UROP Proposal Content and Format
UROP proposals are an important part of the UROP application process. They not only describe the UROP research you plan to conduct and illustrate that you understand what is expected of you during the given UROP semester, but also serve as the basis on which your faculty supervisor, departmental UROP Coordinator, and UROP staff evaluate your project for approval.
Proposals should be 1-3 typed-pages in length and clearly describe the UROP research you plan to conduct. Writing a proposal will give you the experience you need for professional research that you may conduct beyond MIT.
Poorly written, incomplete, or duplicated proposals will not be reviewed by the UROP staff. In such cases, you will be notified of the need for additional editing.
NOTE: You will need to write a new or updated proposal for each term that you participate in a UROP, even if you are continuing the same project. If you are continuing, your proposal does not have to outline the entire project. Rather, your proposal should describe the specific element(s) of the project you intend to tackle during the upcoming semester.
Your 1-3 page UROP proposal, should include the following details:
- The nature of the research you intend to undertake (be sure to include the context and scope of project).
- The location of the research facilities you will use (e.g. on-campus or off-campus, room #, etc.).
- A tentative work plan and schedule for completion of the UROP.
- Your specific role in the UROP.
- Why the project interests you and what you hope to get out of it, academically and/or personally. Do you hope to get a sense of whether or not you are comfortable with lab research? Are you seeking guidance toward a professional degree or career goal? Do you want or need experience in a field outside of or related to your major?
Need help writing your proposal?
- Writing assistance is available from your research supervisor, research group colleagues, and the MIT Writing and Communication Center. If you need additional advice, visit the UROP staff in Room 7-104.
- Please feel free Download our UROP proposal templates (Word version template or PDF version template) to help you focus your thoughts and format your proposal. Or, use your own structure provided you address the aforementioned topics.
- See Proposal Samples if you are unsure of what to include.
See Applying for UROPs for complete application instructions.
