YSP Projects and Application Information

Applications for our 2026 program are no longer being accepted. Please check back or sign up for our newsletter to receive updates in the coming year for the 2027 program.

BMS provides opportunities for college students and those who’ve completed undergraduate degrees to participate as Research Associates with our institute, providing opportunities to participate in basic research and to learn about science communication, ethics, policy, and more. Our program is conducted entirely online, so there is no need for travel, and interns can take part from most nations around the globe.

YSP Research Associates (RAs) conduct supervised research under direct supervision by one or more BMS scientists and colleagues. The RA may work on-site or remotely, depending on the needs of the project, mentor, and RA. The program does not include payments/funding (unless otherwise noted for a specific project). Research Associate positions will last nominally three months, though some may last longer, especially those that are funded.

BMS Research Associates will often write a written report of their work for the project. This report may be used in a variety of applications, including (but not limited to): undergraduate project/thesis, conference proceedings, peer-reviewed journals, magazine/newspaper articles, and writing samples for job applications. RAs will be expected to present the results of their work internally (to an audience of BMS scientists and affiliates using virtual communication tools) and potentially externally after the program (to an audience at an academic conference, convention, or other meeting venue).

The Young Scientist Program includes required modules in science communication as well as ethics and society with guidance from project mentors and other research scientists at BMS. RAs also will attend monthly BMS seminars and will have opportunities to participate in a variety of seminars and meetings held by professional researchers, science communicators, and more.

Upon successful completion of the Young Scientist Program and required modules, Research Associates shall receive a Certificate of Completion. Alumni from the Young Scientist Program may also receive requests for follow-up program evaluation.

Applications for the Young Scientist Program will be accepted from 1 March through 8 April with limited available positions, so interested applicants are encouraged to apply or contact us for more information.

Eligibility Requirements

• Must be currently seeking a degree at a 2-year, 4-year, or 5-year university or a community college (or the equivalent), or have completed an undergraduate degree and currently considering graduate school.

• Please Note: we do not accept graduate students. Those who have completed credits towards Masters or Doctoral degrees are not eligible for the program. Graduate students are encouraged to instead apply to our Visiting Scholars Program).

• For further questions on eligibility, please see the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document. Please note that because our institute is a recipient of U.S. government funds for research, we cannot extend eligibility to applicants from some nations (we provide a full list in the FAQ Document).

• Applicants must be able to dedicate at least 5 hours per week for the duration of the program (time requirements may depend on the project)

• Provide proof of eligibility to work in the country of the Young Scientist Program (note: this only applies to projects where the RA is working on-site. Applicants for the online program need only be capable of working within their country of residence)

• Also note: BMS cannot sponsor travel or work visas to the United States

• For further inquiries, please see our FAQ document. The FAQ document will be updated as needed during the application window.

Important Dates for the 2026 YSP

• 1 March 2026 – Applications will be open by 08:00 Pacific Time on this date (but we hope to open the applications sooner if possible)

• 8 April 2026 – Applications close (applications will be accepted until 20:00 Pacific Daylight Time)

• 5 May 2026 – Decisions communicated to applicants beginning on this date (due to the large number of applications we receive, some notifications may take longer)

• 1 June 2026 – YSP Begins

• 31 August 2026 – YSP Ends

Application Requirements

• Explore the available project listed below to see if you are a good fit and have the necessary skills. You may then contact the Project Mentors expressing specific interests. Please include a thoughtful message of introduction, but also be courteous of their time. We have some guidelines in the FAQ document as to how to best write your messages so as to be professional and polite.

• Satisfy any eligibility requirements specified by the BMS YSP and the “Required Skills” section of the project to be considered. Also, please note that some projects are only available to applicants from specific areas or regions (if there is a location requirement, it will be listed with the project—all other projects can accept applicants from anywhere on the planet).

• Complete the online application form for the project(s). If you have questions about the application form, please read the FAQ document. The application form will include two essay sections where you must describe why you are interested and a good fit for the project to which you are applying (<2000 characters) as well as how you see the YSP impacting your future (<500 characters). You may wish to prepare and polish these essays before working on the application form (that can save time if anything goes wrong, too). We require a resume/CV of no more than three pages in length as well as your educational transcripts.

• If you’d like to see what the application form looks like before logging in to the platform where you will submit your application, you are welcome to explore this PDF version to see what we are asking for. However, please note, that this version is just for viewing and we will not accept any applications sent to us using this preview version. The only way to submit an application is using the online application form linked above.

• Have two letters of recommendation sent to ysp_letters@bmsis.org. For more information about the letters of recommendation, please read the FAQ document. Please note: your application will not be considered complete unless we receive two letters of recommendation on your behalf.

• There is a $20 USD fee for applying to the program. Applicants who cannot afford this fee can submit their application through our lottery system (see the FAQ document for further information).