Verified opportunities from real institutions

Your path to research starts here.

Find paid research programs, grants, fellowships, scholarships, and volunteer paths from official sources—primarily U.S. and North America, with select international programs. 100% Free Forever.

Research Programs Funding & Grants Volunteer Work
Black, Asian, and brown students collaborating in a research lab
Real Labs. Real Pathway to science in all its forms.
6 Resource categories
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Black woman scientist working in a laboratory

Research

Hands-on lab pathways and internships

South Asian students reviewing scholarship and funding options

Funding

Scholarships, grants, and fellowship support

Black volunteer leading community education activities

Volunteer

Service experience that strengthens applications

Legendary STEM Pipelines

Real, step-by-step pathways built from official programs, grants, fellowships, scholarships, and volunteer opportunities.

Research Opportunity YouTube Guides

Free channels that teach you how to find research opportunities, build applications, and navigate STEM pathways.

Federal research ecosystem updates, biomedical science explainers, and scientist career stories.

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Research spotlights and funding ecosystem context useful for students exploring science careers.

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STEM learning pathways, internships context, and field-specific inspiration across space and engineering.

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🎉 Your path to research starts here. Everything is Completely Free

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Research Opportunities

Browse unlimited paid research opportunities from top institutions nationwide. From summer internships to year-long programs.

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Grants & Funding

Access thousands of grants for college applications, grad school, conference travel, poster sessions, research supplies, and more.

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AI Writer

Get unlimited help with personal statements, research proposals, CVs, and application essays with our AI assistant.

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Application Tracking

Save unlimited applications, track deadlines, set reminders, and manage your entire academic journey in one place.

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US & North America Opportunities

Focused primarily on U.S. and North America student-facing programs, with select international listings when verified and clearly student-accessible.

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No sign-up required. No email required. Just click and explore.

About FirstLab™ logoFirstLab™

FirstLab™ logoFirstLab™ is a completely free platform dedicated to democratizing access to research opportunities, grants, and academic funding for first-generation and underrepresented STEM students.

Our Mission

We believe that access to research opportunities should never be limited by cost. Our mission is to democratize research access for all students, especially those from underrepresented backgrounds.

Made Possible By

Nexus Institute for Translational Research (NITR)

This application was developed and is maintained by the Nexus Institute for Translational Research, a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing translational research and supporting the next generation of scientists.

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FirstLab™ logoFirstLab™ is completely free for students. No limits on opportunities, grants, or AI assistance.

Free Access

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  • Unlimited research opportunities
  • Unlimited grants database
  • AI Writing Assistant
  • Research readiness score
  • Application tracking
  • Community support

Why Free?

We believe that access to research opportunities should never be limited by cost. Our mission is to democratize research access for all students, especially those from underrepresented backgrounds.

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