BU RISE vs Simons: Which Program Is Right for You?
Both place rising seniors in a university research lab for the summer, with a mentor and a closing poster symposium. The Simons program at Stony Brook requires a nomination from your school and a set minimum of daily lab hours; RISE at Boston University has no nomination step and offers a full-time Internship track or a structured computational Practicum.
Below is a side-by-side comparison of Research in Science & Engineering (RISE) Internship/Practicum and Simons Summer Research Program. A blank row is a fact we do not hold — not a zero, and not a no.
| BU RISE | Simons | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Not listed | Not listed |
| Application deadline | Dates not announced | Not listed |
| Grade eligibility | Grade 11 | Not listed |
| Format | In person | In person |
| Location | Boston, MA, United States | Stony Brook, NY, United States |
| Program dates | Not listed | Not listed |
| Application destination | bu.edu | stonybrook.edu |
| Organizer | Boston University Summer Term | Stony Brook University |
BU RISE vs Simons: the short answer
Both put a rising senior in a university lab for the summer, with a mentor and a poster at the end, and both take only U.S. citizens and permanent residents. The differences are money and access. Simons, at Stony Brook, charges no tuition and presents a stipend award at its closing symposium, but you pay for housing if you live on campus (it estimated $2450 for 2026), you need a nomination from your school — no more than 2 per school — and it admits about 5% or fewer. RISE, at Boston University, has no nomination step in its instructions, runs six weeks with a 40-hour-a-week Internship track or a structured Practicum, and charged $10,735 residential or $6,415 commuting in 2026, with limited need-based aid. RISE's summer 2027 deadline is February 3, 2027; Simons says its 2027 application will be posted in late November.
Program details
These are the current details stored for each program. A blank cell means the catalog does not hold that detail.
| BU RISE | Simons | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost to attend | In summer 2026: $10,735 residential, including tuition, housing, dining and all fees, or $6,415 commuting. Summer 2027 rates will be posted December 17. | No tuition charges or fees; you pay your own transportation and dining if you commute, or residential costs if you live on campus. |
| Housing | Most students live in the dormitory; you can also commute from a relative's home. | Optional: an estimated $2450 in residential costs for summer 2026, or commute. |
| Aid or stipend | Limited financial aid, based on need. | A stipend award, presented at the closing poster symposium. |
| Application fee | $75, not included in the program charge. | Not stated. The Simons application guidelines and FAQ list the required materials and name no application fee. |
| Who can apply | For summer 2027: students entering senior year in fall 2027. | Juniors (11th grade) when applying, U.S. citizens or permanent residents, at least 16 by the start of the program. |
| International students | Not eligible: only U.S. citizens and legal permanent residents. | Not eligible: students on a visa without a green card cannot apply. |
| School nomination | Not mentioned. RISE's application instructions list a transcript, essays, one recommendation and optional test scores, and no school nomination. | Required, with no more than 2 nominees per school — more disqualifies all of them. |
| Hours | Internship track: 40 hours a week on research projects your mentor designs. | At least 4 hours a day with your mentor or research group; hours are agreed with your mentor. |
| Places | About 190 students attended in 2026, out of thousands of applicants. | About 5% or fewer of applicants are admitted. |
| Program dates | 2027, pending approval: residential June 27 to August 6; commuters from June 28. | June 29 - August 7, 2026. |
| Deadline, most recent published cycle | 11:59pm Eastern on Wednesday, February 3, 2027, for summer 2027. | 2026 cycle: school nominations January 30, applications February 5, teacher letters February 13, 2026. |
Inside BU RISE
Six weeks in Boston. Internship students are matched with a mentor — a faculty member, postdoc or graduate student — and spend 40 hours a week in a university lab on a project the mentor designs; Practicum students start each day with a two-hour lecture and spend the afternoon on group computational research. Both tracks meet one day a week for workshops on research ethics, reading papers and presenting, and everyone presents at the closing Poster Symposium. RISE is noncredit; you leave with a certificate of completion.
Inside Simons
A summer at Stony Brook. You are matched with a faculty mentor, join a research group and take responsibility for a project, committing at least 4 hours a day on hours set with your mentor; remote placements are not possible. Weekly faculty research talks, workshops and tours run alongside, and the summer ends with a written research abstract, a research poster and the stipend award.
Choose BU RISE if…
- Your school will not nominate you, or has used its two places. Simons needs a school nomination and allows no more than 2 per school; RISE's instructions have no nomination step.
- You want a full-time lab schedule. RISE Internship students work 40 hours a week; Simons sets a minimum of 4 hours a day.
Choose Simons if…
- Cost decides it for you. Simons charges no tuition and presents a stipend award; RISE's 2026 residential charge was $10,735, with limited aid.
- Your school will nominate you. Simons runs on school nominations, no more than 2 per school.
Applying next cycle: what to do now
| BU RISE | Simons | |
|---|---|---|
| Next application window | Details and the application arrive December 17. | The 2027 application will be posted in late November; late applications are not considered. |
| Decisions released | About 6-8 weeks after the application deadline. | Early April, for the 2026 cycle. |
Applying to BU RISE
- Three essays: why your subject (up to 300 words), your academic achievements (up to 250) and why RISE (up to 200).
- The most competitive applicants have a cumulative unweighted GPA in the A- to A range.
- One recommendation from a STEM teacher, counselor or research supervisor who has worked with you for at least six months.
- Test scores are optional for summer 2027.
Applying to Simons
- An online application with your transcript, two teacher letters (math or science preferred) and a school nomination.
- Your top three mentor or research-area choices, from the published list only.
- AI may not write or rewrite your application; grammar and spelling checks are allowed.
What this comparison cannot tell you
- Neither page states the amount of the Simons stipend award, and RISE's 2027 charges are not posted until December 17; treat the 2026 figures as a guide.
- RISE's application page says it is for students entering senior year in fall 2026, while its FAQ says fall 2027 for the summer 2027 program; ask RISE if you are unsure which applies to you.
- Simons's admission rate, dates and deadlines are from its 2026 cycle; its 2027 application had not been posted when we read the site.
- The Simons housing figure is its own estimate, and campus dining runs on a declining-balance card with a required starter plan.
Research in Science & Engineering (RISE) Internship/Practicum
Six weeks of university laboratory research at BU, in one of two tracks: Internship or Practicum.
Simons Summer Research Program
Hands-on research in science, math or engineering at Stony Brook: faculty mentors, lab techniques and a place on an active research team.
Frequently asked questions
Can I apply to both BU RISE and Simons?
The application destinations are evaluated independently. BU RISE: bu.edu. Simons: stonybrook.edu. Review each provider's current instructions before assuming either application is open or compatible with the other.
Which is better for college applications, BU RISE or Simons?
We do not rank enrichment programs by admissions value. Use the comparison to assess whether each program's documented constraints fit your situation, and check the details that decide it for you on each program's official page.
What grades can apply to BU RISE and Simons?
BU RISE: Grade 11. Eligibility can change between cycles, so confirm it on each program's official page before applying.
Related comparisons
BU RISE appears in 1 of 56 comparison pages. Simons appears in 3 of 56 comparison pages.
How we count
Our comparison list has 56 pairs covering 91 catalog programs. Those numbers count this list only. They are not a ranking or the size of the full catalog.
We don't rank programs or name one of them the best.
When we don't list a cost, it is unknown, not free. Check the official page.
Catalog-wide numbers, and what each was counted out of, are on Statistics.