Skip to content
Simpler Grants

No. 23-601 · U.S. National Science Foundation

Open

Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU)

Dealbreakers No cost share required Audit: not stated
Not reimbursement-only
“The REU experience is a research training experience paid via a stipend, not employment (work) paid with a salary or wage.” — From the announcement
Award range
$5,000 – $500,000
Expected awards
~1350
Application deadline
Aug 18, 2027
Posted
Jun 29, 2023
Last verified
6 days ago

At a glance

No plain-language summary yet for this grant — the official description below is the best source.

What it funds

  • Science and Technology and other Research and Development
  • Training, Fellowship & Career Development
  • Researchers & Scholars
  • Students & Learners (K-12 and Postsecondary)
  • STEM Education & Research Training
Official description from grants.gov

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

  • Others
Geographic restriction None found in the announcement — likely nationwide

Program history

USASpending.gov

Assistance listing 47.041 · Engineering

Real awards this federal program has made — the whole assistance listing (47.041), not just this notice.

Fiscal year Awards Median award Middle half
FY 2026 (so far) 604 $407,608 $200,000 – $550,000
FY 2025 1,537 $389,666 $282,237 – $549,621
FY 2024 1,761
FY 2023 1,862
FY 2022 2,238
FY 2021 2,436

For comparison, this notice advertises $5,000 – $500,000.

Dollar figures are based on the 1,000 most recent awards we store, not all 10,438 — award counts are complete.

Who wins it Higher education (9,406), Business (952), Individuals (3) of 10,438 awards — categories can overlap.
Top states TX (94) · CA (88) · MI (57) · NY (56) · PA (39)
Largest recent awards
  1. NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY $7,674,141 · FY 2026
  2. VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY $4,000,000 · FY 2025
  3. NORTH DAKOTA STATE UNIVERSITY $3,848,048 · FY 2025
  4. CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY $3,000,000 · FY 2025
  5. NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY $3,000,000 · FY 2025

Source: USASpending.gov · refreshed Aug 19, 2026

Assistance listing 47.049 · Mathematical and Physical Sciences

Real awards this federal program has made — the whole assistance listing (47.049), not just this notice.

Fiscal year Awards Median award Middle half
FY 2026 (so far) 762 $299,931 $121,337 – $500,000
FY 2025 2,247 $482,485 $249,935 – $627,333
FY 2024 2,571
FY 2023 2,745
FY 2022 2,640
FY 2021 2,567

For comparison, this notice advertises $5,000 – $500,000.

Dollar figures are based on the 1,000 most recent awards we store, not all 13,532 — award counts are complete.

Who wins it Higher education (12,621), Individuals (465), Business (248) of 13,532 awards — categories can overlap.
Top states CA (138) · NY (88) · MA (64) · TX (52) · PA (44)
Largest recent awards
  1. UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, LOS ANGELES $7,039,283 · FY 2026
  2. WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY RESEARCH CORPORATION $5,950,041 · FY 2026
  3. UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN SYSTEM $4,950,000 · FY 2026
  4. AUBURN UNIVERSITY $2,998,544 · FY 2025
  5. THE JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY $2,831,003 · FY 2025

Source: USASpending.gov · refreshed Aug 21, 2026

Assistance listing 47.050 · Geosciences

Real awards this federal program has made — the whole assistance listing (47.050), not just this notice.

Fiscal year Awards Median award Middle half
FY 2026 (so far) 628 $389,288 $209,626 – $543,580
FY 2025 920 $368,108 $202,000 – $593,558
FY 2024 1,251
FY 2023 1,285
FY 2022 1,315
FY 2021 1,504

For comparison, this notice advertises $5,000 – $500,000.

Dollar figures are based on the 1,000 most recent awards we store, not all 6,903 — award counts are complete.

Who wins it Higher education (6,113), Business (451), Individuals (140) of 6,903 awards — categories can overlap.
Top states CA (123) · NY (77) · TX (73) · MA (69) · CO (33)
Largest recent awards
  1. EARTHSCOPE CONSORTIUM INC. $59,141,331 · FY 2025
  2. UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SAN DIEGO $6,457,844 · FY 2025
  3. REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN $6,000,000 · FY 2025
  4. CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY $4,780,833 · FY 2026
  5. UNIVERSITY OF ROCHESTER $2,999,998 · FY 2026

Source: USASpending.gov · refreshed Sep 4, 2026

Assistance listing 47.070 · Computer and Information Science and Engineering

Real awards this federal program has made — the whole assistance listing (47.070), not just this notice.

Fiscal year Awards Median award Middle half
FY 2026 (so far) 1,087 $380,991 $250,087 – $530,369
FY 2025 1,560
FY 2024 1,919
FY 2023 2,178
FY 2022 2,045
FY 2021 1,910

For comparison, this notice advertises $5,000 – $500,000.

Dollar figures are based on the 1,000 most recent awards we store, not all 10,699 — award counts are complete.

Who wins it Higher education (10,321), Business (187), State government (6) of 10,699 awards — categories can overlap.
Top states CA (95) · NY (70) · PA (62) · TX (61) · MA (58)
Largest recent awards
  1. UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO $11,000,000 · FY 2026
  2. CARNEGIE-MELLON UNIVERSITY $10,000,000 · FY 2026
  3. THE MORGRIDGE INSTITUTE FOR RESEARCH, INC. $9,000,000 · FY 2026
  4. UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, LOS ANGELES $9,000,000 · FY 2026
  5. UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE $9,000,000 · FY 2026

Source: USASpending.gov · refreshed Sep 4, 2026

Assistance listing 47.074 · Biological Sciences

Real awards this federal program has made — the whole assistance listing (47.074), not just this notice.

Fiscal year Awards Median award Middle half
FY 2026 (so far) 573 $566,575 $308,334 – $894,239
FY 2025 826 $569,960 $350,857 – $899,906
FY 2024 1,075
FY 2023 1,137
FY 2022 1,240
FY 2021 1,243

For comparison, this notice advertises $5,000 – $500,000.

Dollar figures are based on the 1,000 most recent awards we store, not all 6,094 — award counts are complete.

Who wins it Higher education (5,049), Business (490), Individuals (460) of 6,094 awards — categories can overlap.
Top states CA (108) · NY (78) · TX (44) · NC (24) · FL (23)
Largest recent awards
  1. WILLIAM MARSH RICE UNIVERSITY $2,600,000 · FY 2026
  2. UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND, COLLEGE PARK $2,432,713 · FY 2025
  3. CLEMSON UNIVERSITY $2,400,000 · FY 2025
  4. THE PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY $2,200,000 · FY 2025
  5. THE TRUSTEES OF COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK $2,000,000 · FY 2026

Source: USASpending.gov · refreshed Sep 4, 2026

Assistance listing 47.075 · Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences

Real awards this federal program has made — the whole assistance listing (47.075), not just this notice.

Fiscal year Awards Median award Middle half
FY 2026 (so far) 113 $528,600 $237,499 – $775,500
FY 2025 559 $210,247 $37,874 – $406,540
FY 2024 839 $193,570 $94,373 – $399,241
FY 2023 869
FY 2022 895
FY 2021 958

For comparison, this notice advertises $5,000 – $500,000.

Dollar figures are based on the 1,000 most recent awards we store, not all 4,233 — award counts are complete.

Who wins it Higher education (3,837), Business (195), Individuals (130) of 4,233 awards — categories can overlap.
Top states CA (107) · NY (89) · TX (77) · MA (74) · IL (51)
Largest recent awards
  1. REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN $10,999,998 · FY 2024
  2. UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY RESEARCH FOUNDATION, THE $8,399,997 · FY 2024
  3. NATIONAL OPINION RESEARCH CENTER $7,998,747 · FY 2025
  4. ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY $6,430,848 · FY 2026
  5. REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA $5,200,000 · FY 2024

Source: USASpending.gov · refreshed Sep 4, 2026

Assistance listing 47.076 · STEM Education (formerly Education and Human Resources)

Real awards this federal program has made — the whole assistance listing (47.076), not just this notice.

Fiscal year Awards Median award Middle half
FY 2026 (so far) 542 $400,000 $193,868 – $750,000
FY 2025 805 $632,661 $336,311 – $1,300,000
FY 2024 1,421
FY 2023 1,305
FY 2022 1,344
FY 2021 1,191

For comparison, this notice advertises $5,000 – $500,000.

Dollar figures are based on the 1,000 most recent awards we store, not all 6,608 — award counts are complete.

Who wins it Higher education (5,882), Business (367), Tribal government (20) of 6,608 awards — categories can overlap.
Top states CA (80) · TX (75) · NY (61) · IL (25) · NC (25)
Largest recent awards
  1. PRESIDENT AND FELLOWS OF HARVARD COLLEGE $31,161,280 · FY 2026
  2. MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY $23,000,000 · FY 2026
  3. GEORGIA TECH RESEARCH CORP $16,902,789 · FY 2025
  4. REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, THE $15,387,498 · FY 2026
  5. UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO $14,088,417 · FY 2025

Source: USASpending.gov · refreshed Sep 4, 2026

Assistance listing 47.084 · NSF Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships

Real awards this federal program has made — the whole assistance listing (47.084), not just this notice.

Fiscal year Awards Median award Middle half
FY 2026 (so far) 380 $304,939 $50,000 – $1,240,759
FY 2025 931 $305,000 $77,375 – $1,120,119
FY 2024 1,061
FY 2023 1,118
FY 2022 642
FY 2021 289

For comparison, this notice advertises $5,000 – $500,000.

Dollar figures are based on the 1,000 most recent awards we store, not all 4,421 — award counts are complete.

Who wins it Higher education (2,479), Business (1,842), Individuals (2) of 4,421 awards — categories can overlap.
Top states CA (141) · NY (79) · MA (70) · TX (58) · PA (27)
Largest recent awards
  1. THE UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL FLORIDA BOARD OF TRUSTEES $20,000,000 · FY 2026
  2. ACTIVATE GLOBAL INC $14,978,985 · FY 2025
  3. CORNELL UNIVERSITY $8,000,000 · FY 2025
  4. OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY $7,500,000 · FY 2026
  5. TRUSTEES OF INDIANA UNIVERSITY $7,500,000 · FY 2026

Source: USASpending.gov · refreshed Sep 6, 2026

Change history

Since we first indexed it
  1. Aug 24, 2026 Eligibility text updated
  2. Aug 20, 2026 Title updated
  3. Aug 20, 2026 Deadline moved: Aug 19, 2026 → Aug 18, 2027
  4. Jul 25, 2026 Grant announcement document replaced