There are several ways for you to be compensated for participating in undergraduate research as you build your skills and gain more knowledge. You can earn academic credit or get paid. Here’s how:
Opportunities
Explore the following opporunities
Participate in a Vertically Integrated Project (VIP)
Vertically Integrated Projects (VIP) is a program created to increase student access to hands-on learning with faculty mentors and diverse teams. Faculty working on long-term projects that need students from multiple disciplines and skill areas are invited to create a VIP course. Students are then able to join their team and earn 1-2 credits per semester at the 200, 400, or 500 level. Learn more about VIP here!
Gain internship experience
Participating in research-related internships is a great way to apply what you’re learning in your major while making connections in your professional field. At Boise State, you can earn internship credits through Career Services, earning one credit for every 45 hours worked on a project. Learn more about internships for academic credit here.
Enroll in an Undergraduate Research Experience course
Every department has designated course numbers for undergraduate research experience. If you have identified a research mentor, they can request that a section of the course be created for them to mentor you for academic credit.
Students who have earned less than 54 credits can enroll in course number 283 (for example, CHEM 283), and juniors and seniors can enroll in course number 479 (for example, SPAN 479). Depending on the intensity of the research experience, you can earn 1 to 3 credits.
IFITS Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity Scholarships
Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity Scholarships offered by the Institute for Inclusive and Transformative Scholarship (IFITS) are paid, 12-week research experiences offered to undergraduate students during the fall and spring semesters for their research or creative activity. These scholarships are open to ALL majors, giving students the opportunity to gain meaningful research skills with a faculty mentor while working on a research or creative activity project. Recipients of the scholarship MUST have a faculty mentor nominate them for the scholarship. Selected recipients receive a $3,000 stipend, paid in installments. They are also required to present their research or a reflection of their creative activity. Learn more and apply.
Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (LSAMP) Scholars Program
The LSAMP Scholars Program at Boise State University connects students to research and experiential learning opportunities to engage, inspire, and improve the overall success of students from historically underrepresented backgrounds in STEM. We hope to create a culture and a community of students that can engage and support one another. Learn more about the LSAMP Scholars Program here.
Bridges to Baccalaureate (B2B) Program
B2B is a 2-year support and research program for students at the College of Western Idaho that intend to transfer to Boise State and pursue biomedical research. The program aims to increase the number of underrepresented students in Idaho that are interested in the biomedical sciences. Find out more about the B2B Program here.
Work-Study
Student who are eligible for either the Federal or Idaho Work-Study Programs can use their work-study awards to supplement compensation for their research experiences on campus. More information on how to apply for work-study research position coming soon!
Open Research Opportunities
The Office of Undergraduate Research keeps a listing of open research/internship opportunities that have been shared with us. Please note that this is not a comprehensive listing.