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TABLE OF CONTENTS |
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1. Eligibility |
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2. Applications |
5. Sponsor |
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3. Selection |
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Can I apply if I don't have permanent resident status
(green card), but I know I will get it before my appointment starts?
PRA status is for citizens of foreign countries who have established permanent
residency in the United States. It is preferred that you already have
your PRA status at the time you apply. However, if you are sure you will
have it before you start your appointment, answer "yes" to the
citizenship eligibility question in the application. Put the word "Pending"
in the PRA number box and indicate your country of citizenship in the
appropriate box. Keep in mind that, unless the PRA process is well under
way at the time you apply, it may be difficult to complete it by the time
your appointment is scheduled to start. You will not be able to start
your appointment if you cannot provide documentation of PRA status.
I am a Permanent Resident Alien, but my passport from my home country has expired. What do I list for my passport number and expiration date?
If you are a PRA with an expired passport, just list your old passport
number and the expired expiration date. You are not required to have
a valid passport to apply to the SULI program.
This program states that it provides opportunities to undergraduate students.
If I will graduate before the term for which I am applying, am I eligible
to participate?
The SULI program is for undergraduates. However, DOE recognizes that there are some circumstances under which a graduating senior can benefit from this type of experience. If you are a graduating senior and want to be considered for an SULI appointment, you must complete the entire SULI application form including the Graduating Senior page. DOE will review this information and decide if you are approved to participate. DOE approval will allow your application to be entered into the selection process. Approval does not guarantee you an appointment. Students are eligible to apply as graduating seniors given the following two conditions: (1) you have not yet started a program of graduate study and you will not matriculate as a graduate student prior to completing your SULI term and (2) the time period between completing your undergraduate degree and starting your SULI term is less than one year.
I'm an undergraduate student, but I won't be 18 years old for another
year. If this program is for undergraduate students, why can't I participate?
Eighteen is the minimum age for participation regardless of your education
level.
Do I have to have health insurance coverage to apply or can I wait
until I'm selected to acquire it?
You must have health insurance in order to begin your appointment.
That means that you will not be eligible to receive a stipend payment
until
you have health insurance. Since some insurance providers have
a waiting period from the time you apply, you may need to plan ahead
in order
to
start your appointment at the desired time and still serve the
full
appointment.
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Is it possible for me to send in an application now and remain on
file for consideration next year?
You must select a specific term when you apply. You can clone your application
for other available terms during the current June - May cycle.
To clone your application, two things must be true: (1) your previous application must have been complete with at least two recommendations and (2) the opening date for the term to which you are applying must have past. If you did not have a completed application for the previous term, you must complete an entirely new application. If the two criteria listed above are satisfied and you would like to clone your application for a new term, go to your status page and click on the link that states "Would you like to use your previous SULI application to apply for another term? Click here to find out how."
The application process runs on a 12 month cycle, this means that applications
open on June 1 and will close around May 20. This 12 month cycle allows
students to use their application for more than one term when applying
for internships. At the end of each year, the accounts and applications
are archived and cleaned out of the database. Each June, applicants create
a new account and new application, this provides the applicant with an
opportunity to document new skills and accomplishments made over the past
year.
Do I have to click on the Final Submit button to complete my portion
of the online application before asking my recommenders to submit their
recommendations online?
No. Recommendations may be submitted at any time after you have started your online application. The recommenders use a unique URL that will link their completed recommendation to your application and your status page will show that the recommendation has been submitted.
Do my reference letters need to reach you by the deadline?
You should plan to have all parts of your application reach us by the
deadline.
Can references be sent by e-mail?
No. You must use the electronic process. Part of your application includes
a page with a URL unique to your application that you should print
and
give to the people you would like to submit a recommendation on your
behalf. Each person writing a reference for you will complete the online
recommendation
form and submit it electronically. This is the only way to ensure that
your recommendations are properly linked with your application.
Who should I get to write my references?
References should be submitted by someone familiar with your academic
achievements and your academic ability. College faculty members who
teach science, technology, engineering, or mathematics courses are the
best references, but you may also use former high school teachers, lab
assistants, teaching assistants, or employers (especially if they are in a
research setting).
Am I required to submit transcripts?
Not for the application. You are required to list all courses and grades assigned for classes you have completed and for classes you are currently taking (you are not required to list grades for classes you are currently taking). Before you begin an appointment, you may be required to submit a transcript to your host facility. Any discrepancies between what you reported on your application and your official transcript may be grounds for termination.
How do I select a laboratory?
The application contains information on currently participating laboratories
and the scientific research areas available at those sites. You will
also
find links to home pages of each participating facility. Choose a laboratory
based on the type of research and the subject matter that interests you.
If you are interested in biology, for example, choose a site that has
research projects in that discipline. Some laboratories do not participate
in the semester component of the program. You may want to check with
us
to confirm the list of participating laboratories for any given term.
What should I do if I don't have a preference of a laboratory?
You must indicate at least one laboratory choice. It is to your benefit
to make two laboratory choices.
Can I get in touch with scientists at the laboratories I've chosen?
Is this advisable?
Yes. As you explore the laboratories' Web sites, you may identify scientists,
offices, or divisions you would like to contact. The more you know about
a laboratory, the better chance you have of making a laboratory choice
appropriate to your interests and skills. HOWEVER, potential mentors
are NOT authorized to offer you an appointment. If you are selected you
must receive an official letter from the Department of Energy. This notification
will be followed by an official letter from the laboratory or its administrative
agent. You have not been given an official offer until you receive these
two things.
Will you let me know if you are missing parts of my application?
It is your responsibility to check your "Status Page" to ensure
that your application is complete.
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How does the selection process work?
For summer interns, selection will consist of two rounds. Each round
will have a defined beginning and end. In Round One, your first choice
laboratory
will view your application. In Round Two, both your first and second
choice laboratories will view your application. Check the "Key Dates"
page for when the rounds open and close.
Throughout the process, you can receive only one offer. If you are selected
in the first round, your application will not appear in the second round.
Fall and spring semesters have an open process with no rounds.
How are applications judged?
Your application will be judged on your educational experience, research
interests, and references. Researchers are looking for someone who is
interested in the kind of research they are conducting and who will benefit
from their expertise and facilities.
How can I maximize my chances of getting selected?
Make your laboratory choices carefully. Investigate the laboratories'
Web Sites. It is to your benefit to make two laboratory choices. Take
some time to answer the narrative parts of the application. Convey the
quality of your skills and your enthusiasm for research. Make sure your
application is complete and that you submit it by the deadline.
Why am I asked if I have participated in any other DOE programs? Does
answering yes to that questions help or hurt my chances of being selected?
There is no good or bad answer to this question. DOE wants to be able
to gauge how many students know about other DOE programs.
What are my chances of getting selected?
Hundreds of appointments will be made in many different facilities. There
is no way of knowing how many applications will be received for any given
cycle, nor what the quality of those applications will be. However, one
thing is
certain: If you don't apply, you certainly won't get selected!
Is this program only for natural science, engineering, mathematics,
or computer science majors?
Students in these disciplines have the best chance for selection. However,
students in related disciplines who demonstrate interests and capabilities
in research areas available at the participating laboratories may also
be appointed.
When and how will I find out if I've been selected?
You will receive an e-mail from DOE notifying you of your selection.
Your status page will indicate you have been selected. The DOE facility
administering
your appointment will follow up with an appointment letter and other
documents explaining the details of your appointment. If you are not
selected by
your first choice laboratory in Round One, your application will be viewed
by your first and second choice laboratories in Round Two. If you think
you might have been selected and haven't heard anything, please check
your status page. Mentors at laboratories are not authorized to make
appointment
offers by telephone. Official notification must come first from DOE and
then from the laboratory. Please check your status page frequently,
as you will only have 2 weeks in which to accept an offer once it has
been made.
If I decline an offer in the first round will I be considered for the second round?
No...if you decline an offer you are not eligible to participate in the
program during that term.
If I don't get selected this time, will my application be reviewed
again next year automatically or do I have to reapply?
You must reapply.
If I request a certain field of study am I guaranteed to be placed in it if I am accepted into the program?
No, but we make every attempt at properly matching students with mentors.
Remember that the researchers read your applications carefully and look
for students that they think would benefit from being in their lab.
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What if I can only participate for a portion of the appointment period
due to other commitments?
Participation requires a full time commitment for the duration of the
appointment period. You should plan to be at the facility full time and
avoid obligations that will interrupt your appointment.
Is there any flexibility in start and end dates?
At some facilities. Appointments are for 10 weeks in the summer and 16
weeks during the fall and spring terms. Although you should plan to participate
for the entire appointment period, your may have flexibility at some facilities.
Other facilities may have set dates. If you have restricted availability,
check with the facility to see if it can accommodate you. Remember that
you must fulfill all eligibility requirements for participation, such
as obtaining health insurance coverage, before you can start your appointment.
Do I get any vacation during the appointment period?
The program does not include vacation or sick leave. You are not expected
to be present on days that your facility is closed due to a holiday. Most
mentors will help you design a schedule that is mutually agreeable.
How often do I receive a stipend payment and where does it come from?
You will receive your stipend check according to a pre-arranged schedule
from the DOE facility administering your appointment. It varies
from Lab to Lab. Once you are accepted you will be given a pay schedule.
What is my tax liability for the stipend I am paid as a participant in
this program?
All stipends paid to you are reported to the Internal Revenue. Some facilities
do not withhold taxes from these payments; participants at these facilities
should give consideration to filing Form 1040-ES on a quarterly basis
and paying estimated income taxes in order to avoid late payment penalties.
What kind of travel reimbursement will I receive?
You will be reimbursed for inbound and outbound travel between your home
or school and the appointment site, if the distance is more than 50 miles
one way. Reimbursements are made according to the standard travel policy
of the DOE facility administering your appointment.
Where will I live?
It depends on the DOE facility. Some sites have housing already arranged;
at others you need to arrange it yourself (these sites generally provide
information to help you.). The program generally provides either a housing
allowance or pre-arranged housing. Housing allowances are taxable. In
some cases, your housing situation may result in costs to you over and
above the housing allowance. In some cases, students who live within 50
miles of the host site are not eligible for housing or housing allowances.
Can I receive undergraduate credit for my fellowship experience?
You will need to check with your school to see if your research experience
qualifies for college credit. DOE and the laboratory that administers
your appointment will provide you with the appropriate documentation.
Does the program pay any tuition costs I might incur while participating?
No. Tuition and fees incurred during your participation in the program
while you are still enrolled in a college or university are not reimbursable.
By participating in this program, do I become an employee of the administrator,
the host laboratory, or DOE?
No. You will be considered a program participant and will not enter into
an employer/employee relationship with the administrator, the host laboratory,
or DOE.
Do I have to prepare a report or give a presentation at the end of
my appointment?
Both you and your mentor will be asked to jointly prepare a Research
Paper and Abstract by the end of the appointment. Some laboratories have
poster
sessions for students or require oral presentations at the end of
the appointment.
What should I expect from the mentoring relationship at the laboratory?
Your mentor should provide the following:
Whom should I contact if I have problems which I have been unable to resolve on-line?
sc.helpwithapplication@science.doe.gov
(202) 586-9742
What is the source of funding for this program?
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Office of Science provides the funding
for this program.
Why is the DOE involved in education?
Since its formation in 1977, DOE has supported education programs that help ensure an adequate supply of scientists, engineers, and technicians for energy-related research, production activities, and the transfer of technology.
Who administers this program for the Department of Energy?
Argonne National Laboratory, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Ernest Orlando
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Idaho National Engineering and Environmental
Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Princeton Plasma Physics,
National Renewable Energy, Stanford Linear Accelerator Center, and Thomas Jefferson
have education offices in their labs that administer the program. Oak
Ridge National Laboratory internships are administered by Oak Ridge Institute
for Science and Education.
