<p>I'm aiming to get into a top-rated developmental biology, stem cell, or regenerative medicine PhD program. As an int'l student, I have only limited amount of opportunities available compared with domestic students. So, I can attend either on-campus research program in my college, whose funding ability is, fortunately, extraordinarily high as a extremely wealthy lac, or off-campus research program such as some SURFs which allow int'l students to participate. Since many research programs, like Agumen and REU, don't accept int'l students, I'm looking for programs which also accept them. </p>
<p>So far I have randomly looked for the programs which also accept int'l students, and I found about 9 programs which satisfy my condition, as the following:</p>
<p>SURF - Caltech
SURF - Rockefeller University
SURP - Sloan-Kettering Gerstner
SROP - Duke University
SURF - Upstate Medical University
HSCI - Internship Program (HIP) Harvard
UCSF Summer Research Program
Biology/BCS Summer Research Internship MIT
SIP - JHU (BSI)</p>
<p>Are they recommendable? Could you recommend any other programs which also accept int'l student? </p>
<p>I did SURF at Caltech 2 summers ago, but it was for engineering. I wasn’t aware that they took in int’l students. Definitely recommendable though. I’m under the impression that Caltech’s biology program research output may be at the top of the top. The key is to identify a faculty mentor and convince him you would be worthwhile to work with them for a summer. </p>
<p>Caltech SURF is my favorite for its flexibility and high acceptance rate (80%) in spite of excellent faculties and support. But I understand that only avid students apply for this program so I have to be well-prepared. Caltech is usually ranked around top 10 in terms of biology in the international scale, so I definitely agree with you. I also like this program because 1/4 of all the participants are freshman, who is usually accepted by other SURF. </p>
<p>By the way, UCSF Summer Research Program wasn’t open to int’l student, so please just ignore it. </p>
<p>I would not pay attention to the 80%. The majority of the applicants identify a faculty adviser and acquire that faculty’s approval prior to applying (you also have to write a proposal for the application, which you will need your potential adviser input, which requires the adviser to agree to be your mentor), so it is not surprising that the acceptance rate is so high. Getting that approval is the hardest part and the percentage of people who get approval is most likely under 10%, at least it was that way for engineering. </p>
<p>I was part of MIT’s Summer Program in Biology/BCS for 2 years and will be returning this summer before I go to graduate school. I am also familiar with the other programs you mentioned and they all accept sophomores or juniors, if you are a freshmen you should not worry about summer research yet. </p>
<p>From my experience at MIT very few internationals get accepted (about 3 out of 26 people that go to the program), I was one of those three so if you have any questions feel free to ask. </p>
<p>That sounds quite competitive! But I’m glad to know a person with experience in the program. Since MIT’s bio PhD program is one of my top choices, I will definitely go back to the program like you, if by chance I will get accepted. Going to the program multiple times will make my reference strong, and I can have strong connection with MIT professors, so that my admission to MIT will be quite promising. I don’t have any particular question about this program, but I will create a new thread if I will have any. Thank you :D</p>