Undergraduate Research Apprentice Program
About
The Undergraduate Research Apprentice Program (URAP) provides an opportunity for UC Berkeley undergraduates to work with faculty members and research staff on cutting-edge research projects. Working closely with mentors, students will deepen their knowledge and skills in areas of special interest, while experiencing what it means to be part of an intellectual community engaged in research. The program is designed to stimulate awareness of advanced research and interest in graduate study. These are unpaid positions; instead, students can earn class credit for their participation. URAP takes place during the fall and spring semesters, with the application periods opening at the start of each semester.
While undergraduate researchers typically work with the BRSL for one academic year (two semesters), some have continued with the Lab for multiple years during their undergraduate career. Many BRSL undergraduate researcher apprentices go on to graduate school, obtain professional fellowships, and other exciting career opportunities.
For more information on URAP and to apply, visit the URAP website.
For more information about URAP at BRSl, contact programs-brsl@berkeley.edu.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How many URAP students does the Lab take each semester?
It varies depending on how many returning URAP students we have from the previous semester and the research needs of the Lab in any given semester. In general, BRSL works with between 10-20 undergraduate researchers per year.
Who will I work with if I’m chosen for URAP at BRSL?
BRSL has many research scholars and graduate student researchers (GSRs) who work with the Lab, many of whom need research support and will take on undergraduate research apprentices. In addition to the general BRSL research agenda, specialized projects that require additional support for which BRSL is recruiting will always be listed in the BRSL project description on the URAP portal during the application period. Final decisions about research supervisors and the specific project(s) that students work on are made upon selection by the BRSL Program Manager in charge of URAP in consultation with BRSL’s Executive Director and each BRSL research scholar. All assignments are based on the Lab’s research needs and student interests and skillsets indicated in their URAP application.
What type of work do undergraduate researchers do for BRSL?
Tasks assigned to undergraduate researchers are varied and project dependent but may include such tasks as: creating literature reviews, citation and bibliographic work, writing issue briefs, conducting searches for source material in foreign languages, and coding.
Can I participate in a research project outside of URAP while I am participating in URAP?
Yes. While you can only participate in one designated URAP project at a time, you can do other research projects outside of URAP so long as you have the time and capacity to do so.
I want to apply for URAP at BRSL but I have already maxed out my semester unit limit. Can I still participate in URAP?
Yes. Most students participate in URAP for units, which are then added to their transcript. However, you can also serve as an undergraduate apprentice without registering for additional units. We can create a learning contract that lists your hours but zero units.
What other benefits does BRSL offer?
All students, regardless of URAP status, are welcomed and encouraged to attend our public events and webinars, wargaming sessions, open houses, and career programming. BRSL also holds many other convenings throughout the academic year that may be of interest to students such as our speaker series, which brings experts working on issues closely related to our research portfolio to engage with the broader campus and Bay Area communities.
I am currently, or will be in an upcoming semester, studying abroad. Can I apply for URAP at BRSL while abroad?
No. The program is open to matriculated UC Berkeley undergraduates only. Concurrent enrollment students and students studying abroad are not eligible to apply.
I am an undergraduate student at UC Berkeley but I was not selected or did not apply for URAP. Can I conduct a research project with or support research at BRSL outside of URAP?
No. BRSL does not support undergraduate research outside of formal programs such as URAP.
If not through URAP, how else can I be involved with BRSL?
There are many ways for students to engage with the lab outside of formal research positions. See more in Student Engagement.