The International Student Research Program (ISRP) invites students from partner universities outside of the U.S. to engage in a life-changing research internship at UC Santa Cruz under the guidance of a faculty mentor. The ISRP offers two options: Summer and Academic Year (fall, winter, spring). ISRP participants apply for the J-1 Student Intern visa to the U.S.
The ISRP is a work-based learning program. Student interns join a thriving academic community of faculty, postdocs, researchers, and graduate students at UC Santa Cruz to gain valuable insight into U.S. research techniques while also enhancing their qualifications in technical and research methodologies. Student interns may also have opportunities to contribute to research publications during or following their internship.
The division of Global Engagement launched the ISRP in 2021. Global Engagement administers the ISRP in collaboration with participating faculty and academic departments at UC Santa Cruz.
“I gained valuable professional knowledge and skills during this internship, and also made wonderful friends. The ISRP internship helped me gain a deeper understanding of electrochemical experiments and material synthesis.” – Tianyi Gao
Who Should Apply
The ISRP is for undergraduate and graduate students studying at universities outside the U.S. who wish to participate in a research internship related to their field of study. International students currently studying in the U.S. at another university may also be eligible to apply to the ISRP; please email isrp@ucsc.edu to inquire.
All student interns need advanced English skills to participate. See the Eligibility section for detailed requirements.
What You’ll Do
- Be hosted by a UC Santa Cruz academic department and closely supervised by a member of the faculty, for a minimum of 32 hours per week
- Gain exposure to research at an R-1 research-intensive institution in the U.S.
- Acquire new research skills and techniques through hands-on training
- Enhance your knowledge of the U.S. research university, culture, and society
Program Highlights
- Supervised research at UC Santa Cruz, a globally recognized research university and part of the world-renowned University of California System
- Opportunities to interact with other interns, scholars, and researchers in your field
- Work-based learning at one of the most beautiful university campuses in the world
Two ISRP Options: Summer and Academic Year
Key option differences are summarized below:
| SUMMER ISRP | ACADEMIC YEAR ISRP | |
|---|---|---|
| Time of Year | Takes place during the 8-week Summer Session, from late June through mid-August each year; Refer to the official academic calendar for exact dates. | Takes place any time during the Fall, Winter, and/or Spring quarters. Refer to the official academic calendar for exact dates. |
| Duration | Fixed; 8 weeks | Varies; From 3 weeks up to 12 months |
| Format | Group cohort: Student interns arrive and depart on the same dates each summer. | Individual and flexible; Student interns arrive and depart individually on dates they determine in consultation with their faculty host. |
| Application | Students apply for specific research projects (up to 3) that are predefined by faculty and listed in the ISRP Project Database as available during ‘Summer’. Project descriptions are gathered from the faculty every fall and published in the ISRP Project Database. | Students may apply for a specific research project if it is listed as available during the ‘Fall’, ‘Winter’, or ‘Spring’ quarters in the ISRP Project Database. – OR – Students may contact a UCSC faculty member directly to ask if they are willing to host a student intern during a quarter other than summer. If the faculty member agrees, in this case, the student and faculty must consult together to formulate a clear, written statement of the proposed internship’s learning goals and objectives, and the proposed internship start and end dates. |
| Application Deadline | Late January each year. See Summer ISRP under ‘How to Apply’ for more information. | No specific deadline, but students should plan to submit complete applications at least 4 months prior to their intended start date. See Academic Year ISRP under ‘How to Apply’ for more information. |
| Housing Availability | Housing on campus is available to student interns during the summer. Student interns live in residence halls on campus for the duration of their internship. | Housing on campus is not available to student interns during the academic year. Student interns must locate their own housing off campus for the duration of their internship. |
Questions?
Please email questions to isrp@ucsc.edu.