURE award to avoid lost physical checks. Please visit Direct Deposit Stipend Instructions for guidance.
    • If the student fails to complete the project successfully or fails to meet research obligations with a professor’s project and final approval is denied by the student’s faculty mentor, the SURF/SHURE award may be rescinded and charged to the student’s university account.

    All funds will be disbursed in accordance with University policies and procedures.

  • PWPs Approved for SURF/SHURE Funding (Summer 2027):

    • Dornsife FLP: Problems Without Passports – The Biology of Health from a Global Perspective (BISC 428)
    • Dornsife FLP: Problems Without Passports – Bookpacking in Paris and London (ENGL 352g)
    • Dornsife FLP: Problems Without Passports – Health and Mental Health Research in Mauritius (PSYC 470)
    • Assisting a Dornsife faculty member with summer research on or off campus, e.g. working in a professor’s lab or on a book project.
    • Contributing to a team research project as part of a Dornsife faculty member’s research, e.g. the Near Crisis Project or SPEC Lab.
    • Participating in a Dornsife Problems Without Passports (PWP) course, to help fund tuition and costs.

    Again, please be reminded that the purpose of SURF/SHURE funding is to encourage faculty-student collaboration. Therefore, we only fund students who are working directly on a faculty member’s project. If you are seeking funding for an independent research project, please direct your attention to the Provost’s Undergraduate Research Fellowship (PURF).

    • Minimum 3.0 cumulative USC GPA. Newly admitted students (freshmen, spring admits, or transfer) are not eligible to apply until a USC GPA is calculated.
    • Declared major in USC Dornsife
    • Full-time enrollment at USC for Fall 2027-Spring 2028 (i.e., registered in at least 12 undergraduate units each semester).
    • Seniors graduating in Summer 2027/Fall 2027 and students with 144 or more total units are not eligible to apply.
    • Seniors participating in a PWP course and graduating after the course ends are not eligible to apply.
    • Students who are already receiving funding through the ExL award, Provost’s Undergraduate Research Fellowship (PURF), Rose Hills, or other USC research or travel funding sources may not receive a SURF/SHURE grant for the same time period.
    • PWP applicants must meet all eligibility requirements both at the time of application submission and before award disbursement. Awards are conditional until all eligibility requirements have been met.
    • Each student must have a Dornsife faculty mentor who meets one of the following criteria:
      1.  Tenured or Tenure-Track
      2. Non-Tenure Track with a research profile
      3.  Professional School faculty member with a joint appointment in USC Dornsife
      4. Teaching approved PWP course (See list of approved courses)
    Faculty not listed in the application are not eligible to serve as SURF mentors.  

  • Summer 2026 SURF/SHURE Application Period for eligible PWP courses:

    Thursday, October 1, 2026 – Thursday, November 5, 2026

    Do not submit an application if you are not participating in an eligible PWP course. Course registration will be verified.

    Summer 2027 SURF/SHURE Application Period:

     Thursday, March 4, 2027- Thursday, April 8, 2027

    Do not submit an application if you are not participating an eligible faculty led project or working with an eligible faculty mentor. PWP applicants must apply in designated application period. Late applications will not be accepted. 

     

    • Applications typically open at 4:00 PM PST and close at 5:00 PM PST.
    • Need Assistance? If you experience any issues accessing the application, please contact us at surf@dornsife.usc.edu 
    • SURF/SHURE online application: Access the SURF/SHURE application here during the application period.
    • Research Proposal / Personal Statement (Regular SURF Applicants Only):
      Write a one-to-two-page personal statement that describes your interest in and commitment to your faculty mentor’s research project. Explain the research focus of the project, why it is meaningful to you, and how it aligns with your academic background, career goals, and personal motivations. Describe the specific contributions you expect to make to the project, including any relevant skills, experiences, or perspectives you bring. Reflect on how participating in this research will support your intellectual and professional development. Finally, indicate whether you have applied for any other research grants, fellowships, or funding opportunities.
    • One-Page Personal Statement (PWP Applicants ONLY):  In a one-to-two-page personal statement, respond to the following prompt:Tell us about yourself and explain how participating in your PWP course will enrich your academic experience and help you achieve your future educational and career goals. Reflect on your achievements, experiences at USC, and personal or academic interests, and describe what you hope to gain from this opportunity.Be sure to include the following in your response:
      • The course number and course title.
      • A brief description of the course’s research objectives.
      • Whether you have applied for any other grants, scholarships, or fellowships to support your participation in this opportunity.
    • SURF/SHURE faculty letter of recommendation: The application will generate an email to your faculty mentor so they can upload your recommendation letter directly to your application. The recommendation letter must be submitted by an eligible faculty member who is the same faculty member you will be working with for your SURF project. Recommendation letters are not required for PWP applicants; a copy of the class syllabus will be accepted in lieu of the recommendation letter. (Please review faculty section for more details)
    • For applicants wishing to conduct research with human subjects, your faculty mentor will be asked to provide IRB approval or exemption. If you do not know if the project requires IRB approval, please consult your faculty mentor.

  • At the conclusion of the summer, SURF/SHURE recipients are required to submit a one-page report with their faculty mentor’s signature. The report is a brief summary of your overall experience. If you fail to submit the report, your SURF/SHURE funding will be rescinded and you will become ineligible for SOAR or SURF/SHURE funding in future terms.

    The SURF/SHURE report, signed by the faculty mentor of your research project, should be submitted via the instructions indicated on the award agreement.

    Click here to access the SURF/SHURE report guidelines.

     

    SURF/SHURE Report Deadline: 

    • Monday, August 3, 2026 (Summer 2026)
    • Monday, August 2, 2027 (Summer 2027)

For Faculty

Due to the large number of applicants, we limit the number of SURF grants to up to two students per faculty member, research project/lab, and per semester. 

SURF supports faculty-led projects. Please do not recommend independent student projects, PhD student research, or research that is not affiliated with USC. Students conducting student-driven research should consider applying for PURF, the Provost’s Undergraduate Research Fellowship.

PWP Faculty: PWP faculty are eligible to serve as SURF mentors only while teaching an eligible PWP course, unless they meet one of the three other SURF mentor eligibility requirements. Recommendation letters are not required for PWP applications; faculty may submit a copy of their course syllabus in place of a recommendation letter. The two-student limit does not apply to PWP faculty. Additionally, faculty teaching a PWP course are not eligible to serve as summer research mentors, even if their PWP course is scheduled later in the semester.

IRB Policy:

If your project has been approved to involve human subjects, you will be asked to provide us with a copy of your IRB approval or extension. Faculty with IRB approval should be able to add students to their existing approval.

FAQs about IRB reviews.

It is not required to participate in the SOAR and SURF programs, however, Dornsife faculty interested in posting their research may wish to sign up as employers on USC Handshake. Please add the following sentence in the position description:

If you are a Dornsife undergraduate student, you may able to apply for SOAR, SURF, or SHURE funding from USC Dornsife if you work with an eligible Dornsife faculty mentor on their research project. Visit https://dornsife.usc.edu/css/soar/ or https://dornsife.usc.edu/css/surf/ for more information.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Yes, students are allowed to apply for multiple funding opportunities during the same period. However, you may only accept funding from one source for the same research period. 

    You must disclose your intent to apply for other funding sources in your SURF/SHURE application proposal. If you are offered and accept funding from another source before receiving a notification from SURF/SHURE, you are required to inform our office immediately. Your application for SURF/SHURE will automatically be closed if you accept funds from another source. Any offers from SURF/SHURE are also voided if you accept funds from other sources.

    Students who fail to disclose receiving multiple awards for research will have their SURF/SHURE awards rescinded, and will become ineligible for SOAR/SURF/SHURE/ExL funding in future terms. 

  • No, students may only receive research funding from one source during the same period. If you are receiving funding through a paid research laboratory position, you are not eligible to apply for SURF/SHURE.

  • Hours are based on an agreement between the faculty mentor and the student. Most students spend at least 10 hours per week for at least 10 weeks for fall and spring and 20 hours per week for at least 8 weeks during the summer to obtain a truly meaningful experience. SOAR and SURF are flat rate awards. We do not translate the funding into an hourly wage.

  • Please visit Direct Deposit Stipend Instructions for guidance. It is highly recommended that you sign up for direct deposit to avoid lost checks.

    Be advised that your stipend may arrive as a check mailed to your local home address. Students should always keep all addresses (both current address and permanent address) updated in OASIS.

  • No. For a research project to be eligible for SOAR or SURF, you must have support from a Dornsife faculty mentor who meets one of the following criteria:

    • Tenured or Tenure-Track
    • Non-Tenure Track with a research profile
    • Professional School faculty member with a joint appointment in Dornsife

  • SURF/SHURE provides funds to students who have already secured a research project and a faculty mentor. You will be required to list the project and faculty mentor on your application. A letter of recommendation from that mentor is also required.

  • If you are unable to acquire a signature on your report, please attach an email approval to your report and upload through the link that was provided in your agreement.

  • The one page report doesn’t require explicit details of your research and results. Avoid including figures, data or references. We want you to share a summary of the research project and what you got out of the experience.

    Click here to access guidelines for the SURF/SHURE report.

     

    Please do not submit formal research reports. Refer to the guidelines and example provided.

  • SURF/SHURE reports should be uploaded through the link provided in your agreement.

  • Yes, your report must be one-page. You are only required to briefly describe the research. These reports often go to donors who are interested in your contribution and your overall personal experience.

  • No. Recipients of SOAR/SURF cannot be considered for an ExL award for the same time period.

  • The report should be single spaced.

  • No. It is your responsibility to make sure the mentor follows through with your request.

  • SOAR and SURF are only offered to Dornsife majors. If you are a Dornsife major, try clearing out your cookies or use a different browser.

  • No. All projects require IRB approval before applying for funding.

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USC Dornsife Admission and Student Success

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