Application
February 15, 2023: Application due date
After February 15, 2023: Applications will continue to be accepted until the program is full. Applicants will not be considered for REU awards. Applications received by March 1 may be considered for scholarships.
February 16 Update: We are currently reviewing applications and will be making REU award offers, scholarship offers, and general acceptances around mid-March. We expect the 40 spots in our program to fill around late March or early April.
All applications require the submission of two recommendations via our online Recommendation Form. It is the responsibility of applicants to give this link to their recommenders and make sure that they have plenty of time before the deadline to complete the form.
Program Dates
On-Site Dates: June 8th – August 15th, 2023*
Pre-Arrival: 2 days of remote programming in May/June, dates to be determined
*Some students may be asked to arrive earlier or stay later if necessary for their particular project; start and end dates are flexible. However, students are expected to participate in the education program for 10 weeks, regardless of their start date.
Location
The Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory is located in Gothic, Colorado, about 4 miles North of Crested Butte, CO and a 4 1/2 hour drive from Denver. The closest airport is in Gunnison, CO (GUC).
More information about getting to RMBL can be found here: Travel to Gothic – Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory (rmbl.org)
Eligibility
At least one year of college biology is recommended for students conducting independent research. Any student 18 or older, who is interested in a career in field biology, is eligible to apply to this program. US citizens and permanent residents are eligible to receive RMBL full and partial scholarships. However, REU awards are restricted to students who are not only citizens or permanent residents of the United States, but also have not graduated from college before the dates of the program. The REU awards are for students who must work in the summer to pay for their education. We have offered this program since 1994, and it has been highly competitive, with more than 200 applicants annually for approximately ten REU positions. RMBL also has a large selection of full and partial scholarships. All students applying for Financial Aid must complete the Financial Aid Form.
Program Cost
The cost of this Education program is $8,500 and includes room and board. All students participate in the same program, regardless of their source of funding.
Some students will pay the $8,500 fee, some will receive full or partial scholarships from RMBL or their home institution, and 10 students will be funded by a National Science Foundation REU grant. An REU award pays $400 toward travel costs, pays a $5,750 stipend, and covers the full RMBL program cost. Students requiring assistance applying for funding from their home institution should contact the Research and Education Manager.
RMBL will judge the applications and make awards based in part on financial need, student motivation, and on the potential to succeed in field biology research. We encourage participation by minorities currently underrepresented in biology (defined by the National Science Foundation as Native Americans (including American Indians and Alaskan Natives), African-Americans, Blacks, Hispanics, and Native Pacific Islanders.
Acceptance Process
You can expect to receive an email from RMBL staff in March letting you know if you are accepted into the program this summer. We accept about 150 students into our program and the 40 spots are filled on a first-come, first-served basis, with the program typically filling up by late March. If you are accepted, you will need to provide a $500 deposit to secure a place in the program. Students with REU awards or other federal funding are not required to submit a deposit to hold their spot.
RMBL provides equal opportunities in science and education and is committed to a policy of non-discrimination in relation to race, color, gender, sexual orientation, religion, national origin, ancestry, age, marital status, or disability.