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Columbia University, Department of Mathematics

Program ID:
172-GROW26 [#1950]
Program Title:
GROW 2026
Program Type:
Undergraduate program
Program Location:
New York, New York 10027, United States of America [map] sort by distance
Appl Deadline:
2026/09/06 23:59:59 (posted 2026/08/12, listed until 2026/10/16)
Program Description:
  Apply    

program Description

The GROW conference is intended to provide support and encouragement to undergraduate students considering going to graduate school in the mathematical sciences and to help build a profession in which gender or sex are not barriers to participation. The conference runs annually, and is open to all undergraduates from U.S. colleges and universities, including international students. Students of all genders, sexualities, ethnicities, races, nationalities and religions are encouraged to apply to GROW and these characteristics will not be used in determining funding or participation decisions.

The conference will run at Columbia University from Friday afternoon, October 16, 2026 through until Sunday midday, October 18, 2026. The website (which will be https://grow.math.columbia.edu/) should go live in the next week or two with further information about the plenary lecturers and speakers. For reference, you might look back at the previous two iterations of GROW, i.e. https://grow2025.math.columbia.edu/ and https://grow2024.math.columbia.edu/ as the program will be very similar in nature.

Due to limited space and funds, this application is required both for funded and unfunded participation. We especially wish to encourage local (i.e., Columbia, Barnard or other NYC-area) undergraduates to apply for unfunded participation.

Eligibility: You must be a current undergraduate from a U.S. college or university. Please note that while some demographic information may be gathered, this is for reporting purposes only and it will not be used in determining funding or participation decisions. In particular, students of all genders, sexualities, ethnicities, races, nationalities and religions are encouraged to apply to GROW provided their interests align with its stated mission.

Participant support: Funded participants will receive reimbursement for travel (up to a limit depending on where they travel from) and be provided with shared accommodations in double-occupancy hotel rooms. All participants (funded and unfunded) will enjoy (at no cost to them) catered food during the conference as well as during the festive conference banquet.

Participant expectations: All participants must participate in the entirety of GROW. The applied equally for those who are local and/or unfunded participants. Those coming from outside the NYC area should plan to arrive on Friday October 16 before 3pm and depart on Sunday October 18 after 2pm. There will be daily registration and funded participants must sign-in to receive their funding.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis with the final deadline of September 6 for funded participants. Unfunded participants may continue to apply after that date.

Please submit your CV/resume, a copy of your transcript, a cover letter clearly indicating whether you are applying for funded participation or unfunded participation, and one reference letter. Your cover letter must also address the following questions:

(1) Are you currently enrolled in undergraduate education at a US-based college or university?

(2) Did you attend GROW Columbia in the past?

(3) How have you taken steps towards preparing yourself for a math or statistics post-undergraduate program (e.g. Ph.D., Masters, Bridge to Ph.D.)? This may include describing your relevant coursework, research experiences, internships, or a compelling explanation for your interest.

(4) Do you currently have access to substantial mentoring and guidance to help you prepare for graduate school at your home institution? What do you envision as the benefit of your involvement in GROW?

(5) How do you plan on supporting GROW’s stated mission and what is your plan for after graduating?

(6) Are you applying for funded participation or unfunded participation?

Application Materials Required:
Submit the following items online at this website to complete your application:
  • Cover letter
  • Curriculum Vitae
  • Transcript (can be unofficial)
  • Reference letter (to be submitted online by the reference writers on this site Image)
And anything else requested in the program description.

Further Info:
https://grow.math.columbia.edu/
email address
 
Department of Mathematics
Columbia University
2990 Broadway
MC 4406, Room 509
New York, NY 10027