Viewing SectionGraduate Diversity

Inclusive Excellence Summer Research Experience

About

The Inclusive Excellence Summer Research Experience, facilitated by the Office for Graduate Diversity, focuses on the current challenges and opportunities for diversity in graduate education while providing an enriching and rigorous summer research experience to undergraduate students from around the country. The Inclusive Excellence Summer Research Experience is a fully funded 8-week summer research experience, professional development, and leadership training opportunity to develop the next generation of students from historically underrepresented backgrounds in graduate education. Our program pioneers in providing interdisciplinary and self-enrichment training to our Inclusive Excellence Summer Research participants to aid in changing the structure of higher education to be more inclusive and diverse.

Our known partners for summer 2024 are Vision Science/Optometry; Environmental Science, Policy, and Management; and Molecular and Cell Biology. Students interested in programs not listed are still strongly encouraged to apply for placement.

2023-2024 Information Sessions

Please check back for future information sessions.

Program Structure

  • 8 weeks at UC Berkeley in the San Francisco Bay Area
  • $5,000 stipend, paid housing, and travel expenses (up to $500 – to be coordinated by UC Berkeley). 
  • Guidance from a faculty mentor in the areas of life sciences, physical sciences, social sciences, or humanities.
  • Access to a specialized series of workshops to learn interdisciplinary perspectives and their applications to understand the strength of diversity, storytelling, and critical perspectives on the future of graduate education. 
  • Professional development workshops from current graduate students and professionals from different underrepresented backgrounds at UC Berkeley. Workshops will help students: 
    • understand the statistics and current challenges being faced by minoritized students in graduate education from individuals leading efforts to change them.
    • identify good mentors, become a good mentee, and create successful networks 
  • Personalized workshops on successful strategies and career paths from current graduate students and professionals from different underrepresented backgrounds at UC Berkeley

Program Specifics

  • Research presentations by UC Berkeley faculty
  • Weekly seminars on issues directly related to the academic, personal, and professional growth of scholars
  • Social outdoor activities in the Bay Area
  • Preparation of materials for graduate school applications
  • Research presentation at the conclusion of the program
  • Summer admission decisions made by early March 2024

Eligibility & Application

  •  a U.S. citizen,permanent resident, or recipient of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA).
  • currently enrolled in a full-time undergraduate program at a four or two-year college in the U.S. with plans to return to their home institution in Fall 2024.
  • a rising sophomore, junior or non-graduating senior. Sally Casanova Scholars are also eligible to apply as long as they are returning to their institution in the Fall of 2024.
  • interested in one of the Ph.D. programs being currently offered at UC Berkeley.

Important Dates

  • Application Deadline: February 1, 2024 at 8:59 p.m. PST
  • Semifinalist Interviews and Admission Decisions: Begin February 2024 through March 2024

The summer 2024 application is now closed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, we will accept supporting documents for a short time after the deadline. However, only completed applications are reviewed.

Only if it’s your only research experience and completed under the guidance of a professor at a University or research institute. Otherwise, you should only list research experience you have obtained as an undergraduate. However, you can mention your high school research in your essay.

Eligibility is currently restricted to US citizens and permanent residents. Students with Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) are also eligible to apply. Applicants must be currently enrolled in a full-time undergraduate program at a four or two-year college in the USA with plans to return to their home institution in Fall 2022. Sally Casanova Scholars are also eligible to apply as long as they are returning to their institution in the Fall of 2022. Applicants must be currently a sophomore, junior, or non-graduating senior in the United States or United States Territory. Applicants must have an expressed interest in one of the Ph.D. programs being currently offered at UC Berkeley.

Yes.

No. You are ineligible to apply because you must be a US citizen or permanent resident.

No.

Yes. The total duration of the program is 8 weeks. 

No. You must be returning to your undergraduate college or university in fall of 2024 to continue your studies.

Within your online application, you will request for the letter writer to submit a letter of recommendation on your behalf. To make this request, you will enter the name and email address of each letter writer. You can also change or add a different request. Carefully follow the instructions provided within the online application.

Letters from people who have experience working with you in a research setting, faculty mentors, principal investigators, professors, and teachers are preferred. Two letters from the same laboratory or research group are considered as one letter (i.e. a letter from a faculty member and one from your lab mentor-postdoc or graduate student you worked with in the lab). A letter from your pastor, resident advisor, music teacher, high-school teacher, or relative is not preferred, unless you have worked directly with one of these people conducting research.

Have your letter writer check Spam/Junk mail, resend the request with your online application, and/or contact the program about this issue.

No. Letters can be submitted at various times including after your application is submitted and after the deadline.

Applicants to the program will be notified starting March 1st and throughout the month of March.

There are up to 10 summer positions available. Definite placements within the Vision Science Summer Undergraduate Research (ViSUR) Program are available.

Yes. As part of your online application, you will list your four top research areas of interest and your four top faculty members.

Placements are made based on applicants’ research interest and faculty availability.

No. You are required to participate for the entire 8 weeks.

Expand All