FAQs
In addition to the policies and FAQs listed on our website, there is an info session each year. For SRC 2026, a session was hosted virtually on December 12. If there is any conflict between information present in the zoom session and policies listed on the website, SRC co-directors shall have discretion.
General FAQs
When is SRC? Generally, first or second weekend of Stanford's Spring Quarter. SRC 2026 took place April 10-12 (Fri-Sun).
Where is SRC? SRC takes place on Stanford's campus, specific location to be decided each year.
How is SRC? Haha. You're funny.
What is SRC's programming like? Generally, SRC consists of two full days followed by one half day. The first day starts with a welcome ceremony and is filled with various panels, workshops, and presentations by plenary speakers selected from applicants. The second day is when poster sessions take place, as well as more panels and keynote speakers. The last day features the awards and the closing ceremony. Various social events take place throughout the conference. Although specifics change each year, you can read SRC 2023 and SRC 2026's schedule on our website, and conference schedules stay largely similar.
Who is eligible to present? SRC is a research conference meant for undergraduate students and projects. All undergraduates enrolled at two and four-year institutions are welcome to apply with research they conducted during undergraduate study. Exceptions can be made on a case-by-case basis by co-directors; see our policies for more details.
Can I present a project that I started before becoming an undergraduate student? In general, only if the majority of the work was done during undergraduate study, but exceptions can be made on a case-by-case basis by co-directors.
Does presenting at SRC affect my ability to present at other conferences? SRC places no such restrictions.
Who should I ask for clarifications about SRC? Reach out to our co-directors for questions about the conference (see: Meet the Team).
Application FAQs
What does the application consist of? In addition to information about yourself and your research adviser (if applicable), we ask you to submit your project’s research abstract, proposal, and your CV. While completing the google form, if you would like to apply for financial assistance to attend the conference, you will be led to our financial aid application.
How are applications evaluated? SRC takes a holistic approach. In addition to the strength and originality of your research, we also consider the opportunities you had and the challenges you faced.
Will applying for financial aid affect my application? No. Though not all applicants who apply for aid will receive it, no applicants applying for aid will be disadvantaged in the review process.
What if my research isn't complete yet? The poster does not need to be completed at the time of submission; we will evaluate incomplete projects by current progress and reasonable projections.
What if I plan to come with co-presenters? Submit one application so that all of your information can be collected. Redundant applications will be discarded during application review, which may lead to your co-presenters' background information being absent from application review.
Application Decision FAQs
My research is very well done, why was it rejected? Often, this happens because applicants did not provide a viewable CV or poster link. If you are planning to submit to SRC in the future, make sure to submit viewable links with the correct permissions, and do not submit file paths on your computer- no, we cannot view file:///user/C. (Nor can we view drive/home, for that matter; and please don't delete the poster from your drive while we're still viewing the application.)
Our suggestion is that you upload to google drive, set permissions to "viewer" for anyone with link, and copy the viewing link. This way, you can test out the link prior to submission, and if we cannot open it, we can easily request permission. We find that applicants who submit i.e. sharepoint links or canvas links tend to have more issues, because we cannot easily request permission, and there are too many applicants for us to email one by one.
How many people get off the waitlist? Number of SRC application has been steadily increasing each year, and spots available to waitlisted applicants varies.
When will I hear about financial aid decisions? A few weeks after application decisions are released.
Additional FAQs
Where will I stay during the conference? SRC offers free, guaranteed on-campus hosting for all attendees who opt in. You will stay in your host's dormitory room; student hosts will be provided with air mattresses.
What can I do to explore Stanford? In the past SRC has offered various tours that attendees can sign up for, staffed by volunteers. School events are also generally open to visitors.
Can I use libraries while on campus? You may sign in as a guest with a valid government-issued ID.
Will food be provided? Yes.