a picture of aspire scholars

Applying for ASPIRE

Become an ASPIRE Scholar!

ASPIRE Scholars earn course credit while spending 10 hours a week developing laboratory skills and conducting research. They have the opportunity to participate in all stages of the research process, ultimately developing the knowledge and skills to design independent research projects and make novel contributions to their chosen field. For more information, contact the program directors at aspire@ucdavis.edu

You must be a first-year or second-year student to apply. Unfortunately, transfer students are not currently eligible for ASPIRE.

Finding the right mentor

If you are interested in applying to ASPIRE, please begin by looking through the available faculty members page (which is updated each year in October). On the faculty mentors page, you can explore the research topics studied by each faculty mentor. You can learn more by clicking on a faculty mentor's name, which will bring you to a short summary of their research interests. If you want to learn more about that mentor's lab, click on the link to their lab's website. From there, you can read more about the faculty mentor's interests. You will need to identify three potential mentors. 

Information sessions

We held an information session on October 21, 2024. Click here to view a recording

How to apply

The application form for Fall 2024 is now open. Click the button below to apply. Applications are due by 11:59 PM on Monday, October, 28, 2024