High School and Undergraduate Programs
We are committed to the well-being and success of all community members. Columbia complies with all applicable civil rights laws and does not engage in illegal preferences or discrimination.
YES in THE HEIGHTS (formerly CURE)
The HICCC Youth Enjoy Science Training in Health Equity, Highlighting Environmental Inequities, & Growing neighborHood Teachers and Students (YES in THE HEIGHTS) program, formerly known as the Continuing Umbrella of Research Experience (CURE), at the Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center is a summer internship for high school and undergraduate students that aims to increase the pool of youth entering STEM fields.
Cancer Research Intern Pool
Are you a high school or undergraduate student? Are you interested in an internship or research experience with the Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, but missed the program application deadlines? Then fill out our short interest survey to join our pool* of potential cancer research interns. We'll update you on upcoming program deadlines and share your information with any interested mentors that reach out to us.
*As this is not a specific program, needs and availability will fluctuate depending on mentor needs.
Columbia University Pathways Programs
Columbia is home to many programs that serve as a bridge to recruit candidates, who have faced barriers in their academic journey, to advance from high school to undergraduate studies, undergraduate to graduate studies, graduate studies to faculty positions, and junior faculty positions to research independence.
As part of the Inclusive Faculty Pathways initiative, the Office of the Vice Provost for Faculty Advancement has convened an administrative group called Columbia University Pathways Programs (CUPP) that connects the staff and faculty who coordinate these programs and organizes joint summer programming to create a climate of inclusion and belonging for participants.
State Pre-College Enrichment Program (S-PREP)
S-PREP is a free high school and college preparatory program designed for 7th - 12th grade students who are interested in pursuing a career in medicine or related STEM fields. The purpose of the program is to increase the number of students prepared to enter college and improve their participation rate in mathematics, science, technology, health-related fields, and the licensed professions. S-PREP consists of two sessions (Summer and Academic Year).
Undergraduate Only
SURF
The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) is a summer research training program for undergraduates enrolled at Columbia College, Barnard College, the School of Engineering and Applied Science, or the School of General Studies. Prospective trainees apply after identifying a Columbia University faculty member who has agreed to mentor them in a biology-related research project. Non-Columbia students admitted through the Amgen Scholars Program, the Genentech Fellowship or the Simons Fellowship with a Columbia University faculty mentor are admitted to SURF at Columbia. The program is administered by the Department of Biological Sciences at Columbia University with institutional support provided by Columbia College, Barnard College, the Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science, the Faculty of Arts and Sciences of Columbia University, CUIMC, and the Columbia School of General Studies. Financial support is also provided by the Amgen Foundation, the Genentech Foundation, and the Simons Foundation.
PrIMER
The Program to Inspire and Mentor Undergraduates in Environmental Health Science Research (PrIMER) is a research program for full-time, undergraduate students who are in STEM fields. PrIMER is funded by the National Institute for Environmental Health Sciences and provides research trainees the opportunity to gain valuable research experience in environmental health sciences. Students from colleges and universities in the New York City area are eligible to participate. The program is run by the Environmental Health Sciences Department of the Mailman School of Public Health.
Barnard College Science Summer Research Institute (SRI)
The Barnard College Science Summer Research Institute provides 10 weeks of financial support for faculty-mentored research. Research must take place in New York City, but can be at Barnard, Columbia, or other research institutes and universities (Icahn School of Medicine, NYU, the New York Botanical Garden, etc.). Selected participants also have access to subsidized on-campus housing at Barnard, and have the ability to take part in supportive workshops and social events throughout the summer. Barnard first-year students, sophomores, and juniors majoring in biology, chemistry, computer science, environmental science, neuroscience & behavior, physics, and psychology are eligible. Students work to identify a mentor and submit applications to the program by the Friday before spring break. All students in SRI present their work at the Lida Orzeck '68 Poster Session during the final week of the program.
Undergraduate Research Opportunities
This web portal is a place where Columbia undergraduates can find research opportunities and mentors from across the entire university and Columbia faculty can post projects seeking undergraduate researchers.