Choose the calendar before you choose the campus
The standard 2027 SURF session runs May 25–July 30. Mayo also publishes a June 15–August 20 option for students whose quarter-system calendar prevents the standard start. Both require the full ten-week commitment and at least 40 laboratory hours per week.
| Question | Current published answer |
|---|---|
| Application window | November 1, 2026–February 3, 2027 |
| Standard dates | May 25–July 30, 2027 |
| Quarter-system alternative | June 15–August 20, 2027 |
| Campuses | Rochester, Minnesota; Jacksonville, Florida; Scottsdale, Arizona |
| Time commitment | Ten weeks; at least 40 laboratory hours per week |
| Academic eligibility | Sophomore year completed by the start; accredited U.S. college enrollment; at least a 3.0 GPA |
| Graduation | Students completing their first bachelor’s degree before the program are ineligible |
Applicants can choose among Rochester, Minnesota; Jacksonville, Florida; and Scottsdale, Arizona. Treat location and calendar as separate constraints: a campus preference does not make an incompatible start date workable.
The program is for continuing undergraduates at U.S. institutions
Applicants must have completed sophomore year before the program begins, be enrolled at an accredited college or university in the United States and have at least a 3.0 GPA. Students who complete their first bachelor’s degree before SURF begins are not eligible.
International students who are full-time students at a U.S. institution may apply. Mayo says accepted international students must provide the required CPT or OPT documentation; admission itself is not work authorization.
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Submitting the form is not the same as completing the file
Only one SURF application is permitted per season. After submitting the initial application, complete the supplemental requirements: a one-to-two-page personal statement, transcripts from every college attended and two letters of recommendation.
Track initial submission and supplemental completion as separate tasks. Choose a research area you can discuss concretely and give recommenders enough context to write about work they actually observed.
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Make the research-area preference defensible
SURF offers projects across biomedical research areas and asks applicants to state a research-area preference; mentor matching follows selection. Read public laboratory summaries and be able to explain the question, the method and what you could begin learning with your current skills.
Do not invent a Mayo assignment before matching. If your evidence is still thin, keep other research programs and direct internship applications moving rather than treating one fellowship as the whole search.
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