2009 Session Dates

The Summer 2009 STAR Program is scheduled to begin May 18, 2009 and end July 17, 2009.  STAR students are required to participate for the full nine-week session.  Alternative session dates are not available.

Financial Support

Participants are awarded $4,000 (before taxes) for the nine-week period for the summer 2009 session.  It is expected that the student will spend a minimum of 40 hours per week in laboratory, attend all STAR workshops and fulfill all of the requirements of the program.  Participants will be responsible for travel, meals, housing and other personal expenses.

Housing

Housing is not arranged, paid for or guaranteed by the STAR program.  However, the STAR program has reserved a block of rooms for our STAR participants in order to provide a safe, affordable and convenient on campus housing option.  The Office of Student Housing will be given a list of accepted STAR applicants who have indicated a request for housing on their STAR application form.  All arrangements should be made directly through The Office of Student Housing at The Medical College of Georgia: (706) 721-3471 or housing@mcg.edu  Housing arrangements cannot be made until applicants have received their official acceptance notification for the STAR program. 

Applicants who desire on campus housing arrangements should indicate this by checking the appropriate box on the application form.

Housing for Summer 2009 STAR participants will be offered in MCG’s Residence IV.  This residence hall is located next door to the Wellness Center and is in close proximity to the research buildings where the STAR workshops and the majority of the biomedical research laboratories are located. Rates for summer semester  2009 are anticipated to be ~$523 per person for double occupancy room and ~$870 for a single occupancy room.  In addition, each STAR participant housed on campus will be charged a $5.00 student resident hall activity fee.  Payment in full is required prior to moving in to your room.  Each STAR participant will be required to sign a housing agreement.  The MCG Office of Student Housing will provide each STAR participant with all of the policy, payment and procedural information.  At this time, only the double occupancy room option is available for Summer 2008 STAR participants.  STAR participants living in Residence IV will be assigned roommates by the STAR program.  Roommates will be fellow STAR participants.  Alternatively, STAR participants can request a fellow STAR participant as a roommate.  In this case, both individuals must submit a written request to have the other as a roommate. 

Please notify the STAR director if you would like to be placed on a waiting list for a single occupancy room.

Eligibility

The ideal Summer STAR applicant is one who has a sincere interest in pursuing a graduate education in biomedical sciences through a PhD or MD/PhD program.  Acceptance into the program is on a competitive basis.  The members of the STAR program committee, the Dean for the School of Graduate Studies and/or the Director of the STAR program are responsible for all final decisions.

Minimal requirements:

• 18 years or older by start of the STAR session

• Completion of at least freshman year in college

• Minimum overall GPA of 3.0

• Minimum GPA of 3.0 in science courses

• Currently enrolled in an undergraduate college (Candidates who have already graduated from undergraduate college or will be completing their senior year in Spring 2009 are not eligible for this program.)

• Proof of current Health Insurance Coverage that extends throughout the duration of the Summer STAR Program

• United States citizenship or international students currently enrolled in US college/university holding a student non-immigrant visa.  (It is the responsibility of the individual applicant to check with the international office at their home institution to determine eligibility for the STAR program and the proper procedures necessary to follow if accepted.)

• Proof of current social security number/card for employment purposes.

We encourage minorities and females to apply to the STAR program.  The Medical College of Georgia is an affirmative action/equal opportunity educational institution that prohibits discrimination on the basis of age, disability, gender, national origin, race, religion, sexual orientation, or status as a Vietnam War Era veteran.

It will be the decision of the STAR committee to accept students for the program who do not meet minimal qualifications.

STAR Admission/Planning Committee