The 2026-28 UC LEADS Cohort Applications opens on December 1, 2025!
Please join us to learn more about the UCSB UC LEADS program. We will hold two Information sessions with the same information presented at each session. You may attend one or both sessions. We will send you a reminder with the Zoom link.
DATE |
TIME |
Zoom |
|---|---|---|
| December 2, 2025 | 3:30 - 4:30 pm PDT | REGISTER |
| January 13, 2026 | 3:30 - 4:30 pm PST | REGISTER |
***ZOOM links will be sent to everyone who registers
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION & OFFERINGS
Once chosen as UC LEADS Scholars, the students embark upon a 24-month program of scientific research and graduate school preparation guided by individual Faculty Mentors. Scholars are provided with an excellent opportunity to explore their discipline, experience a research environment, and improve their opportunities for future study in their chosen field. The Scholars gain valuable educational experience, the University develops a better-prepared and more diverse graduate applicant pool, and ultimately, the state gets well-educated future leaders.
In their first summer, UCSB UC LEADS Scholars join the Graduate Division’s Academic Research Consortium (ARC) cohort for the eight-week program of academic and professional development workshops, networking opportunities, and presentations, all while engaged in upwards of 35 hours per week of mentored research and research skills development. The hallmark opportunity of the UC LEADS program is during a Scholar’s “Second Summer,” when they spend approximately eight weeks engaged in meaningful research at another campus of the UC System.
In addition to your UCSB ARC “first summer” experience, each UC LEADS Scholar is mentored by a member of the UC faculty during each of two academic years. The faculty mentor assists the student in designing a plan of research and enrichment activities fitted to the individual interests and academic goals of the Scholar. Full program offerings include:
- Summer research experience at UCSB ($5,000 stipend); UCSB students provide their own housing.
- Summer research experience in your second summer at another UC Campus ($5,000 stipend); UCSB UC LEADS pays for the host campus summer housing.
- Academic year research and travel expense support up to $1000
- Academic year academic, professional, and networking activities
- Participation in the annual Koret UC LEADS Research & Leadership Symposium
ELIGIBILITY & SELECTION
To be eligible for selection, applicants must be:
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Enrolled in a UC undergraduate degree program in a Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics (STEM) major
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Educationally and/or economically disadvantaged
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Interested in research (note: you do not have to have previous research experience to apply to this program)
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Seasoned UC sophomores or rising junior standing. Since this is a two-year program, UC LEADS scholars will need to be available to spend one summer performing research at their home campus and then a second summer performing research at another UC campus.
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Intent to pursuit a PhD in a STEM field
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In good academic standing in undergraduate degree program with a minimum GPA of 3.0
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Able to demonstrate potential for success in a graduate program
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Citizens or permanent residents of the United States or AB540 students*
All eligible students are encouraged to apply. The UC LEADS program does not consider race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability, and/or other protected categories as part of the application and selection process.
*If you have questions about your eligibility, please email summerprogram@graddiv.ucsb.edu to schedule a zoom meeting with Karen van Gool, our UC LEADS Coordinator.
UC LEADS program identifies students who have met the eligibility criteria and who:
- Demonstrate a commitment to, and a strong potential for, success in future pursuit of a doctoral degree.
- Experienced educational barriers to their academic progress, or who express a commitment to address the barriers that prevent participation of students from underrepresented groups in graduate academic programs.
- Experienced situations or conditions that impacted their advancement or ability to advance in a STEM field (e.g. the absence of a role model in the STEM field, absence of a family member who received a four-year college degree or graduation from high school with poor financial or curricular support).
- Show leadership potential to address the issues of underrepresentation of domestic minorities in the STEM fields.
- Demonstrate the potential to gain the personal and multicultural competency skills necessary to address the needs of a diverse community through science and technology.
- Express and demonstrate a clear commitment to complete the full 24-month program and to adhere to program principles and requirements.
Student awardees must stay within an Engineering, Science, or Mathematics major at UCSB throughout the entire duration of the award. Each quarter they must maintain a 3.0 quarter and cumulative GPA and complete a minimum of 12 units. Awardees experience and commit to two approximately eight-week summer research programs, the first at UCSB, and the second at another UC campus. Awardees are also required to attend periodic on- and off-campus events and activities as scheduled specifically for UC LEADS Scholars. In their second year, Scholars are required to register for the year-long seminar course Science for the Common Good, when offered. Awardees are also required to attend and present at the annual Koret UC LEADS Symposium in each of the two years. Awardees are expected to display professionalism and remain responsive to program staff throughout the entirety of the program.
APPLICATION & APPLICATION PROCESS
APPLY NOW for the 2026-2028 UC LEADS Cohort
Deadline: 12:00 Noon, Monday, February 9, 2026
You may preview the application in order to prepare your information and materials by downloading this PDF.
The 2026 UC LEADS summer research program runs from June 22 through August 14, 2026.
A completed application includes:
- Complete the application form
- Submit a Statement of Interest (SOI): Write a concise essay concerning your interest in UC LEADS at UCSB and graduate education in general. This essay should address (but is not limited to) the key components listed below. Please feel free to expand upon these components and share any additional information that you feel is relevant to your unique personal or educational history. Your statement should not exceed 1,000 typed words (single-spaced, 12 point font).
-Describe your research area of interest and, if applicable, prior and current research experience.
-Discuss why you are interested in participating in an undergraduate research program and what you feel you can gain from the experience.
-Discuss why you are interested in pursuing a doctoral degree and your future career objectives.
-Describe your educational background and achievements, providing information on barriers (educational, social, financial, and/or cultural) you may have personally faced and how you overcame them. - Resume/CV: Include a resume/CV with your application. Include any work or laboratory experience that you feel is relevant to your application.
- Unofficial Transcripts: Include a copy of your unofficial transcripts for all post secondary institutions you have attended.
- One Letter of Recommendation: You will request a recommender to complete this UC LEADS Recommender Form, and they will be able to submit their letter using this form. You may have more than one recommender, but MUST have at least one.
You will submit your documents in Section 8 of the application. As documents are required, you will need to have them available to upload in order to complete and submit this application. The filenames must include your first and last names and clearly identify each document (example: karen_vangool-SOI.pdf).
Applications from individuals who are underrepresented in the graduate student and faculty populations in STEM fields of study are strongly encouraged. These groups include women, African Americans, American Indians, Filipino Americans, and Chicano/Latinos. However, in accordance with state law, preference in selection may not be given to applicants on the basis of race, color, gender, or national origin.
Students will be first evaluated based on their submitted application materials and recommendation letter. Some applicants will then be selected for interviews. Final decisions and notifications are usually made within one month of the application deadline.
UC LEADS SCHOLAR SPOTLIGHTS
Learn more about the UC LEADS Scholar experience
Krish Jain
Data Science & Statistics
UCSB UC LEADS Scholar
Undergraduate Researcher, ML|Dynamo Lab
Imanol Ulloa
Aquatic Biology/Limnology
UCSB UC LEADS Scholar
Bentson Scholar
Janae Gayle
Pharmacology
UCSB UC LEADS Scholar
Bioengineering Research Symposium Undergraduate Best Poster
For questions about the UCSB UC LEADS Program:
Karen van Gool
she/her/hers
UCSB UC LEADS Coordinator
Assistant Director of Outreach
summerprogram@graddiv.ucsb.edu
Support the Program
Contact John Lofthus, Assistant Dean of Graduate Development.