Undergraduate Research Fellowship in Neuroscience (SURFiN)

***Application Deadline: 12pm ET April 21, 2026***

The goal of the Shenoy Undergraduate Research Fellowship in Neuroscience (SURFiN) program is to spark and sustain interest in neuroscience among undergraduate students who have not had access to research training opportunities. SURFiN provides funds for paid, in-person undergraduate research assistantships during the academic year to students living near Simons Foundation-supported laboratories in the U.S., Canada and Europe. SURFiN fellows will gain hands-on, in-person research experience during the 2026-2027 academic year with direct mentorship. Fellows may earn up to $7,500 USD at a rate of $25/hour for 10 hours a week over 30 weeks. SURFiN mentors are typically early-career scientists such as graduate students and postdoctoral researchers. Fellows and mentors participate in career development activities, including a virtual coding boot camp and a scientific symposium in New York City in spring 2027.

This program is for students currently enrolled in a bachelor’s or associate’s degree program who have not had access to research training opportunities. Since SURFiN recruits students who may have little or no previous research experience, the program prepares them for entry into research training. The Simons Foundation’s Autism & Neuroscience division offers the program to nurture new talent and to broaden the community of early-stage trainees interested in the scientific missions of our programs. We aim to drive innovation and collaboration by supporting scientists with a diverse mix of minds, backgrounds and experiences.

The SURFiN program is named in honor of neuroscientist Krishna Shenoy.

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Applicants must identify at least one (1) opportunity of interest from the List of 2026-2027 SURFiN Lab Opportunities. Applicants may rank a maximum of three (3) opportunities. Each lab is led by a principal investigator (PI) faculty member at the host institution. Participating labs are supported by the Simons Foundation’s Autism & Neuroscience division, and many labs conduct research related to the missions of the Simons Collaboration on the Global Brain (SCGB), the Simons Collaboration on Plasticity and the Aging Brain (SCPAB), the Simons Collaboration on Ecological Neuroscience (SCENE) and the Simons Foundation Autism Research Initiative (SFARI).

Prior laboratory experience is not required of undergraduate applicants. The program encourages mentors to design projects that are accessible to students with a range of skills.

The SURFiN program places fellows in labs within commuting distance of where they typically live. All participating fellows are responsible for coordinating their transportation and any associated costs. The program will not review applications for labs that are greater than a 1.5-hour commute (one-way by car or public transit) from the applicant’s residence or would require the applicant to relocate.

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Applicants must be currently enrolled in a bachelor’s or associate’s degree program and remain actively enrolled through at least April 15, 2027. Students who are transferring to a different college or university before/by September 2026 may apply. Applicants may be enrolled in a degree program that is in person, virtual or in a hybrid format and may be a part-time or full-time student. Applicants in a dual-degree program must still be enrolled in at least one (1) undergraduate-level course during the 2026-2027 academic year.

Applicants must be able to commute (<1.5 hours) to a 2026-2027 SURFiN Lab Opportunity for regular in-person lab activity from September 2026 through May 2027.

Applicants must be 18 years of age or older by July 31, 2026.

Prior laboratory experience is not required.

There are no citizenship requirements.

Applicants must meet any additional criteria required by the individual 2026-2027 SURFiN Lab Opportunities selected in their application.

Simons Foundation employees who receive a W-2 (Wage and Tax Statement) from the Simons Foundation, including employees of the Flatiron Institute, may not apply as a principal investigator (PI) to any Simons Foundation or Simons Foundation International Requests for Applications (RFAs) released by the Simons Foundation. PIs and any project personnel listed on the application who will receive funding for salary, travel, support for students, postdocs or research staff, lab equipment, computing time or other individual expenses may not be employees of the Simons Foundation, which includes the Flatiron Institute.

SF and SFI do not provide funding to institutions in China (including institutions in Hong Kong), or to fiscal sponsors or agents of institutions in China or Hong Kong. This includes funding to support subcontracts at institutions in China or Hong Kong or consultants residing or working for institutions in China or Hong Kong.