Applying to the HCII Undergraduate Summer Research Program

The application for the HCII REU Summer 2025 program is now closed. 

 

Applications from all undergraduate majors and countries are welcome, however due to the nature of our funding, priority is given to US citizens and residents.

2025 Application Overview 

  1. Use a Research.gov account to apply via the NSF ETAP system.
  2. Find our site “2025-HCI REU” in the ETAP system and select it to begin the application. 
  3. Complete the core application registration information. (If you have already done this for another REU app, it will populate automatically for you.) 
  4. Fill out the 2025-HCI REU Opportunity-Specific questions and apply by the deadline. 

Additional information about these steps is available below. 

 

Information about the application 

This year’s application will be accessible through the NSF Education and Training Application (ETAP) system. In order to access the application, you will first need a Research.gov account. If you have a Research.gov account, select "Sign In" to complete registration and apply for opportunities. If you do not have a Research.gov account, select "Create Account" to first create a Research.gov account. For additional help, read the NSF ETAP step-by-step instructions (pdf) or view the NSF ETAP how-to video.

Once you’ve finished setting up your account, you can use ETAP to find and apply for the REU Summer 2025 Program by navigating to the top of the home page and clicking on “Search Opportunities.” To locate the REU Summer 2025 program, search "HCII Summer Research Program 2025-HCI REU" or search with opportunity number 2349558.

Click “Apply Now.” When you begin the application, you will be prompted to complete registration if you have not done so to this point. The registration is the core application information required by all opportunities. It is completed only once and will automatically populate to all opportunities that you apply for. After it is completed, you will then complete opportunity-specific questions and documentation requirements. 

 

2025-HCI REU Opportunity Specifics

You are required to upload the following items.

Personal Statement - Prepare a concise one to two page essay (12 point font, 1.5 spaced) that describes your objective in participating in this program at Carnegie Mellon. Your personal statement is an important part of your application and will be read by multiple people with different goals. For example, one person might read your statement thoroughly and in-depth, while another person might scan it quickly to match you to a project that suits your interests and goals. It helps if your statement is well organized, with clear headings, to make it easily readable. In your personal statement, please write one or two paragraphs on each of the following:

  • Why our REU program appeals to you.
  • Your future (post-college) goals, and how the experience of our program would support your goals.
  • Any prior experience with HCI research or related areas. It is okay to write that you are excited to try HCI research and why. It is also okay if you have no prior experience. The goal of the program is to expose you to new ideas.

Resume - Outline your education, extracurricular activities, and any work and research experience you may have. Include links to any webpages you want to mention. 

Transcripts - Unofficial transcripts are accepted.

References - We require applicants to include 1 letter of recommendation which must be submitted electronically. Go to My References to request or select which references you would like to include in this application.

Your recommender should be able to speak about your academic potential and ability. The strongest recommendations often come from individuals who have known you for an extended period of time and had the opportunity to work with you in a research and academic setting. A professor from your college or university with whom you have worked or done research, or who knows you well from a classroom setting, would be an excellent choice. However, one of our goals in this program is to invite students with little to no previous research experience. We therefore fully understand that you may not have yet done such research with any faculty at your home institution, and thus may not have such a letter-writer to ask for a recommendation.

Additional Questions -

  1. Project selection preferences - Select up to five projects of interest (learn more on our research projects page). 
  2. Explain your project preferences (short essay response up to 5000 characters).
  3. Program time acknowledgement 
  4. FERPA/Buckley Amendment
  5. Citizenship status
  6. Select general research areas of interest (up to five)
  7. Optional upload for publications and additional items -- Note: it is optional to submit additional materials here, but a response to this question is required to submit your application. If you do not have additional materials to submit for question #7, please upload a PDF with a short message, such as "No additional materials to submit."
  8. How did you hear about the program?
     

Once you have completed all of the application requirements and are ready to submit, click the “Preview and Submit” button. Please note, once applications are submitted they cannot be changed. You will be asked to preview your full application—including the Registration Information—and will be prompted to submit following the preview.