A Research Experience for Undergraduates

Welcome! The Summer 2025 program will run from Tuesday, May 27 to Friday, August 1, 2025. This is a paid, 10-week research opportunity for undergraduate students.
 

About the HCII program

This Research Experience for Undergraduates in Human-Computer Interaction program is an opportunity for undergraduate students to spend a summer with us at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh. 

Here at the HCI Institute, we study a variety of topics at the intersection of psychology, computer science, design and technology. 

Students will have the opportunity to conduct cutting-edge research on meaningful projects with some of the leading human-computer interaction researchers at the CMU School of Computer Science. This work will have the potential for publication and significant impact on the future of HCI. The Research Projects available include: educational technologies, accessibility, privacy tools, and the future of work, just to name a few.

Visit Your Summer at a Glance for more details about the seminars and social activities we offer our summer researchers. If you have any questions, we have a list of answers on the FAQs page. When you are ready to apply, visit the Application page and apply before the deadline.
 

Who should apply?

This program is geared towards undergraduate students interested in gaining hands-on research experience. 

  • You have an interest in research in human-computer interaction.
  • You have demonstrated success in introductory undergraduate computer science, psychology, or design courses. (You do not need expertise in all of these domains. Project needs vary and may only require you to have some experience programming, designing, or doing human-subjects research. This program is not only a chance to demonstrate your expertise while working on a research project, but also to expose yourself to new types of research and learn new skills in the process.)
  • You will be at least 18 years old when the program starts.
  • You will graduate in November 2025 or later.
  • You are currently an undergraduate student at an institution of higher education in the United States (or you are a U.S. Citizen, U.S. National, or U.S. Permanent Resident and currently enrolled as an undergraduate student at an institution of higher education outside the United States). Unfortunately, high school students and foreign nationals studying at non-U.S. institutions are not eligible for the HCII REU program. If you are on a student visa and you are accepted to the HCII REU program, you will need to apply for CPT or OPT at your home institution before the program starts.