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Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program

Wellesley College Students

Wellesley College Student UROP Checklist

Wellesley students must complete all of the steps below, even if you’ve previously engaged in a UROP or cross-registered at MIT. 

  1. Decide with your faculty supervisor whether the UROP is to be undertaken for pay, credit or volunteer. If a paid UROP, determine pay details with your supervisor. Please note that Wellesley Students are not eligible for UROP Direct Funding (UROP office funds).
    • If you are a Wellesley College international student choosing to pursue a paid UROP opportunity during fall, spring or summer terms, please consult with the Slater International Center to obtain proper off-campus work authorization at least 2 weeks before beginning any paid research opportunity at MIT. Note that off-campus work authorization is not available for MIT’s January Independent Activities Period (IAP). 
    • MIT is not able to offer paid UROPs to students who are not physically located in the United States (this applies to both MIT & Wellesley students). Also, Wellesley will not allow students to cross-register for credit UROPs in winter (IAP) – UROPs in this period must be pay or volunteer.
  2. Complete the MIT-Wellesley cross-registration form . Details on appropriate subject #s follow.
    • For subject number – list the MIT department/course # number followed by the appropriate UR code as noted below:
      • Pay/Volunteer = .URW (e.g. 7.URW)
      • Credit – pass/fail grading = .UR (e.g. 6.UR)
      • Credit – letter grading = .URG (e.g. 9.URG)
    • Course Title = “UROP”
    • Unit Total should be listed as “0” for pay/volunteer UROPs. Fall and spring credit UROPs should list MIT units as calculated below:
      • 6 – 8 MIT credits (6-8 hrs/wk) = 0.5 Wellesley unit
      • 9 – 11 MIT credits (9-11 hrs/wk) = 0.75 Wellesley unit
      • 12 – 14 MIT credits (12-14 hrs/wk) = 1 Wellesley unit
      • 15 – 17 MIT credits (15-17 hrs/wk) = 1.25 Wellesley units
      • 18 – 20 MIT credits (18-20 hrs/wk) = 1.5 Wellesley units
    • The MIT faculty member overseeing your research must e-sign your cross-registration form as the Faculty Supervisor.  Your form will not be accepted if signed by someone other than the faculty member (e.g. postdoc or graduate student directly supervising you).
  3. Download & complete the MIT Registrar’s Office Non-Institute Biographic Form.
  4. Email completed PDF copies of both your cross-registration form and MIT Non-Institute Biographic form to UROP staff (urop@mit.edu) for verification and approval no later than December 16, 2024 (for IAP 2024 UROPs).  Failure to accurately complete the cross-registration documents will result in them not being accepted.
  5. UROP staff will review and email your cross-registration forms to the MIT Registrar’s office. Allow 5-7 business days for the MIT Registrar to process your cross-registration, before proceeding to the next step. *Due to MIT graduation and degree list priorities, cross-registration requests will be reviewed on a slower basis (7 to 10 days) during the month of May. No follow up is necessary. Records at MIT will send an email when your forms have been processed. Wellesley students cannot start their summer UROPs until the official start of the MIT Summer Session on June 9, 2025, since registration status is not active until this date for cross-registered students. Any work done before June 9 would need to be conducted through a non-UROP mechanism.
  6. If you do not already have a MIT Kerberos Account (MIT email username and password), complete your MIT Kerberos Account Registration. You’ll need your MIT ID# in order to create your MIT account.  If you don’t know your MIT ID#, contact the MIT Registrar’s Office.  MIT Kerberos Accounts are required to access MIT online systems.  It can take 24-48 hours after the creation of your Kerberos account for all MIT systems to recognize your account.
  7. If you do not already have a MIT ID card, then go to MIT Card Services in Room E17-106 to obtain one. You’ll need this card to enter MIT buildings, labs, etc.
  8. Write your 1-2 page research proposal using our proposal template. Even if continuing a UROP from a prior term, you must update your proposal to include your research plan/goals for the current term.
  9. Access the Online UROP Application System to submit your application ( MIT Touchstone authentication & MIT Duo two-factor authentication required for access). NOTE: If you conducted UROP in a prior term, then you must complete an evaluation of that term’s UROP before your new application can be submitted.
    • If you haven’t yet completed the MIT IPIA agreement, your UROP homepage will display a notice & link to complete this form online. Once you complete the IPIA form, you’ll be able to complete your formal MIT UROP application. 
    • If working for pay (sponsored research), you must have an I-9 on file with MIT before beginning any paid UROP work. Again, you’ll receive a notice to complete the I-9 within the UROP application system. Learn more about the I-9 process at: https://hr-mit-edu.ezproxy.canberra.edu.au/i-9. Questions about I-9s should go to: i-9@mit.edu. NOTE: If you are a Wellesley College international student choosing to pursue a paid UROP opportunity during fall, spring or summer terms, please consult with the Slater International Center to obtain proper off-campus work authorization at least 2 weeks before beginning any paid research opportunity at MIT. Off-campus work authorization is not available for MIT’s January Independent Activities Period (IAP). 
  10. Make sure to complete your Online UROP Application and submit it to your faculty supervisor (Faculty Review) no later than Tuesday, January 14 at 11:59pm ET for IAP UROPs.

    NOTE: you may need to apply well before this deadline should your UROP department require verification of UROP status prior to granting lab access. Faculty & departments will have some additional time to complete their reviews once you have submitted your portion of the application.
  11. Application questions and decisions are communicated via email to your MIT email account. Regularly check your MIT email for important messages from UROP staff, including formal approvals, which are required before being able to get set-up in payroll for a paid UROP.