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Application status updates (April 15, 2026):  RMBL has reviewed all student applications and has awarded REU Fellowships to 10 students. General Acceptances and RMBL Scholarship Awards are complete. Any cancellations leading to openings will be filled from the existing waitlist.  Applicants should check their email Inbox and SPAM folders for a DocuSign from RMBL.   

The PRIORITY deadline for REU APPLICATIONS was February 13, 2026, with rolling admissions until the program is full. The PROGRAM IS NOW FULL.

Note: All applicants to the program should apply directly to RMBL and indicate their interest in the REU award and/or RMBL Scholarships on the application. All accepted students participate in the same research program regardless of funding sources.

If you encounter any problems during the RMBL application process, please contact Dr. Rosemary Smith (rsmith@rmbl.org) for assistance.

Applying to the Education Program

REU Applicants should apply directly to RMBL, using the application process described below. You may be directed from other sites to the NSF platform, but you should apply directly to RMBL for consideration for the NSF REU award.

Before you Apply: Check your eligibility and prepare your materials

Eligibility: The following requirements of all applicants must be met:

    • Must be 18 years old by June 1, 2026
    • Must be an undergraduate student, post-undergraduate, or beginning graduate student

If you are applying for the NSF-REU award you must also meet the following requirements and must be able to provide proof that you are:

    • US Citizen, National, or Permanent Resident of the United States
    • Currently enrolled undergraduate student who has not earned a Bachelor’s degree by August 2026.

We recommend that you read the following materials:

We strongly recommend that you prepare in advance the following information, to cut and paste into the application.  This step is important as you must complete the application in one session.

Understand the application process:

  • February 13, 2026, is the priority deadline for students applying for acceptance into the program, including requesting support from an REU award and RMBL scholarships. Applications received after February 13, 2026 will be reviewed and students admitted on a rolling basis until the program is full, but applicants will only be considered for financial support if funds are available. Submitting an application as soon as possible after the Feb. 13 deadline increases your chances of acceptance. Our program typically fills by early April and sometimes in March.
  • Late Application fee- Applications submitted after March 1, 2026 may incur a $40 application fee.
  • Notifications for accepted students will be sent in March via DocuSign to the email used on your application. You may be accepted into the Education Program/Research Experience without financial support.  Acceptance letters will include information on whether or not you have been awarded the NSF-REU, a RMBL scholarship, or no financial support.
  • After acceptance you will be asked to make a deposit to secure your spot in the program. The $1,000 non-refundable deposit will be applied towards the total cost of the program. The deposit is waived for REU and Full Scholarship awardees.

Please Note:DocuSign notification letters can sometimes go to your spam or junk mail folder. We recommend being diligent in checking those folders and looking for a message from the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory.

Questions or Help? Email Dr. Rosemary Smith, the Education Programs Manager.

Ready to apply! Follow these steps:

  1. Fill out the 2026 RMBL Education Program Application. The application must be completed in one sitting and includes a section for entering Financial Aid information. As noted above, you may prepare your responses to the short answer questions and the Financial Aid form beforehand and copy them into your application.
  2. Request that your Two Recommendation Forms be submitted. Please send the link to the recommendation form to your recommenders. Recommendations can be submitted before or after you submit your application; the order of submission doesn’t matter.  REU applicants should ask recommenders to submit recommendations by the priority deadline of February 13, 2026.  It is your responsibility to ensure that recommendations are submitted.
  3. Email your Unofficial Transcript. Send your unofficial transcript to this email address: transcripts@rmbl.org. We may request the official transcript upon acceptance.