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Research Assistantships

UGAR provides stipends for students to serve as part-time research assistants for faculty. Projects must benefit the students academically and/or intellectually. Assistantships cannot be primarily clerical or administrative. Faculty are expected to cover any research-related expenses.

Mentoring students in research requires time and resources, so consider carefully how many students (across all programs) you can effectively mentor in a given term. It is expected that assistantships be conducted during terms in which the student is enrolled in classes and the student and faculty mentor are on campus.

James O. Freedman Presidential Scholars

The goal of the program is to provide meaningful faculty-mentored research experiences for juniors. This is a two-term program.

The program is intended to prepare students for honors thesis research.

  • Student eligibility: Sophomores who fall within the top 40 percent of the class are eligible to apply.
    • GPA cut-off for class of 2027: 3.81 (based on grades at the end of fall 2024).
    • Increases or decreases in your GPA after this point do not impact your eligibility.
  • Faculty eligibility: Mentors for this program must have an appointment that is tenure-line, research track or lecturer/senior lecturer.
  • Project guidelines: Students are not expected to generate their own projects, and the research must contribute to the student's academic development.
  • Selection criteria: Factors considered in selection.
    • Alignment of the project with the student's academic trajectory.
    • Intention of the student to pursue honors thesis research in senior year.
    • Prior research or academic experience related to the proposed project.

Students apply for the program in the spring of sophomore year.

  • Eligible students are notified in winter of sophomore year, and the application deadline is in spring of sophomore year.
  • Students contact faculty about research opportunities. Faculty may also approach students with whom they would be interested in working.
  • Once the student and faculty mentor agree on a project, students submit an online application. Faculty mentors then confirm the proposed collaboration via an online form.

Students accepted to the program engage in part-time research.

  • Students who apply to the program commit to engaging in the research for two academic terms while they are also enrolled in classes.
    • Both terms must be completed during junior year (the first term can be as early as sophomore summer).
  • It is expected that students devote the equivalent time/effort to what they would for an academic class.
    • That is estimated to be an average of 10 hours a week during a 10 week term (approximate total of 100 hours during the academic term).
    • This must be completed by the end of the academic term. Extensions beyond that point will not be granted.
  • A stipend will be issued at the end of each term, contingent on confirmation by both the student and faculty research mentor.
  • Timesheets are not required since payment is via stipend rather than hourly wages, but students should maintain a document tracking the time spent on the research and the tasks accomplished.

Undergraduate Research Assistantships at Dartmouth (URAD)

Students in URAD assist faculty with their research.

  • The program is intended to introduce students to research, and students are not expected to generate their own independent research projects.
  • There must be a clear academic benefit to the student, and the student's role in the project must be intellectual rather than administrative. This is an academic experience, not a job.
  • The program does not match students with faculty. See UGAR's tips and resources on how to find a faculty research mentor.
  • The nature of the work and skills required will vary depending on the project, and students should communicate with their faculty mentors about the expectations prior to the start of the assistantship.

Students engage in the research part-time throughout the academic term.

  • Students are expected to devote the equivalent time/effort to what they would for an academic class. That is estimated to be an average of 10 hours a week during a 10 week term (approximate total of 100 hours during the academic term).
  • Students receive a stipend at the end of the term of research, contingent on confirmation by both the student and faculty research mentor.
  • Timesheets are not required since payment is via stipend rather than hourly wages, but students should maintain a document tracking the time spent on the research and the tasks accomplished.
  • More information about payments is on the UGAR stipend webpage.

This is a competitive program; priorities for funding are as follows:

  • Sophomores and juniors.
  • Students who have not yet been funded for 3 terms of URAD.
  • Projects that are clearly aligned with the student's academic trajectory.
  • If you are eligible for other programs or funding sources, it is recommended that you submit applications for those as well in order to increase your chances of being awarded funding.

Other offices that provide funding for part-time faculty-mentored research: