Application Steps


  1. Before you apply:
  2. Complete the application form online.
    We will automatically email your recommenders a link to your recommendation webform.
  3. Complete your supplemental form online.
    • In this form, you'll provide your resume/CV and respond to a few short-answer questions.
    • You'll need your SRP Application ID, which was in the confirmation email you received upon submitting your application.
  4. Send an electronic (scanned) version of your transcript.
    • Send it to graduate@unl.edu as an email attachment, 1 MB or smaller.
    • Your name and the name of your school should appear on the transcript.
    • Unofficial or student copies are acceptable for the application. Participants selected for the program may be asked to provide an official transcript later.
  5. Check your application checklist periodically.
    • It will tell you the status of your required items.

Preparing a Strong Application

We received approximately 1,700 applications in 2012 and expect that number to continue growing, meaning it's important for an application to stand out and to make an impression on faculty reviewers. Here are a few things to keep in mind while preparing your application.

Faculty reviewers are looking for applicants who:
  • Have a passion for the discipline
  • Show an interest in earning an advanced degree (Ph.D. or master's)
  • Bring diverse talents and skills to the research team
Strong applications include:
  • Evidence of high academic achievement and preparation to carry out research
  • Evidence of teamwork and independent problem-solving skills
  • Faculty recommendations from those who can speak about academic performance
  • Materials that are well-written and free of error

Application Form

The application form collects basic demographic and background information, such as current GPA and number of credit hours earned. This is also where students indicate research programs and mentor preferences.


Research rankings

The application form allows applicants to rank up to three research programs, so you need only complete the application form once. Because of the competitive nature of the application process, accepted students are usually offered a position by the program ranked first. Research program rankings are important, so be sure to review the programs before completing the online application.

You'll also be asked to preference projects or faculty mentors. If you're interested in working on a specific project or with a specific faculty mentor, indicate that in this section of the application. Some research programs will have an option of selecting "no preference," which does not negatively affect the likelihood of an admission offer.

Program-level rankings are very important, while rankings at the level of projects and faculty mentors are less important.

Corrections

If you discover a mistake after completing the online application, do not complete the application form again. Instead, send an email to graduate@unl.edu providing details on the correction needed and we'll be happy to make the correction for you.

Email

All communication regarding the Nebraska Summer Research Program is sent to the email address provided on the application, so use an email address you check frequently. If you need to update your email address, email graduate@unl.edu with the old and new email addresses and we'll update your file.

Faculty Recommendations

Two recommendations are needed to complete the Nebraska Summer Research Program application. You'll be asked to enter the email addresses of the two recommenders on the online application. Each will receive an email from graduate@unl.edu with a link to the online recommendation form. This email is sent immediately upon submission of the online application.

Before you apply

  • Secure two recommenders.
  • Get your recommenders' email addresses and confirm that they are correct.
  • Inform your recommenders that they will receive an email from graduate@unl.edu with a link to the online recommendation form, which uses numerical ratings and an assessment statement rather than a traditional "letter" of recommendation.
  • Inform your recommenders of the deadline that you are trying to meet. Be sure to allow them three to six weeks to prepare your recommendation.

After you apply

  • Check the status of your application to ensure that we receive both of your recommendations.

More about recommendations

Request recommendations from someone who knows your academic work and can comment specifically on your academic performance, particularly in the fields of study related to your desired summer research program. In general, recommendations from professors carry more weight than student group advisers or work supervisors. However, a strong recommendation from someone who knows you well is best. Be sure to have a discussion about what type of recommendation the person is willing to provide before submitting his/her name on the online application.

It's also a good idea to visit with your recommenders to discuss the Nebraska Summer Research Program and your goals. Your recommenders can often help you shape your research interests and can provide feedback on other application materials. Provide your recommenders with a draft of your resume and remind them about a project or paper you completed in their class.

Transcripts

What's needed

Submit one copy of your transcript. Unofficial transcripts are accepted. Admitted students may be asked to provide official copies.

Scanned transcripts from a college registrar or scanned printouts from a degree audit are preferred. If you don't have access to a scanner and choose to copy and paste an online transcript into a Word document, pay special attention to formatting. It's necessary that grades, courses and the semester that they were taken are legible and appear together.

If you have transcripts from multiple institutions, you don't need to send transcripts from each institution as long as relevant transfer courses are listed on your current transcript. If the courses are not listed, however, you'll need to provide transcripts from each institution attended.

How to submit transcripts

To submit your transcript, send a digital copy to graduate@unl.edu with your last name and Summer Research Program application ID in the subject line. You'll receive that application ID upon submission of the online application.

Please make sure:
  • Your name and the name of your school appear on the transcript.
  • File size is less than 1 MB.
If your SSN appears on your electronic transcript, we will redact (remove) it upon receipt. You are welcome to redact your SSN from your document before sending it, but do not redact any other information.

Resume

What it is

Your resume is how you provide faculty reviewers information about your research experience, academic strengths, skills, and other relevant experiences that make you an appealing candidate for the Summer Research Program. For this program, your resume may look more like a curriculum vita than a traditional resume, since it's not necessary to spend a lot of time describing work experiences unrelated to research.

Be sure to include:
  • Lab experiences with details about your role in the research
  • Conferences attended, presentations, and publications
  • Awards, honors, and scholarships
  • Volunteer and extracurricular activities
  • Relevant work experience

How to submit it

After submitting the online application you'll receive an email from graduate@unl.edu with your Nebraska Summer Research Program application ID and a link for submitting your resume online. You'll be asked to submit your resume in the same online form as your responses to two short answer questions. This online form cannot be saved and modified later, so be prepared to submit both the resume and responses to the short answers questions at the same time.

Resumes should be one page in length. Be aware that the online submission form removes all formatting, so it's important to keep your text layout as simple as possible. To see how it will appear for faculty reviewers, use the form's Preview feature or copy and paste your resume into a plain text editor (e.g., Notepad for Windows users, TextEdit in plain-text mode for Mac users). You can use simplified bullets, all caps, and line breaks to indicate headings or to draw attention to important information.

Short Answer Section

What it is

The short answer section consists of three questions — two required and one optional.
  1. (Required) How would this research experience help you to meet your educational goals?
  2. (Required) Please describe your previous research experiences and personal strengths that would benefit a research team.
  3. (Optional) Is there anything else you'd like to tell us about yourself or your interests?
The required short answer questions take the place of a personal statement and are designed to provide faculty with information about your research experience, personal strengths and your educational goals. The short answer response should be prepared in advance, much like a personal statement. If you already have a personal statement, it's likely the short answer questions are addressed in your personal statement and you can simply reformat the information to answer the questions.

The optional short answer question is an opportunity for you to share anything unique about yourself or your experiences that would help faculty get to know you better. You may also use this space if there is something that needs further explanation not addressed in the two required short answers, such as an academic deficiency.

Composing your answers

We recommend that each short answer response be approximately 250-300 words in length. However, there is no minimum or maximum length.

Be aware that the online submission form removes all formatting, so it's important to keep your text layout as simple as possible. To see how it will appear for faculty reviewers, use the form's Preview feature or copy and paste your response into a plain text editor (e.g., Notepad for Windows users, TextEdit in plain-text mode for Mac users).

How to submit your response

After submitting the online application you'll receive an email from graduate@unl.edu with your Nebraska Summer Research Program application ID and a link for submitting your short answer responses online. You'll be asked to submit your responses to the short answer questions in the same online form as your resume. This online form cannot be saved and modified later, so be prepared to submit your responses to the short answers questions and your resume at the same time.