The MARC U-STAR program provides academic, experiential, and financial support, as well as mentorship and guidance, to help prepare participants to enter and complete a Ph.D. program in the behavioral or biomedical sciences.
The MARC U-STAR Award is a distinguished scholarship which provides support for undergraduate students to increase access to biomedical research laboratories in order to improve their preparation for high-caliber graduate training at the Ph.D. level. Trainees must be honors-level students majoring in the biomedical or behavioral sciences with an expressed interest in pursuing postgraduate education leading to the Ph.D., M.D.-Ph.D., or other combined professional degree-Ph.D. after graduation. The MARC U-STAR award provides support to rising sophomores or juniors for up to a 36 consecutive month period at the final 2 or 3 years of undergraduate training. This typically includes a summer research experience at a research-intensive institution outside the home institution.
MARC U-STAR scholars receive an award that pays for sixty percent of their CU Denver tuition, an academic year stipend, a summer stipend, money to support travel to academic conferences, and room and board for out-of-state summer research experiences. Students are expected to participate for two academic years including summers.
Click on the links to learn more about each aspect of the program!