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REU Programs at Illinois

We will provide online delivery of professional development programming previously offered to REUs. If you are an REU who will provide programming via alternative online mechanisms this year, we are happy to partner with you. If you have questions or would like more information, please contact us at: reu-programs@illinois.edu

Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) programs are designed to allow undergraduate students to participate in research-related activities. Most University of Illinois REUs offer students a fellowship stipend. Participants actively engage in the research process, but are not required to produce deliverables for a particular research grant. Starting in summer 2018, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign centralized REU stipend payments to:

  • bring the Urbana-Champaign Campus into compliance with funder, university, state, and federal policies and procedures, and IRS guidelines
  • provide Urbana-Champaign Campus with a standardized process
  • promote ease of monitoring and increased transparency
  • reduce departmental staff workload

If you are an academic program interested in offering REU Fellowships, please see the REU Fellowship Requirements.

If you are a student interested in an REU program, please see the List of REU Programs at Illinois.

REU Fellowship Process:

Step

PI/Coordinator/Department

Graduate College

Proposal

PI: Contacts GC for guidance on REU Fellowship budget.

PI: Writes and submits proposal.

Dept.: Routes proposal through GC for signature if REU Fellowships are included.

Dept.: Notifies GC at reu-programs@illinois.edu of any newly funded REU program as soon as awarded.

PI: Selects coordinator and notifies GC at reu-programs@illinois.edu.

 GC: Updates departments and existing REU PIs and Coordinators of REU processing procedures or changes at the beginning of every semester

Select REU Participants

Coordinator: Submits Offer Letter template to GC at reu-programs@illinois.edu for approval at least two weeks prior to notification.

PI: Selects (or delegates selection of) participants

Coordinator: Notifies students selected to participate.

 GC: Approves notification at least one week prior to notification

Onboard REU Participants

Coordinator: Submits completed REU Information Form for each participant to GC one month prior to designated start date via PEAR using link provided on REU information form, including (as attachments) copies of the program’s offer letter sent to the participant and the participant’s acceptance letter.

Dept.: Sends a list of all participants to reu-programs@illinois.edu when offer and accept period is completed

For Foreign National REU Participants only:

Coordinator: Submits documentation to ISSS office upon arrival to the United states

Coordinator: Coordinates participant meetings with Payroll and Benefit Office to obtain temporary ID numbers upon arrival on campus

Dept: Ensure participants complete New Hire forms upon simultaneous receipt of “UI New Hire” announcement e-mail by Department and participant no later than the designated start date. Late submission of New Hire forms can delay first payment to participant

 

 GC: Processes REU Fellowship for participants with first payment commencing on the 16th of the month following the month of the designated start date

Safety

PI: Ensures site safety compliance

Coordinator: Ensure participants are insured by designated start date

Coordinator: Ensure all participants complete lab/field safety training by date indicated on their REU Information Forms

 GC: Documents completion of lab training by each participant by date indicated in their REU Information Form

Processing Participants During REU

 Dept.: Notify GC of early termination of any REU stipend payments as soon as known GC: Processes monthly stipend payments to participants, paid on 16th of each month for prior month’s participation

     

    Forms:

    Download the REU Information Form

     

    REU Information Form Instructions

    Please print out a copy of the completed PDF for you own records.

    NOTE: If a participant is under age 18 at the time of the research experience, most forms will require the signature of a parent or legal guardian. It is the lab’s responsibility to check the participants’ ages via passport, driver’s license, or birth certificate.

     

    Upload completed REU form

    Upload your completed form via Protected Email Attachment Repository (PEAR). PEAR is a closed webmail application available to anyone with a valid University of Illinois NetID.

    Questions:

    If you have questions, please contact: reu-programs@illinois.edu