California Louis Stoke Alliance for Minority Participation (CAMP)

Fall CAMP

The program lasts the length of fall quarter. Applications for Fall CAMP are now closed. 

Spring CAMP

The program lasts the length of the spring quarter (10 weeks). Check back in February 2025 for the next cycle.

Summer CAMP

The program lasts 10 weeks.The summer dates for 2025 are June 23 - August 29. Check back in March 2025 for the next cycle.

Quarterly CAMP:

• Scholarship: $1000 scholarship (This scholarship will be disbursed by Financial Aid and will be incorporated into your overall financial aid package. If you have questions about how this may affect your financial aid award, please contact scholarships@ucsd.edu or visit the FAS website.)
• Mentored research experience: Conduct research mentored by a UC San Diego faculty member
• Conference travel funding: By participating in CAMP, you are eligible to apply for URH's conference travel funding.
• Conference presentation experience: Present at the CAMP Statewide Symposium (winter 2024)

Summer CAMP:

• Fellowship: $3,500 fellowship
• Research credit: Receive 199 credit
• Mentored research experience: Conduct research mentored by a UC San Diego faculty member
• Housing: Free on-campus housing (meal plan/points not included) or a housing allowance (a minimum of $1500)
• Professional development: Professional development seminars
• Conference presentation experience: Present research at the Summer Research Conference and the CAMP Statewide Symposium
• Conference travel funding: By participating in CAMP, you are eligible to apply for URH's conference travel funding.

Quarterly CAMP

• Requirements
  • Conduct an average of 10-12 hours of mentored research per week.
  • Submit a deliverable (e.g. research paper) to the CAMP coordinator and your faculty research mentor.
• Exclusions
  • Students may not take departmental 199 (independent research) or other class credit for the project (e.g., honors thesis).
  • Students may not receive payment from another source for the same work being proposed for CAMP.
  • Students may not participate in another structured research program.

Summer CAMP

• Requirements
  • Conduct an average of 30 hours of mentored research per week.
  • Submit a deliverable (e.g. research paper) to the CAMP coordinator and your faculty research mentor.
  • Participate in required program elements (workshops, seminars, orientation, conferences, etc.).
  • Present research at the Summer Research Conference and the CAMP Statewide Symposium.
• Exclusions
  • Students may not take summer classes during the program period.
  • Students may not hold an outside job during the scholarship period and may be asked to sign a form indicating they have ended all employment for the summer.
  • Students may not be concurrently paid through their research group for work done during the summer.

You are eligible to apply if you meet the following criteria:

• Are a U.S. citizen or permanent resident.
• UC San Diego undergraduate student.
• Have at least 90 units by the time the program begins.
• Per the National Science Foundation, historically underrepresented minority groups include Black/African-American, Hispanic/Latino, Native American, and Non-Filipino-Pacific Islander. Your inclusion in one of these groups is based on the ethnic identity you reported to UC San Diego.
  
• Majoring in chemistry, physics, biology, engineering, mathematics, computer science, cognitive science, marine biology, or earth sciences. Other similar disciplines may be eligible. 
• Have at least a 2.7 grade point average.
• Preference for students who have not previously participated in this program.

Find a faculty mentor

• Before applying, students should find a faculty mentor
• Don't wait! Students should find a mentor and discuss a potential research project before adding that faculty member's name and email to the CAMP application.
• Students are responsible for finding and contacting their own mentor, but the CAMP coordinator can help if you're having a hard time. For tips, review our page on how to find a mentor. Start looking for a mentor as you're filling out the general application—be proactive!

Expectations of faculty mentor - When contacting/meeting with potential mentors, be sure to share this list with them so they know the expectations before agreeing to be your mentor.

• Mentor and oversee the student's research/artistic endeavor/public service project.
• Commit resources towards the training of the student.
• Personally meet with the student to periodically check on their progress or appoint someone in my group to do so.
• Ensure that the student completes all required training and certifications prior to starting any research, if necessary.

There are 4 items required to apply to CAMP:

1. Applications

• General Application and Undergraduate Application (When you finish the general application, you will be automatically directed to complete the undergraduate application).
• CAMP Application (After you finish the previous two applications, you will be given the opportunity to choose to complete the CAMP application.)

2. Personal responses

• Personal essay: Explain how your participation in CAMP can help you achieve your educational and career goals. Please describe how your skills and experiences will allow you to conduct the kind of research you intend to pursue during the award period. You should also provide an explanation of the kind of skills, experiences, and/or professional relationships you hope to develop as a result of your participation in CAMP. (500 words or fewer)
• CAMP mission: The California Alliance for Minority Participation (CAMP) is an NSF-funded program that has two primary goals: 1) to increase the retention and graduation of historically underrepresented minority students in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) disciplines, such that 2) these students will diversify the nation's STEM careers. Please indicate how you support the mission of CAMP. (100 words or fewer)
• Project description: Please describe the research you would like to conduct in terms that can be understood by a non-expert audience. We encourage students to reach out to faculty mentors and/or the Writing Hub (writinghub.ucsd.edu) for support and feedback in writing project descriptions. (250 words or fewer)
• Be sure to proofread and edit your personal statement many times before submitting. It is also advised to have someone else review it and provide feedback.
  • In addition to spelling, grammar, and punctuation, review your personal statement for clarity, flow, and continuity of points.
  • Remember to use paragraphs to separate main points.

3. Copies of transcripts

• • If you are an incoming transfer student (You do not have a UC San Diego GPA):
    • A copy of your unofficial transcript(s) from previous school(s) (community colleges, other universities, etc.)
  • If you have attended UC San Diego for at least 1 quarter:
    • A copy of your unofficial UC San Diego transcript - (How to download your transcript)
    • If you completed coursework prior to attending UC San Diego (e.g., transfer credits), they will appear on your UC San Diego transcript. You do not need to upload transfer transcripts.

4. Mentor name and contact information

• Once you save your faculty mentor's information in the application, an email is automatically sent to that person asking them to agree a number of statements with regards to their support to mentor you in CAMP. (NOT a formal letter of recommendation.)
• The faculty mentor needs to complete this section before the application deadline.

Upon completion of the project, the recipient of a research scholarship must submit a final product. This product can vary, depending on the field and your project, but for most students, this ends up being a paper -- most often a summary report of what you accomplished during the quarter. It is highly recommended that you talk to your research mentor(s) to decide what kind of final product you will submit. Once this is agreed upon by you and your mentor, please notify the program coordinator if it will be something other than a final paper. 

Note: the final product to be submitted is separate from your requirement to present at SRC and/or the CAMP Symposium.

Guidelines for Your Deliverable: 

• Type of Deliverable: Typically, it is a paper or summary report of your accomplishments. If you wish to complete an alternative deliverable, seek approval from your mentor early and then contact the CAMP program coordinator or Dr. Artis.
• Approval: Must be read and approved by your faculty advisor/PI and lab mentor (if applicable) before final submission. 

Submission Instructions: 

• The final product is due up to a week after the end of the program.
• Ensure you discuss your deliverable with your mentor and have it reviewed before submitting it. 
• Email an electronic copy of your deliverable to the CAMP Program Coordinator.  
  • Write the Subject of the email as “[Spring or Summer] CAMP Deliverable: [First & Last Name]”.  
  • CC your faculty mentor on the email to demonstrate their approval. 

General Content Guidelines for a Final Paper: 

• Length: 4-5 pages, double-spaced. 
• Figures and Graphs: May be included within the page minimum. 
• Citations are not included in the page minimum. 
• Header: Include your name, PID, and title of your project. 
• The goal is to provide a comprehensive summary of your research, including any results and changes since your application. This typically resembles a peer-reviewed research paper in your field. Check with your mentor if you're unsure of how this should look. 
• Format: Follow the format of an academic paper/journal article within your field. Consult your mentor with any questions regarding format. 
• Font: Use 10-12 point font, Arial, Times New Roman, Calibri, or a similar-sized font. 

Note: Failure to submit a final product will result in billing the recipient for all funds received. Failure to repay the scholarship will result in future registration and transcript holds.