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Dorothy and David Cooper Scholarship

What is the Dorothy and David Cooper Scholarship?

The Dorothy and David Cooper Summer Research Fellowship was designed to enhance undergraduate students' access to research opportunities and in particular, to ensure equitable access to such opportunities. This endowed summer undergraduate research fellowship provides financial support for undergraduate students to engage in 250 hours of active supervised research effort (approximately 10 weeks, 25 hours per week) under the guidance of a faculty supervisor during the summer. The application process involves writing a proposal and successful applicants complete a written research paper in the format of an article in a peer-reviewed scientific journal or a grant proposal. This experience often serves as a funnel into our honors program, providing undergraduates with an intensive research experience before graduation. Many of our Cooper fellows have moved on to research careers including receiving their PhDs or MDs. Read about our alumni below:

Eligibility: Applicants must be Rutgers University New Brunswick students and meet the following 2 criteria:

1. Completed 5 psychology classes (830 course code) or will have by the end of the spring 2026 semester;

2. Have declared psychology as their major, or are currently enrolled and in good standing in Quantitative Methods (01:830:200). Not yet declared students must also include a formal statement, co-signed with their advisor, of commitment to declare the psychology major in May 2026.

Priority will be given to students who have already declared psychology as their major.

Students who plan to declare after completing required courses during Summer Session 2026 or in Fall 2026 semester WILL NOT be considered (but may be eligible applicants for Summer 2027).

Preference will be given to non-traditional students and to students with financial need, but all eligible students are strongly encouraged to apply.

Faculty Mentorship Requirement. The research project must be novel, independent, and conducted under the supervision of a Rutgers-New Brunswick Department of Psychology faculty member in Summer 2026. The faculty mentor should have an active research program, be a member of the graduate faculty, and have sufficient resources to support the proposed research. Faculty who do not meet this requirement are not excluded from sponsoring Cooper applicants but must provide evidence of active affiliation with faculty who do meet these requirements, and who agree to serve as a co-mentor.

If it is not possible to collect data, the research project may consist of an extensive literature review written as a review article suitable for journal submission or a research proposal in the format of an NSF Graduate Research Fellowship proposal that may be carried out at a later time. The time commitment and extent of faculty supervision required for the SURF is the same whether the proposed project involves data collection during the summer or not.

Completion Requirements:

  • A minimum of 250 hours of active research effort (or approximately 10 weeks, 25 hours per week) is required. All work must meet the expectations of the faculty supervisor.
  • Approximately mid-way through the project a progress report of 1-2 pages must be submitted to the faculty supervisor that details achievements, as well as anticipated problems and plans to address them. A copy of the progress report signed by the Faculty mentor should be uploaded to Box via this link( Box ) by no later than Friday, July 10, 2026.

  • A written research paper in the format of an article in a peer-reviewed scientific journal or a grant proposal in the format of an NSF Graduate Research Fellowship proposal must be submitted at the end of the project period. Review articles can be submitted as well as reports of empirical research. After review and approval by the faculty adviser, the paper should be uploaded to Box via this link( Box )by no later than Monday, August 31, 2026.

  • Failure to comply with these requirements may result in loss of part or all of the award and/or disqualify eligible students from applying for a second Cooper fellowship in the future.

The Dorothy and David Cooper Scholarship

Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship

Application procedure: The following materials must be submitted for all applicants:

A) Materials to be submitted by the student applicant:

1) Completed application form

2) Current academic transcript (unofficial)

3) Research proposal (not exceeding five pages), including

a) Description of project (e.g., background, aims/hypotheses, subjects, methods and planned analyses – note: IRB and IACUC certification is required as appropriate)

b) A statement of (i) work responsibilities for the project, (ii) start and end dates, (iii) student-faculty meeting schedule

4) If appropriate: statement of commitment to declare the psychology major in May 2026, co-signed with your advisor

B) Materials to be submitted by the faculty supervisor:

1) Current CV (e.g., NIH-like biosketch - two pages max.)

2) Mentor statement outlining

a) the laboratory environment

b) the plans for student training and supervision, and monitoring attendance

c) confirmation that the laboratory possesses sufficient resources to fund the project

3) Letter in support of the student’s application, justifying the student’s eligibility

C) Upload all materials to Box via this link.( Box )

Application Deadline: The complete application is due by Monday, April 20, 2026.

Award Notification: Applicants will be informed of their status by Mon, May 11, 2026.

Questions? Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

2026 Dorothy and David Cooper Scholarship Information

 The_Dorothy_and_David_Cooper_SURF_Application_Form_2026.pdf

Fellowship Awards: Funding in the amount of $4,000 - $5,000 (depending on the size of available funds) will be awarded to outstanding students majoring in psychology who are completing a research project in the summer of 2026.

Application Deadline: The complete application is due by Monday, April 20, 2026. Please send all materials to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Scholarship Alumni