Research Opportunities

Did you know that approximately 50% of students at UIUC conduct research? Undergraduate research is important for those planning to pursue graduate school and it also counts as engineering experience to help launch your career. Therefore, we highly encourage you to obtain an undergraduate research experience, whether or not it is part of your James Scholar Honors Contract. Find out how to identify a research opportunity/professor to work with here! You don't need prior research experience to dive into research!

To create a research-focused James Scholar Honors Contract, you can simply identify a minimum of 12 credit hours of coursework related to your research topic that also satisfies the Honors Contract requirements. The Honors Contract would typically includes a 400-level independent study or senior thesis course while you conduct research under a professor.

Students must meet all eligibility criteria to apply to the undergraduate research programs.

Highlights

Illinois Scholars Undergraduate Research (ISUR)

• Undergraduate students in engineering disciplines who are interested in a two-semester mentored research experience are encouraged to apply to the ISUR program.

• Scholars receive a minimum of $1000 scholarship ($500 each semester) and up to $350 conference travel support to present their research.

• A total of 40 students each year are accepted to be ISUR scholars.

• Application Deadline: March 31, 2024.

IBM-IL Discovery Accelerator Institute Undergraduate Research Experience (IIDAI URE)

• Applications Deadline: March 21, 2024, 11:59 pm.

DaRin Butz Foundation Research Scholars (DRBF)

• Women undergraduate students in select science and engineering fields who plan to do mentored research on campus in summer are invited to apply to be a DaRin Butz Foundation Research Scholar.

• Scholars receive $5,000 for 10 weeks of research.

• Four (4) women will be selected for Summer 2024.

• Application Deadline: March 31, 2024.

SRC Undergraduate Research Program (SRC URP)

• Students will be selected by URP Sponsor companies to participate as a URP Sponsor named scholar for the 2023-2024 academic year. Each scholar will receive a $2500 stipend to work a minimum of 5 hours a week in the lab on an approved project for the academic year as part of the URP program. URP scholars will be invited to a recruiting event to network with the opportunity to interview for internships or permanent hire positions with the URP Sponsor companies. URP will pay for scholars travel to the recruiting event. URP scholars should expect hands on industry mentorship via conference calls, campus visits and/or online workshops etc.

• Application Deadline: April 15, 2024 at 11:59 pm EST.