Support for Summer Programs

If you have any questions about this manual, need support for a research program proposal, or need help with the planning phases of your program, please feel free to contact us: 

• Keri Swaby Director for Undergraduate Research 
• Location: 111 Hillcrest Hall (MC 0157) 
• Phone: 540-231-7737 
• Email: Keri Swaby

The typical order of events in setting up a summer program, is as follows.

• 1yr-6 months Secures funding for program 
• 6 months Advertise and recruit student 
• 4 months Submits conference inquiry form 
• 3 months Selects students 
• 1 month Students complete P12F form 
• 1 month Set up fellowships in Banner and generate unique student VT ID #’s 
• 3 weeks Provide students with VT ID #’s 
• 3 weeks Students set up their own PID 
• 3 weeks Students complete online direct deposit info on HokieSpa 
• 3 weeks-0 days Students complete required Conflict of Interest & other training 
• 0 days Students arrive on campus

The Office of Undergraduate Research (OUR) is happy to list your program on our website and post your announcement on our internal weekly VT listserv message. We strongly encourage 5 you to post program information on the Handshake platform hosted by Career and Professional Development (CPD), which will allow you to reach schools across the country, broadly or by your selection. More information is available online through Handshake. 

You will need to establish an account as an employer before posting, which is quick and easy. The platform is user-friendly and the CPD staff are extremely helpful if you run into any issues. 

• Contact: Employer relations staff 
• Phone: 540-231-6776 
• Email: HireAHokie

The Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR) has a page dedicated to advertising Internships and Research Opportunities. If you would like to recruit students from across the country to participate in your summer program, consider posting information through CUR: Each listing will appear online for 60 days.

The NSF provides a guide for research experiences for undergraduates (REU) site & supplements. Student stipends for summer projects are expected to be approximately $700 per student per week, in addition to other participant costs of room and board, fees, and travel, with academic-year stipends comparable on a pro rata basis. Total project costs are expected, $1,500 per student per week. 

This is a guideline figure, neither a floor nor a ceiling. The switch from Google to MS365 has triggered a need for every visiting student to secure a license to access email, training, MS apps, etc. Currently, these cost $5 per license. The Office of Undergraduate Research is covering this expense again in Summer 2026, but please budget for this expense in future years, when your department will be billed for these expenses by CCS. If any of your students need a more comprehensive license, please work with your IT folks to set that up; those licenses cost significantly more.

Summer research programs, particularly REUs, commonly secure on-campus housing and a meal plan for their non-VT participants. Academic groups staying 7 nights or longer that are sponsored by a university department and contribute to the academic mission of Virginia Tech will be charged at the reduced Summer School Academic Rates for housing and dining. This includes summer research programs. A meal plan must be purchased for each student staying on campus, per VT Policy 5010. Rates will be prorated for the length of your group’s stay on campus. The pro-rated plan will be broken down in your contract addendum and will provide an estimate of what your cost (per person) should be. Of course, additional charges could be 6 accessed based on damages or other extenuating circumstances. If your group prefers the conference rate, that can also be arranged. 

Options for accommodation and meal plans, and associated costs, will be updated here and posted on the Housing website. 

All rates are subject to a 5.3 percent sales tax. Nonprofit organizations, departments, and government agencies in Virginia, including schools, are exempt from the 5.3 percent sales tax on meals. Housing rates are not tax-exempt. 

There will be a charge of $6.00 per bed for de-bunking and re-bunking of beds. 

Please keep in mind that you will be billed for the total number of guests present, or the final guarantee that is received by the office, at the published rate. Your final guarantee is due ten (10) business days prior to your check-in date.

Features of On-Campus Housing 

• Housing is on par with hotel accommodations were linens, towels, etc. are provided and a free weekly linen exchange program is available. 
• Students will be provided with free access to campuswide guest WiFi. This is available on a 30-day cycle; to renew simply inform/remind Conference Services close to the 30-day mark. 
• Residence Advisors are provided in residence halls as well as a 24-hour on-call coordinator. 
• Convenient 24-hour check-in available at Conference & Guest Services in New Hall West. 
• Room keys can be programmed to access additional campus buildings, thereby foregoing the need to purchase a Hokie Passport for participants. 
• Conference Services will make every effort to house research program participants in the same dorms (based on requested lodging type). 

Each research program must establish an individual contract and directly pay for on-campus housing and the required meal plans. Contracts are secured through Conference and Guest Services, a division of Housing & Residence Life. To start the process, complete their online Conference Inquiry Form. If you are registering for the first time using StarRez, you’ll need to go to the bottom of the page and register using the “Conference Event Planners Register Here” link. If you set up an account last year, please use the username and password you used to create your account. If you forgot your password, you may click the “Get Login Credentials” link in the top left-hand corner. The online inquiry is not binding; it simply provides 7 Conference Services with valuable information to plan your event accordingly. They will do their best to honor your requests. Air-conditioned space on campus is scarce, and building assignments will be handled in the order received so you are encouraged to get your information in ASAP! It is advised that you submit the Conference Inquiry Form by the end of March at the absolute latest to ensure space availability for your participants. 

• Contact: Darryl McCallum, Assistant Director for Conference Services & Operations 
• Email: Darryl McCallum
• Phone: 540-231-1792 
• Residential Experience website

Behavioral Expectations (from Conference & Guest Services) 

Conference & Guest Services does not directly supervise program participants. Programs are responsible for the conduct of all participants, guests, and adult staff members. Programs must ensure at all times that participants, guests, and adult staff members comply with University and CGS policies; applicable federal, state and local law; and the instructions of authorized University personnel. Willful disregard for the rights, responsibilities, and duties of others, interfering with a staff member engaged in the performance of job duties (includes, but is not limited to, verbal abuse, intimidation, or use of physical force), as well as the creation of circumstances that could jeopardize life, limb, or property are unacceptable. 

It is the responsibility of Programs to ensure that all adult staff members are in compliance with all the Commonwealth of Virginia laws, rules, and regulations regarding programs for minors and have completed appropriate Title IX training. 

Any individual who must register as a Sex Offender is prohibited from staying/residing in an on-campus residence hall or serving as a chaperone/adult staff member. 

When submitting the group roster, all adult staff members will be noted/highlighted on the roster. Adult staff will advise each program participant of university rules and regulations, and act as a liaison between university staff and the campers or participants in the event of a discipline problem and be responsible for their conduct. 

Prohibited behavior by participants may result in the removal of the individual(s) from the University premises. In egregious cases where there is significant or widespread misconduct, at the discretion of the CGS leadership, the conference may be terminated early. In the event an individual or group is asked to leave the university premises due to misconduct, no refund shall be due. The Client shall be responsible for ensuring the safety and transit home of adult staff, guests, or participants removed from the university premises. 

No alcohol is allowed in public spaces. Alcohol is permitted in dorm rooms only if all occupants of the room are 21 years or older. 

Service animals will be permitted in dorms ONLY if prior approval is secured from the Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) Office.

All non-VT program participants are required to complete and submit a criminal record disclosure form, before they are admitted to campus. Forms should be collected by program managers and then forwarded to Keri Swaby (phone: 540-231-7737; Address: 111 Hillcrest Hall, MC 0157) in the Office of Undergraduate Research, where they will be kept on file. If you would like access to this form please contact, Nicole Bottass for a copy.

You may choose to have program participants read and sign some form of participation agreement. The OUR Advisory Board has put together a participant agreement that has been vetted by VT Legal and is available for adaptation and use by individual programs. The approved agreement is legally binding and will help to ensure that students understand the expectations and requirements for participation in your summer research program. If you would like access to this form please contact, Nicole Bottass for a copy. Program directors should contact Keri Swaby for an editable copy of the word document.

Undergraduates participating in summer research programs are paid through a "fellowship". A fellowship payment generally is an amount paid for the benefit of a student to aid in the pursuit of study or research. Students receiving fellowship payments are not required to work in order to receive these payments. Fellowships provide support for training opportunities pursued outside the normal curriculum whereas scholarships provide support for completion of undergraduate education. According to the IRS, a scholarship is generally an amount paid or allowed to a student at an educational institution for the purpose of study. A fellowship is generally an amount paid to an individual for the purpose of research. See details on what qualifies for this category in Procedure 23800 (PDF). 

If you have questions about fellowships, please contact: 

• Keri Swaby, Assistant Vice Provost for Experiential Education 
• Jill Sible, Vice Provost for Undergraduate Academic Affairs 

Undergraduate fellowships are disbursed in a special way. Use the Fellowship Information Supplement form, Form P-12F, to collect relevant information necessary to disburse fellowship payments: 

• P12F Form, if you would like access to this form please contact, Nicole Bottass for a copy. 
• SU Form,  if you would like access to this form please contact, Nicole Bottass for a copy. 

Each student should complete and submit a P-12F form, which must be kept on file. The SU form collects information about each students’ funding and payment schedule. Detailed instructions for processing undergraduate fellowships (PAFs) have been compiled on the Fellowship Administration page.

Please note that PAFs must be submitted well before the published deadlines to allow time for approvals from both your department and the Office of Undergraduate Research. Deadlines are listed on the Payroll page.

Because the system does not alert approvers when a new PAF is submitted we request that you send an email to Keri Swaby to let us know they are pending. 

If you have any questions or problems processing undergraduate fellowship PAFs, please email Human Resources or call 540-231-9331.

Paying non-VT students 

Please pay attention to the workflow outlined in Section 2. 

In order to avoid issues with students getting paid, the first thing that must happen is entering each student into Banner. This includes entering their biographical information and their fellowship information (PAF). This should be done BEFORE the student comes to VT or starts their research program. It is advised that students are set up on a continuing appointment to receive payments regularly throughout the summer. This will ensure that the VT systems recognize the students as being continuously active throughout the summer and their access to key services and resources will be maintained throughout the summer without interruption. 

Once the PAF is submitted, a student ID will be generated for each student. This is the crucial step that will allow students to gain access to VT platforms and services. You must provide your students with their ID number so that they can set up their own PID using One Campus.

Once their PID is established then they will be able to access wifi, the O365 web-based application, the CITI training platform and they can set up direct deposit and get a Hokie passport, if needed. If students will receive a Hokie Passport, they should provide that office with their banner ID number and NOT accept any ID number that might be generated by that office.

If your program allows participation of international students, then follow the instructions for paying students. In addition, international students will need to produce the following original documents to the program coordinator/manager or person processing the PAFs: 

• Passport 
• Visa 
• I-94 card 
• I-20 or DS2019 
• Social Security Card or ITIN 

These original documents must be reviewed and copied, with copies retained in the program file.

Federal and state income taxes are NOT withheld from fellowship payments (unless the recipient is an international student) and so students will NOT receive a W2. It is the student’s responsibility to report these earnings on their annual tax return, in a similar way to declaring tips. For international students only, Virginia Tech will issue a bill for these taxes, in the amount of 14 percent of the overall award, at the end of the summer or fall semester. Failure to pay this bill will result in a hold on the student’s record.

Once students are set up in Banner, they will have an affiliation VT-AFFILIATE-FELLOW-UG and will be able to create their own PID. A PID is a unique Personal Identifier. A student’s PID and PID password grant them access to Virginia Tech services such as WiFi, Canvas, library databases, and online personal information. Your students should create their own PID once they have been issued an employee/student number through Banner and their fellowship appointment has been approved and applied to the system. For returning students they may reuse their PID once their fellowship appointment is entered. Students will not know this number so please be sure to provide it to them. Students should go to On Board to create their own PID. After creating the PID the student will need to go to One Campus to enroll in direct deposit to receive payment. 

Anyone residing on campus should be able to access to the VT Open Wifi network.

For students not staying on campus with a contract through Conference and Guest Services, wireless access must be formally requested for each guest on campus, at the expense of the sponsoring department/program (departments will need to submit an ICR). The cost for guest access to WiFi is about $10 per month per student (subject to change). This is handled through the Network Infrastructure & Services (NI&S) website. Your department likely already has a department network liaison who is responsible for approving such requests. If not, you can sign up on the COLA system, to gain approver rights in the system. You can then set up each of your students from the same portal or have students request WiFi access themselves. In order to do this, students will need to have a valid PID. Students may use their personal email addresses to access WiFi, but it is strongly advised that they set up their PID first and use this to set up their WiFi instead. Answers to many FAQs can be found on the NI&S website. 

Students can get a Hokie Passport from the Hokie Passport office (Student Services Building, Suite 100) at a cost of $20 per card. If your department does not provide for this expense, students will need to pay out of pocket, via cash or check. If your program/department will cover the expense of the cards (via ISR), please send a list of student names to the Hokie passport office before sending your students to get their ID cards. Students will need to produce one form of government issued photo ID (driver’s license, passport, etc.) in order to get their Hokie Passport. Please note that the Hokie Passport issued to non-VT students does not have any privileges attached. It cannot be used to access the gym facilities, health services, or the bus system. You might elect to get a Hokie Passport for students who need to gain swipe card access to buildings or labs, however, please note that access cards (room keys) issued by VT Conference Services can be program med to include building/lab access. For more information, visit the Hokie Passport page.

Students parking on campus must have a permit to avoid being ticketed. Parking passes are available at the VT parking office for the duration of the student’s stay on campus. Program managers should send a list of visiting student names to the parking office before sending students. Students will need to bring a copy of their vehicle registration and driver’s license in 12 order to receive their parking pass. If this expense is not covered by your program/department, then students will need to pay for their permit out of pocket. 

For more information and most current rates, please visit VT’s Parking and Transportation page. 

Access to VT’s library is not restricted but students will need an appropriate form of ID to borrow books, such as a valid VA driver’s license (or DMV identification card) or photo ID from another VA institution. If students have secured a Hokie Passport, they may activate this card to allow them to borrow books. In order to do this, please send the name of the group sponsor, the duration of the program (for an expiration date on the borrowing account), the PI or program coordinator’s name, and for each student: name, Hokie Passport number, and address, to Jessica Ofsa (phone 540-231-9273). If the student does not have a Hokie Passport, a library card can be issued to the student free of charge; please send the same information (less Hokie Passport ID number) to Jessica Ofsa. Please note that these library cards will be issued as an extension of the PI/program coordinator’s account, who will carry all liability for late or lost books. This does not include access to the library’s electronic resources. Library employees cannot grant access to these resources. In order to access electronic resources through the library, the student/employee status in Banner must be updated. Visit library FAQ. 

If students need printing services, they can purchase a print card in any amount at the library.

Gym facilities will be open and available to students on a contract through Conference and Guest Services this summer. In order to access any VT gym facility, students will need an appropriate swipe card. Cards should be requested from Recreational Sports. There is a fee to use gym facilities, with the exception of the small gym in Ambler Johnston Hall. Current rates and procedures are posted on the VT Recreation Sports page. If this is a budgeted expense for your summer program, Recreational Sports can invoice your program directly. If this is not covered by your department/program, students will need to pay out-of-pocket. 

• Contact: Ryan Ferand, Membership Services Manager, Recreational Sports 
• Phone: 540-231-7435

Blacksburg Transit is Fare Free on all vehicles, at all times! No fares, ID’s or passes are required. This applies to all services in Blacksburg and Christiansburg, including BT access. For more information, please visit the BT website.

Only currently registered/enrolled VT students are entitled to access VT health services.

If your program wants students to have access to Schiffert Health Center or Cook Counseling Center when they are on campus, you may purchase American Income Life, which offers a secondary insurance that covers accidental illness and injury. The cost for this insurance is $0.30/person/day, payable at the end of the summer program, through HokieMart. The “trick” to being eligible for this insurance is that programs must be labeled as “summer camps”. In order to set this up, please email Amanda Marcum in Risk Management or call 540-231-6226 “the staff member who handles your contract,” according to Risk Management.

However, please consider that many students will have health insurance from their parents or home institutions, so the easiest route for them will be seeking healthcare from Velocity Care, a walk-in urgent care clinic located at the North End Center at 215 Gilbert St. in Blacksburg, which accepts many different forms of health insurance. Please visit the Velocity Care website for further information.

The Office of Scholarly Integrity and Research Compliance manages training programs and tracks training compliance at Virginia Tech. Specific information about the office and various programs and training they offer can be found on the Scholarly Integrity and Research Compliance page.

Conflict of Interest (CoI) Training 

All undergraduates participating in research at Virginia Tech are required to complete CoI training. See the Conflict of Interest and Commitment Requirements for Researchers page.

It is strongly recommended that all students complete training BEFORE arriving on campus. Upon completion of CoI training, students are requested to print a copy of their completion certificate and give it to their program coordinator/manager. 

Please alert your students to the training requirements and, for non-VT students, provide them with the 6-digit grant number from which they will be paid as well as their employee (VT ID) number, which will be generated once they are entered in Banner. With these two pieces of information, the Office of Research will be able to track your participants to ensure compliance and reduce the risk of having your grant suspended. 

Please email the Research Conflict of Interest Program or call 540-231-9376 with any questions about the CoI program or requirements. 

Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) Training 

All participants in NSF, NIH, and USDA (NIFA)-funded research programs are required to complete RCR training. It is strongly recommended that all students complete RCR training before arriving on campus. The Office of Research will flag your grant if it is funded by any of these agencies. Failure of all program participants to complete RCR training before the end of the second week of any summer research program may result in a freezing of program funds (for the entire program) by the Research Integrity Office. More information on the specific training requirements by grant agency are available on the Responsible Conduct of Research Training page.

For questions or more information on this program please email Cristen Jandreau, interim Research Integrity Officer, or call 540-231-4824. 

Other Training 

Students should be provided with additional training in health and safety and procedures specific to their project and environment, as determined by their faculty mentor. In addition, students must be added to any relevant protocols related to IRB, IACUC, IBC, etc. More information and contact information for these training programs and protocol requirements are available the Scholarly Integrity and Research Compliance page.

The OUR will maintain a calendar listing all social and professional events and activities that are open to any undergraduate summer researcher, free of charge.

The OUR offers programming throughout the summer, both professional and social. The OUR will host a general one-day orientation session open to all undergraduate summer research students in late May. This session will set the tone for the summer, allowing participants to meet other researchers, and gain general information, such as Health and Safety training, logistics, and expectations for the summer research period. Lunch is provided to participants. The orientation is a free service provided by the OUR. 

A weekly professional development seminar is offered each Wednesday, 4-5 p.m., which is open to any summer undergraduate research participant. Seminar topics usually include Ethical Use of Data, Writing Personal Statements, Writing Abstracts and Proposals, Creating Effective Posters, Presenting Research, and Graduate School panels, from a faculty and student perspective. 

Program Directors are encouraged to inform students of these opportunities and to allow them to participate in these free co-curricular events that will add to the students' overall experience at VT during the summer.

Each summer the OUR hires a number of student peer mentors to help build a summer research community and facilitate summer activities. Peer mentors are available throughout the summer to offer support to research programs (for example, accompanying students to get parking passes and IDs at the start of the summer), and to advise students. They also plan regular (weeknight and weekend) social activities to engage summer visitors and showcase the area surrounding Blacksburg. Most activities are free and transportation is provided for any off campus activities. Past activities have included a cooking competition, cookouts, local hikes, tubing on the New River, visiting the Roanoke Star, volunteering at the NRV Humane Society, berry picking, and the like.

The OUR will host its annual campuswide undergraduate research symposium at the end of the Summer Session. Summer research participants are invited to present their work in poster format. The conference is free of charge and lunch is provided for presenters. Conference details and abstract submission form will be available at the start of the summer on the Summer Conference page.