Summer is a chance for high school students to explore their passions and interests, free of the demanding schedule of school work that dominates their time during the year. We’ve written on this before, exploring both general summer possibilities for students, and some specific opportunities that can offer them something they otherwise might not encounter.Ìý In this article, we’re going to be doing a deep dive into another summer program: the . We’re going to cover what this program is, what it offers to students, how to apply, and whether it may be a good choice for your summer. There is no one right choice of summer program, but the more options you’re aware of, the more likely you are to find one that speaks to your needs and interests. So let’s see if Simons is the right fit for you!
Understanding the Simons Summer Research Program
Frequently abbreviated to , this program is a seven week in-person summer research program hosted by , a public university in Stony Brook, New York (which is on Long Island, there, I saved you a Google). At the program students are matched with a faculty member at the university, and join a research team there.
Over the course of the summer, students then complete a research project, while learning how research functions in an academic environment. These research projects are all in STEM fields; while the do vary from year to year, the available projects are in math, hard sciences, and medicine. Students spend at least four hours per weekday on their research, with many committing to full eight hours workdays. There are additionally group activities as part of the summer experience, including lectures, seminars, and excursions.
At the end of the summer, students present a research abstract and a poster presentation to their fellows in the program, showcasing what they have accomplished over the course of the summer. This mimics the standard course of professional research, and is part of the learning experience.
There is no tuition cost to participate in the program. Students may choose to dorm on-campus, or may live off-campus and commute. There is a housing fee for students living on-campus ( this was $2,450 in 2026), along with a fee for a meal plan. If you are living off-campus, then you are in charge of your own transportation each day.
How to Apply to the Simons Summer Research Program
SSRP does not have an open application. Instead, students who are interested in participating must be by their high school. High schools may nominate a total of two students each year. Usually, a science teacher or school counselor handles the nominations for each school. They have a of school contacts; you can see if your school is on there.
Note that this database only lists schools and individuals who have nominated students in the past, and your school may still nominate you if it is not on this list. In this case, speak with your science teacher and guidance counselor about being nominated. They recommend a single person at each high school handle nominations, to be sure that only two students from each school are nominated.
The program has the following eligibility requirements. The do not, under any circumstances, allow exceptions to these requirements (they are quite adamant about that):
- You must be a US citizen or permanent resident
- You must be in 11th grade at the time when you apply
- You must be at least 16 by the start date of the program
If you meet all of these requirements, and your school successfully nominates you, then you will be invited to apply. Schools have until January 30th to nominate students. If you are interested in this program, then we suggest speaking with your science teacher or guidance counselor about it in November.
Application Requirements
Once you have been successfully nominated, you can apply to Simons . Note that the online application must be completed in a single sitting; we advise entering the application, copying and completing the required essay questions, and then returning at a later date to fill the whole thing out at once.
You must include a transcript in the form of a PDF when you apply. An unofficial transcript is acceptable. The short answer questions they ask are truly short answer; they advise all responses be limited to 300 words. Note that they explicitly forbid the use of AI tools in drafting or helping you write your answers to these questions, or any other part of the application. They are admitting you to the program, and want to hear about you in your own words. The online application is due by February 5th.
When you apply, you will be asked to choose your top three potential research mentors, front eh faculty members available. They make a list of faculty research mentors available each year. We recommend selecting mentors and areas of research that best match with your own interests. While you can reach out to faculty you are interested in working with, this is not required or indeed recommended by the program. These faculty are generally quite busy with the work of the academic year, and may not have time to respond to you.
You are required to have two teachers (ideally math or science teachers) submit letters of recommendation on your behalf. If you have any previous research mentors, you are encouraged to have them submit a letter of recommendation for you as well. These are due by February 13. Your letter writers will receive an invitation to submit their letters once you have submitted your online application.
The Selection Process
Simons receives far more applications than they have spots; around 1,864 in 2026, and that’s just the ones they read (they don’t consider applications submitted after the deadline at all). They do not list exactly how many students they admitted, but they have 34 research mentors this year. Assuming each mentor takes on two students, that’s an acceptance rate of 3.6%.
Now, it’s unclear how many students each mentor takes on, but what they do say is that their acceptance rate is less than 5%, so we’re pretty sure we’re in the right ballpark with our estimation.
This means that this is a very competitive program, with an acceptance rate in line with some of the most competitive colleges. This doesn’t make acceptance impossible of course, but it shouldn’t be counted on, and you should apply to a range of summer programs if this is one you are interested in. It’s good to dream big, but having backup options makes those same dreams much safer.
What they look for from students is somewhat opaque, but we were able to glean some things. They look at your academic preparation as a baseline, especially your performance in your math and science classes. The program is a lot of work, and they want to make sure you have the academic foundation to be able to tackle and understand it.
They like to see students have done prior research, but do not expect it. Having done other summer programs of this type, or pursuing research on your own, does help your application however.
You don’t need to have a ton of experience in the field you are applying for; they understand that high schoolers don’t normally have access to many of these fields in the normal course of their classes. You should be able to clearly articulate your interest however, and to indicate why it is you want to spend a summer pursuing these studies.
Should You Apply to the Simons Summer Research Program?
If you are interested in majoring in a STEM field, especially if you are interested in doing research at some point in the future, then this is a great program to apply to. Students who are not interested in STEM fields specifically will not benefit much from this program, and should seek alternate experiences.
We highly recommend this program as well if you already have some experience with STEM research, and are looking for a more in-depth experience. Students interested in medical research specifically may not benefit as much, and may prefer to apply to programs focused on medicine more specifically, but there are some professors and mentors within Simons focusing on medical research.
We do suggest that all students who apply to Simons do not apply solely to this program. While many summer programs are competitive for admissions, this one is extremely so, and the vast majority of students who apply will not get in. It is good to apply to, but as part of a list of many different options for summer programs, not on its own.
Finally, students who live in Long Island, especially those near to Stony Brook, should consider this program. It is open to students from across the country, and happily accepts them, but having an elite summer program in your own backyard that you can commute to is a valuable thing, and should be taken advantage of where possible.
Final Thoughts
There are many potential ways to spend your summer, but doing hands-on original research under the direction of a faculty member is generally a great one, especially if research is something you are interested in pursuing further. The SImons program is extremely competitive, and certainly not the right choice for every student, but is an incredible opportunity, especially since there’s no tuition cost associated with it. We hope this article helped you understand this program, and whether it’s the right fit for you.
If you are interested in applying to this program, but want help with the application, or if you are looking for advice on finding the summer program that best matches your own interests and goals, then ³Ô¹Ï¹ÙÍø can help. Our mentors have a long experience guiding students to top summer programs, experiences that help them explore their interests and prepare them for college. Schedule a free consultation today to learn more, we’re always happy to hear from you.
