FAQs

Who can apply to the MUSE program?

Any undergraduate or graduate student in the College of Engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign can apply to the program. International students can apply. First-year students are recommended to apply in their second semester.

What do I need to apply?

You will need to submit your resume/curriculum vitae and complete the online information sheet.

When is the application period?

Students may apply at any point in the school year. We will facilitate the matching process throughout the fall and spring semesters.

How long must I participate in the program?

Mentors and mentees will decide on when their mentoring relationship begins and the length of time in the MUSE program. A minimum of one (1) year of participation is expected.

Will I work on a research project?

Depending on the information submitted by the graduate student mentors, undergraduate students may be given research projects to work on.

Do I get to choose who I will be matched with?

To some extent, yes, as you will have a say in the qualities of your mentor or mentee, such as their year or research area. The matching process will be based on common research interests and the mentoring needs of both undergrads and grad students. At each matching event, each matched graduate student and undergraduate student will meet and discuss their research interests and mentoring needs, and each will rank the other on a scale of 0 to 4 on the quality of the match. The ratings of both the graduate student and undergraduate student will be taken into account when determining final matches.

How will I know who will be my mentor or mentee?

Graduate students will be informed of their potential matches once they have been matched.

Do I have to submit multiple applications over multiple years?

If a student would like to participate in the program over multiple years, that student must submit one application for each respective application cycle.

For how long will my application be considered?

We perform the matching process on a first-come, first-serve basis. If a student remains unmatched after one round of matching, that student will remain in the candidate pool and will be considered with other grad students until the end of the application cycle in which he or she applied.

What should I do if I want to withdraw my application?

If you no longer want to be considered for the MUSE program, please email nmamaril@illinois.edu and your application can be withdrawn.