URGO provides research opportunities for Augsburg undergraduate students year-round. Student researchers work directly with faculty mentors as they gain important analytic, technical, and writing skills. In an increasingly competitive job market and graduate admissions pool, these transferable skills are highly valuable. URGO offers an 11-week Summer Research Program as well as research grants throughout the academic year for students who wish to further their study outside the classroom. Students from all disciplines are invited to participate, and past projects have ranged from biology lab work to theater performance. All final projects are presented at Augsburg’s annual research poster symposium in the Spring.
***IMPORTANT: Phishing Scam Alert***
Please be aware of ongoing phishing scams targeting Augsburg email users with fake research job offers. These messages are becoming increasingly sophisticated, often using legitimate-sounding language and referencing a real Augsburg faculty member—while sending from a non-Augsburg address (commonly a Gmail account). Never send money. Augsburg will never request payment. Never provide personal or financial information. If you receive one of these emails, do not respond and mark it as spam/phishing.
For details and examples, visit: https://sites.augsburg.edu/it/2026/01/08/happy-2026-a-look-back-at-phishing-and-scams-in-2025/.
Academic-Year Research Grants (80 hours)
Each fall URGO offers $1,200 research grants for undergraduates who wish to gain research experience with an Augsburg faculty member. These grants require 80 hours of research over the course of the academic year and are a great way to ease into research or to continue work on an existing project.
Applications for Academic-Year Research Grants are accepted on a rolling basis. To apply, complete the electronic application below with your faculty mentor. Upon completion of the research project, students are required to fill out the research report form below. Mentor approval for projects is shown by emailing the report form to urgo@augsburg.edu.
2025-2026 Academic Year Research applications CLOSED.
Current academic year researchers: Submit the Project Completion Report and a signed W-9 form by May 8, 2026 to receive payment.
URGO Summer Research Program (200 or 400 hours)
The URGO Summer Research Program is an 11-week, on-campus program where students are funded to work with a faculty mentor. Students receive support throughout the research process from their faculty mentor, weekly seminars, and roundtable discussions with fellow researchers. URGO provides full-time summer researchers (400 hours) with a $6,000 stipend while half-time researchers (200 hours) receive a $3,000 stipend. The program runs from mid-May through the end of July.
* Fulfills Augsburg Experience requirement.
URGO Summer Research Assistantships (100 hours)
URGO also provides funding for students to work for a professor as a research assistant on an ongoing research project. This is a 100-hour commitment over the course of the summer and comes with a $1,500 stipend. This is an excellent opportunity to try out research for the first time or focus on a specific aspect of a research project.
Apply for a summer research opportunity:
2026 Summer Research Info Packet
Phase 1 Application (Due February 6th, 2026)
Phase 2 Application (Due March 13th, 2026)
Resources:
- Tips for Writing an Effective Proposal
- Sample Research Proposals – must be signed in with an Augsburg email to access proposals
Please note that proposals will vary quite a bit by discipline and project. These samples are simply meant to provide you with an idea of the tone and level of detail expected in a proposal.
Augsburg Experience
All URGO research experiences count towards the Augsburg Experience requirement if the student presents their research publicly (Zyzzogeton, regional conference, national conference, etc.).
To apply your URGO research to the Augsburg Experience requirement:
- After you have completed your hours and public presentation, have your faculty mentor sign the Augsburg Experience Form.
- Turn the form in to the Registrar.