The URF process is competitive—about half of the proposals are funded, some only partially funded (either due to limitations in available funding or due to budget expenses that are not allowed).
“Independent research” is eligible for the URF, which means that the thesis for your project originated from questions posed by you. In other words, you are responsible for the project’s inception, development, and conclusions. Sometimes such projects grow out of a research assistantship under a professor, but unlike a typical assistantship, the student has the primary intellectual stake in an independent project.
You may apply for support of your project if it is part of an independent research course, such as an honors thesis course, or another upper-division independent research course. The URF cannot support study abroad programs.
Multiple students in the same lab, or under the same supervisor, can apply for a URF, but each URF application must include a unique, independent project, and supervisors must rank the projects in their rec letters.
The proposal template is designed to help you structure your proposal. In instances where this format does not apply, such as in a fine arts project, feel free to use a different format, but make sure your objectives are clearly stated, and the process for accomplishing your objectives is well defined.
