Last year, we had over 900 applications and we accepted 48 students.  Our Academy was composed of 70% undergraduates and 30% high school students.

City of Hope welcomes high school and college students who meet the following criteria:

• Students must be at least 16 years old.
• Students must be US citizens, or permanent residents.
• Students should have completed high school courses in chemistry and biology.

Complete and submit an online application, which will be available in January 2, 2012. Additional information such as transcripts, and letters of recommendation, and resumes are advisable but not required. These may be submitted online with your application.
 
*Because we receive hundreds of applications and have limited staff, we kindly request that you refrain from contacting us directly regarding your application status. We regret that we are unable to respond to individual inquiries.

All applications and supplemental information will be due on March 15.

Most summer students receive a stipend of $4,000 for completing the 10-week program.

Start dates range from the end of May to the end of June, and the 10 weeks must be completed by the end of July or August, respectively.

Admission into the Roberts Academy is highly competitive because our program has limited funding and space. In 2010, 48 interns were selected for the Academy out of more than 900 applicants.
 
The application process has two stages.  In stage one, all applications are reviewed by a committee and approximately 100 are selected as potential interns.  In stage two, faculty members looking for an intern may contact these applicants or the applicants may contact faculty members whose research most interests them.  Usually, after an interview-either in person or by phone-the faculty member and the applicant come to a mutual agreement and set a start dates.  Note that only roughly two-thirds of the potential interns will actually find positions in the program.

Because research requires dedicated attention, students must attend the program full-time and not interrupt their 10-week commitment by taking other classes or vacations, etc.

Summer students join a laboratory team and participate in experiments related to ongoing lab projects. They read lab notebooks and journal articles, and then discuss questions with lab technicians, postdocs, graduate students or the principal investigator. To enhance the internship experience, each student is also required to give a short talk or present a poster, and to write a paper (approximately 3-4 pages long) about their research.

In addition to standard information such as name and contact information, the application has questions regarding your career goals, relevant coursework and any relevant previous experience you may have (previous experience is not a prerequisite). You are also asked to submit a brief statement describing why you wish to do research, and the area of your research interest.

Students who have submitted these materials from last summer do not have to resubmit these items.  All materials mailed from the summer 2011 applications have been retained.  Applicants may choose to send new information if your qualifications and experiences have improved over the past year.

Some students will submit immunization records based on the type of project they participate in.  All students must have work authorization and, at the time of hire, be able to present documentation showing their right to work in the U.S.

Students who are accepted will be notified by email.

No. Students are responsible for securing their own housing and transportation.