Undergraduate Research and Independent Projects

Faculty/Departmental Grant Eligibility Requirements

Before submitting a VPUE Department or Faculty Grant proposal or making a research opportunity available to a student, faculty and staff should review these eligibility requirements. This page outlines the requirements for projects, faculty mentors, and participating students, as well as expectations for students with other Summer commitments.

Table of Contents

Project Eligibility

VPUE Department and Faculty Grant proposals must meet the following requirements:

  • Proposals must be designed, authored, and submitted by faculty or designated staff with faculty oversight.
  • For projects taking place off campus or internationally, the proposal must clearly describe the location and nature of the project. Funding will be provided only after any additional requirements have been satisfied.
  • All proposals must include a contingency plan appendix describing how the project will proceed in the event of disruptions or changes to the proposed research environment. This requirement applies to all potential disruptions and is not limited to COVID-19.
  • Projects are subject to applicable Stanford Global Risk advisories and CDC guidelines.
  • Projects should focus on undergraduate engagement in original scholarship and meaningful learning outcomes.
  • Proposals must follow the VPUE Proposal Guidelines.

Mentor Eligibility

Qualifying Stanford Faculty Mentors include:

  • Faculty members who are members of the Academic Council.
  • Faculty members in the University Medical Line.
  • Other faculty members who have received prior approval from VPUE.

Projects may include co-mentoring by faculty, academic staff, postdoctoral scholars, or advanced graduate students, provided that the project has appropriate faculty oversight.

Faculty mentors must:

  • Maintain an active research or creative agenda related to the student's project.
  • Be available to provide consultation, training, and advice throughout the student's research experience.

Student Eligibility

Financial Aid: Students should be aware that receiving a VPUE stipend may affect their financial aid package. Students should contact Financial Aid with questions about the potential impact of grant funding.

Student Athletes: Student athletes should contact Stanford Compliance Services to determine whether receiving grant funding may affect their eligibility.

Co-Terms: Coterminal students should consult the Stanford Registrar's Office regarding their eligibility. If a coterm student has already been moved to a graduate student tuition group, they are not eligible for funding.

Enrollment and Academic Standing

  • Students must be currently enrolled Stanford undergraduates in good academic standing.
  • Students may not be on academic suspension.
  • Students may not be on a Leave of Absence while using VPUE grant funding.
  • Students must be enrolled in academic units while using VPUE grant funding, except during Summer Quarter.
  • Students who take three consecutive quarters of Leave of Absence are not eligible for subsequent Summer VPUE funding.
  • Students must be in an undergraduate tuition group. 
  • Graduating seniors are not eligible to receive Summer VPUE funding after their undergraduate degree has been conferred.
  • Students may not receive academic units and VPUE funding for the same project activity.
  • VPUE does not require a minimum GPA for grant eligibility. Faculty and staff are strongly discouraged from using GPA as a criterion for selecting students for VPUE-supported opportunities.

Outside Commitments

VPUE-supported full-time research opportunities require students to prioritize their research commitment throughout the Summer Quarter.

  • Full-time research: Major Grants, Chappell Lougee Grants, VPUE Department Grants, and VPUE Faculty Grants are full-time research opportunities requiring at least 35 hours per week over the 10-week Summer Quarter.
  • One full-time commitment: Students may participate in only one full-time research opportunity during the Summer Quarter.
  • Additional commitments: Students participating in a full-time research opportunity are expected to prioritize their research commitment and may undertake no more than 10 hours per week of combined additional commitments, including Summer Quarter coursework, employment, internships, fellowships, volunteer positions, or other activities, regardless of funding source.

The following programs and commitments are generally incompatible with a VPUE-supported full-time research opportunity:

Students must obtain prior written approval before beginning or continuing any additional commitment that falls within the 10-hour-per-week limit.

Approval must be documented in a single email thread that includes all relevant supervisors, faculty mentors, and program coordinators. The approval should confirm that the combined commitments will not interfere with the student's VPUE-supported research responsibilities.

Enforcement

VPUE reserves the right to rescind funding when a student or faculty/staff mentor does not comply with these policies or when VPUE identifies safety, ethical, or other serious concerns related to the project.

Policy violations may result in a student being given lower priority for future VPUE funding or having previously awarded funding reversed. Egregious violations may constitute violations of the Fundamental Standard and may be referred to the Office of Community Standards.