These frequently asked questions (FAQs) cover topics related to the Shenoy Undergraduate Research Fellowship in Neuroscience (SURFiN) Award program and our policies and instructions on submitting applications through the Simons Award Manager (SAM).
If you have a question regarding the request for applications (RFA) guidelines or policies not answered below, please contact the Simons Foundation at [email protected].
SURFiN Program Activities and Funding:
- Who can serve as a Host Laboratory?
- Who can serve as a mentor?
- Is there a limit on the number of mentors in a lab?
- Is there a restriction on the number of fellows who will be assigned to a particular lab, project or institution?
- How will the mentor and student pairings be decided? Do we have a choice in who we work with?
- Can I recommend an undergraduate student for the program?
- An undergraduate student is currently working in my lab (or in touch to arrange a research assistantship with me). Are they eligible to receive funding through this program to continue their work in my lab during the 2024–2025 academic year?
- What must be included in the Institution Confirmation of Ability to Administer Funds letter signed by the institution’s signing official?
- Can institutions outside of the U.S. apply?
- When will I be notified that a fellow has been paired with a mentor in my lab?
Principal Investigators (PIs) must be invited in order to submit a letter of intent (LOI) to host a SURFiN fellow.
We encourage PIs to identify early career scientists, such as graduate students and postdoctoral researchers, to serve as mentors to undergraduate students. We encourage interested individuals belonging to groups underrepresented in science to serve as mentors.
No. There is no limit on the number of mentors from a single lab that can take on an undergraduate student.
No. There is no limit on the number of fellows that can be assigned to any particular lab, program, or institution. Typically, we expect one (1) undergraduate student to be assigned to one (1) mentor. However, depending on demand and logistical constraints, it is possible that some mentors may not be paired with a fellow. However, if the mentor agrees, they may be paired with more than one (1) fellow.
When undergraduate students apply to the program, they will be required to indicate at least one (1) laboratory opportunity from the list of potential SURFiN host laboratories as their preferred choice. Based on recommendations from an external review committee, we will select undergraduate finalists for interview(s) with potential mentors. Potential mentors will have the opportunity to interview the finalists selected for their lab in June 2024. Our staff will assign final pairings based on mentor and finalist feedback from these interviews. We will attempt to make as many mentor-fellow pairings as possible. Please note that not all potential mentors are guaranteed to be paired with an undergraduate fellow. Typically, we expect one (1) undergraduate student to be assigned to one (1) mentor. However, if the mentor agrees, they may be paired with more than one (1) fellow.
Yes. We encourage labs and mentors to spread the word at their institutions and other undergraduate institutions within commuting distance of their lab.
If you are currently working with a student whom you wish to apply to the program, please see FAQ #7. Undergraduate students must be eligible to apply per SURFiN eligibility criteria and will be required to go through the review process.
Undergraduate students who are currently working in your lab or whom you have identified for your lab may apply to this program if they meet the SURFiN eligibility criteria. All students must submit an application and go through the review process. All students must provide at least one letter of reference as part of their application. A mentor who wishes to be paired with a specific student must be one of the student’s referees. Typically, we expect one (1) undergraduate student to be assigned to one (1) mentor, so we strongly encourage mentors to serve as a letter-writer for only one (1) such student applicant.
If, after application review, the student is not selected as a finalist by the SURFiN program, they will not proceed to the interview stage.
If, after application review, the student is selected as a finalist by the SURFiN program, we will include them in the list of finalists for your lab to interview. Our staff will assign final pairings based on mentor and finalist feedback from these interviews. We will attempt to make as many mentor-fellow pairings as possible. Please note that not all potential mentors are guaranteed to be paired with an undergraduate fellow. However, if the mentor agrees, they may be paired with more than one (1) fellow. There is also a chance your lab will be paired with a different fellow.
All LOIs must include a completed letter, signed by the institution’s signing official, confirming your institution’s ability to administer funds to a SURFiN fellow. The letter must be signed by your institution’s signing official. A lab will not be able to participate in the program without providing this letter. A template for this is provided in SAM.
Yes. Invited investigators at institutions outside of the United States may apply to host an undergraduate student. Please refer to our policies for more information on international awards.
All fellows will be notified of their lab placements by July 12, 2024. All students will have until July 19, 2024, to accept or decline the fellowship. Once we have received confirmation that the fellow has accepted their lab placement, all investigators and mentors will be notified of their pairing(s) on or before July 24, 2024.
LOI Submission Questions
- Who is responsible for submitting the Letter of Intent (LOI)?
- Can I email or mail a LOI?
- Do I need institutional sign-off to submit a LOI?
- I get an error message citing a missing section when I try to submit the LOI.
- Is there a confirmation email when I submit the LOI?
- Are deadline times adjusted for time zones?
- Can I make changes to the LOI once it has been submitted?
- Does the Simons Foundation allow extensions for LOIs?
The invited PI of the hosting lab is responsible for submitting one (1) LOI on behalf of all the potential mentors (e.g., graduate students or postdoctoral researchers) in their lab who are interested in participating in the 2024–2025 SURFiN program. A host lab may submit an LOI listing multiple SURFiN mentors and if each is paired with a fellow(s), host multiple SURFiN fellows.
No. We only accept LOIs submitted online through Simons Award Manager (SAM).
No. Institutional sign-off is not required at the LOI stage. However, please note that we do require a formal letter of support signed by the institution’s signing official confirming your ability to administer funds to an undergraduate student your lab hosts through SURFiN. If an undergraduate student is assigned to your lab, applicants will need institutional sign-off to submit the full application, which will include a budget.
The Check Application Progress button reviews your proposal for missing sections. The submission instructions list the required sections and attachments. You must complete the missing items listed in the error message. If you are still receiving error messages after completing and saving the indicated sections, please contact [email protected].
A confirmation email is sent upon submission. Make sure that spam filters allow emails from [email protected]. Please contact [email protected] if you did not receive a confirmation email and it is not in your spam folder. The submitted application will appear in the Submitted tab of the Applications in Progress table. Applicants are encouraged to monitor the status of the submission through SAM periodically. Please note that you will not be able to submit an LOI if the deadline has passed.
No. Please be advised that deadlines are in Eastern Time. We recommend registering early and submitting with ample time for corrections prior to the deadline hour. Site traffic can slow page-load times. You will not be able to submit after the deadline has passed.
Before you can make changes to your submitted LOI, you must first contact the Simons Foundation. Please email [email protected]. LOIs can only be changed prior to the deadline.
No. The deadline is February 13, 2024, at 12:00 p.m. Eastern Time. Extensions will not be granted. If you have any difficulties, please email [email protected].
Full Application Submission Questions
- What is required in the full application stage?
- Confirm the names of the mentor(s), fellow(s) and project title(s) for the academic year
- A budget for the academic year
- Institutional sign off
- How do I submit a full application?
In the full application, you will be asked to complete the following:
Instructions for this stage will be provided to all labs that are successfully paired with a fellow.
If an undergraduate student is successfully paired with a mentor in your lab, you will be granted access to the full application in SAM. The full application requires the submission of a detailed budget for the 2024–2025 academic year and institutional sign-off. If invited to submit a full application, please navigate to the Applications in Progress table, where your application will appear as In Progress.