Frequently Asked Questions for NM AMP Institutional Coordinators

FAQ: Questions

NM AMP Student Research Conference

Can graduate students from my institution attend or present at the NM AMP Student Research Conference?

Who is responsible for printing student posters for the NM AMP Student Research Conference?

Do faculty, staff, and students who are not presenting need to register for the NM AMP Student Research Conference?

Do I need to pay to register for the NM AMP Student Research Conference?

Undergraduate Research Scholars (URS)

Can students participate in the URS program for more than one semester?

Is a continuing URS student's acceptance guaranteed if the student reapplies?

Can students participate in URS during the summer?

How many hours are URS students expected to spend on their research projects?

Are URS students hired to work on their research projects?

STEM PREP

Can students participate in STEM PREP for more than one semester?
Are juniors and seniors eligible for STEM PREP?


URS and STEM PREP Eligibility

Can a student apply to URS and STEM PREP during the same semester?

 

Transfer Stipend

Who is eligible for an NM AMP Transfer Stipend?
Can a student apply to URS and STEM PREP during the same semester?

Student Stipends and Eligibility

What type of financial support does NM AMP provide to student participants?

Are NM AMP stipends need-based scholarships?

Are ethnicity or gender eligibility requirements for NM AMP programs and activities?

Are international students eligible to participate in NM AMP programs?

Are nursing and health/medical sciences considered STEM disciplines for NM AMP eligibility?

Research Supplies Allowance

What may be purchased using the Research Supplies Allowance for URS or SCCORE students?

Can a student or faculty mentor purchase supplies directly using the Research Supplies Allowance?
Can students request purchases from the Research Supplies Allowance at any time during the semester?

Can URS students use the Research Supplies Allowance to pay for travel to present at a conference?

Does an unused Research Supplies Allowance carry over to the student's next semester?
Can the Research Supplies Allowance reimburse or replace materials and supplies used by a URS student during a previous semester?

Stipend Payments

Are NM AMP student stipends paid at the end of the semester?

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FAQ: Answers

NM AMP Student Research Conference

Can graduate students from my institution attend or present at the NM AMP Student Research Conference?

Graduate students may register for and attend the NM AMP Student Research Conference, particularly if they previously participated in the Undergraduate Research Scholars (URS) program as undergraduate students. However, the following restrictions apply:

  • NM AMP funds cannot be used to pay graduate student registration or travel expenses.
  • Graduate students may not present their research at the NM AMP Student Research Conference. Student poster and podium presentations are limited to undergraduate students.


Who is responsible for printing student posters for the NM AMP Student Research Conference?

Institutional Coordinators are responsible for arranging poster printing for their participating students at their respective institution before the conference. NM AMP staff at NMSU will arrange poster printing only for NMSU student participants. Institutional Coordinators may use NM AMP funds to pay the poster-printing costs for students from their institution. Students should arrive at the conference with their posters already printed.



Do faculty, staff, and students who are not presenting need to register for the NM AMP Student Research Conference?

Yes. Everyone attending the NM AMP Student Research Conference must register, regardless of whether they are presenting. Registration must be completed before the conference registration deadline.

Registration link: https://survey.nmsu.edu/surveys/?s=WCD9CCT8EWL99783
Registration deadline: October 8, 2026


Do I need to pay to register for the NM AMP Student Research Conference?

Registration payment depends on the attendee's affiliation and role.

After registration closes, NM AMP will send invoices to the programs and institutions sponsoring conference attendees. When registering, attendees should accurately identify their current institutional affiliation and the program they represent.

The following groups have specific registration arrangements:

  • URS, STEM PREP, SCCORE, and Transfer Stipend students who are active during Summer or Fall 2026: Contact the NM AMP Institutional Coordinator at your institution to confirm that you are included in the institution's participant list.
  • Keynote speakers and workshop facilitators: Registration will be paid by NM AMP.
  • Students applying for Community College Professional Development Workshops: If selected for the program, registration will be paid by NM AMP.
  • High school student groups and their faculty mentors: Registration will be paid by NM AMP.
  • Poster judges and volunteers: Registration will be paid by NM AMP.
Questions regarding conference registration fees should be directed to Flo Nash at fnash1@nmsu.edu.

Undergraduate Research Scholars (URS)

Can students participate in the URS program for more than one semester?

Yes. Students are encouraged to participate in the Undergraduate Research Scholars (URS) program for more than one semester. However, participation does not automatically continue from one semester to the next. Every student, including a returning URS student, must submit a new URS application for each semester in which they wish to participate. New and returning URS students complete the same application.

 
Is a continuing URS student's acceptance guaranteed if the student reapplies?

No. Previous participation in URS does not guarantee acceptance for another semester.

Applications from returning students are evaluated based on:

  • the quality of the student's current application;
  • the student's performance during previous semesters in URS; and
  • the student's level of active participation in the program during previous semesters.
 
Can students participate in URS during the summer?

No. NM AMP does not currently support URS participation during the summer.

Students interested in gaining experience during the summer are encouraged to pursue other opportunities, including:

  • industry internships;
  • Study Abroad experiences; and
  • research opportunities at their home institution, at another university, or at a National Laboratory.
 
How many hours are URS students expected to spend on their research projects?

URS students are expected to spend an average of 10 hours per week working on their research projects during the semester. In addition to research hours, URS students are expected to participate in required NM AMP activities, including:

  • URS cohort sessions, which are generally one hour long and held every other week;
  • the NM AMP Student Research Conference each Fall semester; and
  • an undergraduate research conference at their institution (generally in the spring semester).


Are URS students hired to work on their research projects?

No. URS students are program participants, not employees of NM AMP, and the funding they receive is a stipend rather than a salary. Participation in URS does not prevent a student from being employed elsewhere.



STEM PREP

Can students participate in STEM PREP for more than one semester?

No. Undergraduate students may participate in STEM PREP for one semester only. During STEM PREP, students receive guidance to:

  • identify a potential faculty research mentor;
  • identify a STEM research project; and
  • prepare an application for the Undergraduate Research Scholars (URS) program for the following semester.

STEM PREP is intended to prepare students to transition into undergraduate research rather than to be repeated in subsequent semesters.

 
Are juniors and seniors eligible for STEM PREP?

STEM PREP is generally intended for:

  • second-semester freshmen;
  • first- or second-semester sophomores; and
  • students within their first year after transferring from a community college.

For STEM PREP eligibility, student classification is based primarily on the number of semesters the student has remaining before completing the bachelor's degree, rather than solely on the number of credits the student has completed. Students applying for STEM PREP should have at least three semesters remaining before completing the bachelor's degree including the STEM PREP participation semester.

 

URS and STEM PREP Eligibility

Can a student apply to URS and STEM PREP during the same semester?

No. A student cannot apply to both URS and STEM PREP for the same semester.

Students who have not yet identified a faculty research mentor and research project should generally apply for STEM PREP rather than URS.

STEM PREP is designed to help students identify a faculty mentor and research opportunity so that they can prepare to apply for URS in a subsequent semester.

STEM PREP is generally intended for second-semester freshmen, first- or second-semester sophomores, and students within their first year after transferring from a community college.

 

Transfer Stipend

Who is eligible for an NM AMP Transfer Stipend?

Community college students may apply for the Transfer Stipend either:

  1. during their final semester at a New Mexico community college, or
  2. during their first semester after transferring to a four-year institution.

To be eligible, a student must meet all of the following requirements:

  • Be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, in accordance with NSF guidelines.
  • Have a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher at the time of transfer.
  • Enroll full-time, defined as 12 or more credit hours, at a four-year institution in New Mexico.
  • Major in a Science, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics (STEM) field at the four-year institution.
  • Maintain full-time enrollment during the semester of transfer.
  • Have been enrolled in at least 6 credit hours at a New Mexico community college during the semester immediately before transferring.
  • Have been a STEM major at the community college during that semester.
  • Transfer directly from the community college to the four-year institution without a gap in enrollment.

Students who took college courses at a four-year institution before transferring from the community college are not eligible for the Transfer Stipend.

A student may receive the NM AMP Transfer Stipend for one semester only.


Student Stipends and Eligibility

What type of financial support does NM AMP provide to student participants?

Financial support provided to participants in NM AMP programs is provided as a stipend for program participation in the following programs:

  • Undergraduate Research Scholars (URS);
  • STEM Pre-Research Exploration Program (STEM PREP);
  • Transfer Stipend;
  • Summer Community College Opportunity for Research Experience (SCCORE);
  • Community College Professional Development Workshops; and
  • International Research & Education Participation (IREP).

These stipends are classified as Participant Support costs and do not incur overhead.



Are NM AMP stipends need-based scholarships?

No. NM AMP stipends are not scholarships and are not based on financial need. Students receive stipends for participating in NM AMP programs and activities. Therefore:

  • students are not required to demonstrate financial need to qualify; and
  • an approved FAFSA is not an eligibility requirement for receiving an NM AMP stipend.


Are ethnicity or gender eligibility requirements for NM AMP programs and activities?

No. Ethnicity and gender are not eligibility criteria for participation in NM AMP programs or activities. Students of all ethnic groups and genders are encouraged to apply. Participant selection is made without consideration of ethnicity or gender.



Are international students eligible to participate in NM AMP programs?

No. International students are not eligible to apply for NM AMP programs. To participate in NM AMP programs and receive NM AMP stipends, undergraduate students must be either:

  • S. citizens; or
  • permanent residents.

This requirement is based on NSF guidelines.


Are nursing and health/medical sciences considered STEM disciplines for NM AMP eligibility?

No. Nursing, pre-nursing, and health/medical sciences are not included among the STEM majors recognized by NM AMP based on the National Science Foundation's (NSF) list of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics disciplines.

STEM discipline list: https://nmamp.nmsu.edu/stem-list.html

 

Research Supplies Allowance

What may be purchased using the Research Supplies Allowance for URS or SCCORE students?

The Research Supplies Allowance may be used only for expendable research materials and supplies that the participating URS or SCCORE student will use for the student's approved research project.

Examples of allowable purchases include:

  • expendable research supplies;
  • laboratory materials and supplies;
  • chemicals; and
  • expendable field research supplies.

The Research Supplies Allowance may not be used for:

  • materials or supplies for other students;
  • materials or supplies for other research projects;
  • student travel;
  • computing equipment or parts;
  • software purchases; or
  • annual software license fees.

Computing equipment and computer parts, software, and annual software license fees are not allowable purchases even when the student's research project requires them. For additional information, refer to the NM AMP Supplies Orders Allowability Guidance (which can be requested by contacting Flo Nash at fnash1@nmsu.edu).

For additional assistance regarding allowable purchases, contact the NM AMP Director.


Can a student or faculty mentor purchase supplies directly using the Research Supplies Allowance?

No. Students and faculty mentors should not directly order or purchase materials using the Research Supplies Allowance. Instead, the student or faculty mentor should provide the Institutional Coordinator with the information needed to order the requested item, including:

  • a description of the item;
  • a vendor link; and
  • the cost.

The Institutional Coordinator will determine whether the requested item is an allowable purchase. If approved, the Institutional Coordinator will purchase the item for the student as soon as possible.

 
Can students request purchases from the Research Supplies Allowance at any time during the semester?

No. Students should identify the materials and supplies needed for their research as early as possible during the semester.

All purchase requests should be submitted to the Institutional Coordinator (IC) no later than the deadline established by the IC for that semester.

A request submitted after the established deadline may be approved by the Institutional Coordinator as an exception. However, the reason for the late purchase must be justified and documented.


Can URS students use the Research Supplies Allowance to pay for travel to present at a conference?

No. The Research Supplies Allowance cannot be used for student travel. NM AMP does not provide travel support for students to attend other conferences.

 

Does an unused Research Supplies Allowance carry over to the student's next semester?

No. Unused Research Supplies Allowance funds do not carry over to a subsequent semester. Any portion of the allowance that is not used during the applicable semester is no longer available to that student or faculty mentor in a later semester.

 
Can the Research Supplies Allowance reimburse or replace materials and supplies used by a URS student during a previous semester?

No. The Research Supplies Allowance for the current semester cannot be used to pay for or replace materials and supplies associated with research conducted during a previous semester.

The allowance must be used for allowable materials and supplies associated with the student's research participation during the applicable semester.

 

Stipend Payments

Are NM AMP student stipends paid at the end of the semester?

Not necessarily. Payment schedules depend on the NM AMP program.

For URS, STEM PREP, and SCCORE, stipends are generally divided into two payments:

  • approximately one-half is paid near the middle of the semester or program; and
  • the remaining half is paid near the end of the semester or program.

The Institutional Coordinator may use a different stipend payment schedule if another approach works better for the institution.

Transfer Stipends and Community College Professional Development Workshop stipends are paid as a single lump-sum payment after participation is completed.