HWCOE University Scholars Program

Program Overview

The University Scholars Program offers UF undergraduates the chance to work one-on-one with HWCOE faculty on original research or creative projects. As a University Scholar, you’ll explore a topic of mutual interest with your faculty mentor, gain hands-on experience in how knowledge is created and applied, and develop skills that prepare you for industry, graduate study, professional school, and other career paths.

Open to students in all majors, the program provides a stipends to both the student and faculty mentor. Scholars design their project in collaboration with a HWCOE faculty mentor, creating an experience that is both academically rigorous and personally meaningful.

Award

$1,750 for Students

$750 at the beginning of Fall, $1,000 at the beginning of Spring

$500 for Mentor

Faculty mentors are awarded $500 to assist with project-related expenses.

HWCOE Eligibility

• Students who are in their freshman, sophomore, or junior year at the time of application are eligible for consideration. (Students who will be graduating before May 2028 are not eligible to apply.)
  • Freshmen are encouraged to apply to the UF CUR Emerging Scholars Program
• Participants will be required to dedicate 8 to 10 hours per week to research from September 2027 to May 2028
• If your faculty mentor is an instructor in the Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering, please submit your application through our HWCOE USP system. If your faculty mentor is not an instructor in the HWCOE, please submit your USP application to the college office of your faculty mentor.
  • Students of all majors will be considered, with a preference for HWCOE students conducting research in HWCOE labs

If Selected

• After accepting the award in the Spring, students begin research the following fall and spring semesters. They must remain enrolled in the appropriate engineering research course EGN4912 (or Honors research course) for both semesters of research
• Remain in good academic standing and demonstrate research project progress to receive the second stipend
• Complete all UF USP requirements; incomplete projects may delay or affect financial aid
  • Attend the CUR mandatory USP orientation in the Spring
  • Submit a final report for publication in UF CUR Journal of Undergraduate Research or another journal by the end of the spring term of their award year
  • Present results at a University-wide CUR Undergraduate Research Symposium held in late-Spring

Graduate With Honors

Your University Scholars project may fulfill requirements for an honors thesis, topping off your soaring GPA with a magna or summa cum laude distinction. Work with your department academic advisor early to ensure you are meeting all requirements to receive this distinction.

How To Apply

1. Find a Faculty Mentor
   • The first step is to find a research mentor who will support your application. This will be any UF faculty member who will commit to sponsoring you on the proposed project. This can either be a project you have developed, or you may join an on-going research project and team. Learn more about HWCOE opportunities and general tips for research across UF campus. You do not have to restrict yourself to researchers in your home department, school, center, institute, or college. You could also approach a mentor in an area where you are considering applying to graduate school.
2. Review the CUR USP requirements and college-specific requirements
   • Once you have identified a research mentor who will support your application, check out the USP requirements for the college of your mentor (links to the USP info for each college are here). The application will be submitted to the USP representative in the research mentor’s college, not in your home college. Each department and college sets their own due dates and it is your responsibility to know the applicable date and meet that deadline.
3. APPLY
   • Students access and submit your application using this link: [will provide in Jan ’27].
     • Before navigating to the link, students should be prepared to provide: Basic student information, GPA, and a Project Description Statement.
       • The Project Description Statement should be no more than 500 words / 1-typed page. It should include: (a) summary of the project with anticipated methodology; and (b) how you hope to benefit from the experience.
     • It is your responsibility to follow-up with your mentors and ensure that they have submitted their faculty form by the deadline (see faculty link below).
   • Faculty Mentors access and submit their support form using this link: [will provide in Jan ’27]
   • COMPLETE APPLICATIONS MUST include both the student application and faculty mentor support form. Incomplete applications will not be considered for review.

Please note: Students pursuing artificial intelligence topics will should additionally review the the AI Scholars page, and UF Online should additionally view the UF Online page.

The 2026-2027 recipients have been selected.

Selection Process

Applications and supporting documents will be reviewed by the Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering. The results will be sent via email to students and faculty mentors in late February or early March.

Questions should be directed to:

For the HWCOE Application

Dr. Sarah Furtney, Director
HWCOE Center for Experiential Learning
Weil Hall, Room 204
sfurtney@eng.ufl.edu

For CUR Requirements

Ms. Olivia Tyler, Assistant Director
UF Center for Undergraduate Research
Newell Hall, Room 202
otyler@ufl.edu

HWCOE Recipients of the University Scholars Program