Application Information

Application Submission Deadline: all applications completed by February 14, 2025 will be reviewed before any offers are made. (Here "completed" requires the online application form, a transcript, and two letters of recommendation.) Later applications will be considered until the program is full, typically in late March or early April. Although there is no firm deadline, we strongly recommend that your application be complete by March 1, 2025 -- or even better, by February 14. Initial offers will go out on March 3. If you are considering applying in mid-March or later, you may want to contact the program about availability of positions.

Your complete REU application must include two letters of recommendation and a transcript. A third letter is optional. At least one letter should be from a physics or astronomy professor, and if you have done prior research you should include a letter from your research advisor. We strongly prefer that the letters be uploaded directly into our electronic system; direct your recommenders to https://london.physics.ucdavis.edu/~reu/letters.html or have them wait for e-mailed instructions after you apply. Your transcript should include Fall 2024 grades, and ideally your winter or spring 2025 schedule as well. An unofficial transcript is fine. See the FAQ page for suggestions on how to obtain an appropriate document and get it into an acceptable format. You must upload your transcript into our system yourself, using the ID code assigned when you complete the initial application. Do not mail or e-mail the transcript, since we will not process it.

Before beginning the application:

• Get consent from two or three people who will write letters of recommendation, and tell them exactly how you will enter your first and last names on the application. This is especially important if you use a middle name or nickname in daily life but your full first name on forms. Have your writers' e-mail addresses on hand when you fill out the application form.
• Look over the project descriptions and think about your preferences among them.
• Write a brief essay on your goals and what you hope to gain from the REU. Typical length is 300-500 words.

When the application is available, the link to it is here. We expect to open the application around December 15, 2024.

Once you've applied, you will receive an ID code. Use that code here to submit your transcript(s). Use the same link to check whether letters of recommendation have arrived and to send reminders to your letter writers. It is your responsibility to ensure that two letters arrive on time. If you discover that one will be late, contact the program to replace one of the recommenders or add a third letter.

Current UC Davis Undergraduates:

(The following applies only to students enrolled at UCD during the 2024-25 school year.) Many Davis students do research with our faculty, both during the school year and in the summer. Generally faculty mentors pay these undergraduates from their own research budgets, but in special circumstances the REU program may help with summer support. To get involved in research, UC Davis students should speak directly to the faculty members they hope to work with. UCD students doing summer research in the physics department are more than welcome to participate in all REU activities, including field trips, seminars, weekly lunches, and presentations; just let Professor Zieve know you are interested. We also encourage Davis students to apply to other REU sites which offer research projects and environments not available at UCD.