Open for applications

Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU)

U.S. National Science Foundation · Opportunity number 23-601

306 days left (deadline Aug 18, 2027)

Details summarized from the official notice as of Oct 15, 2026. Always confirm eligibility, deadlines and requirements in the official notice before applying.

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Key facts

Opportunity number	23-601
Agency	U.S. National Science Foundation
Assistance listing (ALN, formerly CFDA)	47.075, 47.076, 47.049, 47.078, 47.050, 47.083, 47.070, 47.074, 47.084, 47.079, 47.041
Posted	Jun 29, 2023
Deadline	Aug 18, 2027
Award ceiling	$500,000
Award floor	$5,000
Expected number of awards	1,350
Estimated total program funding	$84,800,000
Cost sharing or matching required	No
Funding type	Grant
Category	Science technology and other research and development
Last updated here	Oct 15, 2026

Summary from the notice

The Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program supports active research participation by undergraduate students in any of the areas of research funded by the National Science Foundation. REU projects involve students in meaningful ways in ongoing research programs or in research projects specifically designed for the REU program. This solicitation features two mechanisms for supporting student research:

REU Sites are based on independent proposals to initiate and conduct projects that engage a number of students in research. REU Sites may be based in a single discipline or academic department or may offer interdisciplinary or multi-department research opportunities with a coherent intellectual theme.
REU Supplements may be included as a component of proposals for new or renewal NSF grants or cooperative agreements or may be requested for ongoing NSF-funded research projects.

REU projects with an international dimension are welcome. Undergraduate student participants in either REU Sites or REU Supplements must be U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals,or U.S. permanent residents. Students do not apply to NSF to participate in REU activities, and NSF does not select students for the opportunities. Investigators who receive REU awards establish their own process for receiving and reviewing applications and selecting students, and students follow the instructions provided by each REU Site or REU Supplement to apply. (In some cases, investigators pre-select students for REU Supplements.) To identify appropriate REU Sites, students should consult the directory of active REU Sites on the Web at https://www.nsf.gov/crssprgm/reu/reu_search.cfm.

Who can apply

The official notice lists these applicant types as eligible:

Others named in the notice (see the eligibility text)

Not listed as eligible

Small businesses
Nonprofits
Colleges and universities
State governments
Local governments
Tribal governments and organizations
Larger for-profit companies
Individuals

Unless the eligibility text in the notice names you, this opportunity is probably not for you.

Eligibility details from the notice

*Who May Serve as PI: For REU Site proposals, a single individual maybe designated as the Principal Investigator. This individual will be responsible for overseeing all aspects of the award. However, one additional person may be designated as Co-Principal Investigator if developing and operating the REU Site would involve such shared responsibility.After a proposal is awarded,some NSF units may allow the addition of more Co-PIs if an exceptional case can be made for why the management of the REU Site must be distributed.

Registrations you will likely need

Most applications submitted through Grants.gov need the following. Registration can take several weeks, so start early. The notice lists the exact requirements.

SAM.gov registration for your organization, which also gives you a Unique Entity ID (UEI). Registration is free.
A Login.gov account, which Grants.gov uses for sign-in.
A Grants.gov applicant registration linked to your organization's UEI.

Past awards for this program

Totals for assistance listing 47.075, 47.076, 47.049, 47.078, 47.050, 47.083, 47.070, 47.074, 47.084, 47.079, 47.041 from public USASpending.gov data, as of Sep 23, 2026. Past awards do not predict future funding.

Year	Listing	Awards	Total	Average
2026	47.075	1	$13,900,000	$13,900,000
2026	47.083	15	$286,335,186	$19,089,012
2026	47.079	1	$4,230,400	$4,230,400
2026	47.041	12	$310,155,075	$25,846,256
2026	47.084	8	$177,731,954	$22,216,494

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Before you apply

Read the full official notice, including the evaluation criteria.
Confirm your organization type and location are eligible.
Check your SAM.gov registration is active.
Note the exact deadline time and time zone in the notice.

Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU)

Key facts

Summary from the notice

Who can apply

Not listed as eligible

Eligibility details from the notice

Registrations you will likely need

Past awards for this program

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