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UF College of the Arts University of Florida

University Scholars Program

The University Scholars Program invites undergraduate students to experience the exciting possibilities of the UF research enterprise.

Two people laugh together while working with watercolor paints.

About the Program

The University Scholars Program (USP) program provides $1750 stipends to undergraduate students undertaking a full research project under the guidance of a faculty member. Only 200 students from all disciplines are selected through a competitive process to participate in this program. For more information, please visit the Center for Undergraduate Research here.

College of the Arts 2026-27 Application Deadline: 11:59 PM, February 18, 2026

Eligibility Requirements

  • You may not graduate before Spring 2027.
  • You must have a minimum 3.25 GPA.
  • Research will take place during Fall 2026 and Spring 2027.
  • If you plan to apply through another college, you must adhere to their requirements.
  • Important Note: If you receive Financial Aid, your scholarship could be affected, so please check with the Student Financial Affairs office to determine your Financial Aid status before you apply.

Steps to Apply

Your research mentor may be any UF faculty member who will commit to sponsoring you on a project. You may propose a new project, or you may join an ongoing research project and team. Learn more about how to locate a research project here. 

You do not have to restrict yourself to researchers in your home department, school, center, institute, or college. You could approach a mentor in an area where you are considering applying to graduate school, for example.

Review these University Scholars Program Requirements for more information.

Once you have identified a research mentor who will support your application, review the USP requirements for the college of your mentor (links to the USP info for each college are here). The application will be submitted to the USP representative in the research mentor’s college, NOT in your home college. Each department and college sets their own due dates. It is your responsibility to know and meet the applicable deadline(s).

If applying to work with a College of the Arts faculty mentor, submit the application materials to the Associate Dean of Research and Strategic Initiatives (Colleen Rua: crua@arts.ufl.edu) by COTA’s submission deadline (see above).

  • Your application should include the following:
    1. Download and complete the University Scholars Program Application Cover Sheet.
    2. 1-Page Research Proposal: Describe your project, its significance, and the research activities you will do during your time in the University Scholars Program. If your project is collaborative or part of your faculty mentor’s research, explain your role in the larger project.
    3. Letter of Support from your Faculty Mentor.
  • Items #1 and #2 should be combined into a single PDF. Item #3 can be submitted by you as part of the PDF package, or your faculty mentor may email it directly to crua@arts.ufl.edu.
  • Proposals will be reviewed and final selections made by the College of the Arts Research Committee. Write for a broad audience, as many students and faculty members on the committee will be from disciplines outside your own.
  • USP Applicants will be notified by the COTA Research Committee if they have been selected for the University Scholars Program.

Those students receiving a USP award MUST attend a mandatory orientation with the Center for Undergraduate Research as detailed in the University Scholars Program Requirements above.

Scholars are expected to complete their proposed creative/research project following all stated guidelines and requirements.

Each scholar will receive a $1,750 stipend disbursed in two phases. The scholars will receive their first stipend of $750.00 in the fall and their second stipend of $1,000.00 upon completion of requirements.