An international undergraduate student is a student who is enrolled at a university in a country where they are not a citizen or permanent resident. As an undergraduate student in mathematics, international students may have limited opportunities because of their citizenship status. The purpose of this section is to provide experience-based advice on how to overcome such hurdles.
Participating in summer learning or research experiences can be a valuable component of preparation for graduate school. Such experiences typically take place in the form of a Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU). However, many REU participants receive funding from the National Science Foundation (NSF), which international students are not eligible for. In particular, according to this site under section IV. Eligibility Information, subsection Additional Eligibility Info, “Undergraduate student participants supported with NSF funds in either REU Supplements or REU Sites must be U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, or U.S. permanent residents.”
Fortunately, some REUs have additional funding sources for which international students are eligible. Moreover, there are alternative non-REU summer research and learning opportunities available. Here is a list of REUs that admit international students, which was compiled by international students in mathematics at UVa:
PCMI Undergraduate Summer School (Website is for 2023)
UCLA Research in Industrial Projects for Students (RIPS) (Note: the ending time of this program might be after the starting date of UVA’s Fall semester)