Find Opportunities

We want to help you learn more about how to find undergraduate research opportunities. Use this space to explore where opportunities live, how different roles work, when opportunities appear across the academic year, and how to decide which ones are right for you.

Featured This Month

Publish in Reinvention

This undergraduate research journal publishes every April and October, and is open for submissions year-round. Check out their submission guidelines, and consider preparing something for their next issue!

Publish in Historicity

This undergraduate research journal is currently accepting submissions for its upcoming issue. Historicity provides a platform to publish original historical research, argumentative essays, and book or literature reviews. They welcome work that engages with historical themes and scholarly debates.

Check out their submission guidelines, and get ready to publish your work!

Psychology Research Experience Preparedness (PREP)

PREP is a free online resource designed to help undergraduate students understand research pathways and prepare for research opportunities and graduate study. It provides guidance on research skills, applications, and professional development for students exploring research careers.

Note: While this free external resource was created within a psychology research context, the research preparation skills are useful for students across disciplines.

Where Opportunities Live

Undergraduate research opportunities don’t usually live in one place; you can find them spread across different spaces. Learning where to look will help you spot chances early and build your own system for staying informed.

Below are a few examples to get you started. Head to our resources page for specific listings, and keep an eye on our socials for posts about new opportunities as they open.

University & Faculty Pages: Many opportunities are first announced on faculty websites or research centre pages. Checking these regularly can help you discover projects in your field.
Macquarie Careers & Employability: For Macquarie University students, the MQ Careers site lists internships, part-time research roles, professional development opportunities, and workshops.
External Organisations: Research institutes, labs, and non-profits often advertise internships, vacation placements, or student programs on their websites.

Opportunity Types Explained

When Opportunities Appear

Research opportunities tend to follow the academic calendar. Many internships and scholarships open around summer and winter breaks, while Honours and postgraduate pathways often align with semester timelines. Publishing and conferences are usually run by submission cycles throughout the year.

We know it can be challenging to keep track of everything. We encourage you to follow MURS Instagram and LinkedIn, because we will be sharing reminders, timelines, and new opportunities as we come across them to help make the process easier for you.

How to Evaluate an Opportunity

Finding an opportunity is the first step; deciding whether it is the right one for you is just as important. As an undergraduate, your time, energy, and goals matter. We hope this section helps you evaluate what an opportunity offers, what is required of you, and how it fits your academic and career pathway. According to the Australasian Council for Undergraduate Research (ACUR) and the Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR), high-quality undergraduate research experiences are built on strong supervision, meaningful skill development, ethical practice, and clear learning outcomes.

Paid vs Unpaid

Some opportunities offer financial support through an hourly-based salary, a fixed stipend or scholarships, while others are unpaid and focus on experience and skill development. Career guidance platforms such as SEEK or Indeed recommend considering what you gain in return, including mentoring, training, and clearly defined learning outcomes - especially when evaluating unpaid internships or work experience roles.

Supervision and Support

High-quality undergraduate research experiences are strongly shaped by mentorship and supervision. According to CUR, effective research environments provide clear guidance, regular feedback, and opportunities for students to develop independence over time.

Skills You'll Gain

Universities and undergraduate research organisations highlight that strong opportunities help students to develop both technical and transferable skills.

Technical skills include data collection, analysis, and academic writing. These are desirable in postgraduate study and academic career pathways, as well as some industry pathways.

Transferable skills include communication, teamwork, and critical thinking. These are highly valued in all professionals, including both postgraduate study and industry pathways.

Time Commitment

University careers services recommend checking how many hours per week or total weeks are expected before committing, especially during study periods or assessment-heavy parts of the semester. Being realistic about your availability helps you balance research, study, and personal responsibilities. Many universities’ professional development advice highlights that internships and work-integrated learning experiences are designed to help you gain practical skills while balancing study commitments, and understanding expectations ahead of time can help you stay on top of your course and personal responsibilities.

Ethical Considerations

Research involving people, data, or sensitive topics should be conducted responsibly and ethically. This means following recognised ethical guidelines and approval processes, protecting the rights and wellbeing of participants, and maintaining integrity in how work is conducted and reported. Working in research should follow principles of responsible and ethical conduct to protect participants and ensure integrity, and align with broader research ethics practices that prioritise transparency, consent, and accountability.

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