Frequently Asked Questions

How many students will be accepted this year?

  • We expect to enroll seven students this year.

How do I select a project to work on?

  • Please review the Faculty tab to learn more about the faculty, departments, and projects you might be interested in.
  • In addition, many faculty members outside this list have expressed interest in mentoring summer students. Please look at the websites of other departments of interest within UCI and communicate potential mentor names/projects on your application.

Will I be guaranteed to work with the faculty member I select?  

  • If the project or faculty mentor you select is unavailable, you will be assigned to a faculty mentor in a similar area. We will work closely with you in the months before summer to match you with a mentor relevant to your interests and goals.

What are some of the benefits of participating?

Benefits include:

  • An 8-week faculty-mentored summer research experience at UCI
  • Professionally taught GRE preparation class
  • $5000 stipend plus housing
  • Waiver of the graduate application fee at all UC schools
  • If admitted to a Ph.D. program at UCI (or any University of California), UCI ACES and BRIGHT participants will receive significant financial support coordinated between the UC Office of the President and UCI.

How does the UC graduate school application fee waiver work?

  • The application fee will be waived automatically once you submit your application.  The fee waiver will be associated with your record of participation in the UCI ACES or BRIGHT program.

Where is UC Irvine?

  • UCI is in Southern California in the City of Irvine. The campus is located 40 miles south of Los Angeles and 90 miles north of San Diego.

What graduate programs and degrees are offered?

Why is the HBCU initiative important?

  • The University of California recognizes the unique and important contributions that Historically Black Colleges and Universities make to the academy, our nation, and the world. By recruiting students from HBCUs, the University of California will be strengthened, enriched, and better able to complete its mission of teaching, research, and public service.

What is SURF?

  • SURF is an 8-week summer research program administered by the Graduate Division at UCI. Please visit SURF for additional information on the program. Participants of the ACES and BRIGHT programs will attend many of the SURF activities as well as activities designed specifically for the UCI ACES and BRIGHT

Where will I live?

  • All SURF students will live in housing facilities located on the UCI campus.

What are the program dates?

  • Program dates (tentative) for the summer of 2024 will be 6/23/24 to 8/16/24
  • Can my family visit me during the program?
  • Guests are permitted to visit, given that research and programmatic obligations are met.