Frequently Asked Questions
What are the REUSE program dates?
The REUSE program dates are May 28 to August 2, 2024. Applicants must be available for the core program dates.
Is the REUSE program a paid or unpaid research experience?
REUSE is a paid research experience. All selected students will receive a $7,000 stipend, $1,400 meal allowance, air-conditioned campus housing, and compensation to travel to/from Carnegie Mellon.
Am I eligible to apply?
You are eligible if you meet all of the following criteria:
1. You are currently an undergraduate student at an institution of higher education in the United States (or you are a U.S. Citizen, U.S. National, or U.S. Permanent Resident and currently enrolled as an undergraduate student at an institution of higher education outside the United States).
2. You will graduate in November 2024 or later
3. You will be at least 18 years old when the program starts.
Unfortunately high school students and foreign nationals studying at non-U.S institutions are not eligible for REUSE.
If you are on a student visa and you are accepted to REUSE, you will need to apply for CPT or OPT at your home institution before the program starts.
I am a graduating senior. Can I still apply?
No. Unfortunately the NSF does not allow us to select students that have already graduated.
Can I submit more than one reference letter with my application?
Yes. We require one reference letter on the ETAP application. Optionally, we will accept up to two additional reference letters for consideration. Please instruct your additional references to email their letters directly to us at reuse-letters@cs.cmu.edu by February 1.
In particular, if you have any previous research experience (such as a semester or summer research assistantship or project, or previous REU), we strongly encourage you to ask for a letter of recommendation from the professor you worked with in that capacity. However, note that such prior research experience is not required for admission to our REU program.
How should I choose a recommender?
Your recommender should be able to speak about your academic potential and ability. The strongest recommendations often come from individuals who have known you for an extended period of time and had the opportunity to work with you in a research and academic setting. A professor from your college or university with whom you have worked or done research, or who knows you well from a classroom setting, would be an excellent choice. However, one of our goals in this program is to invite students with little to no previous research experience. We therefore fully understand that you may not have yet done such research with any faculty at your home institution, and thus may not have such a letter-writer to ask for a recommendation.
Can my reference come from industry?
Yes.
Can I submit other additional materials to strengthen my application?
Yes. Links and publications are encouraged to include on your resume or in a relevant long answer question.
Can I upload my unofficial transcript to my application?
Yes. We accept unofficial transcripts.
I attended high school outside of the U.S. and do not see my school on the list. How do I proceed with my application?
To enter an international high school:
- click the Find School button
- search by zip code
- enter any US zip code (easy example - 15213)
- scroll to the bottom of the results
- click the last option, "I don't see my school on the list"
A box will then pop up to allow you to enter in your school details.
Which research groups participate in the program?
Please see
this page for the list of participating faculty.
Can I get course credit for this internship?
This depends on your home university policies, please check with them to discuss.
May I register for classes at Carnegie Mellon or work part-time during the program?
The program is a full-time intensive research experience. There are many free and open workshops and seminars on campus that will enhance your research experience. However, students should not anticipate taking CMU courses or working part-time while participating in the program. We provide compensation, housing, and a meal allowance to allow you to focus full-time on your research for the summer.
Will attending REUSE help me prepare for graduate school?
Yes! REUSE will provide tools for you to help you explore graduate school options available to you at CMU and other universities. Our past students have gone on to graduate school at CMU, UC Berkeley, University of Washington and other leading universitites.
Where will I live?
All REUSE students will live in air-conditioned on-campus apartments with 1 to 2 roommates. The REUSE program will reserve and pay for the housing directly. All REUSE students will be housed together to enhance the sense of community in the program.
When is the application deadline?
February 1, 2024
How and when will applicants be notified of admissions decisions?
We intend to notify the vast majority of applicants by March 1, 2024.