APPLICANT-FAQ

• If I have not been nominated by a high school official, am I still eligible to apply to the Simons program?
  It is up to each school to determine their selection process (lottery, first-come/ first-serve, pre-application ) in choosing two (2) designated nominees.Schools that exceed the two (2) student nomination limit, as well as independently submitted, late, and incomplete applications may be disqualified. 
• My high school is not listed on the database of high school contacts published on the website. Am I still eligible to apply? How can my school be added to the list?
  Yes. Schools that have not previously nominated a student in prior years will not appear on our current database. Should that be the case,  any school official (typically a science teacher, a science research coordinator) may nominate students for the Simons program by completing the nomination form and we will include that information on our database in future years.It is strongly recommended that only one (1) school official be in charge of the nomination process to ensure there are no more than two (2) nominees from each school. 
• Are there any exceptions to the applicant eligiblity requirements/criteria?
  No. All applicants must currently be in their junior year (11th grade) of high school at the time of applying; must be US citizens and/or permanent residents; and must be at least 16 years of age by the start of the program. 
• I have been living in the U.S. on a VISA for several years but do not have a permanent resident/green card. Am I eligible to apply?
  No. If admitted into the Simons program, all participants will need to provide documentation/proof of being a US citizen or holding a valid/current permanent/resident card. There are no expections to this requirement. 
• I am currently 16 years old, a sophomore in high school, and taking accelerated/advanced honors courses. Am I eligible to apply to the Simons program?
  No. All applicants must currently be in their third year of high school (11th grade) at the time of application. There are no expections to this requirement. 
• When is the application deadline for students?
  The deadline for students to apply to the Simons SRP program is: FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2025  @ 11:59 PM (EST).  We are unable to receive and consider materials submitted after the deadline. Teacher recommendations should be submitted by FEBRUARY 14, 2025.
• In addition to the required application materials, may I submit additional supplemental materials with my application?

  A completed application comprises: 1) online application; 2) student transcript (uploaded with online application); 3) two letters of recommendation from teachers (math/science preferred); and 4) school nomination from desginated high school official.  Applicants who have prior research experience may also request a third letter of recommendation from a previous faculty mentor.

  Please do not attempt to send any other supplementary materials (test scores, resumes, awards)that are not requested as we are unable to include these materials with application files.

• I am interested in applying to the Simons program and working with a prospective faculty mentor that is not indicated on the listing of Research Mentors. Am I still able to apply to work under their mentorship?

  Applicants may select their top three faculty mentor preferences on their online application. We cannot accommodate requests  to work with mentors not on the published list.  Students who are interested in independent research (outside the SSRP program) should not be discouraged from contacting faculty directly and making their own arrangements.

• Is it advantageous to contact a prospective faculty research mentor during the application process to increase my chances of acceptance into the Simons program?

  Contacting and reaching out to potential faculty mentors is not essential during the application process. Many faculty mentors are extremely busy with other obligations and often are unable to respond to individual applicant inquiries.  Applicants in some cases may be contacted by Simons SRP staff or potential faculty mentors as part of the application process.

• How will I know if my application is complete? When and how will I be notified and informed of the admissions decision?

  Applicants will be notified when letters of recommendation are submitted.  Teachers who submit a letter of recommendation on behalf of an applicant will receive an automated response confirming submission of their letter of recommendation.  (It is recommended that both applicants and teachers check spam email folders, as sometimes these confirmation messages are filtered  there.)

  All applicants will be notified of their admissionsdecision in early April.  The Simons program is unable to release early admissions decisions. Applicants who receive offers from programs at other institutions and need to commit are encouraged to take advantage of those opportunities. Applicantswho wish to withdraw their application/admissions candidacy should contact simonssrp@stonybrook.edu.

• Are there any tuition fees for students admitted into the Simons program?

  There are no tuition charges/fees; however participants are responsible for their own transportation/dining costs (commuters) and/or residential costs (if dorming on campus).

• What additional requirements are needed for research participants (once admitted to the program)?

  Upon admission, the program will require proof of medical insurance coverage, waivers regarding liability, emergency contact forms, etc. from the applicant and their parent or guardian.

• I have not been accepted into the Simons Summer Research Program. Am I able to request individual feedback on my application?

  All admissions decisions are final. Please note that admissions into the Simons program is highly selective and we receive far more applications from extremely talented qualified students than we can accommodate in the program. Due to the extremely large number of applications received, the Simons program cannot provide individualized feedback to applicants.

• What if I am not accepted to the Simons Research program but have already arranged to work for a specific mentor?

  There are many wonderful mentors for High School Researchers outside of the SSRP program at Stony Brook University. These arrangements  are made by mutual agreement between students and faculty mentors, are contingent upon University guidelines, and may require additional paperwork (to be coordinated by the mentor's department) . Additionally, we suggest that applicants seek out alternate research and science education programs offered at Stony Brook University and elsewhere.

  The Simons Summer Research Program is very competitive and applicants should not be discouraged from pursuing research by other means.

ADMITTED STUDENT - FAQ

• What do I need to do BEFORE the Simons program begins?
  Once you've been accepted into the Simons Summer Research program and received the name of your research supervisor, we encourage you to contact your mentor directly and ask for recommendations regarding papers you might read to get a sense of the lab's goals and ongoing research projects. Find out who will be your other colleagues (undergrad and grad students, post docs) in the lab/research group. Lab safety sessions (required) will be arranged for Simons Fellows in the first week of the program.
• Are all Simons Fellows encouraged/expected to compete in national science competitions?
  A Simons Program research project is subject to time constraints and will not generally satisfy the more comprehensive eligibility requirements for submissions to science fairs/competitions (e.g. ISEF, Regeneron STS, etc.) unless considerable follow-up work is done on the research project by mutual agreement with their university faculty mentor. Students interested in participating in national science competitions are encouraged to communicate their goals prior to starting in the program.
• What about ID cards? other paperwork?
  All Simons SRP Fellows conducting research will receive information on the first day of the program regarding the summer schedule and overall program expectations, as well as practical information.  In order to process this award, all program participants will need to complete and submit the necessary paperwork which will be sent to admitted students at later date.
• What does the day to day schedule look like?
  All Simons Fellows will receive information on weekly events and programming. All participants in the Simons program should expect to commit a minimum of 4 hours per day working on their own and/or with their mentor/research group. Hours may vary and should be agreed upon by consultation with the assigned faculty mentor. We cannot accommodate remote research placements.
• I have been accepted into the program. How do I get to STONY BROOK? If I am driving, where can I park on campus?

  Stony Brook University is easy to reach by air, car, ferry and rail. For directions to SBU, please click here.

  Accepted students who plan to commute on a regular basis should consult the Stony Brook University website to find about where to park/how to obtain a commuter parking permit.

  To obtain a copy of a campus map, please see: https://www.stonybrook.edu/about/maps-and-directions/

• Whom should I contact if I have any questions?
  Please contact Karen Kernan at 631-632-7114 or karen.kernan@stonybrook.edu and simonssrp@stonybrook.edu if you have any other questions regarding the Simons program. So we can respond to all inquiries in a timely and efficient manner,  please contact us via email if possible.