MSSRP: Program Requirements & Eligibility Criteria

Students awarded a scholarship through the Medical Student Summer Research Program (MSSRP) must meet the following requirements to participate in the program.

To participate in the MSSRP, you must:

  • Students must be in good academic standing and pass any remediation exams by the start of the program and be eligible for promotion to the second year to participate in the program. For students engaging in research with VA faculty mentors, they must be US citizens or permanent residents. If you have any concerns related to eligibility, please contact the program directors.
  • Participate in 7 weeks of full-time research during the period of (tentatively) May 16 – July 12, 2026.
  • Attend the required orientation in April/May, 2026 and summer workshops including Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR).
  • Attend the MSSRP summer sessions (see “Summer Schedule”).
  • Submit the following final documents by August 3.
    • Summary report
    • Thank you note addressed to your donor (if applicable)
    • Evaluation of the program
  • Present a poster of your research at the annual medical student research symposium in January/February.

    Payment of Scholarships

    Scholarships are awarded and directly distributed to students through the MyBU Student Portal at the end of May. To guarantee timely disbursement of funds, students must link their bank account information through the Nelnet’s Student Choice Refunds (SCR) Profile which can be done at MyBU Student Portal.

    The scholarship is paid to the student as a non-service stipend. Non-service stipends are not considered wages (they are not taxed); they are intended to help recipients defray living or other expenses. Stipend recipients will not receive a 1099 tax form at end of the year, and they are responsible for independently reporting the income to IRS if they are required to do so based on their tax profile. The stipends are also not considered estimated financial aid because students do not receive federal financial aid during the period when the research program is held (a period of non-enrollment).

    Mentors and departments may also support student stipends as part of this program.

    Students are not permitted to accept additional or potentially overlapping stipends for research during the 7-week summer period. Questions should be directed to the MSSRP program director.

    International students may have 14% withheld in taxes and will receive form 1042-S for the amount that the University withheld, unless they can claim tax treaty exemption. International students can go to the MyBU Student portal and complete the non-service stipend tax exempt form.

    VA research students: Students engaging in research training with VA mentors will receive stipend payments directly from the VA.