2026 CoC SURD Application (Final)

The College of Chemistry (COC) at UC Berkeley is comprised of the Department of Chemistry and the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering. Both disciplines provide the opportunity and means for addressing major scientific and technological challenges, such as climate change, increasing the world's food supply, synthesizing new materials, and discovering and delivering important drugs. The College prides itself on a balanced approach to science, with research areas ranging from experimental to theoretical.

The COC SURD program invites applications from undergraduates who are interested in pursuing research within the College of Chemistry. This includes research in Chemistry, Chemical Biology and Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering. 

As a COC SURD participant, you will:

• Carry out an individual research project under the day-to-day guidance of a graduate student or postdoc in a COC faculty's laboratory.
• Interact with faculty and students across the COC.
• Participate in an integrated mentorship and professional development program.
• Attend research seminars, group meetings, and SURD program meetings.
• Connect and network with current graduate students and postdoctoral researchers, and learn more about life as a graduate student.
• Strengthen your scientific reading, writing, and oral communication skills.

Program details:

• Participants will be placed in laboratories at UC Berkeley within the College of Chemistry. 
• The program is 10 weeks and will run from June 8 - August 14, 2026. 
• A $6000 stipend plus room and board will be provided. 
• Travel costs will be covered up to $600.

Eligibility:

• To participate in this program, you must be a rising sophomore, junior, senior, etc. 
• Must be enrolled full-time at a degree-granting program at a US institution of higher education located in the US or its territories
• Students who have recently graduated with a bachelor's degree are not eligible for the SURD program 
• Must be 18 & over
• Must be enrolled in a US 
• No previous research experience is required!
• Please contact Coc_diversity@berkeley.edu if you have questions about eligibility or feel an exception to these eligibility requirements should be considered. 

Applications will close on February 1, 2026 at 11:59 PT.

This section asks you to reflect on your goals, motivations, and interests for applying to the UC Berkeley College of Chemistry Summer Undergraduate Research Diversity Program. These short statements are an opportunity for you as an applicant to provide the selection committee with additional information and/or context to evaluate your application. We encourage you to draft your statements in a word processor, then copy/paste into the form. Please make sure you read the prompts carefully and address each of the components.

If you have not already, you may want to review the College of Chemistry Website to learn more about who we are and what we do. In particular, you may wish to review research performed throughout the Chemistry Department and the Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering Department. 

If you are ready to submit your application, please click submit below.

Please be sure you are ready to submit!

Once you submit, you will not be able to go back through the application form.

If you have any issues, please email Coc_diversity@berkeley.edu