Application Process

How to Apply

As a part of the MUSE Program Relaunch, there is a new form now open for submissions. If you would like to participate in the MUSE program, please apply using the new form to be considered. Be sure to prepare your résumé or curriculum vitae as a PDF file as a part of the application.

Matching Process

Based on the information provided, undergraduate students will be matched preliminarily with potential graduate student mentors based on common research interests and the mentors’ preferences regarding the mentee’s year level. Each graduate student will be informed of their potential matches. Graduate students will have access to the résumés of all undergraduate students who could be their mentees.

Matched graduate students and undergraduate will have the opportunity to meet in a speed matching event, facilitated by MUSE program coordinators, where the matches will converse informally about their respective research interests one-on-one for four minutes at a time. Then, each will score the other on a scale of 0 to 4 on the quality of the match. MUSE program coordinators will determine the final matches based on these scores and reach out to the graduate students via email. The undergraduate students will be notified via email if they were matched or not.

Note that 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 (academic school year) in which he or she applied. If a student would like to participate in the program over multiple years, he or she must submit an application during the application cycle for each year.

First Speed Matching Event: October 12, 2022

The first round of matching has been completed. If you participated in our speed matching event, you will be notified of the results via email.

Second Speed Matching Event: Mid-November

The second round of matching will take place in mid-November. If you were not matched during the first round of matching, you will remain in the candidate pool and will be considered during the second round of matching. Please email nmamaril@illinois.edu if you applied but no longer want to be considered for MUSE.