UCARE

The Undergraduate Creative Activities and Research Experience (UCARE) program is a paid opportunity to work alongside a world-class UNL faculty mentor and conduct cutting-edge research that will shape the future of Nebraska and beyond. 

UCARE student applicants write a proposal to conduct a research or creative project under the guidance of a faculty mentor. The program supports original work in every field and major, ranging from agriculture, arts, architecture, education, engineering, humanities, journalism, and sciences.

The UCARE program supports student researchers with professional development workshops, two annual research symposium events, and access to travel or supplies funding. UCARE is funded in part by gifts from the Pepsi Quasi-Endowment and Union Bank and Trust.

Through participation in UCARE, students will learn to:

• Define research interests and questions, select appropriate methods and approaches, and set goals for the conduct of an original project;
• Develop effective relationships with research mentors and team participants;
• Share research outcomes with an audience, through a required poster presentation at either Student Research Days or the Summer Research Symposium;  
• Identify effective strategies and utilize campus resources for planning graduate study or career paths;
• Strengthen awareness of fellowship opportunities that may support further research or study.

• A summer research or creative project from May – August.
• Individual or team proposals permitted.
• Requires a 20-hour commitment per week (approx. 220 hours).
• Meet benchmarks and expectations in UCARE Student Contract.
• In 2024, receive a total stipend of $2,640.00 paid on a bi-weekly basis across six paydates.
• Summer projects are ineligible for UCARE-FWS hourly federal work-study positions.

• An academic year research or creative project in Fall & Spring semesters. Awards exclude Winter Break & Pre-Session.
• Individual or team proposals permitted.
• Requires a 10-hour commitment per week (approx. 300 hours).
• Meet benchmarks and expectations in UCARE Student Contract.
• New! In 2024-25, UCARE now offers two compensation options: a competitively-awarded merit stipend, or hourly UCARE-FWS Federal Work-Study position. Both are paid on a bi-weekly basis across 16 pay dates.
• UCARE stipend students receive a total stipend of $3,600.
• UCARE-FWS federal work-study students will earn an hourly wage of $12.00 in Fall 2024, $13.50 in Spring 2024 (Earn up to $3,825!).
  The Federal Work-Study option requires submission of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and demonstrated financial need. Students who currently have a Federal Work-Study award are strongly encouraged to apply for UCARE-FWS! 

• The following table compares Summer UCARE and Academic Year UCARE or UCARE-FWS options by start month, estimated time commitment, and compensation.

University of Nebraska-Lincoln undergraduates may apply to UCARE, if the following statements are true for you:

1. I am currently enrolled as a full-time student in a UNL undergraduate degree program.

(Part-time and non-degree students are ineligible.)

2. I have a 2.75 or higher cumulative GPA.

(The GPA requirement is firm and cannot be waived.)

3. I will have completed at least 30 credit hours of undergraduate work by May, but not more than 120.

(If you have earned more than 120 credit hours due to transferring colleges or other extenuating circumstances, please email ucare@unl.edu to discuss whether you may qualify for a waiver.)

4. I am able to commit to 10 hours per week (academic year) or 20 hours per week (summer), including all project activities, UCARE events, and presentations.

Questions? Email us at ucare@unl.edu.

Before applying, applicants must identify a faculty member who is willing to serve as a UCARE mentor and guide preparation of a proposal for original research or creative activity.

What are your goals for your research or creative project experience? Do you want to join an existing project, or propose your own original topic? What’s a great way to approach a faculty mentor? Check out our tips!

Which faculty are seeking new student researchers? Get connected with faculty through our Experiences Directory!

Applications are accepted directly from students, between November 15 – February 15 only. During the annual application period, students can login and select “UCARE” from the competition drop-down menu. (At any other time of year, the UCARE competition is not visible.)

For summer 2024 and/or academic year 2024-2025 proposals, the application deadline is February 15, 2024 (11:59 pm).

All applicants will receive a status update by mid-April 2024.

See a sample UCARE application.

Current participants: UCARE awards are annual and not automatically renewed. Please re-apply each year for funding by completing a full application.

Questions? Email us at ucare@unl.edu.

Check out our proposal guidelines and tips for writing an effective individual or team proposal!

• An academic year research or creative project from August – May.
• Individual or team proposals permitted.
• Requires a 10-hour commitment per week (approx. 300 hours).
• Meet benchmarks and expectations in UCARE Student Contract.
• In 2023-24, receive a total stipend of $2,400.00 paid on a bi-weekly basis across 16 pay dates.
• 2023-2024 Academic Year UCARE awards cover the period August 25, 2023 to May 2, 2024, excluding the winter break/pre-session period between academic terms.
• Academic Year students may elect to participate in only Fall or Spring terms by request (email ucare@unl.edu).

UCARE specifies project terms according to the academic calendar and corresponding pay periods. During the academic term of award, UCARE compensation is distributed bi-weekly (every two weeks) after the award start date.

UCARE stipend students are not hourly, do not submit timesheets, and receive no additional support for work hours completed during breaks between academic terms. A stipend recipient’s commitment should represent an average 20 hours a week for project work during the summer term and an average of ten hours per week during fall and spring terms. However, mentors and students have the flexibility to determine how that hourly commitment looks in practice. The faculty mentor will determine whether the undergraduate research or creative activity has satisfied the expectations outlined in the UCARE Student Contract.

UCARE-FWS federal work-study students will be compensated on an hourly basis and will submit timesheets, typically reporting an average 20 hours a week for project work during the summer term and an average of ten hours per week during fall and spring terms. UCARE-FWS students do not typically work during breaks between academic terms.

Payroll setup is completed by the faculty mentor’s academic department or college staff payroll contact. About two weeks prior to the award start date, new UCARE students who have not previously held a job on campus will be contacted by the payroll contact. These students will be asked to complete payroll paperwork and make an appointment to complete the federal I-9 requirement to establish identity and authorization to work in the U.S.

If you have never held a job on campus before, UCARE and UCARE-FWS students will be asked to provide an acceptable identity document (such as a driver’s license, state ID, or a passport) and proof of employment eligibility (such as a social security card). If students have lost these items, they must take steps to locate them or obtain a replacement prior to the award start. Missing documentation will cause delays in receiving UCARE stipend funds. Students will also need banking information if they would like to set up direct deposit of their stipend payments.

Once payroll information is entered into the system and the UCARE award begins, current award recipients may view their deposit statements and other employment-related information in Firefly.

Questions? Email us at ucare@unl.edu.