The UROP Mini-grant program provides up to $1,000.00 of support to undergraduate students who are conducting research or creative scholarship under the mentorship of a University of Oregon faculty member. Mini-grants may be used to purchase materials, equipment, and supplies that are necessary for the project and/or cover travel expenses related to completing the project. Mini-grants cannot be used to pay for travel to present research at a conference.

The program is open to all University of Oregon students who meet the eligibility criteria.

View previous UROP Mini-grant Award Recipients.

Eligible Projects

• Independent, student-led projects 
• Faculty-led projects where undergraduates contribute to a project developed by the faculty member
• Group projects

Timeline

Program Details & Eligibility

• Open to undergraduate students from every major
• Must be returning to the UO the term following receipt of the mini-grant
• Must have a project proposal finalized and faculty mentor secured prior to applying
• Applicant must obtain a commitment from a faculty member to supervise their research project as their mentor.  
  • Faculty mentors must be Tenure Track Faculty or Career Non-tenure Track Faculty with an FTE of .50 or above (exceptions may be made to this requirement under special circumstances – inquire with UROP for more information).
• If for any reason a student’s circumstances change and makes them unable to meet the eligibility requirements of the program, the grantee must forfeit their award. UROP Mini-grants cannot be deferred
• Undergraduate students may receive two Mini-grant awards during their undergraduate education
  • If your second Mini-grant application is for the same project as your first Mini-grant, your application should demonstrate significant progress.
• Research with Human Subjects:
  • If applicable, the applicant must obtain approval from the Committee for the Protection of Human Subjects (CPHS), which serves as the UO’s Institutional Review Board (IRB).
  • If your project requires IRB approval you will need to submit  your project for review before completing an application. You do not need full approval at the time you submit your application, however, you must have your project submitted for review.
  • If your project is selected to receive a Mini-grant, the award will be put on hold until UROP receives notification from the applicant that it has received IRB approval.
  • If your project already has IRB approval please send your protocol number to urop@uoregon.edu at the time you apply.

Award Details & Conditions

• Students are not directly given the award money. All award funds are processed and used in coordination with the business/finance staff in the department that students are conducting research in.
• Upon notification of receipt of a UROP Mini-grant, undergraduate students must sign an agreement form outlining their commitment to:
  • use their award during the academic year (FA, W, SP, SU) in which it was awarded;
  • work with their relevant departmental budget officer to use the award so that it meets all UO financial policies and procedures;
  • submit an Impact Report by the end of the academic year;
  • complete the post-award online evaluation;
  • present your research at the UO Undergraduate Symposium;
  • acknowledge UROP and the Office of the Vice President for Research and Innovation in all work resulting from research during the fellowship period;
  • notify the UROP staff immediately of other support or of any conflicts with the restrictions and conditions of this program;
  • notify the UROP staff of any publication or conference presentation that is associated with your research project; and
  • all non-perishable materials that are purchased with a UROP Mini-grant must remain with the University lab/facility that the research project is associated with after the completion of the project. If no University lab/facility is affiliated with the project, all non-perishable materials remain the property of the Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program and must be returned after the completion of the research project.

How to Apply

Make sure that you meet all of the eligibility criteria outlined above before proceeding.

Step 1

Review the Program Eligibility Criteria

• Ensure that you meet all the eligibility criteria listed above.
• Determine whether your research project requires UO IRB Approval. If it does, you must submit to the UO IRB by the time you submit your application.
• Work with your faculty mentor to craft a proposal that you will submit through the online application
• OPTIONAL: Schedule a meeting with UROP (urop@uoregon.edu) to discuss your project proposal, receive feedback, and ask questions you have about the program.

Step 2

Complete the online UROP Mini-grant Application.

• Preview the application questions.
• View Abstract and Research Methods Example Proposals
  • Example 1
  • Example 2
  • Example 3
  • Example 4
• Complete the online application. 
  Note: you must complete the application in one session, you cannot save and return to it later.
• Group Applications: If you are applying as a group, please email urop@uoregon.edu for guidance.

Step 3

Letter of recommendation. 

• Request that your faculty mentor complete the letter of recommendation worksheet.
• Under the federal law titled the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 and according to the University of Oregon Student Record Policy, registered students are given the right to inspect their records, including letters of recommendation and teacher recommendations. If the student wants to waive their right of access to this recommendation, they may do so by completing a waiver form.

Step 4

Obtain an unofficial copy of your UO transcripts

• Visit the UO Registrar Website to obtain unofficial copies of your transcript: https://registrar.uoregon.edu/transcripts
• Send copy to urop@uoregon.edu

Questions?

Contact urop@uoregon.edu