There are two Undergraduate Research Fellows Programs (URFP):
(1) Life and Physical Sciences, Engineering, and Math
(2) the Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences.
When applying, please make sure you are using the correct application.
The URC-Sciences’ 2026 Undergraduate Research Fellows Program (URFP) is a two-quarter program that supports UCLA students who are conducting a life science, physical science, or engineering research project with a UCLA faculty during Winter 2026 and Spring 2026.
The URFP is designed to support students who are early-on in their undergraduate research experiences. Students will enroll in RES PRC 103 – Student Research Forum in Winter 2026 (T/R, 2:00-4:00 PM), an academic and professional development seminar for undergraduate STEM researchers. All students also qualify for academic scholarships up to $3,000. Applications are accepted in Fall 2025.
Students conducting interdisciplinary research should refer to this webpage to determine which Undergraduate Research Center’s URFP is most appropriate to apply to.
Course Description: Lecture/activities, four hours. Designed to promote deep engagement in university research, including instruction on securing research opportunities, skills necessary for research and professional success, exploring research internships on and off campus, and communication of research across all disciplines. P/NP grading.
RES PRC 103 is an academic and professional development seminar for undergraduate STEM researchers. Students who are accepted into the URFP are required to enroll and complete RES PRC 103 in Winter 2026. The course is taught by the URFP Director, Dr. Jorge A. Avila. Meeting times for Dr. Avila’s section are T/R, 2:00-4:00 PM. Students must enroll in the course section (Section 1). Other RES PRC 103 sections are offered but are reserved for students participating in other academic scholarship programs.
All students qualify for academic scholarships up to $3000. Scholarships are disbursed through UCLA Financial Aid and Scholarships in two equal installments, once at the beginning of each quarter. Scholarship payments are applied to BruinBill.
*Important Financial Aid Implications: If you are receiving financial aid, your package may be adjusted so you do not exceed your financial need or cost of attendance. Check with UCLA Financial Aid and Scholarships to see if you can accept this scholarship. Applicants do not need to qualify for or be receiving financial aid to be eligible for the URFP scholarship.
Tuesday, October 21, 2025 @12pm via Zoom.
Abby Warner
Program Representative
awarner@college.ucla.edu
Applications are evaluated after the application deadline only. There is no advantage to submitting an application early or disadvantage to submitting an application closer to the deadline.
Each application is evaluated by multiple members of our Selection Committee, which is comprised of UCLA faculty, postdoctoral scholars, and doctorate-level (MD, PhD, and MD-PhD) career research staff. Applications are evaluated solely on the quality of the written responses to the prompts in the section above.
Admission decisions will be shared with applicants before the winter campus closure. Applicants who are selected for the URFP will receive PTE numbers in early January to enroll in the required RES PRC 103 course.
Q: Can Freshman and Sophomores apply to the URFP?
Yes, freshman and sophomores my apply to the Undergraduate Research Fellows Program. All undergraduate class levels are eligible to apply.
Q: Which research questions are appropriate for the URFP?
Any type of research (basic science, applied, clinical, translational, field, etc.) in the life sciences (including medicine), physical sciences, and engineering research disciplines are appropriate for this program.
Q: Can I my major/minor requirements overlap with the URFP program requirements?
Yes, the URFP is structured so that it may overlap with your regular coursework and degree requirements. Students who are completing the 198 or 199 series may apply to the URFP with their project.
Q: This is my first quarter at UCLA and I don’t have an established GPA yet. Can I still apply to the URFP?
Yes, you may apply to the URFP if you do not have an established UCLA GPA. If you are selected, your selection will be contingent on your Fall quarter GPA meeting the minimum GPA requirement.
Q: Is computational research unfavorable compared to wet lab research?
No, computational research has no advantage or disadvantage compared to wet lab research.
Q: If I am involved in clinical research, am I eligible to apply?
Yes, clinical, medical, and translational research projects are eligible for this program.
Q: I am currently taking an SRP 99 course for my research. Does this satisfy the requirement that I must have a current research project with a UCLA faculty?
Yes.
Q: Can multiple students in the same lab apply with the same project/research proposal?
Students in the same lab/group who are considering applying to the URFP are encouraged to work with their PI to structure their proposals in a way such that their projects are distinct enough from one another in one of the following dimensions:
Q: Can I apply to the URFP if I am an employee in my faculty mentor’s department and being paid as a student researcher?
Student employees who are receiving compensation for their research are not eligible to participate in the URFP.
Q: Are the applications evaluated on a rolling-basis or only after the application deadline?
Applications are only processed and evaluated after the application deadline. There is no advantage to applying early or disadvantage to applying closer to the deadline.
Q: Are letters of recommendation required?
Letters of recommendation are not required (or accepted) for the URFP.
Q: How are applicants evaluated? Is it based on experience, GPA, or how well written the proposal is?
Applications are evaluated solely on the quality of the applicant’s personal statement and research proposal.
Q: Where do I access the application?
Beginning October 14, the URFP application will be available as a Survey on MyUCLA under the Campus Life tab.
Q: Can I apply with a research project that has been ongoing for a while?
Yes, students may apply with a project that has been ongoing and that they have been contributing to. Projects do not need to be 100% independent.
Q: I cannot see the application on the MyUCLA Survey page. What should I do?
If you do not see the Undergraduate Research Fellows Program application listed on the MyUCLA Surveys page during the application period, please email the Program Representative. Be sure to include your name and UID.
Q: Is the URFP scholarship supposed to be used for research supplies?
No, the academic scholarship is paid through the Financial Aid Office and will be applied to your BruinBill (tuition and other quarterly fees). The scholarship is not meant to purchase supplies or equipment for your research project.
Q: Aside from financial support, what other support does the URFP provide for participants?
Students will receive academic and professional development by completing the RES PRC 103 course in Winter quarter. The purpose of the course is to complement the research skills you are learning in your labs/groups and deepen engagement in university research. The course covers topics including but not limited to: presenting your research (oral and poster presentations), writing personal statements, the graduate school application process, and career pathways in STEM.
Q: What is the difference between URFP and URSP?
The URFP is a two-quarter scholarship program (Winter and Spring). All students qualify for academic scholarships up to $3,000. Applications are accepted in the Fall. The program is better suited for students earlier on in the research projects.
The Undergraduate Research Scholars Program (URSP) is a three-quarter scholarship program (Fall, Winter, and Spring). The URSP awards scholarships up to $4,500 for juniors and up to $6,000 for seniors. Applications are accepted in the Spring. The program is restricted to Juniors and Seniors.
Q: If I get accepted for URFP, can I apply for URSP for the next year?
Yes, many students complete the URFP first then complete the URSP in the following years.
Q: Can I participate in both the URFP and URSP in the same academic year?
No, students who are already participating in the URSP cannot apply to the URFP in the same academic year.
The two programs are structured in a way so that they form a pipeline for students. Students may apply to the URFP, then to the URSP in the following years. Students may also apply directly to the URSP without ever completing the URFP. Students cannot complete the URSP first then apply to the URFP.
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.
