Student Grants
Assistantships allow students to assist a mentor on a project and do not require an original proposal to apply.
Amounts
- Summer: $2,000
- Academic Year: $1,000
Individual Grants allow students to take ownership of part (or all) of a project with an original proposal.
Amounts
- Summer: $3,000
- Academic Year: $1,500
Curious about undergraduate research and how to do it?
UROP encourages BIPOC and CU LEAD Alliance-affiliated students to enroll in an exciting course that will introduce them to research with conversations focused on the importance of research for BIPOC and first-generation students.
Intro to Research (LEAD 1571)
- Taught by Dr. Tafadzwa Tivaringe
- Mondays 3:30-4:45
- 2 credits (counts toward leadership studies minor)
- Use code 33928 to enroll or email KRPA1715@colorado.edu
How to Apply for Student Grants
Prepare your proposal with your mentor and submit your application, using the secure and accessible online forms linked on this site.
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When you submit your application, your mentor will receive an email with a unique link to access the Mentor Endorsement form.
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Your application is complete only after your mentor submits their endorsement; incomplete applications are not reviewed.
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Proposals are evaluated in a blind review process by members of the UROP Review Board after the application deadline.
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Decision notices are sent from urop@colorado.edu near the end of the spring term; UROP encourages you to add us as a "safe sender."
Who Can Apply for UROP Grants?
To be eligible for UROP funding, students must be full-time, degree-seeking undergraduates at the University of Colorado Boulder based on the following enrollment guidelines.
- Academic Year term applicants must be enrolled in at least 12 credit hours in the fall and spring semesters.
- Summer term applicants must not graduate before the end of the summer term, but are not required to be enrolled in credit-bearing coursework during the summer.
All students grants must be supervised by an eligible faculty mentor.
Faculty Eligibility
Tenured/tenure-track, research faculty and contract instructors at the University of Colorado Boulder are eligible to mentor Student Grants and apply for Faculty Grants.
Graduate students or post-docs may serve in a supervisory role on student grants, but the faculty mentor must provide some direct mentoring to the undergraduate.
Looking for a mentor?
Check out UROP's guides to Finding Mentors and Connecting with Faculty.
Special Circumstances
Additional guidelines may apply to students in the following circumstances.
Students may earn course credit for their project activities while receiving UROP funding in the following circumstances:
- The student is enrolled in an independent study course with their project mentor.
- The student is enrolled in a thesis or thesis prep. course.
Students may not receive UROP funding for CUREs (course-embedded research)—that is, they are enrolled in a course with a research component.
Faculty interested in organizing a research team and/or supporting collaborative projects may consider applying for a UROP Team Grant.
Students graduating in the Fall Term (December) may apply for Academic Year Grants if they meet all other eligibility criteria and should be aware the following guidelines:
- Fall graduates will only be awarded half the value of the grant funding amount (disbursed at the beginning of the fall term).
- Students must indicate the intent to graduate in the fall when applying; failure to note accurate graduation plans could result in the forfeiture of UROP funding.
- The Progress Update and Final Survey deadlines will be earlier for students graduating in the fall term (December).
Students pursuing concurrent Bachelor’s/Master’s degrees are eligible for UROP funding until they transition to “graduate status” and should be aware of upcoming changes in university policy that may affect their eligibility.
Starting Fall 2019, students in concurrent programs will graduate with their Bachelor’s degree once they complete their undergraduate degree requirements and will continue as graduate students to the completion of their Master’s degree. Up to twelve credit hours of graduate-level work taken as an undergraduate may count toward the Master’s degree. Students should consult with their departmental advisors about their program guidelines before applying for UROP funding.
Refer to the Graduate School's Guidelines for Concurrent Degree Programs for additional information.
Because UROP Grants are categorized as income, all student-athletes regardless of sport or scholarship status, may receive funding without financial aid implications. But student-athletes must report the award to CU Athletics.
We are committed to ensuring access to funding for ASSET/DACA students. Currently, ASSET/DACA students are not required to complete any additional paperwork to receive funding.
International students may apply for UROP Grants if they meet all other eligibility criteria, and should be aware the following guidelines:
Financial and Tax Information
- Student stipends offered by the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) are fellowships/stipends and are not employee compensation. UROP provides support for undergraduates who do research and creative work. Although UROP stipend payments are administrated through the university’s payroll office (Employee Services), they are not considered payroll wages.
- "Nonresident aliens" (a potentially offensive legal term used here to align with state and federal law) are subject to federal income tax withholding; thus, should schedule an appointment a university International Tax Specialist. The university is required to report the payments on the federal form 1042-S.
Social Security Number (SSN)
- Students without a social security number will need to apply for one to complete the payroll enrollment process even if they have an Individual Tax Identification Number (ITIN).
Students may not receive concurrent funding from CU Boulder's Biological Sciences Initiative (BSI) but may withdraw accepted UROP grants to participate in BSI.