Filed under: Application FAQs
I have just a few more questions about applying to HARP. In regards to the reference forms, is there a specification as to what two people fill them out? Do they need to both be professors or not? Also, does any kind of application fee need to be sent along with the application materials?
It is usually in your favor to have professors act as references. However, they do need to know you well enough to be able to write an insightful recommendation. You could have one from someone outside of academia, but since this is an academic program their recommendation might not be as relevant – make sure to have them write it accordingly. We need to know why you are interested in the program as a young scholar, and also acquire a general sense of how you’d fit into our project as a person. There is no application fee for applying.
Filed under: Application FAQs
On the HARP website I noticed that the NSF-REU funded HARP program costs 1500 dollars to enter. I was under the impression that NSF programs were free of costs and included stipends. Could you explain the costs and stipends (if any) of the NSF-REU funded HARP program?
The fee that you must pay to attend the Hawai`i REU covers your room, board, and local travel costs – expenses that are not directly covered by administrative NSF funding (on this REU site or others). Most REU sites require participants to pay for room and board at a university. Ours is a bit different because we are in a “field” situation on the Big Island and have built these costs into our program budget.
This is why a stipend is awarded to all students who gain admission into the REU program. It is to cover your costs and expenses, including room, board, and local travel (which, again, we organize and arrange for everyone as a group). Though you pay part of that stipend right back to us (instead of to a university, college, cafeteria, etc), there are extra monies that will cover your incidentals and, effectively, make the program free of cost for you to attend. Hope that clarifies everything for you – good luck!
