US Internship Application - a question for Americans.

[tarnhelm]

Hello, I'm intending to apply for an REU internship at Caltech for next summer, and I have a question that somebody American might be able to help me with.

The application is an online application which asks for your name, address, programming languages etc. It seems like the application is a sort of pre-constructed resume. Yet there's a box in it which asks for "Research Experience" and which says "you may paste your resume or other materials". Here's a link: https://nebula.ligo.caltech.edu/surf/

Two questions:

Firstly, what counts as relevant research experience here for a Physics internship? I did a Philosophy degree years ago which involved researching existentialism to write an undergraduate thesis - would this count as research experience? The only Physics-related experience I have is an internship I did last summer. It's not common for students in the UK to get a lot of undergrad research experience other than an internship the summer before your final year.

Secondly, what would an American student ordinarily post in that box? As a citizen of a foreign land, I'm tempted to take it literally and just write down the details of the internship I did last year. However, would it be expected that I'd post a detailed resume outlining extracurricular activities, academic prizes won, previous non-Physics-related jobs, etc., and including a covering letter? It seems like if they wanted this they'd put a section for it, but I'm not entirely sure what would be expected in the US. Thanks for any help.

 

[Someone1987]

I would outline what you did for your physics internship last summer. Your philosophy research is not relevant here. If you have any other physics related activities that you think might help your application then I would list them here also. I don't think they want the full blown resume as this is only a text box and not something where you can upload files to.

 

[Vanadium 50]

If you have a degree already, you are not an undergraduate.

If it's an actual REU, i.e. part of the NSF-funded REU program, you need to be a US citizen. If they have some outside funding, this may not be quite so strict, but things will be much more competitive.

 

[tarnhelm]

If you have a degree already, you are not an undergraduate.

If it's an actual REU, i.e. part of the NSF-funded REU program, you need to be a US citizen. If they have some outside funding, this may not be quite so strict, but things will be much more competitive.

This REU is the only one I've found that's available to non-US citizens, so that's not an issue. I'm not sure how the system works in the US, but I got a degree years ago, decided it was useless, so enrolled as a Physics undergrad. I would, therefore, be classified as an undergraduate in the UK.

 

[Vanadium 50]

You would not be classified as an undergrad here.

And don't think your citizenship is not an issue. If they have money for N students from the NSF and M from elsewhere, then there are N+M slots open for US citizens, but only M for non-citizens. You should expect that N >> M.

 

[tarnhelm]

You would not be classified as an undergrad here.

And don't think your citizenship is not an issue. If they have money for N students from the NSF and M from elsewhere, then there are N+M slots open for US citizens, but only M for non-citizens. You should expect that N >> M.

Well I can always apply and give it a go. I've seen an FAQ relating to another REU program which states that you can apply during a second degree as long as the first was in an area unrelated to Physics, so obviously it's not forbidden by the rules of the REU program on a national level.

Also, it actually says that most internships are set aside specifically for US citizens, but some are not, and it is these to which I am applying.

 

[Vanadium 50]

Do whatever the heck you want. It seems you have your mind made up, and you were really not looking for answers to questions: you wanted your previously held beliefs to be reinforced. Not exactly a good attitude for a prospective scientist, but whatever.

 

[tarnhelm]

Do whatever the heck you want. It seems you have your mind made up, and you were really not looking for answers to questions: you wanted your previously held beliefs to be reinforced. Not exactly a good attitude for a prospective scientist, but whatever.

Actually I asked advice about different matters. I don't require advice about whether or not I'm eligible to apply because I'm pretty sure I am.

 

[Nano-Passion]

Do whatever the heck you want. It seems you have your mind made up, and you were really not looking for answers to questions: you wanted your previously held beliefs to be reinforced. Not exactly a good attitude for a prospective scientist, but whatever.

There are a bunch of REUs' open for eligible non-citizens. You don't necessarily have to be a US citizen, if you have a green card and you are eligible for citizenship then you are allowed. It depends on the REU though, I've opened up one where it said "US citizen" as one of the requirements, I quickly closed it. What I know for sure is that the SULI internship allows for eligible non-citizens to apply.

But yeah if the REU says that eligible non-citizens can apply then OP is fine. Best of luck tarnhelm, I would hope that being one doesn't lower your chances.