Admission to the Summer Student Program (SSP) is competitive, and students of all backgrounds are selected. All students receive a stipend of $7,000 for the 10-week program, including room and board. The cost of round-trip travel between the student's home and the Laboratory is also provided.
Students are required to attend the entire program. Students with date conflicts are still encouraged to apply; JAX staff will assist admitted students in negotiating early release, early finals, etc., to facilitate their on-time participation in required trainings at the beginning of the program. Students with significant date conflicts— such as early departure for overseas study — are encouraged to delay their application for another year. Students must not hold another job or internship or take summer classes during the program.
SSP is a 40-hour per week commitment that includes completing lab work and activities required by your host lab, attending weekly professional development sessions, and participating in a weekly journal club.
JAX Genomic Education staff review each individual application. Considering only the materials submitted within the context of the application (supplemental materials are not permitted), the Summer Student Program will offer fellowships to students whose applications best match our review criteria and programmatic goals. For example, we look for evidence of the following characteristics:
The online application allows students to save their progress and return to complete it at a later time. Applicants may edit their submissions until the posted deadline; however, applications must be formally submitted within the application portal by the deadline to be considered. Incomplete or unsubmitted applications will not be reviewed. After the deadline, applications will be accessible in read-only mode for status updates.
Notifications of acceptance will be sent via email by March 31.
To complete the application, students must provide standard personal and academic information, along with several required materials. Please review the application checklist below for more information.
The 2026 application cycle will begin in early November 2025.
High School Students: Application is currently closed
College Students: Application is currently closed
Undergraduate students must apply through the NSF-ETAP application. Follow the steps below:
Early November 2025
January 26, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. ET
$7,000, plus room, board and travel
May 30 – August 7, 2026 (10 weeks)
Bar Harbor, Maine & Farmington, Conn.
Questions? Email [email protected].