Genome Sciences REU
Join us for the summer in Seattle! Our application deadline is February 1.
Program Benefits
The Department of Genome Sciences, in partnership with the National Science Foundation and the Brotman Baty Institute, provides summer research opportunities for undergraduate students. We are looking for students who aspire to enroll in either PhD or MD / PhD programs after their undergraduate studies.
– gain outstanding research experience
– $6300 stipend
– paid housing in UW student dorms
– all meals provided in UW restaurants
– paid travel for those outside the Seattle area
– we will pay application fees for summer program participants who later decide to apply to UW Genome Sciences for graduate study
Please be aware that this program does not provide health insurance coverage. Our assumption is that you will have coverage from another source.
Program Activities:
In addition to your mentored lab research project, you will have a variety of supplemental academic activities designed to prepare you for graduate school. These typically include writing and presentation workshops, faculty research talks, and poster sessions. You’ll also have plenty of free time to explore Seattle.
Timeline:
The 2026 program will follow UW Summer Quarter dates: June 22 – August 21.
Apply:
Applicants must be:
– 18 or older
– US citizens or permanent residents
– Currently enrolled in and returning to college following the summer research program to continue their undergraduate studies (students who have previously earned a bachelor’s degree are not eligible to participate). We expect that competitive applicants will have had some college-level science coursework. Applicants who would like to work in a computational lab should have had college-level calculus and have basic programming skills.
– You must be willing to inform us of your career direction after completing your undergraduate degree, whether you opt for graduate school, medical school, or another career path.
Application Instructions:
1. Our application deadline is February 1. Please fill out this Google Form to send your information.
As part of this information, please take a look at our faculty list and list 5-6 faculty in whose lab you would like to work. Please be sure to choose only from the “Faculty” list, rather than “Other Training Faculty”, etc. Those on the “Faculty” list are the core Genome Sciences faculty members who participate in our summer research program.
In addition to this information, please also email items 2-4 to Brian Giebel – bgiebel [ a t ] uw.edu, combined into a single PDF document (transcripts may be sent as a separate document if it is not possible to combine this with the rest of the application). Please send this document as an attachment. Do not send a link to individual files which requires a password to access or something similar.
2. Research Statement (1 or 2 pages)
Tell us about your research interests & goals, including any past research experience and relevant coursework. You are also welcome to tell us a little about your personal background – what led you to follow this path?
3. CV / Resume (1 page)
This should highlight your previous research experience and education.
4. Transcript
Transcripts do not have to be official (e.g. you are welcome to use web versions, scanned copies, etc) and should be emailed to Brian Giebel. If you have transfer courses which show up on your main transcript, we only need the main transcript. We do not need multiple transcripts from different colleges if everything shows up on one transcript.
5. Reference letter
One reference letter is required. There are no forms necessary – the letter should be from a faculty member or others familiar with your abilities and should highlight your research and/or academic experience and ability. References from research settings, if available, are ideal.
Your recommender may email this directly to Brian Giebel. No hard copy is required. Please do not send reference letters from non-research or non-academic settings (e.g. summer jobs unrelated to science, etc).
Application Review / Notification:
We will notify all applicants of their status as soon as possible, most likely within 6 weeks of the application deadline.
Application FAQs:
When is the application deadline?
Our application deadline is February 1. There is no specific time deadline that day. Please do not to wait until the last possible minute to submit your application, since this leaves no time to resolve unexpected problems.
Can I submit my application after the deadline?
We’re sorry, but since we receive hundreds of applications for a small number of openings, we cannot accept late applications. Again, make things easier on yourself by not waiting until the last minute to submit your application.
Do all application items, including letters of recommendation, need to be received by the deadline?
Yes, your application should be complete by the deadline. You may want to check with your recommenders to be sure they’ve emailed their letter. Given the high volume of applications we receive, most of which arrive right before the deadline (and right in the midst of our graduate program recruiting), we cannot go through and check each application to make sure it’s complete. It is your responsibility to make sure your application is complete.
Are international applicants eligible?
We’re sorry, but our funding comes from US government grants applicable only to US citizens and permanent residents.
I have taken courses at multiple institutions. Do you need a transcript from each?
We don’t, if your transfer courses all show up on your main transcript. In particular, we do not need community college transcripts listing a few non-science courses.
Do I have to have prior research experience?
Prior research experience will make your application more competitive but is not required.
I will graduate before the program begins. Am I eligible to apply?
We’re sorry, but the program is only open to undergrads who have not yet graduated.
How many applications do you receive?
In 2026, we received over 400 applications for the 10 available spaces.
Do you have suggestions for which reference letters will be best?
If you have research experience, getting a letter from your lab will be very helpful. If you don’t, try to get a letter from a course instructor who knows you well. Letters from huge courses where the instructor really did not know you are less useful. Please do not send letters from non-research or non-academic sources (e.g. summer jobs unrelated to science, etc).
I’m in high school, but taking community college classes via running start. Am I eligible to apply?
We’re sorry, but you must be at least 18, have completed high school, and have completed at least a year of college coursework to apply. Please note that while freshmen are eligible to apply, we most often select juniors and sophomores for this program.