LIGO Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowships (SURF)

Caltech LIGO SURF

Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowships

June 16 - August 21, 2026
Caltech  ·  LIGO Hanford  ·  LIGO Livingston

Information for Applicants

Eligibility

Applicants must be continuing undergraduate students (i.e. who will be students next year) in order to be eligible.

Eligibility requirements for Caltech students:

To be eligible for SURF, you must:

  • Be a continuing undergraduate student
  • Have a cumulative GPA of at least 2.0
  • Complete the third term at Caltech, or at another school under a program approved by a Dean
  • Be eligible for fall term registration before beginning your SURF project and no later than July 1
  • Not be under any disciplinary sanction
Eligibility requirements for non-Caltech students:

To be eligible for SURF, you must:

  • Be a continuing undergraduate student
  • Have a cumulative GPA of at least 2.5/4.0
  • Complete a full year of undergraduate education at your college or university, including at least one full year course in undergraduate physics
  • Not be under any disciplinary sanction

Students at institutions in India

LIGO India provides opportunities for GW research in India.
Apply for summer internships with LIGO Laboratory via the LIGO India portal.

Students from India typically must arrive and leave 2-3 weeks earlier than our normal program dates, and we try to accommodate that.

Deadlines and important dates

The 2026 Caltech LIGO Summer Program will run from June 16 through August 21, 2026. It is also possible to work longer than the standard 10 weeks of the program (for more pay), if this is arranged in advance.

LIGO SURF-specific important dates
  • Program dates:
    June 16 - August 21, 2026
  • Applications are accepted from:
    November 7, 2025 - January 11, 2026
  • Applicants will be notified of their status by April 2026.

Frequently Asked Questions

If I am graduating in the spring, am I eligible for the Caltech LIGO summer program?
No. We can only accept continuing undergraduate students.
Can I start working before the start date?
Probably not at Caltech; maybe at the LIGO sites. Caltech is on a quarter system, and the dorms are fully occupied the end of the academic year. Thus we usually cannot house summer students before the program start date.
Can I work longer than 10 weeks?
Possibly; this needs to be worked out with your mentor after you've been accepted, and depends on your project. If you work longer than 10 weeks, you will be paid accordingly.
If I don't have both recommendations letters in time, can I still send in my application?
Partial applications will be considered, as long as they arrive before the application deadline. It's better to send us something on time than a complete application late. Late applications will not be considered except in special circumstance.
Do you take rising sophomores (who will be sophomores next year) into your program?
We usually take one or two rising sophomores each year. Most projects benefit from having a more extensive physics background, however, so we tend to give preference to rising juniors and seniors.
Do you take international students?
Yes. Some of our funding is restricted to U.S. citizens or permanent residents, but some is not. We typically take several international students each year.