Undergraduate research can be undertaken as independent study (Phyx 399).
If you are eligible, you may be able to fund your undergraduate research through the Federal work-study program. Please talk to your faculty research advisor to find out more.
Additional funding for research can be obtained through Northwestern’s summer and academic year research grants.
If your faculty research mentor is funded through the National Science Foundation (NSF) you might be able to get funding through a NSF Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) supplemental grant. This has to be applied for by the faculty member as a supplement to his/her NSF grant, so if you are interested, please talk to your faculty advisor.
There are also summer research opportunities available at other institutions through the REU program. Please see https://www.nsf.gov/crssprgm/reu/.
National laboratories such as the National Institute of Science and Technology also have summer research programs for undergraduates. These are very competitive. See, for example, https://www.nist.gov/summer-undergraduate-research-fellowship-surf.