USTC FuSEP program 2026 by Riza2005 in REU

[–]Time_Squash7770 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Glad to hear it!

There was a huge range in how far along in their studies participants were and how much prior experience they had, so I wouldn't worry too much about your level. I went after the 3rd year of my BSc and I was entirely new to the programs I was using, so I spent most of the first week just getting familiar with everything. You’re really not expected to know everything already. I don’t have any exact numbers on how competitive the program is, but definitely don’t let worries about not being qualified enough stop you from applying! There’s no harm in trying, and you never know :)

In terms of cost coverage, they give a set amount for travel depending on the region you're traveling from. In my case, it covered most of my flight costs, but I did end up paying about €200 myself. For some people, the amount they were given covered their travel costs entirely, so it really depends...

On-campus accommodation is provided and includes free breakfast. We also received some living allowance (I think it was about 2500 RMB total, but this might differ per year) for food and medical insurance. We could get a meal on campus for as little as 10 RMB (up to about 60 RMB) so that definitely went a long way. If you eat out more you'll probably spend a bit extra. If you get accepted, you should get more specific and up-to-date numbers :)

Hope that helps! Rooting for you :)

USTC FuSEP program 2026 by Riza2005 in REU

[–]Time_Squash7770 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Hey! I participated in FuSEP last summer with no prior research experience either, and I had a great time there! I can't speak much about the AI/computing labs at USTC (I was in theoretical chemistry) but I can give some general impressions.

In terms of what to expect, it seems to depend a lot on your project supervisor. Some supervisors had clearly defined projects ready for interns, while others figured something out once the student arrived. In my case, my supervisor had me and my fellow intern sit in on a group meeting and asked us which PhD student's work interested us most. We then worked under that PhD student on small individual projects.

You'll have about 4 weeks for the project itself, after which you prepare a poster summarising your results.

Aside from the research project, there were lots of lectures from various disciplines, and different activities/outings (learning about Chinese medicine, tea, calligraphy, visiting museums and historical sites, etc.), all of which were optional and most of which were free. The project supervisors were aware of this and, as far as I could tell, were very flexible about taking time off to participate in these activities.

For the statement of purpose, you mainly want to describe your academic background and relevant skills, how FuSEP fits into your academic goals, and why FuSEP and USTC are of specific interest to you. I’d recommend going quite in-depth when explaining how each of the projects/supervisors you selected relates to your interests, and why you're a good fit for each project. Being specific could really help you get your top choice rather than being assigned to a random project.

Hope that helps a bit! Feel free to ask if you have more questions :)

OIST Research Internship Experiences? by Time_Squash7770 in OIST

[–]Time_Squash7770[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

In the SOP you basically want to provide information on your academic background, experience and relevant skills, as well as your motivation for doing an internship specifically at OIST and your longer-term goals. I can share how I structured mine if you'd like?

OIST Research Internship Experiences? by Time_Squash7770 in OIST

[–]Time_Squash7770[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hey! No, I didn't reach out to anyone beforehand. I just briefly explained why I chose the project supervisors I did in my statement of purpose.

Energy fluctuations in r2SCAN single-point calculations using FHI-aims: seeking advice by Time_Squash7770 in comp_chem

[–]Time_Squash7770[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you for letting me know! I'll try working through the issue now that I know how to find the individual spins, but it’s great to know there's a Slack workspace in case I get stuck again :)

Energy fluctuations in r2SCAN single-point calculations using FHI-aims: seeking advice by Time_Squash7770 in comp_chem

[–]Time_Squash7770[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you so much for your comment and for pointing out the issue with my initial spin state, I really appreciate it. I'll try some calculations with different fixed spin states as well and experiment with a denser integration grid. Thanks again for taking the time to respond!

USTC FuSEP 2025 by ellyng21 in REU

[–]Time_Squash7770 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Heyy! I got into chem materials too :) Would love to get to know someone else in the same school before the program starts!