Undergraduate Research Scholars Program (URSP)

APPLICATION PERIOD

• The application for 2025-2026 is now closed.
• The online application can be accessed as a Survey on MyUCLA under the “Campus Life” tab.
• The online application may be started in advance using the prompts below. All application materials are due by 11:59 PM. Online applications still in progress at this time cannot be submitted.
• Incomplete and late applications will not be accepted.

APPLICATION GUIDELINES

A complete application consists of the online MyUCLA application and one letter of recommendation submitted by the applicant’s UCLA Faculty Research Mentor. It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure all materials are complete and submitted on time.

Do not use special typeface formatting such as italics, boldface, underlining, superscripts, or subscripts. Do not use special paragraph formatting such numbered/bulleted/multilevel lists. The online application system does not support this special formatting and will convert everything to plain text after submission. You may use symbols such as Greek letters.

ONLINE APPLICATION PROMPTS

1. Previous Research Statement – briefly summarize your previous research experience. Include your research mentor/advisor, the length of your involvement, a brief summary of your work, and, if applicable, any course credit you received. 100-1500 characters, including spaces.
2. Research Proposal
   1. Project Title – provide a descriptive title for your research project. 100 character limit, including spaces.
   2. Proposal – describe the research project that you plan to conduct during the 2025-2026 academic year. Include an introduction, hypothesis, materials and methods, and expected results. Include a timeline for the project and what you generally plan to complete in each quarter. Please use the five section headers below. 500-3500 characters, including spaces.
      1. Introduction – provide sufficient background such that a scientifically-literate reader can understand and appreciate the work being described
      2. Hypothesis – describe the questions you will be addressing or that your project will test
      3. Materials and Methods – describe the tasks you will be performing, including laboratory techniques and equipment you will be learning and applying to address your hypothesis. Explain the type of data you will be collecting, if applicable
      4. Expected Results – explain the predicted outcome based on your hypothesis and methods
      5. Timeline – include a timeline for the project and what you generally plan to complete in each quarter
   3. Literature References (optional) – list any literature references you cited in your proposal. 1500 characters max, including spaces. You may format your in-text citations in the manner that is most appropriate for your discipline (e.g. numeric, author-date, etc.)

LETTER OF RECOMMENDATION INSTRUCTIONS

One letter of recommendation must be written and submitted by your UCLA Faculty Research Mentor to the following email address: urspletters@college.ucla.edu

*NOTE: Faculty Research Mentors will not receive an automated invitation to submit a letter of recommendation. Faculty should email their letters to the address above by the application deadline.

• Letters should be addressed to: Dr. Adriana Galván, Dean of Undergraduate Education
• Subject Line: URSP Letter of Recommendation for [Applicant Last Name, Applicant First Name]
• PDF files only
• File name: [Applicant Last Name, Applicant First Name] – URSP LOR.pdf
• Written on an official letterhead
• 2 pages maximum

APPLICATION QUESTIONS 

Q: Are headings required in the research proposal? 

No, headings are not required. You can format your submission as one cohesive body of text as long as you address all research prompts. 

Q: How can I list references in my research proposal? 

Due to the character limit, we recommend using numerical in-text citations (e.g. “(1)”). There is a separate, optional section to list literature references. 

Q: Can I include a link to additional information in my application response? 

No, your application will only be evaluated based on the response within the character limits. Do not include any links to external resources. 

Q: Who is evaluating my application? 

Your application will be assigned to a UCLA-affiliated PhD-level reviewer whose area of research is closely related to your proposed research project. Each application is evaluated by multiple reviewers. 

Q: I am working on two different research projects. Can I submit two applications to the URSP? 

No, each student may only submit one application. 

Q: How many letters of recommendation can be submitted to support my application? 

Only one letter of recommendation may be submitted for your application. It must be written and submitted by your UCLA Faculty Research Mentor. 

Q: Can I request an extension to submit my application after the deadline? 

No, all materials must be submitted by the application deadline. Incomplete applications will not be processed. 

Q: What is the acceptance rate? 

We do not publish this information because the volume of applications and scholarship funding varies year to year. 

Q: Can I edit my application after I submit it? 

To make any changes to your application, you must email the URSP Program Representative before the application deadline. Submitted applications can be “returned” to the applicant for edits and revisions. 

The online application automatically closes at the deadline. No changes can be made after the application deadline. 

Q: How can I confirm my application materials were received? 

Confirmation emails will be emailed after the application deadline. To confirm the online application or letter of recommendation have been received before the application deadline, email the URSP Program Representative. 

Q: Can I submit application materials via email? 

No, all application responses must be submitted through the MyUCLA Survey system. We cannot accept any emailed application responses. 

Letters of recommendation must be emailed by the recommender to urspletters@college.ucla.edu. Applicants cannot submit their own letter of recommendation. 

PROGRAM QUESTIONS 

Q: What happens if I leave the program early? 

If you do not complete the full three-quarter program, your full scholarship may be recalled. 

Q: I am conducting research and enrolling in a research course before the program begins. Can I count this time to fulfill the program requirements? 

No, all requirements must be completed during the duration of the program. 

Q: Can I present at my department’s research symposium or conference, instead of presenting at Research Poster Day? 

No, presenting at a different research symposium or conference cannot be substituted for presenting at the Undergraduate Research & Creativity Showcase. 

Q: Will changing my major after I start the program have any impact on my standing in the program? 

No, changing your major will have no impact on your standing in the program. 

SCHOLARSHIP QUESTIONS 

Q: How will my scholarship be paid to me? 

Scholarship payments are disbursed through UCLA Financial Aid and Scholarships directly to students’ quarterly BruinBill. 

NOT SURE WHICH URC’S URFP/URSP TO APPLY TO?

Students engaged in interdisciplinary research that blurs the lines between HASS (humanities, arts, and social sciences) and STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) may have difficulty deciding which Undergraduate Research Center (URC-HASS or URC-Sciences) they should apply to for the URFP and URSP. Due to the specific eligibility criteria of each center and the large number of submissions our departments receive, we cannot transfer applications across centers. In short, your application will only be reviewed by the center you have submitted to.

Consider the experts who will be reviewing your application. For example, we would not want a materials chemist reviewing research applications focused on ethnographic studies of urban populations. Likewise, we would not want a cultural anthropologist reviewing research applications focused on single-cell RNA sequencing. To ensure that your application is reviewed fairly, make sure you apply to the center that best suits your research. We recommend that you consult with your faculty mentor about which center is most appropriate for your project.

Once you have made your decision, make sure you submit to the appropriate Survey application on myUCLA, to be delivered to your center of choice.

Below is a guideline to help determine the proper home for your project. If the following does not resolve your concerns or confusion, please email the respective center(s) for clarification.

1. Does your research application involve model organisms, i.e. rodents, flies, fish, worms?

If yes, submit to URC-Sciences. If no, continue with the next question.

2. Does your research application involve reagents, solutions, biological samples, or biological data?

If yes, submit to URC-Sciences. If no, continue with the next question.

3. Does your research application address questions about the mechanisms underlying diseases?

If yes, submit to URC-Sciences. If no, continue with the next question.

4. Does your research application involve quantitative modeling using mathematical, computational, physical, chemical, or biochemical approaches or strategies?

If yes, submit to URC-Sciences. If no, continue with the next question.

5. Does your research application use large or complex technology to collect and analyze data, such as fMRI, PET-Scan, microscopes, telescopes, cell sorters, material ovens, or others?

If no, please visit the URC-HASS’ website to determine if your application is better suited for their Center’s program.