Assistantship Proposal: One Page

Context & Objectives

This is the first part reviewers will see and serves as an introduction to the project. Your goal is to capture your reviewer’s attention and get them excited about your work.

 Student Prompt

100 word maximum: State the specific objectives/purpose of your mentor's project. Explain the project's relevance and who stands to benefit.

Creative/Performance Projects:
Tell us the objectives/purpose of your mentor's project, explaining the points of curiosity from which you're starting, hypothesis or question you're exploring and the guiding principles of the work. Discuss where and when the final project will be exhibited, displayed or performed.

 Mentor Endorsement Prompt

100 words maximum: Comment on the development of this proposal, noting the origin of the idea and its potential impact in the field.

Section Advice
  • Reviewers might not be familiar with your topic, so you will need to provide some background.  But avoid spending too much time introducing the project, which your mentor can do in their comments. 
  • Be sure to make the purpose clear and consider starting with your “thesis” sentence.  Even though you might not have developed the project, reviewers need to see that you understand the project’s goals.

Methodology & Strategy

This section follows the introduction provided in the “context and objections” portion and serves to explain what you will do to achieve the project goals.

Student Prompt

100 word maximum: Note any experience, training and/or coursework required to conduct this project and explain how you are preparing.

 Mentor Endorsement Prompt

100 words maximum: Comment on your mentee's ability to perform this project, highlighting relevant coursework, experience with methods and/or materials, and other relevant certifications and qualifications.

Section Advice
  • Make the overall strategy clear and highlight important skills and methodologies. Communicate clearly but avoid overly detailed and technical descriptions of methods.
  • Explain how you have the training and skills needed for the project or how you will learn them. You might have limited experience when applying, but reviewers need to see how you will gain the skills needed.

Learning Objectives

This section follows the “methodology and strategy” portion of the proposal and serves to highlight how participation in the project will help you achieve your professional goals.

Student Prompt

100 word maximum: Describe how this project advances your personal, academic and/or professional goals, including how it fits within your degree plan.

 Mentor Endorsement Prompt

100 words maximum: Respond to your mentee's learning goals, commenting on 1) how you and/or an additional supervisor will support these objectives and 2) how this project will advance their academic and/or professional goals?

Section Advice
  • UROP prioritizes student learning objectives over project outcomes, so you should clearly state what you will learn and how you plan to apply what you learn.

Timeline

This is the last section of the proposal and serves to highlight when you will do the activities outlined in the “methodology and strategy” portion.

Student Prompt

150 word maximum: Outline the major phases of your project, providing a timeline of activities.

 Mentor Endorsement Prompt

Optional: Provide additional information about this project timeline.

Section Advice
  • Avoid overcrowding the timeline with details more suitable for other portions of the proposal. 
  • Be sure your timeline aligns to the grant term to which you are applying (summer or academic year). 
  • Students submitting proposals for projects continuing into the academic year might have similar proposals in their applications, but the timelines should be distinct.

Compliance Procedures

Human Subjects

Projects involving human subjects may require approval by the IRB and involve additional steps in the application process.

Human Subjects Details

Animal Subjects

Projects involving animal subjects may require approval by the IACUC and involve additional steps in the application process.

Animal Subjects Details

NSF/NIH Projects

Students in projects with NSF/NIH funding must complete training in the Responsible Conduct of Research.

NSF/NIH Project Details

Travel

Projects involving domestic and/or international travel will require additional steps in the application and award process.

Travel Details

Call for Participants

Developed and hosted in Boulder since 2018, UROP's Sidewalk Symposium invites undergraduates to share their research and creative presentations with chalk on campus walkways. UROP welcomes undergraduates at any stage of their project to participate.

Register for UROP's Sidewalk Symposium by Oct.5, 2026

Celebrating 40 Years

CU Boulder has an expansive history engaging undergraduates in the research and creative life of the campus dating to the creation of UROP in 1986.

Celebrating 40 Years of Opportunities