Anonymous
Post 04/10/2026 07:16     Subject: Paid summer research for pre-med

Paid undergrad research is going to expect a lot of low level busy work to justify the expense.

On the other hand, unpaid research is going to be more productive for an undergrad to have a higher level role in a research project since they are volunteering their time. They can skip the low level busy work.

Finding a good faculty mentor who is willing to work with undergrads, and actually help them, is the hardest part.
Anonymous
Post 04/10/2026 05:31     Subject: Paid summer research for pre-med

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:REU is mostly for 2nd/3rd year college students and highly competitive.

If you have a decent gpa and you college is half decent at teaching/has prestige you should be able to get an reu acceptance. It’s not any more difficult than getting an internship.

Nonetheless, I think op is misguided. Research is a pretty bad waste of a premed’s time unless they’re applying md PhD. Look at REUs that prioritize clinical hours and shadowing experience.


Only if you're not aiming for a top med school.
Anonymous
Post 04/10/2026 00:51     Subject: Paid summer research for pre-med

A slight possibility is actual EMT work if kid gets qualified.

Also long ago, my boyfriend had a job on campus
taking care of medical research animals. That was paid, not volunteer.

If you are financial aid eligible, some pricey schools have internship funding where you apply for a grant to "pay" you while you do unpaid research.
Anonymous
Post 04/10/2026 00:51     Subject: Paid summer research for pre-med

I think I got something like 2-3K/month. Barely enough to pay rent
Anonymous
Post 04/10/2026 00:45     Subject: Paid summer research for pre-med

Anonymous wrote:REU is mostly for 2nd/3rd year college students and highly competitive.

If you have a decent gpa and you college is half decent at teaching/has prestige you should be able to get an reu acceptance. It’s not any more difficult than getting an internship.

Nonetheless, I think op is misguided. Research is a pretty bad waste of a premed’s time unless they’re applying md PhD. Look at REUs that prioritize clinical hours and shadowing experience.
Anonymous
Post 04/10/2026 00:40     Subject: Paid summer research for pre-med

Anonymous wrote:REUs (research experience for undergrads). They pay like $7k for 10 weeks. And some provide housing, meals, travel and some don’t. Good luck!


REUs strongly prefer students targeting phD not MD. There are exceptions but usually they are highly prestigious programs that preferentially pick T15/ivy. REUs often have to pick majority lac hbcu and smaller regional R2s.

The research experiences for premeds are through the home school or various medical schools. Quick google finds many. E
Anonymous
Post 04/09/2026 18:22     Subject: Paid summer research for pre-med

My son will be paid by his lab this summer (computational biology). He is not paid during the school year. He is also doing work for another lab in a different department and receives an hourly wage during both the school year and summer.
Anonymous
Post 04/09/2026 18:17     Subject: Paid summer research for pre-med

Anonymous wrote:If they don't pay it's totally fine. As long as you find that unpaid opportunity, the college will pay you to go.


I don't understand what you are saying.

Anonymous
Post 04/09/2026 18:15     Subject: Paid summer research for pre-med

If they don't pay it's totally fine. As long as you find that unpaid opportunity, the college will pay you to go.
Anonymous
Post 04/09/2026 18:12     Subject: Paid summer research for pre-med

REU is mostly for 2nd/3rd year college students and highly competitive.
Anonymous
Post 04/09/2026 18:02     Subject: Paid summer research for pre-med

OP, consider yourself lucky if you can find a professor who is willing to take your kid on for the summer. Wanting to get paid is a wishful thinking. REU is somewhat unique program if your kid can get it.
Anonymous
Post 04/09/2026 18:02     Subject: Paid summer research for pre-med

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:REUs (research experience for undergrads). They pay like $7k for 10 weeks. And some provide housing, meals, travel and some don’t. Good luck!


This is a federal program. Given the cuts to the NSF, I wouldn't rely on this to be realistic option for your student. Some colleges do offer paid research experiences for their own students, paid for by the university. My own student is working in a lab without pay this summer, which seems to be a more common option.


My kid was offered 2 REUs for this summer. Yes some programs lost funding but many still going strong. Check out the REU sub on Reddit.
Anonymous
Post 04/09/2026 17:59     Subject: Paid summer research for pre-med

Anonymous wrote:REUs (research experience for undergrads). They pay like $7k for 10 weeks. And some provide housing, meals, travel and some don’t. Good luck!


This is a federal program. Given the cuts to the NSF, I wouldn't rely on this to be realistic option for your student. Some colleges do offer paid research experiences for their own students, paid for by the university. My own student is working in a lab without pay this summer, which seems to be a more common option.
Anonymous
Post 04/09/2026 17:55     Subject: Paid summer research for pre-med

REUs (research experience for undergrads). They pay like $7k for 10 weeks. And some provide housing, meals, travel and some don’t. Good luck!
Anonymous
Post 04/09/2026 16:48     Subject: Paid summer research for pre-med

We will have to pay out of state tuition for a pre-med program. The OOS tuition is very high. For pre-med, Biology / Computational Biology what are some of the paid research opportunities available for undergrads and how much do they normally pay for the summer research