ABF Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF)

The ABF Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) is an eight-week summer research programme hosted by the American Bar Foundation in Chicago that places undergraduate students with ABF Research Professors to work on sociolegal research. Fellows participate full-time in research, weekly seminars on law and social science topics, and visits to law firms, courts, and social justice organizations. The programme aims to broaden inclusion in the legal profession by supporting students from diverse and underrepresented backgrounds who are considering careers in law, legal policy, or social science. All program costs for accepted fellows are covered, including a stipend and travel.

Stipend, travel coverage, program costs covered, eight-week supervised research placement, weekly seminars, visits to law firms, courts, and social justice organizations.

Undergraduate students from diverse backgrounds who are underrepresented in law and social science and who are seriously considering a career in law, legal policy, or social science. U.S. citizens or permanent residents are preferred. Applicants must be available to participate full-time for the entire summer programme.

Submit online application on the ABF website with academic transcript, résumé, two letters of recommendation, and a personal statement by the published deadline.