Summer Research Initiative

The 2027 program dates are Tuesday, June 1, 2027 - Friday, July 23, 2027.  However, all participants are required to arrive to our College Park campus on Saturday, May 29th for the required 2-day, pre-program orientation.

• Be citizens or permanent residents of the United States; 
• Be enrolled full-time at an accredited four-year higher education institution, with preference given to those will have obtained junior or senior status by the fall 2027; 
• Demonstrate an interest in pursuing graduate study in one of the behavioral or social sciences, with preference given to those interested in doctoral training;
• Express an interest in, or demonstrate a commitment to our program's aim to improve the research, practice, teaching, and policy work in the social and behavioral sciences. We are also enthusiastic about applicants who are committed to broadening the participation of individuals with diverse life experiences to bring their skills, perspectives, and knowledge areas into social and behavioral science research.
• Will have taken a basic statistics or research methodology course; and 
• Possess an excellent academic record, including a 3.0 or better cumulative GPA.

The Summer Research Initiative (SRI)  is a full-time commitment requiring 40 hours of participation per week over the eight-week period. Participants are required to reside in the university housing provided by the program and to participate in all SRI activities throughout the summer including research projects, assignments and scheduled meetings with research and program mentors. 

To ensure a meaningful and immersive experience, students should not register for summer classes, hold employment that interferes with their participation. Making other summer plans such as vacations may interrupt their full and consistent immersion in the program.

Students in the Summer Research Initiative (SRI) will receive a $4,000 stipend (before taxes) to support their participation in the program. The SRI will also cover housing, expenses related program activities, round trip travel to and from College Park. Students will reside in on-campus group housing provided by the program and will receive group dinners Monday through Friday at the SRI lodging location. 

Applicants must submit all required materials through the appropriate application portals by the specified deadlines. Required materials include: letters of recommendation, transcripts, and résumé or curriculum vita (CV).

Application Deadlines

• February 10, 2027: The Big Ten Academic Alliance (BTAA) Summer Research Opportunities Program (SROP) application and transcript.
• February 10, 2027: The University of Maryland Behavioral and Social Sciences (BSOS) Summer Research Initiative (SRI) supplemental application. 
• March 1, 2027: Deadline for letters of recommendation submitted through the BTAA SROP application portal. 

NOTE - the BTAA provides a grace period that allows letters of recommendation to be submitted as late as March 1st.   However, applicants are strongly encouraged to request their recommenders submit their letters by February 10, 2027. Submitting letters by the primary deadline ensures all application materials are received in a timely manner,  minimizing the chance of delayed or missing documentation.    

 IMPORTANT – Read before proceeding to the application steps below.

To apply to the University of Maryland’s(UMD) Behavioral and Social Sciences (BSOS) Summer Research Initiative (SRI)  in the BTAA SROP application portal, students must select the University of Maryland (UMD) for us to access your BTAA SROP application. If you do not select the University of Maryland(UMD), we will not know that you wish to be considered for the UMD BSOS Summer Research Initiative.

Please review the BSOS SRI supplemental application instructions and questions prior to starting your required supplemental application. The supplemental application is different from, and additional to, the BTAA SROP application.     

The 2027 UMD BSOS SRI is a summer program aligned with other similar Big Ten Academic Alliance's (BTAA) Summer Research Opportunity Programs (SROP). Therefore, applicants must first complete the BTAA SROP online application. The BTAA SROP application can be completed in one session or you may return later to complete it.

To be considered for the BSOS SRI, all applicants must submit the BSOS SRI Supplemental Application, which consists of completing additional information about yourself as well as uploading an expanded supplemental personal statement and an updated résumé or curriculum vita (CV). We urge you to carefully review the BSOS SRI Supplemental Personal Statement Instructions before you begin writing. For questions about the BSOS SRI Supplemental Application, please contact the SRI Program Manager, Brittney Robinson, at brobins7@umd.edu.

2027 SRI Overview and Application Instructions

2027 SRI Supplemental Personal Statement Instructions

Department placement and faculty mentor preferences must be indicated in the BSOS SRI supplemental application . Please visit the department websites provided below to identify up to three department placement preferences that align with your graduate education goals, and research interests. In addition,applicants should identify up to three faculty members whose research aligns with your academic interests and professional development objectives. Please have your three department and faculty preferences selected before you proceed to Step 4 (below).

•  African American and Africana Studies
•  Anthropology
•  Criminology & Criminal Justice
•  Economics
•  Geographical Sciences
•  Government & Politics
•  Hearing & Speech Sciences
•  Program in Neuroscience and Cognitive Science
•  Psychology
•  Sociology

Important Disclaimer- When identifying potential summer faculty mentors, applicants are encouraged to prioritize faculty members with the title of Professor. Faculty members who are lecturers, postdoctoral associates, research associates, may be less likely to have the capacity to mentor students in summer research projects. 

Although the SRI team will do our best to match students with their preferences, specific faculty or departmental placements are not guaranteed. However, providing us with faculty and department preferences gives us an indication of the types of summer research topics that might be of interest or helpful to you.

For applicants interested in placements in the Department of Hearing and Speech Sciences, the highest priority will be given to those who intend to pursue a PhD rather than the clinical MA or AuD.

After completing steps 1-3 (above), please submit the BSOS SRI Supplemental Application and upload your expanded, supplemental personal statement and your updated résumé or CV.

For technical problems or questions about the BSOS SRI Supplemental Application, please contact Brittney Robinson, at brobins7@umd.edu.  

CAUTION: Your application will be considered complete only after you have submitted both the Big Ten Academic Alliance (BTAA) Summer Research Opportunities Program (SROP) application and the BSOS Summer Research Initiative (SRI) supplemental application, along with all required personal statements and two letters of recommendation  and personal statements.  Priority consideration  is always given to complete applications.