In this guide · 10 sections
Summary in plain words
- Undergraduate research means joining a real research project as a student, with a supervisor and a research plan.
- It can be paid, for course credit, part of a summer program or volunteer work.
- Reach out to professors before application deadlines and write the research plan together.
- Once you start, keep a record of your work: the final report tells the story of what you did.
What undergraduate research is
Undergraduate research is a student's first hands-on experience with research. You join a professor's project with a plan of your own and regular supervision, usually for a semester, a summer or a full year.
In Brazil it is called iniciação científica, often funded by the CNPq through the PIBIC program. Elsewhere it may be a research assistant position, an independent study for credit or a summer program. The core is the same: a plan, supervision and results you present at the end.
Why do undergraduate research
- Learn methods in practice: reading papers, collecting and analyzing data, writing.
- Find out whether research is for you before applying to graduate school.
- Your résumé: research experience and a supervisor's letter carry weight in graduate admissions.
- First outputs: a poster at a student symposium, a conference talk and, sometimes, a co-authored paper.
- Financial support, when the position is paid.
Many students turn their research project into their senior thesis. It starts with references, data and a supervisor who already knows the work.
Ways to do undergraduate research
| Format | Who funds it | What it looks like |
|---|---|---|
| Paid research assistant | A professor's grant | Hourly work on a lab's project |
| University research grant or fellowship | Your university | Funding for a project you plan with a supervisor |
| Summer research program | Universities and funding agencies (such as the NSF REU sites in the US) | Full-time research for 8 to 10 weeks, often at another university |
| Independent study for credit | No pay; counts toward your degree | A supervised project graded as a course |
| Volunteer | No pay | The same activities, for the experience |
Pay and eligibility are set by each program and change over time. Always check the current call for applications.
Common requirements
- Being enrolled in an undergraduate program.
- A short résumé or CV, and sometimes a transcript.
- A professor willing to supervise you and a research plan.
- Time for the weekly hours the position asks for.
- For some funded programs, a minimum GPA or citizenship or residency rules.
How to get into undergraduate research, step by step
- Find out what interests you. Think about the courses and topics that held your attention the most.
- Map professors and labs. Check department pages, lab websites and the recent papers of people working on topics you like.
- Reach out. A short email or a conversation after class both work.
- Agree on a topic and write the research plan together.
- Apply before the deadline, with the documents the program asks for.
- If there is no funding, consider starting as a volunteer or for credit. The experience counts, and funding may come in the next round.
Many programs open once a year, and summer programs often close in winter. Start talking to professors a few months ahead, so there is time to write the plan carefully.
How to approach a professor
In your email or conversation, be direct and show that you know the lab's work:
- Say who you are: your major and year.
- Explain why that topic or lab, mentioning one of the professor's papers.
- Say how many hours a week you have.
- Ask whether there is an opening or an upcoming call.
- Attach your CV and, if asked, your transcript.
The research plan
The research plan says what you will do during the project. Formats vary, but it almost always has these parts:
- AimWhat you will investigate, in one or two sentences.
- ActivitiesReading, data collection, experiments, analysis and writing.
- TimelineThe activities spread over the months of the project.
- DeliverablesProgress report, final report and presentation.
Write the plan with your supervisor. It has to fit the lab's larger project and the time you actually have.
Routine and deliverables
Once the project starts, the pace is set by meetings with your supervisor and the program's deliverables:
- A progress report, usually halfway through.
- A final report at the end.
- A presentation at your university's undergraduate research symposium or a conference.
Turn each activity in the plan into small tasks with due dates. When report time comes, your work is already recorded:
Common mistakes
- Waiting for the call to open before looking for a supervisor. A good research plan takes time.
- Choosing only for the money. A year on a topic you do not care about weighs more than it seems.
- Taking on more hours than fit alongside your courses.
- Leaving the report for the last week. Without notes, it is hard to remember what you did months ago.
- Not writing down decisions from meetings. They explain, in the report, why the plan changed.
Create a project with this guide's columns and invite your supervisor.
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