Overview

PROGRAMS, SCHOLARSHIPS, AWARDS & GRANTS

Looking to get involved in undergraduate research of find funding opportunities? Here’s how to explore the many programs and resources across campus.

UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH CENTER FOR THE SCIENCES (URC-SCIENCES)

The URC-Sciences hosts 9 research programs available for undergraduates researching in the life sciences, physical sciences, mathematics, and engineering.

Explore all URC-Sciences programs here

DIVISIONS & DEPARTMENTS

Divisions & Departments offer their own research programs and scholarships like SEAS’s Undergraduate Research Program and the Biomedical Research Minor.

Check your department’s website for specific offerings.

CENTER FOR SCHOLARSHIPS AND SCHOLAR ENRICHMENT (CSSE)

CCSE assists students in finding and apply for scholarships, research grants, and fellowships.

Learn More About CSSE Here

INDIVIDUAL LAB FUNDING

Some faculty offer direct funding to students for research presentations, publications, and travel support.
Talk to your lab manager or Principal Investigator (PI) to explore options.

LIST OF UCLA & NON-UCLA PROGRAMS, SCHOLARSHIPS, AWARDS & GRANTS

We’ve put together a list of programs, scholarships, and funding opportunities – both at UCLA and beyond. This list isn’t not all-inclusive, but it’s a good place to start. This includes summer research opportunities.

Explore the other tabs on this page.

JOIN OUR MAILING LIST

Join the URC-Sciences mailing list to be emailed monthly about upcoming conferences, program deadlines, and other resources.  

Click to join Mailing List 

Academic Year

RESEARCH PROGRAMS & FUNDING AT UCLA 

PROGRAM (with link)  ELIGIBLE DEPARTMENTS  APP DEADLINE 

2025-2026 

TYPE OF PROGRAM 

All STEM 

Undergraduate Research Fellows Program (URFP) 

 

All STEM Majors  November 
  • 2-quarter program 
  • Professional development 
  • $3,000 scholarship 

 

Undergraduate Research Scholars Program  

 

Junior and Senior STEM Majors  June 
  • 1-year program 
  • Juniors receive $4,000 scholarship 
  • Seniors receive $6,000 scholarship 

 

Biomedical Research Minor  STEM Majors  Friday of Week 5 (quarterly) 
  • Academic Minor 
  • Help finding a lab  
  • No direct funding 

 

AAP Scholarship 

 

AAP students with GPA ≥ 2.75  February 
  • 1-year program 
  • $1,500 to $5,000 scholarship 

 

Center for Diverse Leadership in Sciences Fellowship  Any major with Environmental Focus  Unknown 
  • Leadership 
  • Mentorship 
  • Research experience 

 

McNair Research Scholars Program 

 

Juniors & transfers from all majors 

 

November 
  • 2-year program 
  • PhD prep & research program 
Break Through Tech AI  All majors (focus on computing, data science, AI)  

 

January 
  • 1-year program 
  • Career Training 
Pathways to Science (External Program)  All STEM (URM students encouraged, all welcome) 

 

Rolling / varies 
  • Funding search  
  • Professional prep 
TANMS REU (External Program)  

 

Unknown  December 
  • Nanoscale multiferroic summer research REU 
  • $1,200 stipend 

 

DOE STARS (External Program)  Undergrads at Minority Serving Institutions in STEM 

 

December 
  • Research Scholarship 

Engineering 

Engineering Undergraduate Research Program  Engineering  Varies by department 
  • Departmental Scholarships 

 

CEED’s RISE-UP Program  Engineering and computing students 

(URM students encouraged, all welcome) 

 

Freshman: April 

Transfers: May 

  • Research 
  • Grad School Prep 

Life Sciences 

HHMI Pathways to Success  Incoming Life Sciences Majors (URM students encouraged, all welcome)  June  
  • 4-year program 
  • Academic development 
  • Research Prep 
  • Scholarship  

 

I²URP  Juniors in biomedical-related majors  September 
  • 2-year program 
  • Academic prep 
Scheibel Scholars  Juniors & Seniors in Neuroscience 

 

March 

 

  • 1-year program 
  • Research award  

 

Scheibel Scholars (Summer Research)  Juniors & Seniors in Neuroscience 

 

March 
  • Summer research scholarship 

 

Psychology Research Opportunity Programs (PROPS)  Psychology majors (URM students encouraged, all welcome) 

 

October 
  • 2-quarter program 
  • $3,000 stipend 

Physical Sciences 

Queen’s Road Foundation Undergraduate Fellowship  Physical Sciences Majors  July 
  • 1-year program 
  • Fellowship 
  • $15,000 scholarship  

 

Gold Family Scholarship 

 

Chemistry majors with financial need 

 

February 
  • Scholarship 
Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship  Chemistry majors 

 

March 
  • $4,500 stipend  
Summer

SUMMER RESEARCH PROGRAMS & FUNDING  

PROGRAM (with link)  ELIGIBLE DEPARTMENTS  APP DEADLINE 

2025-2026 

TYPE OF PROGRAM 
UCLA SPUR (Summer Programs for Undergraduate Research) 

 

UCLA upper‑division undergrads across disciplines 

 

Varies  8‑10 week faculty research with stipend 
BRI‑SURE (Brain Research Inst. Summer Experience) 

 

Rising Jr/Sr, MARC or honors students  January  8‑week neuroscience research; stipend 
Public Health Scholars Training Program 

 

Public health–interested undergrads 

 

January  Local internships, leadership & workshops 
Amgen Scholars at UCLA 

 

STEM majors (esp. life sciences) 

 

February 

 

Research, housing & networking 
David Harold Blackwell Summer Institute 

 

Undergrads in math & theoretical computer science 

 

February 

 

6‑week applied math/CS research 
Neuroscience Scholars Program (UCLA) 

 

Sophomores & juniors in neuroscience 

 

February 

 

10‑week research, stipend, workshops 
URC‑Sciences Summer Program 

 

UCLA STEM undergrads  March  10‑week research + scholarships 
Bruins in Genomics (B.I.G.) 

 

STEM/genomics‑interested undergrads 

 

March 

 

8‑week genomics immersion 
UC LEADS (Summer Component) 

 

STEM upper‑div students  March 

 

Leadership, doctoral prep & summer research 

 

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