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Professional Development & Resources

National Research Experience for Undergraduates Program (NREUP)

Resource MAA

The MAA’s National Research Experiences for Undergraduates Program (NREUP) offers grants for mathematical sciences faculty to host summer research programs on their campuses. NREUP aims to increase undergraduate completion rates and encourage students to pursue graduate studies by involving them in research after their sophomore year. This program targets students at a pivotal stage in their academic journey—midway through their undergraduate studies. As coursework becomes more abstract, many promising students may lose interest. NREUP addresses this by establishing strong connections with faculty mentors and equipping students with the tools and support they need to thrive.

Since its inception in 2003, the MAA has facilitated the recruitment and mentorship of undergraduate research students through NREUP. The program began with a pilot funded by the National Security Agency (NSA), serving eight students at three sites. Over the years, NREUP has evolved into a comprehensive program with funding from the Moody Foundation, NSA, and the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF).

Funding Details

  • Applicants can request up to $31,500 in direct costs. Per NSF policies, indirect costs may not be charged on participant support costs.
  • Funds of up to $5,500 can be requested for a faculty stipend.
  • Funds of at least 2,000 per student for room and board.
  • At least four students must be supported at each site.
  • Indirect or F&A costs must be included in the budget in addition to direct costs.

Program Support

This program is supported by the National Science Foundation under Award No. DMS-1950644. Any opinions, findings and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.

Who May Apply

  • Applications are accepted from faculty at U.S. (and U.S. territories) colleges and universities.
  • Students may not apply; however, they can discuss this opportunity with their mathematics faculty to see if they would be interested in leading an NREUP.
  • Please note that PIs and institutions that have REU sites supported by National Science Foundation's Division of Mathematical Sciences REU are ineligible to receive funding from the MAA NREUP grant.

Call for Proposals

The 2024 application portal is now closed. To view the previous call for proposals, click the link below. An updated call and link for the 2025 cycle will be posted here in the Fall of 2024.

Frequently Asked Questions

Applications are accepted from universities / faculty. You can discuss this opportunity with your mathematics faculty and see if they would be interested in submitting a proposal and leading this research project.

Students do not have to attend the host university. This is at the discretion of the participating professor. If a student wishes to participate in an NREUP, he/she should consult any faculty member in the department who may be interested in designing and operating a research program to apply and host through that institution. If no faculty member applies or is awarded a program, the student may contact the director of another university’s program that is local or closest to him/her asking to participate. NREUP will not cover long-distance travel for students to join a program.

This is meant to allow directors to accept students with less experience than might be required at a “typical” REU site. It is not a requirement.

Any student with sufficient background in mathematics is welcome to participate in the program. These students should be expected to do and not simply use mathematics during the program.

Yes, please include your institution’s indirect cost on top of the maximum direct cost budget of $31,500 when applying to be considered.