Shenoy Undergraduate Research Fellowship in Neuroscience Grant

Shenoy Undergraduate Research Fellowship in Neuroscience Grant

Status: ACTIVE
Funder: Simons Foundation Inc.
Amount: Up to US $11,500
Last Updated: March 14, 2026

Summary

The Shenoy Undergraduate Research Fellowship in Neuroscience (SURFiN) by the Simons Foundation aims to engage undergraduate students from underrepresented backgrounds in neuroscience research. The program offers paid research assistantships at various labs across the U.S., Canada, and Europe. Selected fellows will gain hands-on experience and mentorship during the 2024-2025 academic year, fostering diversity and innovation in scientific research. This initiative supports students in their academic journey while promoting inclusivity in the scientific community.

Overview

NOTE: For an overview of the SURFiN Program, interested undergraduate students are encouraged to attend a virtual informational webinar on Mar 25, 2026 10:00am PDT, and may register here. A recording of this session will be available online. SURFiN Program Summary The goal of the Simons Foundation’s Shenoy Undergraduate Research Fellowship in Neuroscience (SURFiN) program is to spark and sustain interest in neuroscience among undergraduate students whose backgrounds and experiences are underrepresented in science. SURFiN provides funds for paid research assistantships for undergraduate students living near participating laboratories in the U.S., Canada, and Europe that are supported by the Simons Foundation’s Autism and Neuroscience division. SURFiN undergraduate fellows will gain hands-on in-person research experience during the 2024–2025 academic year with direct mentorship, typically from early-career scientists, such as graduate students and postdoctoral researchers. Description of the SURFiN Undergraduate Research Opportunity SURFiN is an initiative of the Simons Foundation’s Autism and Neuroscience division, which includes the Simons Collaboration on the Global Brain (SCGB), the Simons Collaboration on Plasticity and the Aging Brain (SCPAB) and the Simons Foundation Autism Research Initiative (SFARI). We are now accepting applications, referred to here as letters of intent (LOIs), from eligible undergraduate students interested in participating in the SURFiN program. The goal of the SURFiN program is to spark and sustain interest in neuroscience among undergraduate students whose backgrounds and experiences are underrepresented in science. SURFiN provides funds for paid research assistantships for undergraduate students living near invited laboratories in the U.S., Canada and Europe that are supported by the Simons Foundation’s Autism and Neuroscience division. SURFiN undergraduate fellows gain hands-on in-person research experience during the academic year with direct mentorship, typically from early career scientists, such as graduate students and postdoctoral researchers, known as “SURFiN mentors.” We are invested in supporting the next generation of researchers and recognize that diversity improves scientific innovation and collaboration. Through programs like SURFiN, we aim to expand access to research experiences, support early career scientists in advancing in their careers, and work to create a more inclusive research training environment.

Eligibility

You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website. Applicants must remain actively enrolled through at least April 15, 2026. 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. For this program, undergraduate students are students enrolled in a bachelor’s, associate’s, or equivalent degree program at a degree-granting institution, including four-year universities and two-year community colleges.Applicants in a dual-degree program must still be enrolled in at least one (1) undergraduate-level course during the 2025-2026 academic year.Applicants must be 18 years of age or older by July 31, 2025.Applicants must be able to commute (<1.5 hours) to a 2025-2026 SURFiN Lab Opportunity for regular in-person lab activity from September 2025 through May 2026.It is not necessary for applicants to have prior laboratory experience.U.S. citizenship or permanent resident status is not required.We cannot sponsor visas for students, nor can we delay the start of the SURFiN program due to delays in obtaining work authorization if required by the host institution.Individual hosting institutions may have additional eligibility requirements; applicants should check that they meet both SURFiN’s programmatic eligibility criteria listed above and any additional criteria listed for the SURFiN lab opportunities selected in their application.

Ineligibility

Your application will not be considered for any lab opportunities that are outside of the two-hour commuting distance of your place of residence or institution.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.