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Stanford
Public Humanities
School of Humanities and Sciences

Undergraduate Researcher Program

Each summer, Stanford Public Humanities offers several full-time research opportunities for undergraduates. Working closely with a faculty mentor, students support one of the faculty projects funded by our Humanities Seed Grants. Participants contribute to groundbreaking research in the humanities, arts, and social sciences, while also honing skills that will set them up for a future honors thesis or independent project.

Undergraduate researchers are expected to devote themselves full time—roughly 40 hours per week—to these experiences for 10 weeks during the summer. They receive a base stipend of $8,000, along with a potential financial aid supplement of up to $1,500, depending on need.

Eligibility:

To be eligible, you must meet the following criteria:

  • Student Status:
    • Rising sophomores, juniors, and seniors of any major are welcome. However, current seniors who will graduate before summer quarter cannot apply.
    • Students may not be on a Leave of Absence (LOA) while using grant funding. Students who have been on LOA for 3 consecutive quarters prior to the funding period are not eligible (e.g., Autumn, Winter, and Spring).
  • Restrictions on other Summer Activities:
    • You may not accept a second full-time summer stipend from another Stanford program, and you may not work a full-time job during the 10 weeks of your Fellowship. You may participate in a second, part-time research opportunity or part-time job, but we strongly urge you to limit additional commitments to no more than 5–10 hours per week.
    • You may not enroll in any summer quarter courses, with the possible exception of a BOSP Global Seminar (see below).
    • You may not participate in one of Stanford’s intensive summer courses (such as Sophomore College, the Arts Intensive, or a BOSP Global Seminar) while working simultaneously on your project. However, if your faculty mentor allows it, you may be able to arrange the ten weeks of your summer commitment so that they do not overlap with your chosen course. 

How to Apply:

To apply, have a look at the open positions below. If one catches your interest, send an email directly to the faculty member in charge of the project, and he or she will follow up with next steps. Applications will be evaluated on a rolling basis until positions are filled.

Note: You are welcome to apply to multiple positions, but you must notify each faculty member of the other positions you are considering so that we can coordinate offers.

Questions? Email Jeff Schwegman: jschweg [at] stanford.edu (jschweg[at]stanford[dot]edu)


Open Positions

All of the positions for summer 2025 have been filled. Please check back in winter quarter of 2026 to learn about summer 2026 opportunities.