Twenty-eight students will receive grants for summer field work from the Institute of Politics this year, representing the largest number of recipients since the program began six years ago.

The summer awards consist of a grant to cover the expenses of a summer research project contributing to a senior thesis or other "substantial project," Ernest R. May, professor of History and director of the Institute of Politics, said yesterday.

"Its purpose is to enable students to marry experience and academic reflection," May said. "They would take part in something that takes place in the world and then come back and work it into their academic program," he continued.

Honorarium, Too

The award also provides for a maximum honorarium of $600 for those students who would have to forego summer earnings to work on their projects.

This year the summer awards will total about $25,000. There were a larger number of recipients than usual because of more careful allocation of funds, May said.

"A student advisory committee [of the Institute of Politics] survey of last year's grantees showed that in some instances the grants were larger than necessary," May said. "This year in the interviews we asked more about the real financial requirements."