Summer at Simons

Grades

Undergraduate students and graduate/post-doctoral students only - high school students are NOT eligible

Age

Must be at least 18 years old (implied by degree-seeking requirement)

Citizenship

No citizenship restrictions mentioned; international students appear eligible

Prerequisites

Must be enrolled in a degree-seeking program (bachelor's, master's, or doctoral). Research assistant positions require undergraduate enrollment. Research associate positions require graduate or first/second-year pre-doctoral status. Must have relevant coursework or background in mathematics, computer science, physics, biology, neuroscience, or related field.

Steps

1. 1. Check specific center/team posting on Interfolio (for research positions) or Workday (for software engineering positions) for detailed requirements and deadlines
2. 2. Prepare application materials: CV/resume, cover letter or research statement, and academic references
3. 3. Arrange 2-3 letters of recommendation from professors or research mentors familiar with your work
4. 4. Write a concise research interests statement explaining why you want to work at that specific center
5. 5. Submit application through appropriate platform (Interfolio or Workday) by posted deadline
6. 6. Participate in potential phone/video interview with mentor or hiring committee
7. 7. Receive acceptance notification and finalize housing arrangements if provided

Materials Needed

• CV/Resume (1-2 pages, highlighting coursework, research experience, programming skills, publications if any)
• Cover letter or research statement (250-500 words explaining research interests and motivation)
• 2-3 letters of recommendation from professors, PIs, or research mentors
• Academic transcripts (likely required)
• List of relevant coursework and technical skills (programming languages, tools, software)
• Optional: research project proposal or description of past research

Timeline

Applications open December 1, 2025. Individual center/team closing dates vary but typically 4-6 weeks after opening (likely early-to-mid January 2026). Internships run for 11 weeks during summer 2026, with start dates typically in May/June. Housing support coordinated separately after acceptance.

Cost

Free to apply. Internships are paid positions with stipend (amount not specified but competitive for NYC). Housing may be provided; if not, cost of living in Manhattan is high.

What Judges Look For

• Strong academic foundation in mathematics, computer science, physics, or relevant STEM discipline
• Demonstrated interest in computational science and the specific research area of the center
• Prior research experience (coursework projects, lab work, independent studies count)
• Programming proficiency (Python, C++, Julia, or domain-specific languages depending on center)
• Quality and strength of recommendation letters from credible mentors/professors
• Clear communication of research interests and motivation for the specific position
• Problem-solving ability and intellectual curiosity demonstrated through CV/essays
• Fit between applicant's interests and center's research focus
• GPA (typically 3.5+, though not explicitly stated)
• Ability to work independently and collaborate in a research environment

Scoring

Not publicly available. Likely evaluated holistically with emphasis on academic credentials (40%), research fit and interest statement (30%), recommendation letters (20%), and relevant technical skills/experience (10%).

Common Mistakes

• Applying to a center without understanding their specific research focus - tailor your application
• Generic cover letter/research statement that doesn't mention specific research interests or why this center
• Poor recommendation letters from professors who don't know you well or can't speak specifically to your abilities
• Weak CV lacking research experience or technical skills - highlight any lab work, coursework projects, or independent learning
• Missing or inadequate programming background for computational positions
• Failing to meet hard eligibility requirement of being enrolled in degree-seeking program
• Submitting application after center-specific deadline (only apply to centers with open positions)
• Overselling or fabricating research experience - mentors can tell and will check references

Acceptance Rate

Not publicly disclosed, but estimated at 5-15% given high prestige and limited spots per center (~3-10 positions per center per summer)

Applicants

Likely 200-500+ total applications across all centers annually, though not confirmed

Winners / Selected

Approximately 50-100 research assistants/associates across all Flatiron centers; additional positions in software engineering, pre-doctoral, and other divisions. Total Summer at Simons program likely 150-200 interns across all divisions.

• Start preparing in September/October 2025 - research centers' focus areas and read recent publications
• Build research experience NOW if you don't have it: take lab courses, volunteer in university research labs, work on independent projects
• Develop programming skills - computational positions require Python, C++, or Julia; learn these before applying
• Strengthen relationships with 2-3 professors who can write authentic, detailed recommendation letters about your research abilities
• Identify 2-3 Flatiron centers aligned with your interests and tailor separate applications to each
• Read 3-5 recent publications from your target center to demonstrate genuine interest
• Write a compelling 'research interests' statement that connects your past experience to their current work
• Emphasize interdisciplinary thinking - Flatiron values collaboration across centers
• Get to know your application readers: find center director/team lead and mention specific researchers whose work interests you
• If rejected, apply to related opportunities and strengthen application for next year
• Apply to multiple centers for better odds - each center makes independent decisions
• Consider taking online courses in machine learning or scientific computing to strengthen technical profile
• Highlight any open-source contributions, GitHub projects, or computational coursework
• Practice articulating your research interests conversationally for potential interviews

How to Prepare

• Join a university research lab NOW if possible - even as research assistant with no prior experience. Start in freshman/sophomore year ideally.
• Take advanced coursework in linear algebra, multivariable calculus, differential equations, discrete math, and algorithms
• Learn programming: Python is essential; C++ and Julia are valuable for computational positions
• Learn domain-specific tools: for biology (BioPython, molecular dynamics), for neuroscience (neural analysis tools), for math (numerical methods libraries)
• Read papers: follow arXiv.org in your research area; learn to understand research literature
• Build GitHub portfolio: contribute to open-source projects or create computational projects demonstrating your abilities
• Take online courses: Coursera, MIT OpenCourseWare, or edX courses in machine learning, scientific computing, or your domain
• Attend research seminars and colloquia at your university - get exposed to cutting-edge research
• Develop strong communication skills: present research clearly in writing and verbally
• Network: talk to graduate students and postdocs about their research; ask questions; express genuine interest
• Prepare for potential technical interview: be ready to discuss past work and solve simple computational problems
• Review center-specific research focus 2-3 weeks before deadline and tailor application materials

Resources

• Official Simons Foundation website: simonsfoundation.org/summer-at-simons
• Flatiron Institute website: flatironinstitute.org (read about each center)
• arXiv.org - free preprint repository; follow papers from target center researchers
• Coursera courses: 'Machine Learning' (Andrew Ng), 'Scientific Computing' courses
• MIT OpenCourseWare: linear algebra, differential equations, computational science courses
• GitHub: browse open-source computational projects to contribute to
• Python for scientific computing: NumPy, SciPy, Pandas documentation and tutorials
• Books: 'Computational Physics' (Newman), 'Data Science from Scratch' (Grus) for conceptual foundation
• Your university's research office - they may have workshops on research opportunities
• Graduate student mentors at your institution - ask about their research and how to prepare
• NSF and NIH research databases - see what's being funded in your field
• Academic blogs and Medium posts by computational scientists sharing advice

Time Needed

Ideally 1-2 years of preparation for most competitive candidates (research experience + programming skills). However, strong students with relevant coursework and self-taught programming can prepare in 6-12 months. Minimum: 3 months intensive preparation (research reading, application writing, skills development). Applications submitted in January 2026 for Summer 2026 internship.

Typical successful applicants are rising juniors/seniors (or first-year grad students) at highly-ranked universities (T20 schools heavily represented) with: 1-2+ years of research experience in relevant lab; GPA 3.7+; strong programming skills in at least one relevant language; specific knowledge of research direction of target center; articulate communication of research interests; strong recommendation letters from PhD-level researchers; demonstrated independence and intellectual initiative. Many have publications, conference presentations, or significant coursework projects. First-time researchers do get accepted, but typically have exceptional academic credentials, clear research motivation, and solid technical background. Winners typically maintain research focus through graduation and often work with same mentor in future summers or postdocs.

Summer at Simons is viewed VERY POSITIVELY by graduate admissions committees and prestigious employers. Impact includes: 1) STRONG indicator of research capability and commitment to academic career - highly valued for graduate school applications; 2) Prestigious affiliation with world-class research institution; 3) Likely produces publications or conference presentations strengthening grad school applications; 4) Demonstrates ability to work with top-tier scientists and handle independent research; 5) Strong mentorship letters from Flatiron researchers carry significant weight; 6) Network access to leading scientists who may write letters or offer collaborations; 7) Competitive advantage for PhD programs at top universities; 8) Shows self-selection into elite research community. For undergraduate college admissions: Less directly impactful since applicants are already in college, but shows serious research trajectory. For industry: Valuable for technical roles at top tech companies, research labs, or quantitative finance. Comparable to or exceeds prestige of: NSF REU programs, summer research at Ivy League universities, and most other undergraduate research internships.

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