Why Yale Research?
The Yale Undergraduate Research Association welcomes you to join Yale’s vibrant intellectual community of undergraduate researchers.
Academic Exploration
From discovering new species to studying human behavior, research enhances your knowledge of a specific field. Research at Yale is an excellent opportunity to expand your academic experience and develop problem-solving skills necessary for life-long success.
World-Class Resources
Whatever your research goals are, you’ll have access to world-class resources to make them happen at Yale.
The Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library holds one of the largest and most dynamic collections of rare books and manuscripts in the world.
Photo by Michael Marsland
The Brain Imaging Center promotes and facilitates cutting-edge and interdisciplinary human neuroscience research, training, and teaching in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences.
Photo by Michael Marsland
The 8,700 square foot design lab in the Center for Innovative Engineering and Design combines an open studio, lecture hall, wet lab, and meeting rooms.
Photo by Jack Devlin
The Yale Center for British Art is the largest and most comprehensive museum outside of the United Kingdom devoted to British art.
Photo by Elizabeth Felicella
The Yale University Art Gallery is the oldest university art museum in America that is a preeminent cultural asset for Yale University, the wider academic community, and the public.
Photo by Elizabeth Felicella
The Peabody Museum is one of the oldest and largest university-based natural history museums, with more than 13 million objects representing more than 4 billion years of history.
Photo by Robert Lorenz
Diverse Research Opportunities
Yale is home to a number of renowned research centers, laboratories, and institutes that are advancing a diverse array of academic disciplines, including the humanities, arts, social sciences, medicine, science, and engineering.
1,200+
Science and engineering laboratories
40+
Research centers, institutes, and programs in the arts, humanities, and social sciences
50+
Research centers, institutes, and programs in the medical and health sciences
To see all research centers, laboratories, and institutes at Yale across all subject matters, visit Centers & Institutes.
Fellowship and Grant Support
Fellowships are competitive, merit-based monetary awards that support a wide range of activities, including research. Yale provides over $1 million in funding for undergraduate research fellowships annually, in addition to faculty research grants and other departmental programs.
Over 100 summer research fellowships awarded to first-year students
Click the box to see more information about each fellowship. To see all undergraduate fellowships and grants at Yale, visit the Student Grants and Fellowships Database.
Summer Experience Award
A non-competitive stipend offered to Yale College first-years, sophomores, and juniors on Yale financial aid to support summer research at Yale and beyond. Applicants who are SEA-eligible and have secured a SEA-eligible opportunity will receive $4,000 for a U.S.-based opportunity or $6,000 for an international opportunity. Learn More
Yale College Dean’s Research Fellowship in the Humanities and Social Sciences
Provides a limited number of fellowships to support strong original undergraduate research projects in the humanities and social sciences. Learn More
Yale College First-Year Summer Research Fellowship in the Sciences and Engineering
Provides support for first-years doing research in the basic sciences and engineering in the summer after the first year. Learn More
Science, Technology and Research Scholars Summer Research Program
Provides summer term support for first-years and sophomores underrepresented in STEM who live on campus and participate in laboratory research with Yale faculty members. Learn More
John Boit Morse Memorial Fellowship
Provides support for summer independent research in the fine arts, with preference given to an art student. Learn More
Herb Scarf Summer Research Opportunities in Economics
Provides selected students with the opportunity to participate in the ongoing research of Yale faculty in Economics. Learn More
Inclusive Community
Yale forms a diverse and inclusive community that welcomes student collaboration with open arms. Regardless of whether or not you have had previous research experience, faculty mentors are excited to help you find your passions.
Yale’s culture of support and mentorship means that you can find guidance at any level — from faculty advisors to graduate/professional mentors. YURA’s Graduate-Undergraduate Mentorship Initiative is a great place to get started!
“The support I have had while working in the Breaker Lab has fully enriched my learning experience at Yale, and I am excited to continue my research pursuits during medical school.”
— Anna Sun ‘21 (Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology)
“I’ve enjoyed doing research... [and] getting deeply invested in a [math] problem. It was also a great way to learn more about the field, and to meet a lot of cool people in the process!“
— Alex Cohen ‘21 (Mathematics)
“Working with various mentors has been essential to my success in research. And building a habit of research really helped me move along in my research!”
— Rebecca Amonor ‘21 (English and African American Studies)
YURA’s Roadmap to Research
Choose Your Topic of Interest
What are your favorite classes? What problems do you want to solve in the world? To identify your interests, think about the general subject that you like and then narrow down your focus to a specific research topic.
Analyze Your Schedule
How much time can you commit to research? Making sure to keep academics and other extracurriculars in mind, determine how many hours a week you can spend on research.
Locate Labs of Interest
Check out the numerous labs at Yale. Speak to upperclassmen, faculty, and other advisors to find an environment that best fits you.
Research Database - YURA’s searchable, university-wide database containing all available undergraduate research positions
Mentoring - YURA’s mentorship program that connects undergraduates and graduate students
Reach Out to Faculty Mentors
Identify professors that you are interested in contacting and spend time researching their work. Email them to show your interest and ask for a possible meeting to discuss further.
Tips on Approaching Faculty Mentors - A helpful guide from the Science & Quantitative Reasoning Department
Write Your Research Proposal
Most fellowships require a proposal that presents and justifies your research project. View example proposals to help with formatting and ask your mentors for advice.
How To Write a Proposal - A helpful guide from the Science & Quantitative Reasoning Department
Apply for Fellowships
Review the requirements and deadlines for fellowships.
Yale Office of Career Strategy - Offers resources on networking, improving resumes, interviewing, and more
Student Grants and Fellowships Database - A searchable database of all undergraduate fellowships and grants
Collection of Research Fellowships - A helpful list from the Science & Quantitative Reasoning Department
Begin Conducting Research
Congratulations! You are now ready to start your research journey. Welcome to a community that pushes the boundaries of knowledge and innovation. If you would like the opportunity to present your research:
Yale Undergraduate Research Symposium - YURA’s annual symposium showcasing undergraduate research
Yale Undergraduate Research Journal - YURA’s journal dedicated to publicizing undergraduate research
More Tips for Getting Started
Hear what current Yale students have to say to first-years interested in research.
Any questions?
Follow the Yale Undergraduate Research Association for more resources and opportunities about research. Check out the FAQs or contact us.