Undergraduate Program
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How do I contact the REU program for further information? Can I mail in the application?
A: Contact Maria Milleville, coordinator of the REU program, or send correspondence to (application may be printed, completed, and sent to the address below):
Maria Milleville
REU Program
Human Engineering Research Laboratories (HERL)
6425 Penn Ave.
Suite 400
Pittsburgh, PA 15206
About the Application
Q: What is needed to apply and when will the application be available?
A: The application will be available in November 2012 and will be open until February 22, 2013. Students must submit application form. After submitting application form, students must submit a copy of their resume, personal statement, and a letter of recommendation.
Q: Who is eligible to apply to the REU program?
A: Applicants must be enrolled in a bachelor degree program at the time of the REU. Seniors who will graduate before the summer of 2013 are not eligible.
Q: What kind of academic background is required for the REU program?
A: No particular background is required. Some examples of past participants' academic backgrounds include: all domains of engineering, computer science, rehabilitation science, exercise physiology, psychology, and biology. Most previous participants had GPAs greater than 3.0. Check out the student profiles to see the varied backgrounds of our previous REU students!
Q: How many students apply to the program each year?
A: We generally receive over 200 applications between the 2 programs. We take anywhere from 8-12 (16-24 total) students per program based on the availability of research projects and competitive nature of the applicant pool.
Q: I am not a U.S. citizen or permanent resident. Can I still apply?
A: Yes. While the funding agency (NSF) does not fund international students, there may be a position for a foreign student (either in the U.S. or abroad) to take part in the REU program. If funds allow, faculty occasionally provide for a foreign student to work on a related project and participate in the same activities as NSF funded REU students.
Q: When is the deadline to apply? When will I know if I have been accepted?
A: The deadline to apply is February 22, 2013. We anticipate to start notifying candidates of their acceptance around the first week of March. However, we do not expect to have a final list of selected students until the beginning of April. We will e-mail every applicant of our decision at that time.
About the Program
Q: How are students matched with a faculty member and research?
A: Faculty members propose an REU project in a particular field. The previous Students' page contains former student profiles and projects to give you an idea of what the research projects will be like for this year's program. Project descriptions for 2013 will be listed in December 2012. At that time, students will have the option to rank the projects according to their interest (in the meantime, early applicants may indicate research interests in personal statement and if selected, the REU coordinator will contact them with a list of projects). A selection committee (faculty, REU coordinator, and graduate students) then reviews the applications and chooses students based on their academic record, accomplishments, personal statement, and letters of recommendation. Students are matched with the project which we feel is best related to their academic/research interests.
Q: When does the program begin and end?
A: The program runs May 21st-July 29th, 2012. Please view the tentative schedule for further information.
Q: Is housing provided?
A: Accessible housing opportunities are available on the University of Pittsburgh's campus.
