Undergraduate Research Scholars Program
College of Letters & Science
Fellows group paint project

"URS has exposed me to understanding what goes on in other parts of the world that I may have known nothing about before." Sydney Sauer, Former Fellow

Prospective Fellows

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Timeline

URS is now hiring undergraduate Fellows for the ’25-’26 academic year. The deadline for applying to be a Fellow is Friday, March 6 by 9:00 a.m.

  • APPLY BELOW. Please find the link to the URS Fellow application at the end of this page. Please read through this page, in full, before completing the application.

General URS Fellows Timeline:

  • Summer Remote Training/Onboarding: All Fellows take part in a remote training during the summer months. This asynchronous Canvas training takes approximately 25 hours to complete.
  • Fall Contributions: All Fellows must submit 1 curriculum contribution during the summer. This contribution consists of a topic you would like to discuss with your Scholars and some possible scholarly sources.
  • Fellows Training: All Research Fellows participate in a week-long in-person training the week before the start of the fall semester (typically the last week of August).
  • Fall New Fellows Meeting: All new Fellows must be available on Mondays during the fall 2026 semester to participate in a weekly professional development conversations with other incoming Fellows. This meeting only takes place during your first semester serving as a URS Fellow.
  • Spring Contributions: Fellows are invited to submit a new curriculum contribution in January and/or review some URS teaching & learning resources in preparation for the spring semester.
  • Fellows Training Refresher: All Fellows must attend a 1 day Spring Training (typically held a day or two before spring classes begin).
  • URS Reception: URS celebrates a successful academic year with a reception at the end of spring semester. All graduating and outgoing Fellows are invited to speak at the reception.

Requirements for Fellows Applicants

  • Four or more semesters of college by the beginning of appointment.
  • One year (or 2 semesters) of research and/or creative practice experience. Your URS Scholar-year project meets this requirement. 
  • Must be available on Mondays from 4:30-6:30 for the weekly New Fellows meetings.
  • Must be available on Wednesdays from 4:00 to 6:30 pm for the full academic year. This time period includes the weekly URS staff meeting and the Inter-LS 250 URS seminar.

Responsibilities

  • Participate in a remote (Canvas-based) summer training. This Canvas course takes approximately 25 hours to complete.
  • Take part in URS fall and spring trainings. Prior to the fall semester, we host a week-long training. This training offers sessions on leadership skills, community building, organizing small group discussions, building class plans and program administration. We prioritize “serious play” in our approach to training and ensure plenty of time to get to know one another as colleagues and friends.
  • Contribute to weekly conversations with other new Fellows during Monday New Fellows meetings (4:30-6:30 pm on Mondays only during the fall semester).
  • Attend regular staff meetings from 4:00-5:00 pm on Wednesday afternoons before seminar.
  • Partner with another Fellow to lead a small group of 18-21 URS students who gather from 5:30-6:30 pm on Wednesdays to discuss issues related to research and creative practice.
  • Work with your co-Fellow to provide near-peer mentorship to your Scholars, providing support to these new researchers and sharing strategies on how to successfully navigate the early college years.
  • Choose seminar topics with a  co-Fellow.
  • Develop weekly class plans with co-Fellow for the Inter-LS 250 class.
  • Provide feedback on URS Scholar assignments.
  • Serve as the link between the URS staff and the Scholars.
  • Periodically represent URS at various campus functions like Office of Admissions & Recruitment events.
  • Participate as needed in the general operation of the URS Program, contributing ideas & learning activities and providing feedback on class plans, trainings and workshops.
  • URS Research Fellows work an average of 10 hrs/week.

Preferred Experience & Skills

  • Must be able to work in a flexible environment.
  • Should have experience in research or a creative endeavor and/or have experience in leadership roles.
  • Should be resourceful and able to take initiative.
  • Should have a good sense of the enrichment opportunities available to UW-Madison students or know how to find this information.
  • Should have strong skills in interpersonal communication, including effective use of email.
  • Should be comfortable leading small groups of students.
  • Must be able to meet weekly deadlines associated with URS administration and seminars.

APPLY TO BE A URS STUDENT FELLOW NOW! Deadline: March 6

Please read the entire “Prospective Fellows” page prior to submitting the application form, which should take about 30 minutes to complete. You will be prompted to upload an updated resumé and to provide contact information for three references.

Apply here to serve as a URS Fellow for the 2026-2027 academic year.