UNDERGRADUATE SUMMER RESEARCH INTERNSHIPS

The Aspirnaut™ Summer Research Internships are hands-on and mentored laboratory experiences for high school and undergraduate students interested in a career in the fields of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM).

The Undergraduate Summer Research Internship Program runs from May 25 – August 1, 2026.

The program is supported by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases of the National Institutes of Health. The research focus is on discovery science in renal biology and disease and is designed for students interested in engaging in biomedical research, augmented with guided professional skills development and wellness training.

For consideration for the Undergraduate Program, a completed application packet includes the following:

• Completed application through our REDCap survey (Application Link), which must be completed by the student applying for the program.
• Official Academic Transcript, reflecting most recent semester’s final grades (Fall 2025), which must be submitted directly to the program by the school’s registrar office or transcript service.
• Two letters of recommendation (submitted to our REDCap system, which is linked to the applicant’s record on our system).
  • One letter must be from a science, technology, or mathematics instructor.
  • The second letter can be from another adult who can speak to your unique qualities that distinguish you for this program.
  • Additional letters may be submitted and will be considered with the other requested documents.
• Interns must have valid, current health insurance at the start of and for the duration of the program.
• If available:
  • Standardized score reports (GRE, MCAT practice exams, etc.).
  • Interns must be a documented U.S. citizen or non-citizen national or permanent resident in possession of an alien registration receipt card (I-551) or other legal document of such status. International citizens studying in the United States with an F-1 visa are not eligible for these spots. Individuals seeking asylum or refugees are not eligible.

Application and supplementary materials will be accepted until 11:59 PM CST on Wednesday, January 14, 2026. For early admission, please submit your application and all supporting materials by December 19th, 2025 at 11:59pm CST.

For our undergraduate program, Discovery Science for Renal Biology and Disease, funded by NIH/NIDDK/KUH, interns must be a documented U.S. citizen or non-citizen national or permanent resident in possession of an alien registration receipt card (I-551) or other legal document of such status. International citizens studying in the United States with an F-1 visa are not eligible for these spots. Individuals seeking asylum or refugees are not eligible.

Schools or colleges/universities often issue an unofficial, informal copy of the transcript the student can access. This may be through your online student portal dashboard or as a downloadable PDF copy. We will accept a copy of an unofficial transcript until the official transcript (with Fall 2025 final grades displayed) is available. The official copy must be transmitted electronically no later than 11:59 PM CST on January 14, 2026.

Official transcripts are provided to programs, other institutions, and applications directly from the school or college/university. These are typically sent via a certified transcription service, or directly from the school. We require this official copy, which may be sent from an official school email and school administrator, for application review.

We recognize that final Fall 2025 grades may not be available by our deadline. We require the most up-to-date copy of your grades by our deadline. You may submit the final grades after the deadline only if this has been pre-arranged with our office.

Please note: an application packet is not considered complete without an official copy of your transcript.

Letters of recommendation are opportunities for the recommender to showcase your unique case for admission to the program. Generally, the most effective letters are from those who know you best and can provide specific information about your unique strengths. No two letters will look the same. Please contact researchinternships@aspirnaut.org  for further guidance.

We accept supporting documentation through our electronic REDCap application. When proceeding through the REDCap application, you will be prompted to provide contact information (name and email) for the individuals responsible for transmitting transcripts (high school program) and your letters of recommendation. Each individual will receive an email directly from Aspirnaut (researchinternships@aspirnaut.org) with instructions and unique link to a REDCap form in which to submit the respective documentation.

Please contact researchinternships@aspirnaut.org for alternative arrangements if your transcript or letters of recommendation cannot be submitted in this format.

Yes, you may submit additional materials that you believe will augment your application packet. Applicants in the past have included resumes, certificates, and other supporting documentation. We do not accept video files.

Please contact us directly at researchinternships@aspirnaut.org. Uploading to our REDCap system will date and time stamp it, allowing us to verify if it was submitted on time. Materials submitted after the deadline will not be considered as part of a completed application.

Please contact researchinternships@aspirnaut.org. We can provide access information once we verify your identity.

Our undergraduate program is funded through a combination of strategic partnerships with individual colleges and Federal grant funding. Our typical group size is approximately 10-15 participants each summer.

A summer research internship with the Aspirnaut™ program is an immersion experience in biomedical research. Interns will work a standard 40-hour work week in a research lab under the guidance of a mentor and research team. Throughout the week interns will also participate in lab meetings, luncheons with Vanderbilt University Medical Center faculty and staff, and prep courses, which can total up to an additional 10-15 hours of programming and training. Undergraduate students have the opportunity to participate in a variety of seminars and social activities planned by Vanderbilt’s Summer Science Academy.

Students should arrive with funds to cover personal expenses that are not included below. Undergraduate students funded on the R25 grant should arrive with enough funds to cover the cost of room and board and incidentals until the first stipend check is issued on July 1. Additionally, students are responsible for the cost of travel to and from Nashville, TN. However, to help offset increasing travel costs, students selected for the 2026 summer program will be able to apply for full or partial needs-based travel scholarships. More information on the travel scholarship and application process will be available in spring 2026.

The program provides, at no cost to the student, the following:
Undergraduate students (funded by Discovery Science Experience in Renal Biology and Disease):

• Stipend which is intended to cover the cost of room and board ($650 per week, resulting in between $6500 over the course of the summer).
• Luncheons with distinguished faculty and members of the scientific community.
• Lab costs and lab supplies, including lab coat.
• Scientific poster printing.
• Travel to and from NIDDK/KUH Undergraduate Research Conference.

• Aspirnaut™ Undergraduate Research Interns on the Discovery Science Experience in Renal Biology and Disease funding are paid in three payments on July 1, August 1, and September 1.
• Berea/Aspirnaut™/Hal Moses Summer Research Interns are paid according to the Berea College pay schedule.

Undergraduate interns may choose to be housed in university summer intern housing at their expense. The program makes every effort to house Aspirnaut™ interns together. Undergraduate interns may make arrangements to live off campus on their own.

Undergraduate students may bring their cars and will need to purchase a parking permit.

If selected for the program, interns will receive a handbook that includes a detailed list of items to pack. Briefly, interns will need close-toed shoes and long pants for the lab. Casual clothing is fine in the evenings and on weekends. Interns may wish to bring a set of clothing appropriate for special occasions (final presentation day, poster session, and one-on-one meetings with distinguished faculty and administrators). For the dorm room, interns will need twin sheets, towels, and toiletries.

Our first priority is the health and safety of the interns and staff members. As Aspirnaut™ is hosted on Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) and Vanderbilt University (VU) campuses, we follow institutional guidelines and responses, along with metro, federal, state, and CDC recommendations.