Hawai‘i Archaeological Research Project

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!