The International Research Internship Program (IRIP) offers undergraduate and graduate students across the globe the opportunity to earn college credit while living in a foreign country and doing original scientific research. Our mission is to foster links between researchers and students in the US and abroad, and provide students with a unique opportunity to have an immersive experience living in a foreign country while gaining valuable hands-on research experience under the guidance and mentorship of our collaborating faculty from multiple fields and many distinguished universities.

This program is designed to give graduate students in the sciences hands-on experience performing research while providing an international experience and perspective. Students in the program will be exposed to different attitudes, perspectives and methods of doing science than they would in their home country. Working with our partner institutions around the globe, students are placed into an ongoing research project that matches their interests, where they can play an active role in the scientific process while being mentored by a faculty-member host.

The IRIP program facilitates the exchange of students into research labs worldwide. Students from San Diego State University and other US institutions are matched with faculty and projects at universities and research institutions in Latin America and Europe. Students from foreign universities are matched with faculty and projects at San Diego State University, to do an intensive research program hosted in the US.

Research programs and lengths of stay are individually tailored to the needs of each student. Based upon their interests and the needs of collaborating researchers, students are matched with the project that will be both interesting and educational for the students. Every student’s program is unique and timelines will vary, but a standard schedule for a semester-long program would look something like: Two weeks at the beginning of the term in the US, preparing for the trip; ten weeks abroad; three weeks at the end of the term in the US, summarizing their work and synthesizing their experience. At the end of the term students give an oral presentation to each other and to faculty associated with the program, and turn in a research paper based on their work.

The IRIP program encompasses all disciplines of scientific research. We are growing rapidly and continually adding new collaborations with researchers at institutions worldwide. If we do not currently have programs that suit your interests, please let us know and we will do our best to accommodate you.