Summer 2027 AI Research Grant

Students in any major completing summer research in the field of artificial intelligence (AI) can apply for funding to support their experience through the Artificial Intelligence Research Metcalf Grant.

This grant is designed to support students seeking AI research opportunities at external research organizations, including universities, national labs, and government agencies. Research positions at UChicago are not eligible for funding through this program.

This grant application is open to currently enrolled 2nd and 3rd year students who are in good standing with the University.

This is not a benefits eligible position. 

–- HOW TO APPLY – 

Please submit the following documents to Handshake:

1. Resume or CV
2. 750 word (max) Statement of Purpose that clearly describes your intended research plans, showcases alignment to your specific learning/career goals, and draws connections between your past experiences. 
   • If you have applied for and/or received funding to support this research experience - or plan to apply for additional grants to support this experience - please include these details in your statement as well.
3. Offer letter from your host organization/principal investigator that includes all of the following information:

• Supervisor name and contact information (email must be an organization domain)
• Physical location of the office or if your internship will be remote
• Number of work hours per week
• Total number of work hours for Summer 2027
• Start and end date
• Indicate if this is an unpaid or partially paid opportunity
• Offer letters should be on company letterhead
• Emails should be sent from an organizational email address with the host's domain

Note: You are not required to have accepted an offer and are welcome to inform your potential employer that acceptance of the role may be contingent on receiving grant funding.

Incomplete or late applications will not be reviewed. 

Stipend Award

The AI Research Grant is designed to help students offset their living expenses for opportunities that would otherwise be unpaid rather than provide an hourly wage or salary. Award amounts are determined based on the range of hours worked. To review stipend award amount ranges, please visit the internship grants webpage.

If you have already acquired funding for this role and/or have applied for funding through other sources, please disclose this in your SOP as we make every effort to provide equitable access for students. This includes any research scholarships, fellowships, and/or grants offered through Career Advancement, the College Center for Research and Fellowships (CCRF) and the Institute of Politics (IOP).

Eligibility

The proposed research experience must meet the following: 

1. Occurs during Summer 2027. According to your class schedule and commitments, summer experiences may start/finish earlier or later. Please refer to the Undergraduate Student Recruiting Guidelines.
2. Focuses on research in the field of artificial intelligence.
3. Occurs at an external research organization (a university, national lab, research institution, etc.)
4. Provides a direct supervisor who will provide ongoing support, coaching, and mentorship. In the case of supervised research, the supervisor must be affiliated with a research institution. Independent research projects or freelance experiences are not eligible.
5. Offers a substantive professional, College-level experience.
6. Is unpaid or offers very little compensation.
7. Is NOT requiring a fee or deposit for participation. The grant only funds internships that students arrange directly with employers.
8. Is NOT with 1) an organization on the State Department list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations or otherwise sanctioned or monitored by the U.S. Government; 2) an organization formed for the purpose of supporting a candidate for political office. Because the University is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization under the tax code, it is prohibited from participating in political campaign activities. All other organizations are eligible for funding under this grant, including government agencies and for-profit organizations.

 For International Students

• If your internship is with an organization in the U.S. or if you plan to live in the U.S. for any part of your internship with a company abroad, please make sure to visit the OIA website to familiarize yourself with your work authorization eligibility and requirements as soon as possible.  If you’d like to make an appointment with your international adviser, please visit this page.

For students participating in overseas internships:

• If you are going overseas in-person to complete your internship, carefully read the Student Responsibilities and Available Resources for Students Interning Abroad. Please make sure you pay close attention to matters such as visa and work authorization, health insurance, and vaccination requirements!
• Please also review the State Department Travel Advisories for entry and quarantine restrictions in the host country. Please review these regularly as they may change and impact your ability to go in-person.
• The University of Chicago’s working assumption is that travel to countries or regions with a U.S. Department of State Level 3 or Level 4 Advisory is not permitted for undergraduate participants. We also use as indicators the advisory levels published by the Centers for Disease Control and our emergency provider, International SOS. Thus, if the country or region to which travel is contemplated is listed as Level 3 or 4 in the State Department’s travel advisories OR has a warning level 3 from the Centers for Disease Control OR has an International SOS risk rating of High or Extreme, travel is assumed to be prohibited.
• If a student is awarded a stipend for an on-site internship in a restricted country or region, they must successfully petition the University for an exemption to this policy in order to receive their funding. All petitions will be reviewed by the Study Abroad Risk and Security Assessment Committee (SARSAC). For questions regarding the petition process, please contact Chiara Montanari at chiaram@uchicago.edu.

The decisions regarding acceptance and funding made by the reviewing committee are definitive and cannot be appealed. Applications will be evaluated on the basis of the materials submitted through grant application form. No new materials or updates will be accepted and/or taken into consideration.