The Simons Summer Research Program is a free, six-week research placement at Stony Brook University for current high school juniors who are US citizens or permanent residents, nominated by their school, and it admits fewer than 5% of applicants. In 2026 it received 1,864 applications and selected 60 Fellows. The 2027 program runs June 28 to August 6, 2027, the school nomination deadline is January 29, 2027, and the student application closes February 5, 2027.
This guide is written by YRI Fellowship, a paid research mentorship program, and we say that upfront. Every fact about Simons comes from Stony Brook's own pages or named third-party guides as of November 2026, all linked in the Sources section. Where a number is not published by Stony Brook, we say so.
What the Simons Summer Research Program is
Stony Brook started the program in 1984 as outreach for local high school students, with support from Jim and Marilyn Simons. It now draws applicants from across the country. Each Fellow is matched with a Stony Brook faculty mentor, joins that mentor's active research group, and takes on a project of their own. Fellows learn lab techniques and tools, attend weekly faculty research talks and campus workshops, write a research abstract, and present a poster at a closing symposium to the university community.
Mentors come from chemistry, computer science, geosciences, marine science, neurobiology and more than a dozen other departments, and they volunteer their time. Stony Brook says prior research experience is not required, and that it especially encourages students who have shown independence, creativity and an aptitude for hands-on work.
The outcomes are strong. Stony Brook reports that 10 Fellows from the 2026 cohort were named 2026 Regeneron Science Talent Search Scholars. If STS is on your student's radar, read our Regeneron STS guide alongside this one.
Who is eligible
Stony Brook's FAQ is unusually firm on this, and it says there are no exceptions.
| Requirement | Rule |
|---|---|
| Grade | Must be in 11th grade at the time of application, regardless of age or coursework |
| Age | At least 16 years old by the start of the program |
| Citizenship | US citizen or permanent resident |
| International students | Not eligible unless a citizen or green card holder; long-term visa holders do not qualify |
| Nomination | Must be nominated by a designated high school official; independent applications are not accepted |
In practice this means the program is for rising seniors: students apply in the winter of junior year and attend the summer before senior year. Seniors cannot apply. Sophomores cannot apply early. If your student is younger, our guides to research programs for 10th graders and 11th graders list what is open now.
The nomination rule, explained
Most families miss this step, and it is the one that disqualifies otherwise strong students. Stony Brook requires every applicant to be nominated by their school. The nominating official is usually a research coordinator, a science teacher or a guidance counselor, and each school picks its own person and its own process, which might be a pre-application, a selection committee, or even a lottery.
Each school may nominate up to three students, all in 11th grade. The nomination page also recommends schools send no more than two nominees. More than three applications from one school can lead to disqualification. Once the school submits the online nomination form, the student receives an invitation to apply within about 48 hours.
Two practical consequences:
- Start in the fall. The school nomination deadline for 2027 is January 29, and the application itself closes a week later. A student who first asks in January may find the slots are already taken.
- If your school is not in Stony Brook's contact list, a designated official can still complete the nomination form and the school is added to the directory. Email simonssrp@stonybrook.edu for guidance.
Cost and stipend
The program charges no tuition and no program fees. The only required payment is a nonrefundable $75 application fee, with waivers available for families with significant financial need.
| Item | What Stony Brook says |
|---|---|
| Tuition and program fees | None |
| Application fee | $75, nonrefundable, waivers available |
| Residential Fellows | Pay their own housing, dining and personal expenses |
| Commuter Fellows | Pay their own transportation and dining |
| Stipend | Fellows receive a stipend award at the closing symposium; the amount is not published on the official pages |
Third-party guides fill in the amounts. Immerse Education reports an estimated residential housing and dining cost of about $2,450 for 2026, covering dorm fees, a required starter meal plan and a health services fee. Pioneer Academics reports a $1,000 stipend awarded at the closing symposium. Treat both as reported figures and confirm with the program. For how this compares with paid options, see how much research programs cost.
Dates and deadlines for 2027
| Milestone | Date |
|---|---|
| Online application link posted | November 15, 2026 |
| School nomination deadline | January 29, 2027 |
| Student application deadline | February 5, 2027, 11:59 p.m. EST |
| Teacher recommendation deadline | February 12, 2027, 11:59 p.m. EST |
| Admissions decisions | Early April 2027, by email |
| Program dates | June 28 to August 6, 2027 |
Stony Brook does not release early decisions and does not accept late applications or late supporting materials. For the full calendar of selective programs, our 2027 summer research deadlines list puts Simons next to RSI, SSP and the rest.
Acceptance rate
Stony Brook publishes more here than most programs. Its application page says fewer than 5% of applicants are admitted. Its homepage reports 1,864 applications received in 2026 and 60 Fellows selected, which works out to about 3.2%. Older third-party guides still quote a cohort of 30 to 40, so the 2026 class appears larger than in past years.
Remember that the 1,864 figure counts students who already cleared their school's nomination filter. The true odds for an interested student are lower than 3.2%, because many never get nominated at all.
What the application asks for
The application is short on paper and hard in substance.
- Transcript. A PDF transcript or grade report; unofficial copies are accepted.
- Two teacher recommendations. Math or science teachers preferred. A previous research supervisor may submit a third letter. See how to get a strong research recommendation.
- Brief responses. Each limited to 300 words or fewer.
- Mentor preferences. Applicants rank their top three faculty mentors or research areas from the published mentor list. Substitutions are not accommodated, so choose carefully.
- $75 fee at submission.
A few rules matter. AI tools may not be used to generate or rewrite responses, though grammar and spelling checks are allowed. The application must be completed in one sitting and may time out after four hours, so draft everything offline first. Supplemental materials such as test scores, resumes or award lists are not accepted. Some labs conduct a phone or in-person interview, and an interview does not guarantee admission. Contacting mentors in advance is not required and, per the FAQ, does not improve your chances.
How to be competitive
With no essays beyond the 300-word responses and no supplemental uploads, three things carry the application.
Admitted students are expected to spend at least four hours a day with their mentor or research group, so the responses should also make clear the student can commit to the full six weeks.
The odds, frankly
For a typical strong junior the realistic sequence is: compete for one of two or three nomination slots at school, then compete against roughly 1,800 nominated applicants for around 60 places. Most excellent students will not get in, and the decision arrives in early April of junior year, which leaves one summer before college applications are due.
That is the planning problem. If Simons is the only plan, a rejection in April leaves a student scrambling for a meaningful summer with four months' notice. Students who treat Simons as one application among several, with research already underway, are in a far better position whichever way the decision goes. See our breakdown of research opportunities for high school students for the full set of options, including New York specific programs in our New York research programs guide.
If you do not get in
Look at what the admitted students usually have in common: they did research before they applied. The application rewards independence and hands-on work, and the most convincing proof of both is a project with a written result.
That is exactly what the YRI Fellowship is built to produce, on your own timeline rather than Stony Brook's. It is 10 weeks of one-on-one work with a PhD mentor matched to the student's field, ending in a first-author paper submitted to a peer-reviewed IEEE, Springer or Elsevier venue, with ISEF and JSHS preparation and a mentor recommendation letter included. 87% of Fellows publish, 73% place at competitions, and mentorship continues at no extra cost until the paper is published. It costs $2,997, with a three-month payment plan and scholarships case by case, and admissions are rolling, so a student can start in the fall of sophomore or junior year instead of waiting for an April decision.
Three ways families use it around a Simons application:
- Before applying. A sophomore or early junior completes a paper in the fall, then applies to Simons with a finished result to describe and a mentor who can write about it.
- As the backup. Apply to Simons in February and, if the April answer is no, start the Fellowship in May and finish a paper by August.
- After attending. A Simons Fellow who wants to turn the summer poster into a published paper for senior year applications and STS.
The first path is the one most admitted students took in some form, whether through a program, a teacher or a parent's lab. Read how to publish a research paper in high school to see what the process involves.
Download the YRI Fellowship brochure
The program, the outcomes, the mentors and the tuition, in one PDF you can read with your family.
Related guides
- Summer research programs for high school students, 2027 deadlines
- Research programs for high school students in New York
- Regeneron Science Talent Search guide
- YRI vs RSI vs SSP, complete comparison
- Fellowships for high school students
- How to choose a research topic
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Simons Summer Research Program acceptance rate?
Stony Brook says fewer than 5% of applicants are admitted. In 2026 it received 1,864 applications and selected 60 Fellows, about 3.2%, and that pool only includes students who were already nominated by their schools.
Who can apply to Simons at Stony Brook?
Current 11th graders who are US citizens or permanent residents and will be at least 16 by the program start. Students must be nominated by their high school; seniors, sophomores and international students on visas are not eligible, with no exceptions.
Is the Simons Summer Research Program free?
There is no tuition and no program fee, only a $75 application fee with waivers available. Residential Fellows pay their own housing and dining, reported at about $2,450 for 2026, and commuters pay their own transportation and meals.
Do Simons Fellows get a stipend?
Yes. Stony Brook says Fellows receive a stipend award at the closing poster symposium but does not publish the amount. Pioneer Academics reports it as $1,000.
When is the Simons application deadline for 2027?
School nominations are due January 29, 2027, the student application closes February 5, 2027 at 11:59 p.m. EST, and teacher recommendations are due February 12, 2027. Decisions go out in early April. The application link is posted November 15.
How many students can each school nominate?
Up to three 11th graders, and Stony Brook recommends no more than two. Submitting more than three can disqualify all of a school's applicants, so ask your science department early how it chooses.
Does the program require prior research experience?
No. Stony Brook says prior research experience is not required, but it looks for independence, creativity and hands-on aptitude, and a completed project is the clearest way to show those.
What should my student do if they are not nominated or not admitted?
Build the research record on your own timeline. The YRI Fellowship pairs students one-on-one with a PhD mentor for 10 weeks to produce a first-author paper submitted to a peer-reviewed venue, with science fair preparation included, and admissions are rolling, so a student can start any time of year.
Sources
- Stony Brook University: Simons Summer Research Program homepage (2027 dates, 2026 applications and Fellows, Regeneron STS Scholars, mentors)
- Stony Brook University: Simons SRP Application Guidelines (eligibility, nomination limit, 2027 deadlines, application components, fee, under 5% admitted)
- Stony Brook University: Simons SRP FAQ (no tuition or fees, residential and commuter costs, international students, nomination process)
- Stony Brook University: Simons SRP Nomination (nominating official, up to three per school, recommended two)
- Stony Brook University: About the Simons SRP (founded 1984, program structure, poster symposium)
- Immerse Education: Simons Summer Research Program 2026 overview (estimated residential cost, 2026 deadlines)
- Pioneer Academics: Simons Summer Research Program, how to apply, cost (reported $1,000 stipend, 2026 program dates)
- College Essay Guy: Simons Summer Research Program guide (earlier cohort size and applicant figures)