The hidden curriculum

Campus words, explained

Listings assume you already know what a PI is, what “199 credit” means, or that you can email a professor you have never met. Students whose parents went to college often learn this at home. Everyone else learns it here. These 49 definitions are written by our team, not generated by AI, and the same words are underlined on every listing.

People

PI: Principal investigator: the faculty member who runs the lab and decides who joins. Your first email usually goes to them or to the lab manager.
Faculty mentor: The professor who supervises your research and signs off on credit. Many programs make you find one before you apply.
Postdoc: A researcher who already has a PhD. Postdocs and grad students often train undergraduates day to day — they are good people to ask about joining.
Grad student: Students working on a master's or PhD. In many labs they are your direct supervisor, not the professor.
Lab manager: Staff who run the lab's day-to-day work, schedules and onboarding. Often the right first contact.
RA: Research assistant: an undergraduate helping with a lab's studies. It can be volunteer, for credit, or paid — the listing should say which.
TA: Teaching assistant, usually a grad student. TAs hold office hours and can point you to research openings in their lab.
Postbacc: Someone who has finished a bachelor's degree and is getting research experience before graduate school.

Courses & credit

99 / 199: Independent study courses where you earn units for research with a faculty member. 99 is for lower-division students, 199 for upper-division. You usually need the professor's approval first.
198: Directed group study: a small, faculty-led course, often used for team research projects.
Independent study: Course credit for work you do outside a classroom — like research — under a faculty member. It has its own approval form.
Units: Course credit. A full-time load is about 12 or more units a quarter. For research courses, expect about 30 hours of work per unit over the quarter.
Upper / lower division: Lower-division courses are numbered 1–99, upper-division 100–199. "Upper-division standing" usually means about 90 completed units.
Quarter: UC San Diego's 10-week terms: Fall, Winter and Spring, plus Summer Sessions. "Two quarters minimum" means about six months.
Week 1: The first week of the quarter. Many add deadlines fall at the end of Week 1 or 2, so research credit has to be approved fast.
P/NP: Pass/No Pass grading. Research courses are often P/NP, so they do not change your GPA.
Prerequisite: A course or condition you must finish first. Listings sometimes accept "or equivalent" — ask if yours is close.
Honors program / thesis: A year-long research project in your major that ends in a written thesis. Departments set their own GPA and course rules.
Cohort: A group of students who start a program together and move through it as a group, usually with fixed meetings.

Applying

CV: An academic résumé: education, research, skills, awards. For undergrads, a one-page résumé is usually fine.
Cover letter: A short letter — half a page is plenty — saying why this lab interests you and what you can bring.
Statement of interest: A short essay about why you want this and what you would do. Specific beats impressive: name a project or question.
References: People who can vouch for you — often a professor, TA or supervisor. Ask them at least two weeks ahead and send your résumé.
Transcript: Your list of courses and grades. An unofficial transcript from the student portal is usually enough unless the listing says official.
Rolling: Applications are reviewed as they arrive, so applying early helps even without a fixed deadline.
Interest form: A short form that puts you on a list. It is not an application yet — the lab contacts you when a spot opens.
Office hours: Set times when a professor or TA is available to talk. You do not need a question about class — asking about their research is normal.
Lab meeting: A regular meeting where the lab discusses its work or a paper. Members are usually expected to attend.
Symposium / poster: An event where students present their research, often as a poster. Many programs require one at the end.
IRB / CITI training: Required training before working with study participants. Labs usually tell you which online modules to complete.

Money

Stipend: A fixed payment for taking part, rather than an hourly wage. It may count as taxable income and can affect financial aid.
Fellowship: Money awarded to support you while you do research or study. Some are paid as a stipend, some go toward tuition.
Volunteer: No pay and no credit. Some labs start everyone as volunteers. If you need income, ask whether credit or paid roles exist.
Pell Grant: A federal grant for students with financial need. "Pell-eligible" is often used to mean low-income.
Unmet need: The gap between what college costs you and the aid you already get. Some scholarships pay only toward this gap.
Work-study: A federal aid program that pays part of your wages for an approved job. It must be in your aid offer to use it.

Status & eligibility

Standing: Your class level, counted by completed units rather than years in school. Transfer students often have junior standing on day one.
GPA: Grade point average on a 4.0 scale. Programs usually mean your UC San Diego GPA; incoming transfer students may be asked for their previous school's.
Declared major: A major you have officially chosen in the system — not just one you plan to choose.
Work authorization: Being legally allowed to work in the U.S. International students on F-1 or J-1 visas have limits on paid work — ask International Students & Programs (ISPO) before accepting a paid role.
F-1 / CPT: F-1 and J-1 are student visas. Paid work is limited; off-campus internships usually need CPT approval first. ISPO can tell you what applies to you.
Undocumented: UC San Diego's Undocumented Student Services can tell you which programs and payments you qualify for.
First-generation: Usually means neither parent finished a four-year degree. Programs define it a little differently — check their wording.
REU: Paid summer research programs funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation. NSF-funded spots are often limited to U.S. citizens and permanent residents — check the listing.

Places & tools

TEA: Triton Enrollment Authorization: the online request in the Triton Student System you submit to get approved for courses like 99/199.
Handshake: UC San Diego's job and internship site, run by Career Services. Sign in with your student account.
REAL portal: UC San Diego's portal for research and experiential-learning postings (real.ucsd.edu).
SONA: The system psychology labs use to sign up study participants — taking part is not the same as working in the lab.
URH: The Undergraduate Research Hub: runs research programs and helps you find a faculty mentor.

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