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 17, 2026 at 1 pm 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 Awards

Stipends 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 on the MyBU Student Portal.
Non-service stipends are not considered wages; they are intended to help recipients defray living or other expenses while conducting research. Stipend recipients will not receive a 1099 tax form at the end of the year, but all recipients are responsible for independently reporting the income to IRS on their tax returns.
International students will have 14% withheld in taxes and will receive a 1042S form for the amount that the University withheld by late March the following year, unless they can claim tax treaty exemption. International students can contact the Payroll Office at nrapay@bu.edu for further assistance regarding tax treaty exemptions. 

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