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Campus Area Programs
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CU Boulder is a dynamic campus with many pathways to experiential learning opportunities ranging from research and creative work to community-engaged projects—and has a robust entrepreneurial support system.
We encourage you to check out the programs, using the menu above to view a wide range of opportunities.
- Pathways - These programs are designed to help students develop the skills to benefit from participation in research—and provide entry-level experiences for a wide range of majors.
- Research and Creative Programs - These programs provide opportunities and resources for students engaged in research and creative activities—and often provide financial support.
- Community-Engaged Programs - These programs engage students with community organizations to advance work grounded in scholarship.
- Innovation Ecosystem - These programs provide resources, mentorship, and other support for students interested in entrepreneurship in Boulder and beyond.
Tips
Work-Study
Use Work-Study to fund a position working with faculty on research and creative projects in a wide range of contexts.
CU's Handshake
Find internships and research positions on CU's Handshake—an online recruiting tool used by thousands of employers.
Beyond Boulder: STEM
Explore our Beyond Boulder: STEM page for opportunities throughout the state—including programs at CU Anschutz.
Volunteer Resource Center
Check out the Volunteer Resource Center to explore options for getting involved in the campus community and beyond.
NSF-REU (Research Experiences for Undergraduates)
Search for NSF-REU (Research Experiences for Undergraduates) sites in the campus and wider area.
Honors Program
Arts and Sciences students can connect with the academic and creative life of the campus in the Honors Program.
Pathways
These programs are designed to help students develop the skills to benefit from participation in research—and provide entry-level experiences for a wide range of majors.
Course-based Undergraduate Research Experiences
Wide Range of Majors
CURE is an acronym for ‘Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experience’. It is a novel form of classroom based courses that offer students hands on experience doing original research. Participating in a CURE can enable you with the skills and connections to pursue more independent research.
Also check out the iGEM Research Team.
Why are CUREs important?
McNair Research Academy by SASC
All Majors
The McNair Research Academy aims to prepare students for undergraduate research by increasing their exposure to institutional knowledge, connecting them with opportunities, providing peer mentorship, and cultivating a sense of scholarly identity early on in their undergraduate degrees.
Also check out the McNair Scholars Program.
Uplift Research Program by STEM Routes
All STEM Majors
STEM Routes is a graduate student-led organization that works to create an inclusive community for students in STEM. Our mission is to help students find a sense of belonging in their STEM fields and help improve access to research opportunities, internships, and graduate-level education.
Also check out the SMART Program.
What is STEM Routes?
SMART Program
Select STEM Majors
CU Boulder offers summer research internships for rising juniors and seniors through the Summer Multicultural Access to Research Training (SMART) program. The program aims to improve access to STEM research for students from groups that are underrepresented in science, math and engineering.
Also check out the SMART Research Projects.
UROP's Open Opportunities
Wide Range of Majors
UROP offers a entry-level opportunities in a wide range of fields throughout the year. Students are encouraged to check out the projects and contact mentors directly to get involved. Projects are supported by Team Grants and might provide financial support to student participants.
Also check out UROP's Student Grants.
YOU'RE @ CU by the BOLD Center
Engineering & Applied Science
The Your Own Undergraduate Research Experience at CU program (YOU'RE @ CU) is an exciting opportunity to gain practical research experience in engineering by linking undergraduate students with a graduate student mentor.
Also check out the BOLD Center's COWYAMP.
Studio Lab
Arts & Sciences
Studio Lab matches undergraduates with a research mentor and provides funding to work as assistants. They also host social events and professional development sessions—including, helping students present their research and submit their work for publication.
Also check out a Podcast about Studio Lab.
Research and Creative Programs
These programs provide opportunities and resources for students engaged in research and creative activities—and often provide substantial financial support.
UROP: Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program
All Majors
The Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) offers flexible funding options for undergraduates and faculty to form partnerships for projects in all majors. Proposals are due in February for the following summer and next academic year (inclusive of fall and spring).
Also check out UROP's Open Opportunities.
McNair Scholars Program by SASC
All Majors
The McNair Scholars Program prepares undergraduates for doctoral studies through involvement in research and other scholarly activities. McNair participants are either first-generation college students with financial need, or members of a group traditionally underrepresented in graduate education.
Also check out the McNair Research Academy.
DLA: Discovery Learning Apprenticeship
Engineering & Applied Science
Undergraduate engineering students in the apprenticeship program earn hourly wages while engaging in research with faculty and graduate students. Positions are announced in late March, and applications are accepted for apprenticeships during the following academic year.
Also check out Engineering & Applied Science's CU SPUR.
CU SPUR: Summer Program for Undergrad. Research
Engineering & Applied Sciences
Students in the CU SPUR program earn hourly wages while engaging in research with college faculty and graduate students. Positions are advertised in late February, and applications are accepted through the end of March for positions for the upcoming summer term.
Also check out Engineering & Applied Science's DLA.
Beckman Scholars Program
Select STEM Majors
The purpose of the Beckman Scholars Program is to support research by talented, full-time undergraduates. These research activities shall be centered in either chemistry, biochemistry, the biological and medical sciences, or some interdisciplinary combination of these subjects.
Learn more about the Beckman Foundation.
Departments and Centers
Renée Crown Wellness Institute
All Majors
Crown Institute Undergraduate Research Fellows are passionate about mental health and building a world in which every person thrives. The program provides the opportunity to learn about psychological science by doing research with close mentoring from world renowned faculty.
Also check out the Dalai Lama Fellows Program.
Benson Center for the Study of Western Civilization
All Majors
The Benson Center Undergraduate Fellows Program aims to build a community of undergraduate students interested in participating in good-faith dialogs about various timely topics and who desire to learn more about the moral, economic, and political questions of our time.
Also check out the Benson Center's Student Grants.
Program in Jewish Studies
All Majors
The Program in Jewish Studies provides undergraduates with opportunities to collaborate with faculty on cutting-edge research projects by asking new questions, producing new knowledge, and sharing their findings with diverse audiences.
Also check out the Jewish Life Collections Scholarship.
CIRES: Research in Environmental Sciences
Wide Range of Majors
At CIRES hundreds of environmental scientists work to understand the dynamic Earth system, including people's relationship with the planet. Our undergraduate opportunities and public-facing research further our mission to ensure a sustainable future environment.
Also check out Student Employment at CIRES.
NASA Colorado Space Grant Consortium
Wide Range of Majors
The Colorado Space Grant Consortium is a state-wide program that provides Colorado students access to space through innovative courses, real-world hands-on satellite programs, and interactive outreach programs. NASA-aligned hands-on projects are taking place at institutions across the state!
Also check out the NASA Internship Programs.
LASP: Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics
Wide Range of Majors
The Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP) hires undergraduate student assistants for all areas and divisions, including administration, science analysis, data processing, mission operations, software development, education, and engineering.
Also check out the Boulder Solar REU Program.
NIST: National Institute of Standards and Technology
Select STEM Majors
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) places undergraduates, graduate students and post-doctoral researchers in NIST labs to gain research experience alongside NIST scientists. Applicable majors include most engineering departments, biochemistry, chemistry and physics.
Also check out NIST-PREP Jobs.
UCAR: University Corporation for Atmospheric Research
Select STEM Fields
Significant Opportunities in Atmospheric Research and Science (SOARS) is an undergraduate-to-graduate bridge program designed to broaden participation of historically underrepresented communities in the atmospheric and related sciences.
Also check out Internships at NCAR.
INSTAAR: Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research
Wide Range of Majors
For undergrads with interests in earth and environmental science, INSTAAR provides a unique opportunity for interdisciplinary training, research experience in the field and lab, and access to a wide variety of analytical and computational facilities.
Also check out courses at the Mountain Research Station.
Community-Engaged Programs
Community-Engaged Scholars
All Majors
Undergraduate Community-Engaged Scholars grants fund scholarship and outreach-related activities, events, materials, travel and more. Currently enrolled CU Boulder undergraduate students are eligible to apply for their outreach and engagement work with communities external to CU Boulder.
Also check out the Research Hub for Youth Organizing.
INVST Community Studies
All Majors
INVST develops students as engaged citizens and leaders who work for the benefit of humanity and the environment. In meaningful internships, students do campaign work, volunteer recruitment, coalition building, translation, tutoring, outreach, social media as well as case work and workshop instruction.
Check out the Community SOL Projects.
Public Achievement Program
All Majors
Each year over 250 k-12 youth in BVSD and over 50 CU undergraduates address issues like immigration, racism, and equity. About 25 PA Teams each year imagine, research, design and implement community based projects to make a impact on a school, community or social issue.
Check out the Student Projects.
CU PIIE: CU Public Interest Internship Experience
All Majors
CU PIIE connects students interested in civic engagement with paid summer internships at non-profits and government agencies. PIIE has provided more than 100 internships in fields ranging from animal welfare to education, health, law, sustainability and more.
Also check out Level Up Boulder County.
CU in the City: Community Scholars
All Majors
The Community Scholars Program provides a unique learning opportunity for undergraduate students to experience the dynamics of working within city government and community-based organizations—enriched through weekly seminars and briefings with leaders from the community.
Engineers Without Borders
All Majors
EWB partners with developing communities to improve their quality of life through the implementation of environmentally sustainable, equitable, and economical engineering projects—promoting the development of globally aware and internationally responsible students and professionals.
Check out the Engineering Exploration Lecture Series.
Innovation Ecosystem
These programs provide resources, mentorship, networking opportunities and other support for students interested in entrepreneurship in Boulder and beyond.
Idea Forge
The Idea Forge is a prototyping facility focused on design and innovation—a flexible, cross-disciplinary collaborative space where students can imagine, design, create, and test products and solutions to meet a range of societal and customer needs.
Catalyze CU
Catalyze CU is a startup accelerator program designed for CU Boulder ventures created by students, faculty and staff. It combines mentorship, funding and a co-working space to help the promising ventures—without taking any equity.
Startup Summer
Startup Summer participants receive a curated tour of the startup ideation and creation process, build a venture with a team of their peers, and compete in an end-of-summer pitch contest for cash prizes.
New Venture Challenge
New Venture Challenge participants attend events, network and collaborate with mentors to refine their ideas and form startup teams to pitch for funding (more than $100,000) at the NVC Championships.
Hack CU
Hack CU brings together students of various backgrounds and experience levels at our events, which primarily comprise workshops and hackathons for students to be inventive and creative!