Summer Scholars FAQs

Currently the program only includes in-person projects.

Yes. UNL students are welcome to apply for the Summer Scholar program, provided you are prepared to find a place to live in Ames.

The program runs 13 weeks and we allow one week off. Scheduling is usually between you and your faculty mentor but the program starts about one week after the end of classes in May. If you are going to be gone for three weeks or a month, that isn't compatible with this program. Additionally, all participants must attend Orientation in May, CVM Research Day in August, and the Veterinary Scholars Symposium, if you indicate on your application that you will be available.

Yes. The capstone of this project is presenting a research paper as part of Research Day. Attendance is mandatory.

Attending the Veterinary Scholars Symposium (VSS) is not mandatory as part of the Summer Scholar Research Program. The application provides an opportunity to indicate that you will not be available for the symposium.  

While we would love to bring all Summer Scholars to the symposium, unfortunately certain funding sources do not provide travel expenses for students. If you are particularly interested in attending the symposium, you are encouraged to indicate this both in the application and in your personal statement, explaining why you would particularly value the experience. 

Iowa State University considers this a full-time job. You need to discuss this with your mentor and probably one of the program coordinators. It might work for some projects and not for others.

Students receive a stipend in excess of $6,000 for the 13 week program. The stipend is paid in four checks throughout the summer. Payments are initiated at the end of May for the first two weeks, the end of June and the end of July for those full months; and the third week of August for the last two weeks of the program.

It is possible to be in the program for two years. While the stipend for the first year you are accepted is only available that year, you may be matched with a new project the following summer or your previous year's mentor can choose to sponsor a second year in the program for you. Preference is given to students who have not previously been part of the program and inclusion in one year does not automatically guarantee acceptance into a second year of the program.

If you are a concurrent DVM student completing your first two summer lab experiences, you are encouraged to be part of this program to assist you with finding a major professor. If you are not a concurrent student, but already an active graduate student, you are not eligible to participate in the program. The program is designed to give students an opportunity to explore whether a career in a research field might be something that interests them.

Yes. We ask that you be open to the possibility. Some students become interested in research after this experience. Many do not. Some graduate, go into practice for a few years and then decide to get involved in research areas. Some are not interested in their own project but get excited about other possibilities Consider it an opportunity to explore options. If you have any questions, do no hesitate to contact one of the program coordinators.