Purdue undergraduate students who have completed less than a full-semester (including summer) of college-level research. The expectation is that either the participant or the lab are in Engineering - so non-engineering students are invited to apply to projects within Engineering departments. If a project is posted that is outside of Engineering, only Engineering students are able to apply.

If you have completed a full semester or summer of research with Purdue faculty you are not eligible to apply. However, if you have just started research in the fall (within the same academic year) you are eligible.

No, if you have not completed a full semester or summer of research with Purdue faculty as a college student, then you are eligible to apply.

All students studying at Purdue are welcome to apply, regardless of residency, but please note some projects do require US residency, so only apply to projects that do not list residency as a requirement.

You are eligible as long as you have not had formal research experience (e.g.: Directly with faculty in a research lab.)

Please apply online through the OUR Connect Portal. All the FTR projects are listed in the portal.

1. Read the descriptions of FTR projects posted on the OURConnect Portal.
2. Prepare your resume for the FTR projects you want to apply to.
3. Write a personalized email to the PI/ graduate student of the FTR project you applied to:
   1. Introduce yourself briefly
   2. Ask them questions about the project
   3. Express your curiosity and passion for the project specifically

This is a great way for them to know that you’re interested enough that you’re reaching out to them among all the FTR applicants. Then, you’re more likely to stand out when they review your application materials because they have a better impression of you than others.

If you have additional questions, schedule an appointment or come to EURO's student consultation hours and talk to one of the staff.

Yes.

The statement of interest is about one paragraph. You should think of it as a short cover letter on your application. The faculty who posted the project will read it and decide if they want to admit you for the project or reach out to you for more information.

You should still submit your unofficial Purdue transcript via myPurdue. Even if it doesn't include final grades, it will show the classes you are currently enrolled in.

You can. It is highly recommended to talk to the professor(s)/ graduate student(s) in charge of the projects you would like to apply for. This way you can leave them the impression that you’re highly interested. If you have any project- related questions, you should take the chance to ask them before you apply.

FTR offers will be emailed to students in early December. Please do not email/call us to inquire about application outcomes before then.

You will have a week to decide whether to accept or decline it. Please let us and the professor know the decision at your earliest convenience.

We have a Brightspace course page for FTR. After you accept your offer, you will register for ENGR 29600: First-Time Researcher. We offer seminars and other services to prepare you for your Spring Conference, as well as a few other assignments to ensure a fruitful experience for you.

You must enroll in 0 credit (pass/ fail) for this course if:

1. You’ve already enrolled in another research for credit course (MSE 499, CHE 411, etc.)
2. You’re NOT a full-time student and you do not want your tuition to increase.
3. You’ve reached the MAX number of credits (18 credit hours) one can take per semester.

If you register for 1,2, or 3 credits, they will count towards your GPA, and you’ll be assigned a regular letter grade based on the grading scale. There is no difference in workload or your pay for the FTR program or in your research in terms of choosing how many credits to register. We generally recommend all students register for the 3-credit option unless they have a good reason not to (e.g., tuition cost if they aren’t full-time). Since we cannot know the varying preferences of all FTR students (i.e., credit hour limit or does not want tuition to increase), the different credit versions of the ENGR 29600 course allow students to choose themselves how many credits they want to register.

The Engineering Undergraduate Research Office (EURO) cannot guarantee this course will be counted towards your degree requirement. You should check with your home academic departments whether the credits from this course can be counted (Note: for first-year students, check with your potential future academic departments).

The Engineering Undergraduate Research Office is located in Room 2526, Dudley Hall, 363 N Grant St, West Lafayette.

We generally expect you to complete the assignments on Brightspace and attend all FTR events. There are a few major deliverables that are required to be completed by all FTR fellows, regardless of the number of credits you registered. Failure to complete those major deliverables may result in FTR stipend suspension and/or a poor grade in the associated course.