The signature event of Undergraduate Research Week
Thursday, April 30, 2026
Time: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Location: Illini Union (1401 W Green St, Urbana)
- Posters: Rooms A,C, & South Lounge
- Oral / Performance Presentations: 2nd Floor
- Exhibits & Demonstrations: Room B
Application deadline: March 13, 2026 at 11:59 PM
About
The signature event of Undergraduate Research Week, the Undergraduate Research Symposium has been held at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign since 2008. The number of undergraduate students participating has grown from a few hundred in its inaugural year to well over 1,000 students. Over the course of the day, students present their work in concurrent oral and poster presentations (including creative performances), the breadth and scope of which reflect not only the wide range of academic disciplines at Illinois, but also speak to the caliber of our undergraduates. Our students are innovative and engaged, eager to learn from their advisors and mentors. Their projects also demonstrate the ongoing institutional commitment to supporting and expanding research opportunities at the U. of I. and beyond.
Presenter Resources
Why Present?
- Gain valuable presentation experience.
- Receive feedback that could further your research.
- Contribute to and learn about recent advancements in your field.
- Bolster your résumé or curriculum vitae.
- Presenting at the URS satisfies one of the requirements for the Undergraduate Research Certificate!
Time Commitment
All Symposium presentations take place on Thursday, April 30, 2026. Poster sessions and exhibits are an 1 hour and 15 minutes long. Oral panel sessions are an hour long with individual presentations being 12 minutes long (with an additional 3 minutes for question/answer). Performance and Creative Showcase panels are also an hour long with individual presentations being 12 or 24 minutes long (with an additional 3 minutes for question/answer). Each panel will consist of up to 3 presentations. Students are expected to be present for the full duration of their session or panel. In the application, presenters will indicate their availability for five time periods over the course of the Symposium. They will then be assigned to a poster, oral, exhibit, or performance panel session based upon availability and presentation category (see Application Requirements below).
Application Requirements
- The name(s), NetID, email, UIN, gender, race/ethnicity, college, major, year in school for each presenter. *Please note, graduate students, faculty, and staff should NOT be included as presenters in the application. We only allow undergraduate students to be presenters at the Undergraduate Research Symposium.
- Contact information research mentor(s) supervising the work.
- Title of the oral presentation, poster, exhibit, or performance. This title can be revised after the application has been submitted.
- Presentation abstract (not to exceed 200 words). Abstract will only be used internally by OUR for panel assignments.
- Presentation category that best applies to your research topic (e.g., Cells and Molecules, Data and Information, Food Systems, Health and Wellness Humanities and The Arts, Science and Technology, Social Science and Human Behavior, to name a few).
Eligibility
All current undergraduate students are eligible to present at the URS, including students who graduated December 2025.
Deadline
The deadline to submit an application to present at the 2026 Undergraduate Research Symposium is March 13, 2026 at 11:59 PM. The application for the 2026 Undergraduate Research Symposium is closed.
