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Simpler Grants

No. 23-601 · U.S. National Science Foundation

Open

Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU)

Dealbreakers No cost share required Audit: not stated
Not reimbursement-only
“The REU experience is a research training experience paid via a stipend, not employment (work) paid with a salary or wage.” — From the announcement
Award range
$5,000 – $500,000
Expected awards
~1350
Application deadline
Aug 18, 2027
Posted
Jun 29, 2023
Last verified
Yesterday

At a glance

No plain-language summary yet for this grant — the official description below is the best source.

What it funds

  • Science and Technology and other Research and Development
  • Training, Fellowship & Career Development
  • Researchers & Scholars
  • Students & Learners (K-12 and Postsecondary)
  • STEM Education & Research Training
Official description from grants.gov

The Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program supports active research participation by undergraduate students in any of the areas of research funded by the National Science Foundation. REU projects involve students in meaningful ways in ongoing research programs or in research projects specifically designed for the REU program. This solicitation features two mechanisms for supporting student research: REU Sites are based on independent proposals to initiate and conduct projects that engage a number of students in research. REU Sites may be based in a single discipline or academic department or may offer interdisciplinary or multi-department research opportunities with a coherent intellectual theme. REU Supplements may be included as a component of proposals for new or renewal NSF grants or cooperative agreements or may be requested for ongoing NSF-funded research projects. REU projects with an international dimension are welcome. Undergraduate student participants in either REU Sites or REU Supplements must be U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, or U.S. permanent residents. Students do not apply to NSF to participate in REU activities, and NSF does not select students for the opportunities. Investigators who receive REU awards establish their own process for receiving and reviewing applications and selecting students, and students follow the instructions provided by each REU Site or REU Supplement to apply. (In some cases, investigators pre-select students for REU Supplements.) To identify appropriate REU Sites, students should consult the directory of active REU Sites on the Web at https://www.nsf.gov/crssprgm/reu/reu_search.cfm .

Who can apply

  • Others
Geographic restriction None found in the announcement — likely nationwide

Program history

USASpending.gov

Assistance listing 47.041 · Engineering

Real awards this federal program has made — the whole assistance listing (47.041), not just this notice.

Fiscal year Awards Median award Middle half
FY 2026 (so far) 604 $407,608 $200,000 – $550,000
FY 2025 1,537 $389,666 $282,237 – $549,621
FY 2024 1,761
FY 2023 1,862
FY 2022 2,238
FY 2021 2,436

For comparison, this notice advertises $5,000 – $500,000.

Dollar figures are based on the 1,000 most recent awards we store, not all 10,438 — award counts are complete.

Who wins it Higher education (9,406), Business (952), Individuals (3) of 10,438 awards — categories can overlap.
Top states TX (94) · CA (88) · MI (57) · NY (56) · PA (39)
Largest recent awards
  1. NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY $7,674,141 · FY 2026
  2. VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY $4,000,000 · FY 2025
  3. NORTH DAKOTA STATE UNIVERSITY $3,848,048 · FY 2025
  4. CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY $3,000,000 · FY 2025
  5. NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY $3,000,000 · FY 2025

Source: USASpending.gov · refreshed Aug 19, 2026

Assistance listing 47.049 · Mathematical and Physical Sciences

Real awards this federal program has made — the whole assistance listing (47.049), not just this notice.

Fiscal year Awards Median award Middle half
FY 2026 (so far) 762 $299,931 $121,337 – $500,000
FY 2025 2,247 $482,485 $249,935 – $627,333
FY 2024 2,571
FY 2023 2,745
FY 2022 2,640
FY 2021 2,567

For comparison, this notice advertises $5,000 – $500,000.

Dollar figures are based on the 1,000 most recent awards we store, not all 13,532 — award counts are complete.

Who wins it Higher education (12,621), Individuals (465), Business (248) of 13,532 awards — categories can overlap.
Top states CA (138) · NY (88) · MA (64) · TX (52) · PA (44)
Largest recent awards
  1. ASSOCIATION OF UNIVERSITIES FOR RESEARCH IN ASTRONOMY, INC. $19,041,217 · FY 2025
  2. UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, LOS ANGELES $7,039,283 · FY 2026
  3. WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY RESEARCH CORPORATION $5,950,041 · FY 2026
  4. MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY $4,980,000 · FY 2026
  5. UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN SYSTEM $4,950,000 · FY 2026

Source: USASpending.gov · refreshed Aug 21, 2026

Assistance listing 47.050 · Geosciences

Real awards this federal program has made — the whole assistance listing (47.050), not just this notice.

Fiscal year Awards Median award Middle half
FY 2026 (so far) 286 $384,889 $140,548 – $582,302
FY 2025 920 $382,104 $189,831 – $608,490
FY 2024 1,251
FY 2023 1,285
FY 2022 1,314
FY 2021 1,504

For comparison, this notice advertises $5,000 – $500,000.

Dollar figures are based on the 1,000 most recent awards we store, not all 6,560 — award counts are complete.

Who wins it Higher education (5,801), Business (430), Individuals (137) of 6,560 awards — categories can overlap.
Top states CA (124) · MA (88) · NY (70) · TX (62) · CO (36)
Largest recent awards
  1. EARTHSCOPE CONSORTIUM INC. $55,190,331 · FY 2025
  2. TEXAS A & M RESEARCH FOUNDATION $17,635,793 · FY 2025
  3. REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN $6,000,000 · FY 2025
  4. THE TRUSTEES OF COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK $5,406,902 · FY 2025
  5. PRESIDENT AND FELLOWS OF HARVARD COLLEGE $4,893,936 · FY 2025

Source: USASpending.gov · refreshed Aug 5, 2026

Assistance listing 47.070 · Computer and Information Science and Engineering

Real awards this federal program has made — the whole assistance listing (47.070), not just this notice.

Fiscal year Awards Median award Middle half
FY 2026 (so far) 647 $358,200 $187,638 – $481,247
FY 2025 1,559 $320,881 $200,061 – $597,771
FY 2024 1,919
FY 2023 2,177
FY 2022 2,045
FY 2021 1,910

For comparison, this notice advertises $5,000 – $500,000.

Dollar figures are based on the 1,000 most recent awards we store, not all 10,257 — award counts are complete.

Who wins it Higher education (9,892), Business (180), State government (6) of 10,257 awards — categories can overlap.
Top states CA (109) · NY (68) · MA (58) · FL (41) · PA (36)
Largest recent awards
  1. THE ALLEN INSTITUTE FOR ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE $18,113,645 · FY 2025
  2. UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO $11,000,000 · FY 2026
  3. CARNEGIE-MELLON UNIVERSITY $10,000,000 · FY 2026
  4. THE MORGRIDGE INSTITUTE FOR RESEARCH, INC. $9,000,000 · FY 2026
  5. UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, LOS ANGELES $9,000,000 · FY 2026

Source: USASpending.gov · refreshed Aug 5, 2026

Assistance listing 47.074 · Biological Sciences

Real awards this federal program has made — the whole assistance listing (47.074), not just this notice.

Fiscal year Awards Median award Middle half
FY 2026 (so far) 458 $570,595 $339,784 – $897,764
FY 2025 826 $501,517 $345,101 – $859,237
FY 2024 1,075
FY 2023 1,137
FY 2022 1,240
FY 2021 1,243

For comparison, this notice advertises $5,000 – $500,000.

Dollar figures are based on the 1,000 most recent awards we store, not all 5,979 — award counts are complete.

Who wins it Higher education (4,952), Business (476), Individuals (460) of 5,979 awards — categories can overlap.
Top states CA (111) · NY (70) · TX (46) · PA (31) · MA (25)
Largest recent awards
  1. RESEARCH FOUNDATION FOR THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK, THE $2,999,999 · FY 2025
  2. UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA RESEARCH FOUNDATION, INC. $2,514,000 · FY 2025
  3. UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND, COLLEGE PARK $2,432,713 · FY 2025
  4. CLEMSON UNIVERSITY $2,400,000 · FY 2025
  5. THE PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY $2,200,000 · FY 2025

Source: USASpending.gov · refreshed Aug 5, 2026

Assistance listing 47.075 · Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences

Real awards this federal program has made — the whole assistance listing (47.075), not just this notice.

Fiscal year Awards Median award Middle half
FY 2026 (so far) 89 $574,558 $210,470 – $772,299
FY 2025 559 $208,544 $38,032 – $400,000
FY 2024 838 $193,570 $86,318 – $399,791
FY 2023 869
FY 2022 895
FY 2021 958

For comparison, this notice advertises $5,000 – $500,000.

Dollar figures are based on the 1,000 most recent awards we store, not all 4,208 — award counts are complete.

Who wins it Higher education (3,813), Business (195), Individuals (130) of 4,208 awards — categories can overlap.
Top states CA (104) · NY (88) · MA (74) · TX (73) · IL (32)
Largest recent awards
  1. REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN $10,999,998 · FY 2024
  2. NATIONAL OPINION RESEARCH CENTER $7,998,747 · FY 2025
  3. UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY RESEARCH FOUNDATION, THE $5,599,998 · FY 2024
  4. REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA $5,200,000 · FY 2024
  5. NATIONAL BUREAU OF ECONOMIC RESEARCH INC $3,065,935 · FY 2024

Source: USASpending.gov · refreshed Aug 5, 2026

Assistance listing 47.076 · STEM Education (formerly Education and Human Resources)

Real awards this federal program has made — the whole assistance listing (47.076), not just this notice.

Fiscal year Awards Median award Middle half
FY 2026 (so far) 93 $743,868 $218,502 – $1,887,597
FY 2025 803 $475,000 $242,507 – $1,000,000
FY 2024 1,421 $398,874 $200,164 – $909,820
FY 2023 1,303
FY 2022 1,344
FY 2021 1,191

For comparison, this notice advertises $5,000 – $500,000.

Dollar figures are based on the 1,000 most recent awards we store, not all 6,155 — award counts are complete.

Who wins it Higher education (5,466), Business (351), Tribal government (18) of 6,155 awards — categories can overlap.
Top states CA (93) · TX (67) · NY (65) · NC (49) · IL (37)
Largest recent awards
  1. GEORGIA TECH RESEARCH CORP $8,990,942 · FY 2025
  2. THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO $8,000,000 · FY 2025
  3. CAL POLY POMONA FOUNDATION INC $7,500,000 · FY 2025
  4. FLORIDA A & M UNIVERSITY $7,500,000 · FY 2025
  5. MONTANA TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY $7,500,000 · FY 2025

Source: USASpending.gov · refreshed Aug 5, 2026

Assistance listing 47.084 · NSF Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships

Real awards this federal program has made — the whole assistance listing (47.084), not just this notice.

Fiscal year Awards Median award Middle half
FY 2026 (so far) 199 $304,926 $50,000 – $1,149,405
FY 2025 908 $305,000 $50,000 – $997,540
FY 2024 1,040
FY 2023 1,102
FY 2022 623
FY 2021 268

For comparison, this notice advertises $5,000 – $500,000.

Dollar figures are based on the 1,000 most recent awards we store, not all 4,140 — award counts are complete.

Who wins it Higher education (2,266), Business (1,777), Individuals (2) of 4,140 awards — categories can overlap.
Top states CA (138) · NY (79) · TX (68) · MA (66) · CO (31)
Largest recent awards
  1. ACTIVATE GLOBAL INC $14,978,985 · FY 2025
  2. OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY $7,500,000 · FY 2026
  3. TRUSTEES OF INDIANA UNIVERSITY $7,500,000 · FY 2026
  4. UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA FAIRBANKS $7,500,000 · FY 2026
  5. UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT $7,500,000 · FY 2026

Source: USASpending.gov · refreshed Aug 5, 2026

Change history

Since we first indexed it
  1. Aug 24, 2026 Eligibility text updated
  2. Aug 20, 2026 Title updated
  3. Aug 20, 2026 Deadline moved: Aug 19, 2026 → Aug 18, 2027
  4. Jul 25, 2026 Grant announcement document replaced