How to Apply
Information
Thanks for your interest in the Independent Inquiry Program! The SECOND application cycle is now open– applications are due Friday, May 9th, 2025 at 11:59 pm. Applications will be reviewed in the order in which they are received. Late applications will not be reviewed until the next cycle.
All applicants will receive an email by Friday, May 23rd, 2025 regarding the status of their application. We anticipate research beginning mid-June. Application preparation and a walk through of necessary materials can be found here.
Please see the checklist below before starting your application:
⭐️ Read through the Welcome to the Independent Inquiry Program page to get an understanding of how the inquiry process works and what to expect.
⭐️ Pick an Open Question that you are interested in applying to answer. This will be referenced throughout the application.
⭐️ The links below will take you to pages with the information you’ll need for the application. We recommend you prepare these in a separate document before filling out the application:
🦋 Independent Inquiry Rationale
🦋 Ideal Outcomes
🦋 Research & Discovery Plan
🦋 Structure and Materials/Labs Budget
🦋 Letter of Recommendation
⭐️ After preparing the information above, identify the Supervisor assigned to the question you are applying to answer and set up a meeting with them* to discuss your preliminary application and a proposed meeting schedule.
*Please note: the supervisors submit the following information to the Review Board for every application:
Has the student reviewed their application with you?
Do you believe the proposed structure of this inquiry is technically reasonable?
🪩 Once all the above is complete, you are ready to apply! You can find the application here.