Nexus Scholars Program: Eligibility and Application Process

If you need to update something on your Workday application, please do not withdraw your application. Email nexusscholars@cornell.edu and we will help you fix it. If you withdraw, you will not be able to apply again on your own.

Wondering which projects are available for Nexus Scholars in summer 2026? Check out the full list on the Nexus Scholars Faculty Mentor Profiles 2026 webpage.

Information Session Recording

Click the video player below to view a recording of our recent information session for the 2026 Nexus Scholars program. 

The Nexus Scholars Program for Summer 2026 is available to Cornell A&S undergraduate first-year, sophomore, or junior students in the classes of 2029, 2028, and 2027. Students who are planning to graduate in the spring or summer of 2026 are not eligible to apply. December 2026 graduates may be eligible.

In order to qualify for the program, students must:  

• Be enrolled full-time at Cornell University as a matriculated student through the end of the Fall 2026 semester  

• Be an undergraduate student in the College of Arts and Sciences at the time of applying and at the start of the Nexus Scholars program in May 2026

• Be in good academic and judicial standing

  • Students who find out they are on academic warning for spring 2026 after applying must communicate this to the Nexus Scholars Program Manager via nexusscholars@cornell.edu ASAP. 

• Be available in person in Ithaca during the course of the summer program from Thursday, May 28- Wednesday, July 29, 2026

• Be able to work a full-time schedule (up to 40 hours a week) within traditional working hours  

• Not be enrolled in classes at Cornell or elsewhere over summer 2026

• Not be committed to work any other position at Cornell during the program dates

• Not be committed to work in any other position outside of Cornell that will conflict with work hours during the program dates

• Be 18 years old or older on May 28, 2026

• International students studying on an F-1 or J-1 visa are typically eligible; international students studying on H-4 or other visas that do not permit work authorization and/or pay are not eligible

• Possess or have the ability to possess a Social Security Number or ITIN; students must have a Social Security Number or ITIN by the start of the program in May 2026

• Approximately 85-100 Nexus Scholars will be supported during summer 2026. 

• Students are expected to participate in research full-time (35 – 40 hours/week) with their mentor on the Cornell campus in Ithaca. There is no remote option for the program.  

• Along with their research, students will be enrolled in a weekly professional development course covering topics such as graduate school search, public speaking, careers in research, and more. Many class sessions include alumni panelists and presenters. Attendance and assignments are mandatory. This course is zero credits and graded satisfactory/unsatisfactory (S/U).

• Students will be compensated an hourly wage for their work based on the student employment wages associated with the Classification Level of their project. Students are paid on a biweekly basis throughout the program based on how many hours they work. In addition, up to $1,000 will be provided for travel to a research meeting/conference after the program is over.  

• Students can only participate in the program once during their time as an undergraduate in the College of Arts & Sciences. 

• Students are responsible for making their own housing arrangements.

There are two parts of the application:

1. Apply via Cornell Experience site
2. Apply via Workday

Students, please read all the directions below before you apply in either system.  Failure to complete both applications will result in your application not being considered.

Before you apply, download the application guide that will walk you through the process and help you get all your application materials in order. To apply, you will need to be prepared to provide the following: 

• Your resume in PDF format (please save with your first and last name in the file name)
• Essay question responses
• One or two faculty projects you’d like to work on and your reasoning - see the full list of projects and faculty mentors here.
  • Note: students can apply for up to two faculty projects, but those who move on to the interview stage will only be invited to interview for one project. The faculty mentor you list as faculty mentor #1 will be considered your top choice, and faculty mentor #2 will be considered your second choice.
  • Note: each project has space for 1-3 Nexus Scholars.

Tip: Our career advisors can help you prep your application materials. Schedule an appointment today! 

The application process requires you to apply in two locations. You can read more about what is required for each portion of the application process below. 

Step 1: Cornell Experience Site Application

Cornell Experience Site

Application sections and requirements: 

• Academic and Personal Information 

• Essay Questions – you will need to answer the following questions in under 1,500 characters (generally 210-380 words) for each response: 

  • Why are you interested in doing research next summer at Cornell and what do you hope to gain?   

  • What ideas do you have for your future career?  

  • Tell us about a time you overcame an obstacle and what you learned through the process.  

  • Think about a time when you worked on a group project that went well. What do you think was most important in achieving that success? Please explain. 

• Faculty Selection: Using the faculty project descriptions listed below, choose 1-2 projects that align with the research and experience you hope to gain this summer. You will need to explain why you selected each faculty member and their project and also how you meet any required skills or coursework the faculty member listed in their description.
  • You are highly encouraged to read through all faculty project descriptions in depth because some of them are looking for students with skills you might not associate with the faculty member's discipline.
• Resume Upload in PDF format (please save with your first and last name in the file name)

Step 2: Workday Application

• You will need to apply to the Workday job posting(s) that correspond(s) with the correct Summer Student Research level for the project(s) you wish to apply to.  

  • For example, if one project is classified as a Level 1 and the other as a Level 3, you should apply to both Summer Student Research Level I and Summer Student Research Level II. Both applications should have the same documents uploaded.

• Workday application links:

  • A&S Nexus Scholars 2026 - Summer Student Research Level I

  • A&S Nexus Scholars 2026 - Summer Student Research Level II

  • A&S Nexus Scholars 2026 - Summer Student Research Level III

Template and Resume Upload - you can upload both the below documents on the "resume and cover letter" upload section of the Workday application. 

• Upload your completed application template as a PDF with your full name saved in the file name. 

• Upload the same PDF resume you uploaded on the Experience site with your first and last name in the file name.

2026 Program Timeline (dates are subject to change)

• November 18, 2025: Virtual Info Session (*recording available at the top of this page)

• November 18, 2025: Applications open

• January 12, 2026: Applications close at 11:59pm ET

  • Note: applications are not rolling and all applications will be reviewed after the January 12th deadline.

• February 2026: Interviews for selected candidates  

• Early March 2026: Students will be notified of application decisions (accept, waitlist, or denied)

• March 20, 2026: Selected students must accept or decline offer 

• May 28, 2026: Program start date & orientation  

• July 29, 2026: Program end date & capstone presentations