Information for Applicants
Applications are accepted from undergraduates, masters and PhD students with participants selected by the mentor. Review the applicant information and program details below for more information and contact ORISE with any additional questions.
Additional Information
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Eligibility
The AFRL Repperger Summer Research Internship Program is an educational and training program designed to provide students opportunities to participate in project-specific AFRL research and developmental activities.
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Applicants need to meet the following eligibility criteria at the time of application:
- Undergraduate and graduate students must be enrolled in an accredited institution of higher education pursuing a degree in science, technology, engineering or math (STEM), and must maintain satisfactory progress in academic coursework.
- Be a U.S. Citizen
- Have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher on a 4.00 scale
Applications will be considered without regard to race, color, age, sex, religion, national origin, mental or physical disability, genetic information, sexual orientation, or covered veteran’s status.
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Required Application Materials
The Repperger Internship Program application requirements include a combination of document uploads, short essay responses, and professional recommendations in addition to the application form.
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The full list of application materials includes:
- Complete the ORISE application through Zintellect
You will need to create a free Zintellect profile to complete the application. Within the application, list up to five Repperger research projects in your order of preference. Be sure to review the ACADEMIC LEVEL, DISCIPLINE NEEDED, and RESEARCH LOCATION for each project.
Note: While project preferences are taken into consideration, it may not be possible to be assigned to your first-choice project.
- Upload a current résumé or CV
- Complete three short essay questions about your relevant career goals, prior research/technical/professional experiences, and relevant skills
- Upload a current transcript or academic record (guidance on acceptable documents may be viewed here)
- Request two academic recommendations to be completed by faculty advisors or other relevant professional contacts
Zintellect will send out automated requests for each recommendation when you enter their contact information. Please note that your application is not considered complete until both recommendations have been submitted.
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Selection Process and Timeline
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The selection process for the Repperger Internship Program typically takes 6-8 weeks after the application deadline. This process includes an initial review of the applicant pool by AFRL mentors and program staff, and may include interviews with the top qualifying candidates. Once AFRL mentors make their preliminary selections, the 711th Human Performance Wing’s Office of the Chief Scientist will determine final matches - applicants should keep in mind that, if selected, they may not necessarily be placed in their first-choice project assignment. At this stage, ORISE will process the official offer letters.
Please note that applicants may receive informal updates on their candidacy from AFRL mentors but are not considered to be officially selected until they have received and signed an internship offer letter from ORISE. Completion of the offer letter is required for interns to move forward with accessing the host facility and to begin receiving their stipend payments. The offer letter may outline additional contingencies that are required to participate in the Repperger Internship Program.
All ORISE interns must demonstrate health insurance coverage within several days of their appointment start date, and participants must maintain health insurance throughout the duration of the appointment. Insurance is available for purchase through ORISE if needed.
U.S. Citizenship is a requirement of participating in the Repperger Internship Program, and applicants must confirm their citizenship status in order for their application to be viewed by AFRL.
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Stipend, Relocation, and Housing
Participants will receive a stipend for the 10 week appointment, with stipend amounts based upon the participant’s educational level at the time of their application.
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Undergraduate Student: $9,000
Masters Student or Early PhD Student (less than 2 years in degree program): $12,000
Advanced PhD Student (2 or more years in degree program): $15,000Housing: Participants will be responsible for securing their own living space and determining their means of local transportation prior to arriving at the designated host site. AFRL host facilities may provide a list of available housing options in the local area.
Applicants are strongly advised not to take any steps toward relocating until they have received and signed an official internship offer letter from ORISE.
Relocation Allowance: A $500 relocation allowance will be provided to all participants, which will be distributed along with the first monthly stipend payment. -
Research Locations
Research locations for the Repperger Internship Program include:
- Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Dayton, OH, with options for AFRL Collaborative Labs at Wright State University
- Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston, San Antonio, TX
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Frequently Asked Questions
Answers to the questions most commonly asked by applicants.
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Participants receive a monthly stipend to help defray living and other expenses during the appointment. Stipend rates are determined by AFRL and are based on the participant’s educational level at the time of their application. Some mentors may also award relocation, a travel allowance, and/or a health insurance stipend.
Every participant is required to demonstrate health insurance coverage within several days of starting their appointment and throughout the duration of the internship. Participants may not be present at AFRL facilities if their insurance coverage lapses.
Individual, individual plus one, or family insurance coverage may be purchased through ORISE, or participants may obtain another insurance plan from the company of their choice.
Additional pre-appointment contingencies may be outlined in your offer letter from ORISE. Please be sure to read this document carefully upon receipt.
Yes. At this time, eligibility for AFRL’s Repperger Internship Program is restricted to applicants with U.S. Citizenship.
Repperger interns will be appointed for a period of 10 weeks over the summer months.
Two recommendations are required. Use your discretion as to whether additional recommendations will strengthen your application by highlighting aspects of your background that were not addressed elsewhere. Selection officials will not be able to see your application until both recommendations have been submitted.
You should obtain recommendations from people familiar with your educational and professional qualifications. At least one recommender should be a professor or other individual who can comment on your educational experience.
Participants are matched to research projects by the 711th HPW Office of the Chief Scientist based upon applicant project preferences and input from the AFRL research mentors. ORISE staff will prescreen applications to ensure that all required materials have been received and applicants meet key requirements (e.g. education level, U.S. Citizenship status), but are not otherwise involved in the selection process. More details are available in Selection Process and Timeline.
The full selection process may take 6-8 weeks after the application deadline. For more information, see Selection Process and Timeline.
If you see the opportunity on Zintellect then it is still actively accepting applications. If no deadline is listed then applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. Applicants can always contact AFRL-Summer@orise.orau.gov with any questions regarding the status of your application and/or the opportunity.
Please ensure that all of the necessary application materials have been received and that you meet the necessary educational qualifications. Both recommendations need to be submitted in order for the mentor to view your application.
All opportunities for ORISE Research Participation Programs at AFRL are listed in Zintellect. Check back often for additional postings.
Before offer letters are distributed, finalization of the matching process must be completed by the 711 HPW Office of the Chief Scientist. The distribution of offer letters by ORISE may take place several weeks after the initial interviews. Please see Selection Process and Timeline for more information.
Applicants are strongly advised not to relocate prior to receiving and accepting an official offer letter from ORISE. Please wait to take any relocation steps until your appointment has been finalized. After confirmation of your selection, the hosting facility may provide you with a list of available housing options in the local area.
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