Gladstone PUMAS internship
Summer lab research at Gladstone Institutes in Mission Bay, with mentoring and career workshops, built for community college students before they transfer.
Program page →Programs that pay you to do research, the transfer path into a neuroscience major, communities to join, and the jobs people in the room actually do. Pick one thing and do it this week.
Check each program's page for this year's dates; deadlines below were current in late September 2026.
Summer lab research at Gladstone Institutes in Mission Bay, with mentoring and career workshops, built for community college students before they transfer.
Program page →10 weeks, May 30 to Aug 6, 2027, for students aiming at a PhD. Applications open Nov 1, 2026 and close Feb 1, 2027. Package worth over $15,000.
Program page →Biomedical research training and support for SF State students, connected with UCSF.
Program page →For a younger sibling or friend: 7 weeks of research for high school students. The 2027 application is expected to open in December 2026.
Program page →Read one recent paper or news story from the lab first. Send to the lab manager or the principal investigator, and follow up once after a week.
Subject: Undergraduate interested in [topic] research in your lab Dear Dr. [Last name], I'm [your name], a [year] at [school] studying [major]. I read [paper or news story] about [one-sentence finding], and I'm especially interested in [the specific question it raised for you]. I'd love to help in your lab as a volunteer or student researcher, starting [term], for about [hours] hours a week. I've taken [relevant courses] and I'm comfortable with [one skill: data entry, Python, pipetting, running participants]. Would you or someone in your lab have 15 minutes to talk about whether there's a fit? I've attached my resume. Thank you for your time, [your name] [phone] · [email]
UC Berkeley's Neuroscience major asks transfer students to finish the lower-division requirements before arriving, so they can start the core sequence in year 3. For students admitted Fall 2026 and later, each of those courses needs a C- or better.
Lower division: general chemistry, biology, two semesters of physics and two of math. A data science or programming course is recommended.
Major requirements →One set of community college courses that prepares you for biology-related majors across the UC campuses.
Pathway →Use ASSIST to see which of your college's courses count at each UC and CSU, then confirm with your transfer center counselor.
assist.org →| Track | Roles to search for | Where they work |
|---|---|---|
| Business | UX researcher, consumer insights analyst, product manager, behavioral scientist, marketing scientist | Tech companies, health apps, agencies, neurotech startups |
| Science | Research associate, lab manager, clinical research coordinator, medical science liaison | University labs, research institutes, biotech, hospitals |
| Technology | Neural data scientist, BCI or neural engineer, machine-learning engineer, embedded engineer | Neurotech, medical devices, AI companies |