VIP Pathways for Students

This page provides information for students at different stages of participation in the VIP Program.

Prospective Students

For students who are interested in VIP but not yet enrolled in a VIP Team.

VIP (Vertical Integrated Projects) gives students the opportunity to earn academic credit while working on long‑term, faculty‑led research projects.

As a prospective VIP student, you can expect to:

Join a multidisciplinary team led by a faculty member
Work on real research or design projects that continue across semesters
Collaborate with students from different majors and class years
Build skills while earning academic credit

No prior research experience is required. Teams vary in focus, size, and skill needs.

WHAT'S NEXT?

Current VIP Students

For students currently participating in a VIP Team.

Students currently enrolled in VIP are active members of a project team and participate each semester through a credit‑bearing course.

As a current VIP student, you will:

Contribute to ongoing research, design, or development work
Collaborate regularly with your team and faculty mentor
Receive academic credit through your department
Develop technical, professional, and teamwork skills

Responsibilities vary by team and experience level and typically increase over time.

LEVEL UP YOUR RESEARCH

Continuing VIP Students

For students planning to continuing in VIP across multiple semesters.

Continuing VIP students remain on the same VIP team to support long-term project continuity. Students can build on their experience through serving as VIP Peer Mentors, additional undergraduate research programs, funding opportunities, and professional development at FAU.

You may:

Take on increased responsibility or leadership roles
Mentor newer team members
Contribute to long‑term project planning and continuity
Deepen technical or research expertise

LEARN MORE ABOUT UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH

VIP Teams are long‑term, faculty‑led research groups where students from all majors and experience levels collaborate across multiple semesters on real‑world challenges.