The application for PURC 2024 will be posted in late January 2024. The information below was for the PURC 2023 application.
PURC 2023 Application
Note that there are two parts to the application. You must submit both parts of the application on the same day so your payment and abstract submission are linked. Your application will be considered incomplete and will not be reviewed without both parts of the application.
Part 1 of the application is submitting general application information and payment.
Part 2 of the application is submitting your abstract for review.
You will receive a confirmation email after submitting each part of the application. These emails will serve as your official confirmation. Make sure to check your spam folder if you do not receive the email initially. Please contact us if you do not receive either email after your submission. For part 2 of the application, the receipt will be sent to the email address of the primary applicant.
Application Fee
The 2023 application cycle will have an associated fee of $30 per application to cover costs associated with the conference. Unfortunately, the department is unable to provide fee waivers for applicants at this time. Once you submit your application, refunds are not available under any circumstances.
Application Timeline
January 24, 2023: Application opens for submissions
March 1st, 2023: Application closes for review
Late March/Early April 2023: Submission decisions sent to applicants
May 12, 2023: PURC at UCLA!
Application Criteria
Presenter & Project Criteria
- Applicants must be currently enrolled as undergraduate students at a higher education research institution. Individuals who are not currently undergraduates are not eligible to apply, even if the research was conducted when they were an undergraduate.
- The project must cover a psychology topic (or a topic closely related to psychology).
- The project can represent original research or research that is a derivative of another’s original research work (i.e. the work of a faculty or graduate researcher). The student(s) should have contributed significantly to the research that is presented at the conference.
- The research does not have to be completed before the conference. However, at the time of the application deadline, applicants should be able to complete an APA abstract of the research including the research design and methods. Data results and the conclusion do not have to be completed, but projected results and concerns can be addressed in the poster display or oral presentation. We are flexible in including students who are at different phases in the research process. However, projects that are significantly less developed may be less competitive in the applicant pool.
- Research theses, research assistantships, and independent research projects are all possible projects appropriate for this conference. Research projects completed during a research methods course may be submitted, but may be less competitive in the applicant pool.
- Poster presentations may be done either individually or in groups. Groups can have no more than three presenters.
- 5-minute data blitzes should not have more than two students presenting. If you have a group of more than two individuals, you should instead apply to present a poster at the conference.
Faculty Sponsor Criteria
- The sponsor must be Psychology faculty (or faculty in a closely related field) at the presenters’ school.
- The sponsor must be available to assist his/her students with abstract editing and to assist with preparing presentations and presentation materials.
- The sponsor must be available to communicate with PURC coordinators regarding his/her students’ progress.
Selection Process
PURC has grown increasingly more popular over the last few years, so acceptance to the conference is not guaranteed. We are looking for applications that represent high quality undergraduate research efforts. Additionally, we are looking for diversity in the campuses and projects represented at this conference. Anyone may apply, but only the more competitive and qualified projects are likely to be accepted.