Summer Undergraduate Internship Program (SUIP)

Welcome to SUIP

The University of Pennsylvania Summer Undergraduate Internship Program (SUIP) is a prestigious 10-week immersive research experience for undergraduate students aspiring to pursue doctoral studies (PhD or MD-PhD) in the biomedical sciences. The program offers a rigorous, hands-on research training opportunity, pairing interns with a Principal Investigator (PI) based on shared research interests. Under the mentorship of PIs and lab members, interns gain critical laboratory and analytical skills essential for graduate school and future careers in biomedical research. In addition to laboratory work, interns engage in cutting-edge scientific seminars, professional development workshops, and graduate school preparation sessions, designed to enhance their research acumen and academic readiness. The program culminates in the SUIP Symposium, where interns showcase their research findings to peers and faculty. SUIP is designed for highly motivated students—especially those with limited exposure, experience, and access to extensive research opportunities—who are eager to initiate, expand, and refine their expertise in preparation for impactful careers in biomedical research, scholarship, and discovery.

Summer Program Dates

The 2025 program dates are Monday, June 2, 2025 to Friday, August 8, 2025 (tentative move-in dates: Saturday, May 31, 2025 and Sunday, June 1, 2025). Participants can expect to engage in lab and program activities for approximately 40 hours during the week.

Participants must commit to participating for the duration of the program dates.

Eligibility

  • The program is open to U.S. citizens and permanent residents only.
  • International students who do not meet residency requirements are not eligible.
  • Applicants must be enrolled in a four-year college for the fall semester following program completion; graduating seniors are not eligible.
  • Prior research experience is not required, but preference is given to students who have completed their sophomore or junior year.
  • Participants must be available for the full 10-week program.
  • The program encourages applications from individuals who have had limited exposure, experience, and access to research opportunities, including:
    • First-generation college students
    • Students from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds
    • Students attending small liberal arts colleges or universities with fewer research resources
    • Students with demonstrated academic potential, resilience, and a strong commitment to pursuing research careers in the biomedical sciences

Compensation

Each intern receives:

  • a competitive stipend ($5,500)
  • On-campus housing,
  • meal plans, and
  • transportation costs for one round trip to the University of Pennsylvania.

SUIP Affiliated Programs

SUIP-CCI (Center for Cell and Immunotherapies), SUIP-CFAR (Center for AIDS Research), and SUIP-PERFORM-KUH (Scholars Kidney, Urology, and Hematology) are affiliated programs with SUIP. Students are selected to the affiliated programs based on their research interests. Applicants do not need to complete a separate application to be considered for these programs. All compensation is the same as the general SUIP. Applicants who apply to an affiliate program will also be considered for the general SUIP program.

If you would like to be considered for an affiliate program, please indicate which one in your personal statement. If admitted into an affiliated program, students still will participate in all SUIP activities and will be offered additional research specific content and activities based on the affiliate group.

The Center for Cellular Immunotherapies hosts a Summer Undergraduate Internship Program in cancer and cellular immunotherapies. Participating laboratories have the general goal of understanding how the immune system interacts with cancer and developing interventions to improve anti-tumor immunity. This field of study represents an intersection of cancer biology, immunology, cellular and molecular biology, bioinformatics, and bioengineering.

Faculty Contact: Avery Posey (aposey@pennmedicine.upenn.edu)

SUIP-CFAR (Center For AIDS Research) Scholars will engage in mentored HIV/AIDS research. Research topics include HIV basic/translational science, clinical/behavioral science, implementation science, and HIV prevention research. SUIP-CFAR scholars will learn key concepts in the biological, clinical, behavioral, and community-based AIDS research and will build their professional skills.

Faculty Contacts:

The aim of the Philadelphia Program for Mentored Research Training in Kidney, Urologic, and Hematologic Diseases (PERFORM-KUH) is to create a comprehensive training program in Philadelphia that encompasses research training in science related to nephrology, urology, and hematology with a focus on kidney, genitourinary tract, and benign hematological diseases that are fundamental to addressing the personal and socio-economic burdens associated with these diseases. 

Faculty Contacts: 

Application & Admissions

Application & Admissions Process

Applications for SUIP 2025 open on October 1st, 2024 via the Penn application. All applications are due on February 1st, 2025 by 11:59 pm Eastern Time. All components of the application, including letters of recommendation, must be received by the deadline. Incomplete applications or applications submitted after this deadline will not be considered. 

Applicants who wish to apply through the Leadership Alliance, the application portal will open on November 1st, 2024 and will close on February 3rd, 2025 at 11:59PM.


Applicants can submit an application through Penn’s portal or via the Leadership Alliance. Our holistic evaluation process considers all components of the application. The research and personal statement should describe your meaningful research experiences and career goals, highlighting how your personal history and experiences have shaped your motivation to pursue a PhD, as well as the challenges you have overcome in accessing research opportunities.The letters of recommendation should include at least one from a research mentor, preferably the most recent one. The community statement should describe how your personal perspectives will shape and be shaped by engagement with the Penn community.

  • Completed online application form via Penn’s application, or via the Leadership Alliance. Applications are accepted through both platforms and are considered equally.
  • Research & Personal Statement- A statement describing your meaningful research experiences and career goals, highlighting how your personal history and experiences have shaped your motivation to pursue a PhD, as well as the challenges you have overcome in accessing research opportunities.
  • Community Statement- A statement describing how your personal perspectives will shape and be shaped by the engagement with the Penn community (150-200 words).
  • Two letters of recommendation from academic faculty or advisors
  • Most recent unofficial undergraduate transcript
  • Resume/CV

  • SUIP applicants who apply through the Leadership Alliance should follow the instructions on the Leadership Alliance’s website and select “University of Pennsylvania Biomedical Graduate Studies”.
  • SUIP applicants, including those applying to SUIP affiliate programs, who apply through the Penn Apply Web should follow the instructions below. 
    • Create an account following the Online Application App.
    • Begin the application with your personal information.
    • You will be prompted to select which “graduate” program you are applying to.
    • Select “Biomedical Graduate Studies, Perelman School of Medicine”
    • Select “SUIP” and “Summer 2025”.
    • In the “Recommendations” section, please provide the contact information for two (2) recommenders. An automated email will be sent to the email address(es) provided for recommenders to submit their letters. All recommendation letters are due by 2/1/25 at 11:59PM.
  • In the “Program Related Information” section:
    • Applicants will be asked to select a graduate group of interest. Applicants can refer to the Biomedical Graduate Studies page for more information about graduate groups.
    • If applicants are interested in an affiliate program, applicants can indicate their choice in this section. For those applicants interested in PERFORM-KUH the best spot to indicate this is where it asks for your major scientific interests. In that text box, please write SUIP-PERFORM-KUH. 
    • Follow the remaining prompts.

 

The University of Pennsylvania is part of the Leadership Alliance. We accept applications for SUIP that are submitted through the Leadership Alliance summer research program portal. We will consider all SUIP applications regardless of which application platform students use.

In a 2-page document (8.5”x11”) with a minimum of 0.5’ margins and at least 11 pt font, describe your meaningful research experiences and career goals, highlighting how your personal history and experiences have shaped your motivation to pursue a PhD, as well as the challenges you have overcome in accessing research opportunities. Please upload your statement with your application.
 

Your transcript must include all semesters/terms attended at your primary institution. Please also include any study abroad transcripts. Unofficial transcripts will suffice.

Two letters of recommendation are required. Letters from academic faculty who know you personally and can comment on your academic abilities and your aptitude for research are highly encouraged. Requests for letters of recommendation will be sent through the application portal to the email that applicants provide.

SUIP Overview

Successful applicants will have the opportunity to preference mentors based on their research interests. SUIP interns' lab placements are determined with consideration for the mentor's availability and the student's interests.

Mentors are drawn from a group of over 600 faculty associated with Biomedical Graduate Studies (BGS) at the University of Pennsylvania. The mentors we work with have a strong commitment to helping students and extensive experience mentoring, training, and teaching students, postdoctoral fellows, and staff.

Research areas available to SUIP students include:

The Office of Research Trainee Affairs Fellows, who are current graduate students or postdoctoral fellows, will serve as mentors for summer interns. Fellows will lead programming, team building activities, and excursions to explore Philadelphia. Our Fellows are passionate about building foundational knowledge, igniting curiosity, and cultivating the next generation of leaders in biomedical research.

SUIP sponsors the Summer Seminar Series, a sequence of talks about timely issues in biomedical sciences presented by distinguished Biomedical Graduate Studies faculty. The seminars provide interns with an opportunity to discover the breadth of research taking place at Penn and beyond.

Interns enjoy a variety of events including concerts and performances, trips to local museums, visits to historical sites, and social events with current graduate students and program staff. The University of Pennsylvania has several summer programs and there are many free events on campus that are open to our interns. Philadelphia is a great city to visit, and an even better place to live.