Information for Students

Students from all majors and class levels are eligible to apply. Students typically join a VIP team in their second year at IUB.  

No, although some teams may prefer applicants who have completed specific coursework or developed particular skills relevant to the project. See the Explore Teams page for more information.

Students must first apply and be selected for a VIP team before they can participate. Students will be issued permission to enroll in their VIP's corresponding course, where they will receive a grade and earn academic credit for each semester of participation. 

The time commitment varies depending on the team, project goals, and number of credits earned. Most students should expect to spend approximately 3–5 hours per week on VIP activities for each credit earned, including team meetings, project work, documentation, and course assignments. Specific expectations will be communicated by the team lead before the semester begins.

VIP students contribute to ongoing faculty-led research, innovation, and creative inquiry projects. Activities may include collecting and analyzing data, designing solutions, conducting literature reviews, developing technical skills, creating project materials, or presenting findings. All students participate as members of a collaborative team and share their work at the Undergraduate Symposium for Creative Activity and Research each spring.

Students typically begin by learning about the team's goals, projects, and prior work. As they gain experience, they take on greater responsibility, contribute more independently, and help lead project activities. Long-term participants often serve as mentors and leaders within their teams.

Start by exploring the current VIP teams and identifying those that match your interests.

Applications open each February for Fall recruitment and each September for Spring recruitment. Applicants will be asked to select their preferred team and submit a brief statement describing their interests, relevant experience, and reasons for applying.

There is no minimum GPA requirement, although students must be in good academic standing. Letters of recommendation are neither required nor accepted as part of the application process.

VIP faculty team leads review applications based on the needs of their teams. Accepted students will receive information about enrollment and next steps.