Undergraduates are a vital part of our community. The Zuckerman Institute encourages undergraduate students from Columbia and Barnard College to begin to explore the research opportunities available via a variety of departmental, internal, and external programs, including paid research positions and those connected with majors and courses for credit. We also invite undergraduates to attend our seminars, workshops and other events. Here's how you can get started.

Join Our Mailing List
Sign up to find out about talks, events and other opportunities.

Explore Our Science
Get an introduction to the subjects we study, meet our scientists online and read up on our latest discoveries.

Find a Research Position
Gain hands-on research experience under the mentorship of Columbia neuroscientists.

Get Involved with Our Public Programs
Learn about our public engagement programs and let us know if you’d like to volunteer to support any of them.

Undergraduate Daiki Tagami studies fruit flies in the Kohwi lab. (Credit: Devin Powell) 

Discover Research and Mentorship Opportunities

BUMP Biology (Black Undergraduate Mentorship Program in the Biological Sciences) offers help applying for research positions, as well as access to a career mentor from the Black Alumni Council and a Columbia Research Mentor.

SPURS (Summer Program for Underrepresented Students) provides intense research fellowships experiences for US citizens who are underrepresented minority students with a GPA of 3.2 or above interested in biomedical studies.

SURF (Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship) is open to Columbia College or General Studies students majoring in biology or a related subject and graduating with honors. 

Amgen Scholars Program is open to US citizens or permanent residents who are non-biology majors at Columbia University and Barnard College.

Undergraduate Research Fellowships offer exciting research and fellowship opportunities available to students at every stage of the Columbia experience and beyond.

Undergraduate Research Opportunities are posted in this online portal where Columbia undergraduates can find research opportunities and mentors from across the entire university, and Columbia faculty can post projects seeking undergraduate research assistants.

Federal Work Study placements in labs may be available for those who are eligible.