Information for Applicants

As an awardee, you’ll dive into your research project with the help of your mentor and lab members. Both the Levinson Emerging Scholars and WRF Fellowships share the same application, so you’re encouraged to apply for both. Here’s what you will need for the application:

Background & Goals Statement

• Share what motivated you to pursue this proposed research project.  
• Describe the ways research has complemented your college coursework and enhanced your undergraduate academic experience.  
• Tell us about the role the proposed research project plays in helping you meet your long-term educational and professional goals. 
• Explain how this award would impact you and your ability to conduct this research. 

Project Description 

• Abstract: Provide an abstract of your research project (up to 300 words). 
• Research Plan: Provide a 4-page proposal (double-spaced, 12pt font) with details about your project, methods, timeline, expected results, and why it’s important. You may include up to 2 additional pages for references and figures if applicable. Your research plan must include: 

• • Significant questions or problems the research will address  
  • Project methods and timeline  
  • Anticipated or possible results  
  • An explanation of the importance of your project to its field of study and potential societal implications.  

• Innovation and New Directions/Applications: Describe the ways your research could contribute to innovation in your field and if applicable, the development of new technologies (up to 150 words). 
• Independence & Creative Input: Describe the level of independence you will have in your research project and the contributions you have made to the project proposal. Describe the support your mentor will provide you during the project (up to 200 words). 

Budget (Levinson Only)

If you are also applying to the Levinson Emerging Scholars award, provide a budget that shows how you’ll use the award, including educational expenses and research supplies (up to $8,000). You can use the budget templates provided.

Budget Template (Word)

Budget Template (pdf)

Faculty Mentor Recommendation

Submit contact information for your faculty mentor, who will submit a recommendation letter. Faculty recommenders will receive letter-writing instructions via email. You can also include a second letter from another mentor if desired.

Transcripts and Resume

These will be reviewed as part of the application.

The University of Washington is committed to providing access and accommodation in its services, programs, and activities. If any accommodation is needed in the completion and submission of the award application please contact undergradresearch@uw.edu at least one week before the application deadline. 

Selection Process & Criteria

Your application will be reviewed by a committee of faculty and staff. Awardees are selected using these criteria:

Student Background & Goals

• The applicant is academically prepared and has sufficient prior experience to engage in the proposed research.
• The applicant demonstrates drive and self-motivation to engage in the proposed research.
• The applicant demonstrates genuine interest, curiosity, and passion for the proposed research. 

Project Description 

• The applicant provides the background information necessary to understand the context and purpose of their project.  
• The applicant describes clear aims for their project and how they plan to achieve them. 
• The applicant discusses the potential results and implications of their project. 
• The proposed work can realistically be completed during the award period. 

Independence & Creative Input 

• The applicant has clearly participated in the intellectual development of the project proposal. 
• The applicant demonstrates independence in their research. This independence is recognized and supported by the research mentor. 
• The student or mentor conveys a supportive research environment that will help facilitate this research experience. 

Connection to Student’s Goals & Impact 

• The applicant describes how this research experience will help them advance toward their long-term goals, particularly as these relate to a career in research. 
• The applicant describes the potential learning outcomes of the research experience. 
• The applicant conveys the financial impact of this award on their ability to engage in research as an undergraduate student. 

Innovation & New Direction/Applications 

• The applicant describes how their project will lead to innovation and/or new technology. 

Feedback on your Application

If you did not receive the WRF Fellowship or Levinson Emerging Scholars Award, you can request a virtual appointment to receive application feedback by contacting undergradresearch@uw.edu. We are unable to accommodate application feedback requests after the fall quarter begins. 

Attend an Information Session

Want to learn more about the application process? Join an info session! Dates for the 2025-2026 application cycle will be posted in Spring 2025. Stay tuned!

Ask for Feedback Before Submitting Your Application

Before you hit submit, get feedback!

• Talk to your research mentor about the application and ask them to review your materials. They can offer valuable advice and help you explain your project clearly.
• It’s also a good idea to ask someone outside your research group to look over your application. A fresh perspective will help make sure your research is easy to understand for a wider audience.

Make sure to leave enough time to get feedback before the deadline. Just a heads-up, the Office of Undergraduate Research can’t provide feedback on applications.

Campus Resources

• Office of Merit Scholarships, Fellowships, & Awards (OMSFA): They offer advice and resources to help you through the scholarship process. Visit the OMSFA website to learn more and book an appointment with an advisor.

• Odegaard Writing & Research Center (OWRC): The OWRC has peer tutors who can help you with writing and offer suggestions as you work through your application. They won’t proofread for you, but they’re great at helping you think through your ideas. Check out the OWRC website for more info.

Use Levinson Budget Examples as Guides

When you apply for Levinson, you’ll need to create a research budget. This is a great chance to get hands-on experience with budgeting for a project. You can also ask for funds to cover things like tuition, textbooks, or even a personal computer if that would help your research. Use the budget examples as a guide to make sure you’re on the right track. We hope the budgeting process is useful for you and your project!

Budget Template (Word)

Budget Template (pdf)

Levinson Budget Template Ex. 1

Levinson Budget Template Ex. 2

Levinson Budget Template Ex. 3

Advice from Prior Awardees

Showcase your scientific thinking! Highlight the significance of your research by explicitly pinpointing the existing knowledge gap in your field. Articulate your plans for addressing potential discrepancies between your data and hypotheses. – Dania Ahmed, Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, Levinson Emerging Scholar

Start early and have multiple people read through your drafts. It is beneficial to have feedback from people of different backgrounds to ensure your writing is technical but also understandable to a wide range of audiences. – Joy Chen, Bioengineering, Levinson Emerging Scholar

Express how excited about your project and the experience you’ve had in your lab! The technical aspects of your project are important, but just as important is your ability to articulate why you want to dedicate so much time and effort to your research. I think that sharing your motivations and passion for your project makes others more likely to be excited and engage with your project, too! I also think that articulating specific experiments and specifications for your project helps to convince reviewers that you have a solid plan as to how you are going to attack your project. It also demonstrates you are capable of completing your project and have a deep understanding of your research. – Beau Lonnquist, Bioengineering, Levinson Emerging Scholar

Washington Research Foundation Fellows are expected to:

• Stay active in their research throughout the award period.
• Share updates about their project when requested.
• Participate in quarterly WRF Fellow and Levinson Emerging Scholar events offered by the Office of Undergraduate Research.
• Present their research at the annual UW Undergraduate Research Symposium.
• Be enrolled full-time (12 credits or more ) as an undergraduate student at the University of Washington (Seattle, Bothell, Tacoma).
• Start the award in the Fall Quarter.

Each year, about ten students are chosen as Washington Research Foundation Fellows. Award amounts are $8,000, to be disbursed in the amount of $2,667 at the beginning of the Autumn, Winter, and Spring Quarters. You can also apply for extra funding to present your research at a professional conference.