As we prepare to implement these pledges, it is important to delineate the opportunities for experiential learning gains achieved through internship and research experiences. The table below provides an outline of key differences.

 

AU students may be eligible if:

• Full-time undergraduate student with 30+ completed credits
• Complete the designated AU Ready Research pledge preparatory course (for fall 2026, this will be UGST 096 and UGST 396 sections designed as AU Ready Research Preparation)
• In good standing (academic and student conduct)
• Have not already received AU Ready support (research or internship)

Eligible students will submit the AU Ready Research project application that describes the research project and routes to the project mentor. Students will work on the application as part of the prep course.

Because of the eligibility guidelines and our timeline to launch the pledge, no student support payments will be ready prior to January 2027 for the AU Ready Research pledge.

The AU Ready Research pledge is not intended to be competitive; all AU eligible students who have an approved project and mentor should be able to participate.

Students engaging in undergraduate research need a clear and defined mentor. Mentorship is both developmental and grounded in outcomes. A mentor supports the student researcher’s learning, growth, and progress while also guiding their tasks related to research questions or creative endeavors. The mentor oversees the agreed-to scope-of-work, tracks progress, and ensures completion of all deliverables.

For the purposes of the AU Ready Research pledge, a mentor is a subject-matter/methodological expert as evidenced by their position as a:

• Full-time AU faculty member
• Full-time employee in AU’s Centers, Institutes, and Initiatives

Other AU employees can also serve as AU Ready research experience mentors when designated through the student project application that describes the role that they will take on and the project the student will be completing. Mentors will be provided with an AU Ready Research mentoring handbook and with ongoing professional development from the Center for Faculty Excellence.

Undergraduate research experiences will be eligible for AU Ready Research support based on the project application submitted. As part of the application, they will designate their research mentor and the application will route to the mentor for approval.

Open mentored research opportunities with AU faculty or Centers/Institutes/Initiatives will be covered in the AU Ready Research preparatory course and shared regularly with students completing the course. All applications require a project description, timeline of expected hours or work, and student learning outcomes.

Students receiving financial support via the AU Ready Research pledge must complete a minimum of 100 hours on the research experience over a time period of at least eight weeks in length. The application will confirm that the student is eligible, has an appropriate AU faculty or employee mentor, and has a clearly defined research experience or project that meets the requirement.

Eligible and prepared students may receive funding for approved research experiences related to the AU Ready Research pledge. They are not required to be enrolled in a research or independent study course beyond the pre-requisite AU Ready Research preparatory course.

There are many ways that AU students enrolled in research or independent study courses are demonstrating learning gains through research experiences. Funding may align with credit-bearing work only when the research experience includes additional scope, time, or outcomes beyond degree requirements. The Capstone requirement is not eligible for the AU Research fund.

Students are eligible for the AU Ready Research or Internship pledge support and other types of AU-funded research support but may not receive multiple forms of financial support for the same project at the same time. This allows students to develop more sophisticated research projects or engage in various intellectual experiences to build their engagement over time. Students are limited to one AU Ready support payment in total – either one internship experience or one research experience.

Foreign national students have some eligibility differences from domestic students with regard to employment. However, foreign national students are eligible for the AU Ready Research pledge. Students are limited to 20 hours of work in research assistant positions per week while school is in session, need to have earned at least 30 credit hours, and have been in-country for a year before eligible. An on-campus employment authorization is needed, and students should plan to consult with ISSS in advance on authorizations, tax rates, and other implications.

There are three payment mechanisms that have been established by the University Budget Office: a direct student support payment, an hourly wage, or as a financial aid payment. The information provided in the application by student and mentor will help to determine the method of payment.

The Encounter AU courses for new students are taught each fall and spring. Students will learn about AU experiential learning opportunities – especially internships, research, study abroad, and community-based learning – and map their own goals and opportunities as part of the course’s module on vocation.

All AU students are subject to both the Academic Integrity Code and the Student Code of Conduct. Inappropriate student conduct related to dishonesty, misrepresentation, fraud, forgery, providing false information, inappropriate collaboration, plagiarism, and/or fabrication of data will be sent to the appropriate conduct body for adjudication.

The pledge funding is not based on demonstrated financial need. Students do not need to receive financial aid to access the AU Ready pledge funds, but it may impact existing financial aid and/or have tax implications. Students should plan to consult with their financial aid counselor.

No, students may not apply retroactively.