Program Overview
Eligibility
Application Deadline
How to Apply
Financial Support
Summer 2024 Research Opportunities
FAQ
Program Overview
The Health Research Program offers a pathway into undergraduate research for students with interests in health and the biomedical sciences. By facilitating connections between UConn Health researchers and UConn undergraduates, this program involves more students in the cutting-edge research at the Farmington campus. The Health Research Program includes a combination of academic year and summer research opportunities, offering undergraduates and their faculty mentors a structure for sustained engagement in research projects, maximizing student learning and preparation for graduate study and/or careers in the health professions.
Information Sessions
For an overview of the program, students are encouraged to attend an HRP information session. The dates and times of fall information sessions will be announced later this summer.
Drop-In Advising
Virtual drop-in advising hours for the fall semester will be announced later this summer.
Eligibility
To be eligible for the Summer 2024 phase of the Health Research Program, a student applicant must:
- Currently be pursuing a bachelor’s degree at UConn, and plan to graduate with that bachelor’s degree no earlier than May 2025. This includes students pursuing Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Fine Arts, Bachelor of General Studies, Bachelor of Music, Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Science in Engineering, and Bachelor of Social Work degrees.
- Be a full-time student in good standing at a UConn campus during the Spring 2024 semester.
- Be willing to continue their research involvement for Fall 2024 and Spring 2025.
- Not have participated in any previous phase of the Health Research Program. Each student is eligible for a maximum of one placement and one summer stipend through the Health Research Program.
Beyond these general eligibility criteria, each individual opportunity description will specify the desired qualifications for that position.
Application Deadline
Opportunities for Summer 2024 will be posted in early January 2024. Applications must be submitted by January 29, 2024.
We expect that faculty will interview their leading candidates between February 2 and February 15, and offers will be made in late February 2024.
How to Apply
Research opportunity descriptions and application links are accessible in the Summer 2024 Research Opportunities section of this page. Each opportunity has its own description and application link. If you wish to apply for more than one opportunity, you must tailor your application materials to each opportunity’s requirements and submit an application to each opportunity that interests you. Please note that if you apply to more than one opportunity, OUR will send you a follow-up form in mid-February in which you will rank those opportunities in order of preference; your ranking must be submitted no later than 9am on Friday, February 16th. For guidance on how to use the application management system, please review the Quest Portal User Tips.
Financial Support
Stipend Support to Students
- Students participating in the summer 2024 program will receive a $4,000 stipend for a commitment of 360 hours of summer research (10 full-time weeks).
- Students may receive a maximum of one summer stipend over the course of their participation in the Health Research Program.
- Academic year HRP student researchers (continuing research for fall & spring) may be eligible to apply for a $1,000 winter research stipend if they commit to completing 90 hours of winter break research.
Summer 2024 Research Opportunities
Summer 2024 opportunities will be posted in early January 2024. Please reference the HRP Opportunity Archive for a listing of opportunities that were offered for past cycles of the program.
FAQ
What time commitment is expected of a summer researcher in this program?
A time commitment of 360 hours (typically 10 full-time weeks) is expected for student researchers during the summer. The standard research dates for the program are May 20 to July 26, 2024 (subject to change), but you may elect to extend your involvement in research in consultation with your faculty mentor. All weeks of summer research must be completed between May 6 and August 23, 2024.
What time commitment is expected of an academic year researcher in this program?
A time commitment of 3-9 hours/week is expected for student researchers during the academic year; this varies across research opportunities and is a key factor to consider as you are reviewing the different opportunities and considering which might be a good fit for you. The standard formula for academic credit is 1 credit for each 3 hours of weekly research, and you will register for the appropriate number of credits given the time commitment you are making to research. Note: In the absence of extenuating circumstances (e.g., leave of absence, study abroad), a student cannot discontinue participation in the HRP during one semester and resume participation in the HRP in the subsequent semester.
How do I earn academic credit for my participation in this program during the academic year?
You will likely earn Undergraduate Research, Independent Study, or a similar kind of course credit in the department associated with your major. The most common arrangement is for a Storrs faculty member to be the instructor of record for the course and to coordinate with the UConn Health faculty member supervising your research in order to approve a learning agreement and enter the appropriate grade at the end of the semester. OUR staff will work with you individually to provide guidance on how to proceed in your specific situation.
What transportation options are available for students?
Shuttle service will not be available during summer 2023 or in academic year 2023-24. An HRP travel subsidy request process that prioritizes students with financial need will be available during the academic year; summer 2023 HRP participants will be able to apply for these funds beginning in fall 2023. We encourage you to take your class schedule and planned transportation method into consideration when reviewing the possible research schedule associated with each opportunity.
Do I need to be pre-med to participate in this program? Do I need to be in Honors?
You do not need to be pre-med or be a member of the Honors Program in order to participate in this program. The program is open to all undergraduate students interested in health research. However, bear in mind that this is a demanding program that requires you to coordinate weekly travel to UConn Health. We encourage you to take a realistic look at your schedule, the demands of your other courses, and your past academic achievement in order to assess whether this program is a good fit for you.
OUR advisors would be happy to discuss your specific situation and the most appropriate research opportunities with you at any time. Review our Meet with an OUR Advisor page for more information on how to make an appointment.
How do these opportunities continue into the academic year?
Sustained engagement in a research project maximizes learning, so we want to make it possible for students to stay engaged in undergraduate research at UConn Health over longer periods of time. The Health Research Program is focused on developing new research opportunities and involving more undergraduate students in research at UConn Health. The program offers a structure for the new student-faculty pairs that are formed in the summer to continue into the academic year. Students selected for summer 2023 opportunities will complete a mid-summer assessment process along with their faculty mentors, which will gauge whether adequate research progress is being made and will ask both student and faculty to indicate their interest in continuing the research placement beyond the summer. Continuing placements will be contingent upon satisfactory student research progress and continued interest by both student and faculty (in addition to the student’s full-time enrollment and good standing at the university). If a student continues his/her research in academic year 2023-24, s/he may be eligible to apply for a $1,000 winter research stipend if s/he commits to completing 90 hours of winter break research (and graduates no earlier than May 2024).
While students may continue research in this program across multiple academic years and/or summers, students are eligible for a maximum of one HRP summer stipend. In the absence of extenuating circumstances (e.g., leave of absence, study abroad), a student cannot discontinue participation in the HRP during one semester and resume participation in the HRP in the subsequent semester.
This application asks for a Science GPA. What is that? How do I figure out my Science GPA?
Unlike your cumulative GPA, your Science GPA is not automatically calculated and reported on your transcript. You will need to calculate this by entering the number of credits and your earned grade from each of your science classes into an online GPA calculator or by using the Nexus GPA calculator to select the relevant courses. We recommend that you move through your transcript methodically, using your best judgment to decide whether a given course is a “science course.”
Is my Health Research Program stipend subject to taxation?
For questions related to taxation, please refer to the UConn Tax & Compliance Office’s Student Taxation page and Student Tax FAQs.
How does participation in the Health Research Program affect my eligibility for other OUR funding programs?
During your initial summer in the Health Research Program, you may not receive any other funding from the Office of Undergraduate Research. For the duration of your participation in the Health Research Program, you will be ineligible for OUR Supply Award and OUR Research Travel Award support for your HRP research as equivalent support for these expenses is made available via the Health Research Program.