University Scholars Program

Submittal Deadline: Application period for 2024-25 is now open.

Click here to download the application.

The University Scholars Program is designed to introduce undergraduate students at the University of Florida to the exciting world of academic research. Teamed with a faculty member, students pick their topic, initiate research during the summer, and continue investigating throughout the following academic year. Scholars receive a $1,750 stipend to support their research efforts and will have the opportunity to publish their research in UF’s online Journal of Undergraduate Research. The faculty mentor will receive a $500 stipend to use as needed to support the research of the student.

The College of Journalism and Communications can submit five scholars. Students interested can pursue research in five areas of focus:

Health and science communication, which examines public awareness, interest, understanding, confidence, and willingness to engage with information on health and science topics in mediated as well as interpersonal and organizational contexts.

Mediated communication & emerging technology, which examines how messages flow to large and small audiences, with an emphasis on how technologies of communication influence the formation, transmission, and reception of messages.

International and intercultural communication, which views messages as situated in particular linguistic, cultural, and national contexts and is applied in situations ranging from interpersonal interaction to the exchange of information through state borders.

Political communication, ethics, and law, which explores issues of how public opinion and communication practice are shaped through traditional and interactive media, laws, policies, and ethical codes.

Strategic communication which examines the capacity and ways organizations–corporations and nonprofit organizations (including advocacy and activist groups) and government–engage in purposeful communication.

To participate, you must not earn your bachelor’s degree before Spring 2024. If you are interested in applying:

1. Find a research mentor who will support your application. This can be any UF faculty member who will commit to sponsoring you on the proposed project, and may be a faculty member in a different college than your own major.
2. Select a project. This can either be a project you have developed, or you may join an on-going research project and team.
3. Fill out this application.
4. Type a summary of your proposed research project, maximum one page.
5. Obtain a letter of support from the faculty mentor, stating that the mentor will agree to supervise this project and any other supporting information to assist us in choosing you and your project.

All undergraduate majors are eligible, and you may choose to work with a faculty member in a different college than one’s own major. The application is submitted to the faculty mentor’s college, not the student’s college. If choosing to work with a mentor from another college, please go to that college’s website or contact their staff to determine applicable requirements, deadlines, and contacts.