Application

INSPIRE will primarily serve three cohorts of students:

1. Those from A&M-SA,
2. Those from local community colleges, and
3. Those from other 4-year institutions across the United States that support students typically underrepresented in STEM fields.

For this reason, we will target community colleges, HSIs, HBCUs, and PUIs but all students are welcome to apply. Students will be recruited and admitted once they have completed their freshman year and directed to projects appropriate to their level of training and courses taken to date. In all cases, we will endeavor to recruit students from groups underrepresented in STEM fields including economically disadvantaged populations and first-generation students. As a majority-minority serving institution, we are positioned to offer a welcoming environment for students, as our own student population comes from these populations.

• The program runs from May 2^nd to August 10^th, 2026
• A stipend of $7000
• Travel support for 4 out of state participants to and from the site
• Housing, meals, and travel are included
• The site will support eight student positions for that summer

To be eligible, you must be

• An undergraduate student, either a sophomore, junior, or non-graduating senior;
• A US Citizen of permanent resident; and
• Holding a GPA of 2.0 or higher (on a 4.0 scale).

• Your current Resume/CV (PDF file)
• Personal statement (PDF file)
• Unofficial university transcript
• Two recommendation letters (PDF file)

Please note that you may express interest in a specific project(s) in your statement. Please see our projects page for more information.

• Click on the NSF-ETAP
• Portal application available: Nov 1^st, 2025
• Start evaluating applications: Dec 1^st, 2025 to Mar 1^st, 2026
• Notice of selection: April 1^st, 2026