#  Summer Honors Undergraduate Research Program 

 



       ![SHURP 2025 Cohort](/sites/g/files/omnuum8961/files/styles/hwp_21_9__1920x825/public/2025-11/DSC_4065.jpeg?h=5122a609&itok=mucufdip) 

 

 



 

 



 

Summer Honors Undergraduate Research Program (SHURP) is a is a 10-week summer research program for college students interested in pursuing a PhD in the life sciences.

Participants will:

- Conduct 10 weeks of paid, scholarly research under the guidance of a faculty member and research mentor
- Participate in weekly career and professional development sessions and science communication sessions
- Meet with peer mentors
- Present a poster presentation at the Leadership Alliance National Symposium
- Present an oral presentation at the conclusion of the program
- Gain a professional network of mentors and peers

\*SHURP 2026 will be 10 weeks from Sunday, May 31 to Saturday, August 8.

Applications for SHURP 2026 will open on November 1 on the [Leadership Alliance website](https://theleadershipalliance.org/summer-research-early-identification-program).

**For students who are interested in pursuing an MD-PhD**, we invite to apply for our MD-PhD track through the **Harvard/MIT Early Access to Research Training MD-PhD Summer Program (HEART)**. For more information about how to apply to HEART, please visit this website: [https://www.hms.harvard.edu/md\_phd/heart/admissions.html](https://www.hms.harvard.edu/md_phd/heart/admissions.html)

To learn more about SHURP and HEART, you are invited to attend the **Harvard Summer and Postbac Programs Virtual Open House** on **Tuesday, December 2 at 5:00-7:00 PM ET**. You can register and learn more here: [https://harvard.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN\_SACcD1kRTzmOQ8W5zps6UQ](https://harvard.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_SACcD1kRTzmOQ8W5zps6UQ)

[ ![Harvard Summer & Postbac Programs Virtual Open House 2025](/sites/g/files/omnuum8961/files/2025-11/Harvard%20Summer%20%26%20Postbac%20Programs%20Virtual%20Open%20House%202025_v2.png)

 ](https://harvard.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_SACcD1kRTzmOQ8W5zps6UQ#/registration)

 

##  From our past SHURPers 

**Jacob T. Holmes**

Georgia State University, class of 2021

*SHURP and Harvard University changed my life. I gained the confidence to apply to schools I had only ever dreamed of applying to. I also made friends, learned a ton about the graduate school process, and even honed in on my own goals. SHURP gave me stability during the 2020 quarantine while helping me develop professionally, and I will be forever grateful.*

**Roland Scott**

Pomona College, class of 2022

*Despite the online format, SHURP gave me the opportunity to work with an incredible lab and with wonderful mentors who provided the support I needed to work virtually. I now feel prepared to apply to and succeed in graduate programs that interest me because I received invaluable guidance and advice during SHURP. It is stunning that such an empowering program could have been put together in such a short period of time for us and executed so well.*

**Kaci Craft**

Langston University, class of 2021

*SHURP 2020 was one of the best internships I have ever experienced. I felt so connected to the entire faculty and gained so many skills that will allow me to complete graduate school. I will always be in connection with my SHURP family.*

**Santos Navarro**

University of Colorado Boulder, class of 2021

*SHURP was an amazing experience because a community of diverse students from Harvard welcomed me. Most importantly, I grew as a researcher during the program and I learned that I can become a successful graduate student at schools like Harvard.*

**Edward Campos**

Lindenwood University, class of 2020

*I truly believe that the SHURP program was a positively transformative experience for me! It allowed me to conduct a meaningful research project as well as create long-lasting relationships throughout all the uncertainty present during the COVID-19 pandemic. The SHURP cohort did their absolute best to make the program a meaningful virtual experience. It is a great honor to be an alumnus of this excellent program!*



 

Apply through the [Leadership Alliance](https://theleadershipalliance.org/summer-research-early-identification-program). There are two Harvard programs, make sure to select "Medical Sciences." For more information about the Leadership Alliance, including the application process click [here](https://app.theleadershipalliance.org/sreip-instructions).



 

 



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