All undergraduate students engaging in faculty-guided research should receive academic credit, pay or both, as allowable and appropriate. Faculty-guided research includes contributing to a faculty member's research project or completing a faculty-mentored independent project. 

Credit

Academic credit for undergraduate research is administered by individual departments and programs, based on the WashU faculty research mentor’s affiliation. The OUR does not grant credit for research. The Pathways into Research page on the OUR's website provides information about who to contact and how to obtain academic credit in many departments and programs. If yours is not listed, the OUR recommends contacting your major advisor and/or the Director of Undergraduate Studies in your area to learn more. 

Time commitments for undergraduate research vary by discipline, faculty mentor, and project. However, independent study and other research-for-credit courses typically require 8–10 hours of research per week for 3 units of credit. Opportunities earning fewer credit units will require less time. Students should consider degree requirements when planning for research credits (e.g., see Arts & Sciences regulations for independent study credit maximums). 

Undergraduate students pursuing an independent project (e.g., thesis or capstone) generally earn academic credit; students should not expect pay for such projects unless supported by outside funding (e.g., fellowship or award).

Pay

Some undergraduate students who contribute to a faculty member's research project receive hourly wages instead of or in addition to academic credit. The ability to receive both credit and pay for the same effort varies by department or program. Occasionally, students enter undergraduate research by getting hired into paid research assistant positions. Research groups will sometimes advertise paid positions on the OUR's News & Opportunities page or Handshake. More commonly, students begin their research training with a for-credit position on a faculty research project and might later transition to a paid role as they gain experience and skill.

For federal work-study eligible students, research can be a great opportunity to use your work-study funding to enhancing your learning. With this funding, the federal government will pay more than half of your wages, and this funding can be applied to a paid academic-year research position. If you have work-study funding as part of your financial aid package, be sure to highlight this when speaking with a potential research mentor. Work-study eligibility, however, does not guarantee that a paid research position will be available. If no paid role exists, you may still be able to participate for academic credit. When a paid role is available, Student Financial Services and your faculty mentor’s departmental administrator can help set it up logistically.