Overview
The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) program offers the opportunity to highly motivated undergraduate students from around the world to engage in research activities in the summer under the mentorship of faculty at INSAIT. The program is modeled after the top successful summer research programs at MIT, Caltech, and ETH Zurich.
This is the third edition of SURF, following the successful launches in 2023 and 2024. Similarly to the first two cohorts, we expect that all participants will actively contribute to ongoing projects in their groups and have the opportunity to co-author paper submissions to top computer science and AI conferences. You can read more about the experiences of students from the first and the second cohorts below.
Duration
The program is 8-12 weeks long with the exact duration of the summer project decided between the student and their mentor. In order for students to optimally benefit from the program, we do not allow summer projects to be carried out remotely. Students are expected to be present at the institute in Sofia, Bulgaria for a minimum of 8 (max 12) weeks during the summer.
Stipend
All selected students will receive a monthly stipend of 1500 EUR to cover their living expenses. INSAIT will arrange the accommodation for the students and cover the cost in addition to the stipend. We also cover travel expenses and provide assistance for visa applications for the selected candidates.
Who can apply
Undergraduate students enrolled in a Bachelor degree program at any accredited university are eligible to apply. The students should be enrolled in a STEM major, such as computer science, mathematics, physics, or engineering. To be eligible, applicants should also have a minimum GPA of 3.5 (out of 4.0) or the equivalent in the corresponding grading system. We strongly encourage applications from communities generally underrepresented in STEM.
Program timeline
| Open application window | Jan 17 – Mar 03, 2025 |
| Reviewing applications | Mar 04 – Mar 18, 2025 |
| Shortlisted candidates are invited for a brief online interview | Mar 19, 2025 |
| Interviews with shortlisted candidates | Mar 19 – Mar 28, 2025 |
| Selected candidates are invited to the program | Mar 31, 2025 |
| Selected applicants need to confirm their participation in the program no later than | Mar 31 – Apr 06, 2025 |
| Selected summer students reach out to their mentors to discuss projects and define a project scope/plan | Apr 06 – Apr 30, 2025 |
| Approximate dates for the summer research projects (exact dates discussed with mentors). The duration of the project cannot exceed 12 weeks | June 1 – Aug 31, 2025 |
How to apply
Applicants need to submit their application materials before the deadline via our online platform. Your application should include:
- A current CV (in PDF format)
- An unofficial transcript from your university (in PDF format)
- A one-page motivation letter (in PDF format)
Please state (1) Why you are interested in our summer research program, (2) General research areas that you are interested in, and (3) Whether you have prior research experience.
Program requirements
Throughout the program, summer students have to deliver:
- Project plan discussed with their mentor. The project plan should be ready at the beginning of the summer program.
- Final report which summarizes your work structured as a conference paper. Very often the aim will be for the final report to be submitted to a suitable conference.
- Final presentation to be given as part of the INSAIT seminar series.