The University of Richmond may be a small liberal arts university — but we do big research. All across campus, whether in the lab, the art studio, the archives, or even around the globe, you’ll find important research happening at Richmond.
Our professors and students are working on finding cures for cancer, conducting brain research, training robots, programming AI, analyzing historical political data and literary texts, and creating new works of art.
In short: the opportunities for undergraduate research, our faculty mentors, and our funding.
At Richmond, you can research as early as your first year by creating an independent project with a faculty mentor or collaborating with professors who lead their own grant-funded research.
Not only will professors mentor you every step of the way, Richmond guarantees funding for summer research fellowships. In 2025, about 300 students earned funding for a summer research project. And it all starts with an idea.
In addition to academic discovery and creating new knowledge, participating in research can help you secure fellowships, prepare you for graduate school, and expand your career opportunities.
At Richmond, student researchers are true partners in the work, and our professors embrace their role as teachers and mentors. Your work could lead to discoveries, surprising findings, and new questions.
When your work is done, you're encouraged to share your results through annual school and department symposia, national conferences, and publishing.
One of Richmond's signature programs, The Richmond Guarantee, guarantees funding up to $5,300 to help you cover expenses while participating in approved unpaid or underpaid internships and research positions. If you find the right opportunity, Richmond can help fund it. Each year more than 500 Richmond students participate in these UR Summer Fellowships.
But research funding isn't limited to the summer. Students can also apply for stipends, grants, and travel awards to help cover expenses while completing research that aligns with their academic pursuits. We want you to gain hands-on work experience while reducing the financial impact that might otherwise prevent you from participating.
“Science often moves forward in small steps,” says professor Colleen Carpenter-Swanson.
UR is partnering with local environmental justice nonprofit Southside ReLeaf on a community-led study of flooding on the Southside of Richmond.
Yes. Richmond encourages first-year students to begin research, with pathways available in multiple departments across campus.
Students can pursue research positions on campus, off campus, and abroad.
Students can pursue research in nearly every major spanning the sciences, social sciences, arts, business, and leadership. The work ranges from lab experiments to creative work and community-based studies.
The Richmond Guarantee is a University program that supports student research and internships. Every undergraduate student in the School of Arts & Sciences, Jepson School of Leadership Studies, and the Robins School of Business is eligible to receive a fellowship of up to $5,300 for an unpaid or underpaid summer internship or faculty-mentored research project.
Yes. Richmond offers stipends, grants, and fellowships that support research expenses and travel.
