PURSUE LAS

Program for Undergraduate Research, Scholarship, and Exploration

Overview

PURSUE LAS is a College of Liberal Arts & Sciences initiative designed to expand access to high‑quality undergraduate research and scholarly experiences. By supporting both established programs and new pilot initiatives, PURSUE LAS strengthens the undergraduate research ecosystem across the College—ensuring more students can engage in discovery, creativity, and hands‑on learning.

This program provides funding to LAS departments, schools, and units to create, expand, or scale research and scholarly opportunities that prepare students to contribute meaningfully in their disciplines and beyond.

Program Goals

PURSUE LAS is designed to:

• Broaden Access
  Expand participation in well‑structured, high‑impact undergraduate research and scholarly programs across LAS.
• Spark Innovation
  Support pilot initiatives in units with limited research infrastructure or where new models of student engagement are emerging.
• Drive Impact and Sustainability
  Collect participation and outcome data to inform future investments and strengthen the long‑term undergraduate research landscape in LAS.

Who Can Apply?

Proposals may be submitted by:

• LAS departments, schools, and units offering or developing undergraduate research or scholarly experiences
• LAS faculty proposing initiatives within their academic units
• Campus partner units that serve LAS undergraduates
• Collaborative or interdisciplinary proposals spanning multiple units are strongly encouraged

Award Period

Funding is available to support programs offered as early as Summer 2026, or to support programs occurring between August 2026 and July 2027.

Award Size

• Category 1: Established Programs: $10,000–$50,000
• Category 2: Pilot Initiatives: $5,000–$20,000

Funding is intended to maximize direct support for undergraduate students and meaningful research or scholarly engagement.

Types of Supported Programs

Category 1: Established Programs

Funding supports the expansion of proven undergraduate research or scholarly programs that:

• Can scale to include additional LAS students
• Offer interdisciplinary or cross‑unit opportunities
• Demonstrate clear outcomes and sustainability

Category 2: Pilot Initiatives

Funding supports the launch of new programs that:

• Introduce undergraduate research or scholarly experiences in units without existing programs
• Test innovative approaches to student engagement
• Build research culture and infrastructure within LAS

Allowable Costs

Funds may be used for:

• Student stipends or wages
• Personnel support (e.g., lab managers, project coordinators, graduate assistants directly supporting undergraduate research)
• Research supplies and materials
• Student travel (fieldwork, archival research, or conference presentation of student work derived from faculty-directed research programs)
• Project‑specific equipment (up to $2,500 per item; not general‑purpose office equipment)
• Student training and professional development, including workshops or seminars
• Other activities that position students to pursue external research funding or competitive research programs

Unallowable Costs

• Social or entertainment expenses unrelated to research
• General office supplies or general‑purpose equipment
• Faculty summer salary or faculty travel

Proposal Requirements

Each proposal must include:

Program Description & Objectives

• Project narrative (1–3 pages)
• Purpose, goals, and anticipated student outcomes
• Rationale for how the program enhances undergraduate research and development

Position Description (if applicable)

• Description of duties for any graduate or coordinator roles
• Explanation of how the role supports undergraduate research culture

Budget & Justification

• Detailed budget using the provided template 

  Document

  pursue-fy26_budget-template-1.xlsx
• Clear explanation of how requested funds support undergraduate participation

Student Recruitment & Participation Plan

• Strategies to ensure inclusive access, especially for students with little or no prior research experience
• Target number of students and anticipated demographics
• Timeline of major milestones or activities

Expected Outcomes & Metrics

• Clear, measurable goals (e.g., number of students served, interdisciplinary participation)
• Description of how success will be assessed

Data & Reporting Commitment

• Agreement to provide participation and outcome data for program evaluation and impact reporting

Reporting Requirements

Awardees are required to submit:

• Mid‑Year Progress Report
  Participation data and program updates
• End‑of‑Year Report
  Student outcomes, impact metrics, and feedback

Collected information may be used to evaluate program success and to highlight innovative undergraduate research initiatives across LAS.

How to apply

Applicants should submit all supporting documents through the LAS Funding Request webform. The application system does allow users to save a draft of their request and submit once complete. 

1. Log in to the LAS Funding Request webform using your net ID.
2. Select “New Form.”
3. For funding request type, select “Research.” This is in response to a specific call, “PURSUE"
4. Answer questions to complete the full application.

Apply for PURSUE LAS

Questions?

For questions about eligibility, proposal development, or submission, contact the
LAS Office of Research at las-research@illinois.edu. 

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)