Eligibility

Applying

Student Grants

Students

Students must be degree-seeking undergraduates at the University of Colorado Boulder to apply for UROP funding and should not plan to graduate before the end of a proposed project's grant term—no exceptions. All student grants must be supervised by an eligible mentor.

Mentors

Tenured/tenure-track research and teaching faculty, professional researchers and practitioners, and postdoctoral scholars at the University of Colorado Boulder and Anschutz Medical Campus are eligible to mentor Student Grants and apply for Faculty Grants.

Additional Supervisors

Graduate students may serve as the "Additional Supervisor" on student grants and provide the majority of mentorship, but the project mentor must provide some direct mentoring to the undergraduate.

Special Circumstances

Students may not receive UROP funding for CUREs (course-embedded research)—that is, they are enrolled in a course with a research component. Students may earn course credit for their project activities while receiving UROP funding in the following circumstances:

  • The student is enrolled in an independent study course with their mentor.
  • The student is enrolled in a thesis or thesis prep. course.

Students graduating in the Fall Term (December) may apply for Academic Year Grants if they meet all other eligibility criteria and should be aware the following guidelines:

  • Fall graduates will only be awarded half the value of the grant funding amount.
  • Students must indicate the intent to graduate in the Fall when applying.
  • The Final Survey deadlineÌýwill be earlier for students graduating in the Fall term (December).

Students pursuing concurrent Bachelor’s/Master’s degrees are eligible for UROP funding until they transition to “graduate status."Ìý Students should consult with their departmental advisors about their program guidelines before applying for UROP funding.

Because UROP Grants are categorized as income, all student-athletes regardless of sport or scholarship status, may receive funding without financial aid implications. But student-athletes must report the award to CU Athletics.​
If you are an undocumented and/or DACA student, we will work with you to find the best payment option for your circumstances. Contact us atÌýurop@colorado.eduÌýor (303) 492-2596 for instructions and documentation—and let us know as you have questions.

International students may apply for UROP Grants if they meet all other eligibility criteria, and should be aware of the following guidelines:

  • Student grant funding is classified as a fellowship and paid as a stipend using the university's payroll system (job code 3205).ÌýÌýAlthoughÌýstudents typically need an employee identification number (EID) and payments are made through the payroll system, UROP funding is not considered payroll wages or employee compensation.ÌýSeeÌýÌýfor guidance regarding fellowships/stipends.
  • Payments to recipients who are U.S. citizens are not typically subject to federal and state income tax withholding and payroll taxes (i.e., FICA and Medicare taxes). The university has no tax reporting requirement for these payments (no W-2) but is required to report payments on the federal form 1042-S. Students should know that payments may be taxable income and should consult with their tax advisors. Non-residents are subject to federal income tax withholding and should schedule an appointment with an .
  • If you do not have a social security number (SSN), you might need to apply for one to receive payment from UROP (or arrange an alternative form of payment).Ìý If you are a non-resident, we will work with you to find the best payment option for your circumstances. Contact us atÌýurop@colorado.eduÌýor (303) 492-2596 for instructions and documentation—and let us know as you have questions.
EligibilityTimelineExpectationsComplianceReview

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Avoid these common errors:

The proposal contains inaccurate information, typographical errors, etc. Be sure to carefully proof your writing well before the application deadline.

Either the student or their mentor are not eligible to apply for UROP funding. Review the eligibility guidelines and consider adding ineligible mentors as an "additional supervisor."

The proposal contains personally identifiable information (PII), such as the student or mentor's name. Remove all PII—even on the mentor's endorsement.

The application misses an important campus policy compliance procedure. Talk to your mentor if you have questions about working with human or animal subjects, planning travel or contributing to an NSF and/or NIH-funded project.

The UROP office is closed for Winter Break, but we'll return to normal operations on Monday, January 6, 2025.Ìý

If you have questions, check out our FAQ page.