paid research projects

15 Legitimate Places to Participate in Paid Research Studies

Our readers always come first.

The content on DollarSprout includes links to our advertising partners. When you read our content and click on one of our partners’ links, and then decide to complete an offer — whether it’s downloading an app, opening an account, or some other action — we may earn a commission from that advertiser, at no extra cost to you.

Our ultimate goal is to educate and inform, not lure you into signing up for certain offers. Compensation from our partners may impact what products we cover and where they appear on the site, but does not have any impact on the objectivity of our reviews or advice.

From testing products and services to sleep and diet studies, here's a list of vetted places you can participate in paid focus groups.

• Side Hustles

Our mission at DollarSprout is to help readers improve their financial lives, and we regularly partner with companies that share that same vision. If a purchase or signup is made through one of our Partners’ links, we may receive compensation for the referral. Learn more here .

A few years ago, I got an invitation to attend a research study hosted by a local skincare company. They were launching a new line of products and wanted feedback from 20 to 25 year-old-women with dry skin.

Since I was a new college grad who needed extra cash, I decided to go. They asked me various questions regarding my current skincare regimen, the products I used, and how I felt about them. It only took an hour, and I got a $75 Visa gift card and a few product samples. Not a bad way to kill an hour.

If you like the idea of getting paid to share your opinions, you’re in luck. There are plenty of places that host paid research studies. While the study I did was in-person, there are many online research studies you can do at home.

Websites That Offer Paid Research Studies

You can find online focus groups that’ll pay you for your time and feedback through a variety of websites. Each site has its own requirements and payment structure, so it’s a good idea to explore all the options available.

1. Survey Junkie

Survey Junkie is a survey site that’s been around since 2005. It will pay you to take surveys and express your opinions to big brands who want to improve their products and services. After you answer several questions about yourself and create a profile, the site will match you to surveys that are relevant to you.

Any time you complete a survey, you’ll earn virtual points, which you can redeem for PayPal cash or online gift cards. Most surveys take anywhere from 5 to 20 minutes, and you can expect to make between 100 to 200 points or $1 to $3 per survey. You won’t have to buy any products or sign up for other websites.

2. American Consumer Opinion

American Consumer Opinion is a survey panel that partners with large companies who want customer opinions. To join, you’ll enter basic information such as your age and where you live. Then, you’ll take a general household survey where you’ll share details about your lifestyle.

You’ll likely receive survey invitations via email several times a year. The number of points you’ll rack up will depend on the length of the surveys.

While short surveys are typically worth anywhere between 5 and 50 points, you can earn up to 5,000 points with longer ones. One point equals $0.01, and you can cash your points in for PayPal cash or donate them to charity.

Related: 17 Best Places to Take Paid Online Surveys for Money

3. Respondent

Respondent is unique because it organizes one-on-one paid research studies online and in person. You can sign up with your email address or via your Facebook or LinkedIn profile through the site.

Once you do, you’ll fill out some basic personal information such as your name, birthday, and email address. They’ll also ask for demographic details like your gender, ethnicity, and educational background.

After you’ve signed up, you’ll browse all of the “projects” available and details like the pay and how long they take to complete. When you see a project that interests you, you can apply to it through a short questionnaire. You’ll be emailed if the company chooses you for their project.

Most of the projects focus on small business or technology and pay anywhere from $50 to $85 via PayPal for 45 minutes to an hour of your time.

4. FocusGroup.com

FocusGroup.com began in 1988 and offers surveys as well as in-person and online focus groups via phone and webcam. After you create a profile, you’ll be emailed surveys and focus group invitations.

The majority of the site’s surveys and focus groups revolve around health and wellness, pet products, finances, and shopping habits.

You’ll earn between $75 and $150 if you participate in focus groups and points for surveys, which you can apply toward a prepaid Visa debit card. You can cash out 100 points for $1.00.

5. Plaza Research

Plaza Research pays parents, kids, teens, students, doctors, and business professionals to share their opinions on new products and services. It hosts surveys and a variety of in-person focus groups throughout the country.

If you attend a focus group, you’ll likely be asked to try a new product, watch a TV commercial, or discuss your thoughts about future products. To receive survey and focus group invitations, fill out an online form. The form will ask you questions about your education, electronic use, employment, household, pets, and more.

You’ll get an email if you’re a good fit for a survey or focus group. The amount you’ll earn depends on its length and scope. Most participants will earn between $50 and $200, paid via check, for two hours of their time.

Related: How to Get Paid to Write Reviews

6. Mindswarms

You can create an account online or via the Mindswarms mobile app and get paid to answer questions via your smartphone or webcam.

After you apply to a survey that appeals to you, you’ll answer a few targeted questions to make sure you’re a good fit for it. If you are, you’ll answer seven questions and earn about $50. The money will be sent to your PayPal account within 24 hours. You can also redeem your earnings for an Amazon gift card.

7. Fieldwork

Fieldwork has facilitated marketing research studies since 1980. The company hosts in-person focus groups in 11 cities across the U.S. If you don’t live near any of these cities, you can still register for Fieldwork’s national database and participate in online or phone interviews.

To register, fill out an online questionnaire and wait for Fieldwork to call or email you when an opportunity is available. Most in-person focus groups last between one and two hours and can be on random topics such as cereal and video games. Compensation is usually a $75 Visa gift card.

8. User Interviews

User Interviews organizes focus groups in-person, via phone, or video streaming about products, services, and websites. For a chance to participate, create a profile with your birthday, gender, household income, marital status, and education level.

If you find a project that interests you, complete a short screener survey to see if you’re eligible. If you are, you can sign up for the focus group and earn an average of $50/hr. You’ll get paid via check.

9. Brand Institute

Brand Institute is a branding agency that supports healthcare and pharmaceutical companies with their marketing initiatives. You can become a Brand Institute panel member after you fill out a short online registration form. If you qualify for a paid research study, you’ll get an email notification and can participate right away.

Payment depends on the survey you take, and you’re more likely to receive invites for higher-paying surveys if you have a medical background. You can earn between $2 and $30 via check or PayPal. Doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and others in healthcare report that they receive about four surveys a month.

Engage finds respondents for various market research and usability studies. It offers both in-person focus groups and online discussions for panel members. You can join the healthcare panel if you’re a medical professional or consumer panel if you’re an everyday consumer.

You’ll have to provide information about your income, marital status, education level, and job. Once you do, you’ll receive an email notification whenever you qualify for a study. Most studies cover topics like cars, electronics, food products, music, and medical conditions. They usually pay $50 to $250 via check or PayPal.

Universities that Facilitate Paid Focus Groups

  You can also find paid focus groups at colleges and universities. Many of them offer year-round opportunities and focus on psychology and human behavior. While most of these studies are performed online, a few require that you participate in person.

You don’t have to be a student to participate, and payment is typically in the form of PayPal cash, gift cards, or a check. If you’d like to earn money via college-run focus groups, take a look at the schools near your home. Their websites will likely include details about these types of opportunities.

• Purdue University ( See studies )
• Center for Decision Sciences Columbia Business School ( See studies )
• Northwestern University Department of Psychology ( See studies )
• Harvard University Psychology Study Pool ( See studies )
• MIT Behavioral Research Lab ( See studies )

DollarSprout co-founder Jeff Proctor participated in a six-week research study on high-fat diets at Virginia Tech. During the study, he was compensated with meals and $500.

“It was a great experience but very involved,” he said. “I had to check in every day to get weighed, choose my meals, and get several blood and urine samples taken.”

How to Tell if a Focus Group Opportunity is Legit

Even though many focus group opportunities are legitimate, there are plenty of work-from-home scams out there. If you have to pay to participate or reveal confidential information such as your Social Security number or credit card details, that’s a red flag. Stay away from any focus groups that force you to buy products or services or sign up for other websites.

If you find an opportunity that interests you, do some online research to make sure it’s valid. Check the Better Business Bureau to see its rating and read any complaints. This way you can avoid a situation where you get excited about a focus group and then find out it’s a scam.

A legitimate company will never charge you to attend a focus group or take a survey. In addition, they’ll have a privacy policy that’s prominently displayed on their website and will only email you from a business email account, rather than one from a free service like Gmail or Yahoo.

Related: How One Woman Earns $5,000 per Month as a Surrogate Mother 

You May Also Like

12 High-Paying Companies Offering Website Testing Jobs

20 Best Money Making Apps for Earning On the Go

10 Legit Ways to Get Paid to Write Reviews (Movies, Restaurants, and More)

How to Make Money Managing Facebook Ads for Local Small Businesses

9 Legitimate Ways to Get Paid to Search the Web

31 Practical Ways to Make $500 Fast

Online Focus Groups: 26 Paid Research Companies that Pay Up to $250 an Hour for Your Opinion

I recently participated in a paid focus group in San Francisco. You know, the kind with the one-way mirror on the wall.

We talked about travel habits and preferences for an hour and half, and I got paid $150 for my time and opinions. Not bad!

The whole thing was pretty quick and painless—and actually kind of interesting—which got me thinking that this could be a great side hustle . Especially if I could do it from home!

So down the rabbit hole I went, trying to find other companies that conduct paid research studies online .

And I should note before we get started that these aren’t the typical companies that pop up when you search for “online surveys.” Those companies, like Swagbucks and  InboxDollars , are legit, but pay relatively little .

The companies I was after here were the ones that pay bigger sums to make it more worth your time. I earned $100 an hour for my little focus group adventure, and you can too.

Earn $50-150/hr, with thousands of new studies added each month.

Earn an average of $75 per project, and get notified of upcoming studies you may qualify for.

Patients and caregivers can earn $120/hour while helping advance medical research.

1. User Interviews

2. respondent, 3. rare patient voice, 4. survey junkie, too many choices, 5. product report card, 6. lightster, 7. pingpong, 8. fieldwork, 9. focusgroup.com, 10. experience dynamics, 11. american consumer opinion, 12. l&e opinions, 13. focusgroups.org, 14. findfocusgroups.com, 15. sis international, 16. surveyfeeds, 17. recruit and field, 18. field voices, 19. probe market research, 21. glg insights, 22. prolific, 23. watchlab, 24. mindswarms, 25. 20|20 panel, 26. focus insite, other online focus group and paid research study options, online focus groups alternatives, market research groups: your turn, serious about making extra money, frequently asked questions.

User Interviews facilitates in-person and online consumer conversations about products, websites, and services. The pay rates vary, but the average seems to be around $50-100 an hour.

I’ve earned $105 through the site so far, in exchange for about an hour a half.

In one of my studies, I earned a $10 Amazon gift card for completing a short online survey for bald guys! It said it should take 15 minutes, but all the questions were straight yes/no, so it probably only took 5.

User Interviews is a legit facilitator of online (and in-person) consumer research studies. Participants can get paid (generally $50-150/hr) to share their opinion and shape future products and services. While this won’t replace your day job, it can be a nice supplemental income.

• One of the best-paying survey companies I've found.
• Easy to sign-up.
• Lots of new studies added every week.
• Can be difficult to get selected.

Click here to join User Interviews .

Or check out our full User Interviews review .

Respondent is a cool service that facilitates consumer research studies online—and often pays $100+ an hour !

Once you create your account, you’ll be able to browse all the open studies you might qualify for. The research brief shares the type of person the company is looking to connect with, the expected time commitment, and pay rate .

If it looks like a fit, answer the brief screener questionnaire to throw your hat in the ring. Don’t get discouraged if you don’t get selected right away—I’ve been selected for 5 studies out of 50 screeners so far.

While there are some “general population” studies, the best-paying opportunities are for industry professionals— up to $750 an hour!

The company takes a 5% processing fee, but the rest of the funds you earn will hit your PayPal account within 8-10 days of your study. (I’ve earned $395 through Respondent so far! )

Click here to join Respondent .

Read our full Respondent.io review here .

(Since recording, I’ve done a couple more studies.)

A leading source for medical research, Rare Patient Voice pays patients and caregivers $120 an hour. You can browse a full list of available studies on their site—nearly all of which are phone or webcam interviews.

If you suffer from any sort of medical condition (even if it’s not super rare), this one is worth a look.

The site is open to residents of United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Italy, Spain, France, Germany, Australia, and New Zealand.

While most Survey Junkie earning opportunities don’t pay much, you’ll occasionally get emails for better-paying focus group and product testing studies.

These admittedly are pretty rare, but pay up to $75.

Still, power users of the regular Survey Junkie site/app report earning up to $40 a month. 

The site boasts more than 20 million members and pays out more than $1 million every month.

Click here to sign up for Survey Junkie .

Start here instead. Punch in your name and email below I'll show you step-by-step how to add $500 to your bottom line.

Join the Free 5-Day $500 Challenge

You're in! Want to supercharge your challenge? Grab the companion workbook and earn $125 more (on average).

You'll also receive my best side hustle tips and weekly-ish newsletter. Opt-out anytime.

Another well-established market research company is Product Report Card . They offer paid surveys, product testing and review gigs, and online focus groups.

The best-paying work is for in-home product tests and remote interviews and focus groups — often in the $75-$150/hour range.

Product Report Card will also give you a $5 welcome bonus for completing a short survey after you join. There’s a $25 minimum to cash-out.

Lightster is a unique money making app , where you get matched with brands and researchers based on your profile.

To get started, you’ll add some demographic information about yourself and answer some questions about your experience and interests.

After that, you may see some questions pop up in the app. Answer those to qualify for paid research conversations that pay $1 per minute.

I got invited to my first half hour session within a couple weeks of downloading the app, and got paid (via Amazon gift card) right away.

I was excited to discover PingPong as a newcomer to the online market research field. The service specializes in user experience testing for apps and websites, with pay rates ranging between €40 and €100 an hour. (Roughly $45-110.)

You might be curious—with the rates in euros—if this one is open to non-Europeans. PingPong let me join as an American and says they welcome testers from all over the world.

Since joining, I’ve received invites to several studies but haven’t been able to book one just yet.

Fieldwork was the company that hosted the San Francisco focus group I participated in. They have locations throughout the US:

• Los Angeles (Orange County)
• Minneapolis
• San Francisco

Compensation starts at $75 for participating in focus groups, which usually last between 1-2 hours. The drawback was I got paid in Visa gift cards instead of cash, so I went to the grocery store and bought Amazon gift cards with them instead.

FocusGroup.com offers nationwide paid research opportunities. (The site is powered by Sago, a leading market research company.)

Be on the lookout for the “National” studies that pay between $75 and $200 . These are scheduled over the phone or webcam so you can take the calls from anywhere at times that are convenient to you.

It took a while, but I eventually earned $115 for an online study related to a well-known Seattle-area company.

The next one I did was an hour-long online focus group on credit cards that paid $100.

Other studies I saw were  related to cars, technology, and banking.

I receive a few email notifications every month with studies. Those range from around $2 for 20-minute surveys, up to $150 for 90-minute in-person or online focus groups.

Check out my full FocusGroup.com review to learn more.

Experience Dynamics specializes in user experience and user interface testing (UX and UI). Corporate clients pay Experience Dynamics to help “make their users smile,” and they turn around and pay people like you for honest feedback on website designs and software applications.

According to the site, they recruit testers worldwide with all levels of technology experience. Most studies pay between $50-$150 dollars.

Experience Dynamics also facilitates:

• Field Studies, 1-2 hour interviews at your home or work.
• Diary Studies, where you to record your thoughts over 1-2 weeks.
• Phone Interviews
• Online Focus Groups
• Online Surveys

American Consumer Opinion is another market research company where you can qualify for several surveys a year.

Annoyingly, they insist on using their own “virtual currency” point system. Still, you can earn up to $50 worth of points for longer market research surveys.

There’s a $10 minimum to cash out and you can deposit your earnings directly into PayPal. To give you an incentive to complete the low-paying screener surveys, American Consumer Opinion will add your name to a monthly $50 drawing .

On L&E Opinions , I found nationwide studies paying $125-250.  The company has been in business over 30 years and pays out millions of dollars in research incentives every year.

FocusGroups.org is an aggregator service that lists focus groups and paid research opportunities around the country. When I registered, I saw online focus group options that paid anywhere from $75 to $625!

Topics included pets, hygiene, cooking, luxury cars, and lots more. There are some handy filters you can use to select only online or “National” studies.

Another site that pulls in lots of different paid studies, FindFocusGroups.com was a great find. 

At press time, they had the best-looking interface of most of these sites, but hadn’t been updated in several months.

When I checked, the compensation for these ranged from $50 to $200.

Through “compensated interviews” and focus groups, SIS helps brands figure out direction for their products. You can see a full list of available paid studies on this page .

I found rates from $25-200, depending on the time required and complexity of the topic. SIS recruits participants from all around the world, not just the US.

Similar to FindFocusGroups above, SurveyFeeds isn’t a market research company itself, but instead a promising “feed” of paid survey opportunities.

I found their Facebook page updated more frequently than their website, so it might be worthwhile to check there and see what you might qualify for.

The online studies I saw ranged from $75 to $300 .

Recruit and Field is one of the longest-running national market research companies. Since 1977, they’ve built up a participant database of over 300,000 consumers, business leaders, and medical professionals.

The company works with lots of name-brand clients and typically pays $100-275 for in-person and online surveys.

I recently earned $250 for a 1-hour call about business banking!

When I checked out Field Voices , I found a couple available studies to apply for. One was a neighborhood improvement interview that paid $150 for one hour, and the other was a group workshop on snacking habits that paid $300!

This firm works directly with companies as well, which means they’re not just pulling together lists of other research projects.

Consumers, medical professionals, and executives are in demand for Probe Market Research’s panels. Focus groups pay between $50 and $400, and you can often participate online or over the phone.

Major brands enlist Probe to conduct online surveys, mystery shopping gigs , mock juries, product trials, and more .

The popular and well-rated dscout app connects you with “engaging research missions.” Through those, you can get paid to share your feedback on a product or service.

Typical studies pay anywhere from $2 to $100 , paid out via PayPal. The biggest complaints from users are that the often in-depth screener surveys are unpaid.

Less of a market research firm and more of a consulting marketplace, GLG Insights aims to match you up with their clients looking for industry-specific expertise. Request to become a “Council Member” to get notified when relevant paid studies are available.

On GLG, you’ll be asked to connect your LinkedIn profile and upload a resume (or link to an online resume) to verify your career credentials. You can also name your own consulting rate — usually $100-150 and up .

After that, I answered a series of ethics questions based on GLG’s terms and conditions.

When academic and research institutions need opinions from the general population, they turn to Prolific . It’s easy to sign up and start completing online surveys.

The pay on Prolific is a bit lower — often in the $8-15/hr range. But in my Prolific review , I found plenty of quick and easy surveys available, and you can cash out to PayPal.

WatchLab has an obnoxiously inadequate website, but they claim to facilitate all sorts of focus groups, usability tests, interviews, mock juries, and more.

The pay varies depending on the research, and may be in the form of gift cards or cash. I saw ranges from $100 to $175 for 1-2 hour focus groups. WatchLab has locations in San Francisco and Chicago, as well as online options.

For in-person focus groups, you get paid on the spot — online may take 4-6 weeks.

Mindswarms is a unique video consumer research platform. They’ll pay you $50 via PayPal to answer 10 questions about a product or service.

These studies normally take around 10 minutes and can be recorded via your webcam or smartphone, but competition to get selected can be fierce.

To create your account you’ll need to record a 60-second video about one of your passions. Or you can do this through the Mindswarms app on iOS or Android .

Earn $50-150 for online focus groups and studies. While the website doesn’t necessarily inspire confidence, 20|20 Panel has been around for over 30 years.

I found several online focus groups paying $50-200 on Focus Insite . The company popped up in my Instagram feed, a signal they’re actively recruiting new participants.

You can join their panel database as a medical, technical, or business professional, or just as a general consumer. Alternatively, you can apply directly to the available market research studies listed.

The companies listed above certainly aren’t the only research companies around, and for this side hustle, it makes sense to join as many firms as you’re comfortable with.

That way, you’re presented with all the opportunities available, not just the projects managed by one company.

Here are a few more to consider:

• Ascendency Research — On average, studies pay $60-350. Many are local to the Twin Cities, MN, but they have some national studies, too.
• Elliott Benson — Conducting paid market research since 1995.
• PRC Market Research — You can browse upcoming projects (and their pay rate) before registering. Most studies pay $100-300/hour.
• NewtonX — Strictly for industry professionals to share their insight and get paid.
• Focus Forward — A unique aggregator of paid focus group and survey opportunities.
• UserTesting – Earn $10 for completing 20-minute online user tests of websites, apps, shopping portals, and more. This is pretty fun but you have to be fast because these tests get snatched up quickly.
• Brutal – Earn $30 an hour to give feedback on websites and apps. (Love the name!)
• Pulse Labs – Earn up to $100 a week providing video feedback on products.
• Intellizoom – Get paid an average of $10 testing and reviewing websites.
• UserBrain – Receive new websites to test every week, an earn $5 for each 5-15 minute test.
• Google User Experience – Google pays gift cards for feedback on their products.
• Nelson Recruiting — Nationwide market research company established in 1980.
• Marketade – Specializes in remote usability testing, market validation, navigation research, and more.
• Engage Studies – Earn as much as $100 per focus group through this research company.
• Tell Us Your Opinion – Mainly operating in Tulsa but may have online/phone opportunities as well.
• Adler Weiner Research – In-person studies in Chicagoland and Southern California, plus remote studies nationwide.
• Advanced Focus – Hosts market research panels and focus groups in New York City.
• Nichols Research – Get paid to participate in in-person focus groups, primarily in Northern California.
• Herron Associates — In-person studies in Indianapolis, IN and Tampa, FL.
• PrizeRebel – Earn $10-12 an hour doing surveys or completing other tasks. (Just avoid the low-paying ones.)

As with any side hustle, there’s an opportunity cost. As in, what else could you be doing with your time?

I encourage you to check out our monster list of side hustle ideas , but here are a few that are similarly flexible.

Become a Bookkeeper

One of the first jobs that many companies hire out is “someone to keep the books.” If you have experience in this field, or just love numbers, becoming a remote bookkeeper could way to make extra money.

Most businesses don’t need a full-time bookkeeper so they’re open to hiring someone part-time. Most virtual bookkeepers charge $100-300 per client per month.

Network with business owners locally or online and let them know about your service. It might make sense to check out this  free training on how to start a remote bookkeeping business .

Alternative Investments

If you’re after passive income , you might consider adding some alternative investments .

For example,  Fundrise  allows you to invest in professionally-vetted commercial real estate. This spreads your risk around with properties in multiple geographical locations–and minimums as low as $10 .

Disclosure: I’ve been a Fundrise investor since 2015, and earn a commission when you join through my referral link. Opinions are my own.

Resell Furniture Returns

Reselling furniture returns is a unique low-risk side hustle .

How it works is you join Sharetown as a local “reverse logistics” rep. Sharetown partners with direct-to-consumer mattress and furniture brands to handle their return requests.

When customers decide they don’t want to keep the item, you’ll get dispatched to go pick it up. After that, you’ll:

• clean it up
• photograph it
• list it for resale on sites like Facebook Marketplace

The Sharetown reps I’ve connected with target $150-250 per flip — and, importantly — you don’t have to pay Sharetown for the inventory until the item sells.

Check out my full Sharetown review to learn more.

Sharetown reps make money by reselling gently-used furniture and bed-in-a-box mattresses. Top reps earn $4000+ per month.

• Low startup costs
• Great earning power
• No hunting for inventory
• Requires a truck or SUV
• Bulky items to store
• Not available in all areas

Mobile Notary Service

Becoming a mobile notary loan signing agent is one of the most popular gigs among the Side Hustle Nation community. The flexible, part-time side hustle involves walking new homeowners through their stack of mortgage documents.

Appointments typically take around an hour and pay $75-150.

One big drawback to focus groups or online surveys is you’re limited in how much you can earn. It’s a great side hustle, but it’ll never be a full-time income.

Focus groups or paid research studies won’t pay your mortgage, but one or two a month will definitely help build your side hustle snowball .

Have you had any success in landing paid focus group studies? What do you think of this little supplemental side hustle?

Let me know in the comments below!

• Start Your Free $500 Challenge . My free 5-day email course shows you how to add $500 to your bottom line.
• Join the free Side Hustle Nation Community . The free Facebook group is the best place to connect with other side hustlers and get your questions answered.
• Download The Side Hustle Show . My free podcast shares how to make extra money with actionable weekly episodes.

The award-winning Side Hustle Show is a Top 10 Entrepreneurship podcast with over 1,200 5-star ratings!

Listen in your favorite podcast app or directly in your browser.

Is there such thing as an online focus group?

Yes! Several companies facilitate online consumer research focus groups, which is great because that means you can earn money from the comfort of your home or office. Check out our full list to learn more.

How much do focus groups pay?

The pay for focus groups depends on how long the session lasts. Most commonly, you’ll find rates average around $100 an hour.

Where can I find legit paid focus groups?

Companies like Respondent, Fieldwork, and FocusGroup.com are all legit facilitators of paid focus groups. Or, for the best results, you might try an aggregator service like FindFocusGroups.com, which pools together focus group opportunities from several sources. Be sure to check the list of providers on Side Hustle Nation as well.

How do online focus groups work?

Online focus groups work either via conference call or more commonly, through a group video chat to more closely mimic the in-person experience. A moderator will lead the group discussion and participants can chime in through their webcam and computer microphone or phone line.

********* Stock photo  by Akhenaton Images via Shutterstock

Like That? There's More!

Join the 100,000 who get my best stuff via email.

I'll also send you my free guide: The 5 Fastest Ways to Make More Money .

You're in! Make sure to check your email (including spam/promotions) for your free welcome gift.

About the Author

Nick Loper is a side hustle expert who loves helping people earn more money and start businesses they care about. He hosts the award-winning Side Hustle Show, where he's interviewed over 500 successful entrepreneurs, and is the bestselling author of Buy Buttons , The Side Hustle , and $1,000 100 Ways .

His work has been featured in The New York Times, Entrepreneur, Forbes, TIME, Newsweek, Business Insider, MSN, Yahoo Finance, The Los Angeles Times, The San Francisco Chronicle, The Financial Times, Bankrate, Hubspot, Ahrefs, Shopify, Investopedia, VICE, Vox, Mashable, ChooseFI, Bigger Pockets, The Penny Hoarder, GoBankingRates, and more.

58 thoughts on “Online Focus Groups: 26 Paid Research Companies that Pay Up to $250 an Hour for Your Opinion”

Nice job, Nick! I have only ever been able to score low paying “mystery shopper” gigs. I get a free meal and $15 or $20 for my trouble. It usually takes about an hour, so am making $15 – $20 per hour. I have repeatedly mystery shopped a “Roy Rogers” restaurant that is on the NYS thruway. Almost every time I have had to travel to or from my daughter’s college campus I have been able to get a free meal, $10 or $15, and a portion of my tolls paid. I wouldn’t make the effort except that I am already driving by and there is a good chance that I would need a bathroom break anyway. Everybody wins. :>) I will be checking on a couple of the sites you provided to see if there is anything I qualify for.

Thanks Kevin. I’ve been half-heartedly attempting to find a mystery shopping expert to school me on how it really works :)

Hi Nick – If you are still reading these comments, I hope you will remove User Interviews from your list. After reading your article, I applied with them and was excited at first, but they have a serious flaw. They do not screen what the companies post for the surveys. First you have to take a questionnaire to see if you will be selected for the survey. Time after time you spend time answering the flawed questionnaire, and then not being selected, probably because of being forced to complete an answer that is not correct. Here’s an example that I just sent to Tabitha at User Interviews:

“I was applying for the Medical Injectibles survey, and the first several questions went well. Then there was the question “Do you care for a child with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis?” with the options of yes or no. I checked no, and I cannot imagine there are vast numbers of people who would have been able to check yes.

The next question was required, and it asked for the age of the person I care for, and had a box, also required, asking for the required medications.

Why was I prompted with that question when I had answered no?”

So that was yet another questionnaire that was flawed that completely wasted my time because I could not proceed. I have asked them to remove me from all further communication as I want nothing to do with them anymore, and I honestly don’t think you should be recommending them.

Hmm sorry for the trouble, Balinda. I agree, their conditional logic on the screener surveys could be better — or they could just advance to a “thanks but you’re not a fit” page. When those types of funky follow-up questions happen for me, I just back out and go back to the list since it’s clear I’m not going to qualify.

Nick, this list is AWESOME! I’ve been using User Interviews for about a month and a half and it seems like I hardly ever get selected for any of the surveys. In fact, I’ve only been selected for 1 so far (which literally took 10 minutes and I got a $30 Amazon gift card) and the second one I got approved for, by the time I got around to actually confirming my spot that evening, it was already fully booked up! I’m wondering with all the different options available if it would be feasible to make some decent side money – assuming the time commitment doesn’t get overwhelming. I’m gonna dig into this a little I think and see what I can come up with.

Hey Kyle, I hope you found some good “side jobs.” You mentioned that you used user interviews and only got 1 job. I’m so surprised by that. I have been using them for a few months and I have made a good bit of money. I had a 20 minute telephone survey and was paid $150! I had another that was in person. They came to my apt (they originally said to see my wardrobe in closet, but never did) they interviewed me on camera for about 10-15 minutes and then we went to a clothing store! They asked me if I liked the store, clothes, etc. In all I was with them about an hour. I got $350! I could have made another $100 for doing “homework,” but I was too busy. That’s just 2 of jobs I had from them. Anyway, I just wanted you to know, bcuz you should keep trying with them. I plan on hitting all these new ones, thanks to Nick! Good Luck!

It’s funny you bring this topic up. I LITERALLY started signing up for focus groups last Monday (going on two weeks) and I’ve already made $650. Most have came from respondent. I also signed up for the Reddit r/paidstudy group as well as the cool work ideas.com FB which posts multiple studies a day. I’m loving it so far!

Hi Nick, I’ve been using ACOP for a few years now it does take a long time to gather up money. I usually wait till I get up around $50 or so to cash in. The problem I find is it takes two to three months for it to show up in my Pay Pal account, very slow turn around.

Nick, I’ve been doing these for several years. I probably average about $1,000 per year doing these. This a great comprehensive list!

I tried Mindswarms. I had no trouble creating a profile video (though it really does not flatter me, nor had I trouble applying for studies. However, I have been on there for over a month, and I have been rejected for every. Single. Study. Besides that, they do not ever bother telling me, or giving me helpful suggestions. Their FAQ section is so useless as to be counterproductive. And I suspect that my mind and my interests are not average enough to make Mindswarms (or online studies/surveys in general) worth my while.

Here is a good rule of thumb: if you prefer the musical works of Vasily Kalinnikov (or just know who Vasily Kalinnikov was) over “Lady” Gaga, do not bother with surveys. Only the most average individuals with the most average minds can succeed with this rubbish. Or so my experiences would indicate.

Actually, the opposite is true. just regular surveys do kind of suck. However, the focus groups and interviews and so forth, all the ones that I’ve actually gotten into have been because I’m weird or different. That’s why so many people get declined. They look for people who don’t conform, mostly because they’re looking for new and innovative ideas. Why would you research the monotonous and mundane?

Thanks so much for the information. I signed up on Respondent today and have a 71% match on 1 survey. We’ll see how it goes.

I just tried to sign up with Respondent, and probably I’m the only one in the world with this problem of not having any social media sites. They want to verify your work on LinkedIn or your FB profile. I don’t have a FB account nor do I have a LinkedIn account. I know, I must be living in a cave, but the work I do does not allow me to use social media. What to do? I guess Respondent is out. Bummer.

This is pretty much the same for me too, Shari. Even if I had an account on social media I would only have my family and close friends on it. I wouldn’t want to give some site access. I also ran into one (can’t remember the name) where they wanted you to upload a video of yourself in order to get the surveys. I am also not comfortable with that. I’ve signed up with all that was listed above. We’ll see how it goes. Good luck to you!

Since I haven’t seen it noted in the comments or main blog anywhere I just wanted to put it out there that technically if you make over $600 with any single company like this they are supposed to issue a 1099 for your payouts. Normally if you accumulate that much over a year they may not bother BUT I was lucky enough to get into a study that paid $875 which immediately put me over that threshold. So then they issued a 1099 for all my earnings from them in that year. That hurt at tax time. This year I’m going to spread it out over as many companies as I can to hopefull get a lot but no single one over $600. And if you are lucky enough to get into a single high paying study, keep the tax implication in mind.

Very nice blog post. Thanks for sharing. On respondent I made $30 today. Not bad!

Thanks Nick, this list is AWESOME! I’ve been doing surveys and focus groups for about a year. I’ve had some great paying, easy jobs. I’ve also spent, what felt like like forever, time trying to qualify for them to no avail. However, from my experience, I can definitely say not to give up! Surveys are time consuming with little pay, for the most part. Focus groups, interviews, etc., is where the money is! I have been looking for more sites and you just gave me a bunch! I am gonna try them all! Keep the info coming! Thanks again!

I’m wondering if the earning need to be claimed on our taxes? Is there a record that we are being paid? Do these companies ask for any personal information? Thanks

Try Jackson/Adept in Los Angeles. They have a Beverly Hills and Encino location.

Here are Metro Detroit Focus Groups and my reviews of them

Morpace Inc. 31700 Middlebelt Road Suite 200 Farmington Hills, MI 48334 Phone: (248) 737-5300 http://www.morpace.com Pays $80-$250 Focus Group Surveys (In Person). If they over fill the group which happened to me on one occassion then you get paid instantly without doing the survey. They pay by check or cash after the 1-2 hour in person survey. They offer surveys 1-2 times a year.

Shifrin Hayworth 26400 Lahser Rd #430, Southfield, MI 48033 Phone: (248) 223-0020 https://www.shifrin-hayworth.com/ Pays $50-$300 Focus Group Surveys (In Person). They pay by check or cash in person after the 1-2 hour survey. They offer surveys about 1-2 times a year.

I recently learned that you can only participate in 1 survey every 6 months which is why after being asked if you’ve done one recently you get disqualified.

I just did a study for them last week. They promised a $200 virtual gift card within 48 hours but it’s been a week and still nothing. They’ve stopped answering my emails and I can’t find a phone number for them, which seems pretty shady.

Did they ever get back to you/pay you?

So I have had really good luck with a lot of these companies you listed. I am a stay at home mom have been looking into all this and actively participating for about 6 weeks and made over 3000 dollars I have made 630 dollars on users interviews, 585 on respondents, 310 on user testing, 270 on validately usability studies , 250 on 20/20 panel, about 140 on intellizoom/ what users do Usability studies, 90 dollars on TrymyUI, and 50 on ping pong research. I have also made 375 dolars from focus point global. plus more companies that i got under 20 each from so there is money to be made here if you invest the time. I have done one on one studies with a web cam, phone interviews, product testing (shampoos, and even new cereal), online diary studies (usually about things you eat), and lots of usability studies. the key is knowing how to answer the screener questions. Thank you so much for your list I am going to check out the companies I have not uses yet

Whoa that’s awesome Casondra – thanks for sharing!

Hi Nick-I just found this post and thank you for “heads up”… I’m writing to share with you two top performers here in Seattle for in-person focus groups. In-Sight Space and Fieldwork / Seattle.

I’ve been fortunate enough to have had a few gigs with each of these company’s who conduct only focus groups. Most of the time the pay is cash on the spot and the groups range from 45 minutes to 2 hours. These two company’s have frequent remarkably high-paying gigs. It’s fairly common to attend a 90 minute focus group that pays anywhere from 150.00 – 350.00. On occasion I’ve landed one of their mock jury groups, sometimes held at one of Seattle’s finest hotels and lasts close to 8 hours. These mock jury groups have paid me between 300.00 to 550.00 for the gig and always provide a catered breakfast and lunch. Again, thanks for sharing your information and I hope you’re able to use my information and experience to help others.

Sincerely, Jason B.

Nice, Jason — thanks for sharing!

I’m registered with two companies for focus group and mock jury participation. I’ve done both and found them enjoyable and worthwhile. Usually payment was cash. One time it was a VISA gift card. The mock juries required more hours than the focus groups. One was Friday evening, all day Saturday, and Saturday evening. My experience has been food and beverages were provided when the event was more than 3 hours.

Participants were usually limited to one event in 6 months.

I’ve seen a large dropoff in opportunities since I reached a certain age. Sigh.

Very occasionally the local newspaper has a classified ad for focus group participants.

I need the mock jury site

Ok…I see several people are interested in Mystery Shopping so I thought I’d share a little info. I have done a lot of mystery shopping in the past and love it. Not amazing money but interesting and I enjoyed it. So…here are a few sites to start with…I hope this is OK…I see a few people said they would send information, but a lot of others requested info and I don’t know if they got what they needed. I hope this helps. So…first… this is the official website of the Mystery Shopping Professionals Association…it has a ton of good info and resources https://www.mspa-global.org/index.html Work available always depends on the type of job you are interested in and where you are located so the best companies to work with will vary for different people. Here are some other resources that may help… https://www.mysteryshopperjobfinder.com/members/resources/mspa-interview/ https://www.mysteryshopforum.com/ https://www.mysteryshoppermagazine.com/?source=forum-top-discussions and last but not least… https://www.shadowshopper.com Shadow Shopper…the first thing that pops up when you google Shadow Shopper will be scam alerts. I’m here to tell you it is not a scam. I have used them for years off and on. They do have a fee option, and to get anywhere, you probably will want to use it at least for a short time. But a lot of job boards charge a small fee. Basically it is where companies post work that they need to get done and shoppers go to find work. It’s a great way to see what is available in your area and skill set and interest and sign up with those companies offering that work. You can go out on your own and start just looking into shopping sites, but that sign up processing can be lengthy and if you pick one that doesn’t offer work in your area or jobs you want, you have wasted time and effort. Once you sign up with a few companies that you’ve found on Shadow Shopper, move on until you want to look for more. No need to keep your subscription if you have the work your want. Just my suggestion, but it has landed me several really good opportunities. One lasted years and was around made me around $2000/yr. Oh…and if you are wanting a list of companies…go here… it’s a tedious process to choose, but it’s an option… https://www.mysteryshopforum.com/companies/ Good luck and enjoy :)

Thank you Anna!

I’ve used Focus Pointe Global and Schlesinger in the Boston area for years. I’ve made really good money with them ($75-200 per session). People seem to over-estimate how difficult this all is. Sign up in the database, fill out a survey if you get an e-mail, if you pre-qualify for a study they call you to screen you again, you either qualify or you don’t on that phone call. If you’re picked, you go to their office and sit with the other people picked and just give your opinion for about 90 minutes. The hardest part for me is fighting traffic to get to the office in the city. These focus groups have been a lifesaver for me in periods of unemployment.

Will you get called every week about a survey? No, you definitely won’t, maybe not every month either. But if you sign up with 5-10 companies your chances of getting picked go up. And I agree that sites like Swagbucks are more or less a waste of time. It’s very small money.

Everyone is asking: How do I join? You have to go to the companies website and sign up for the panel (“Join the Panel”) and then wait. Also, the bigger companies post surveys on their Facebook pages so sign up for their notifications.

I do the best with Respondent, User Interviews and UTest.com. Also check out Affectiva’s job listings if you’re in the Boston area. I’ve made a lot helping to test out their automotive AI.

I have been doing focus groups online for prob 3 years or so. I have done a lot of them with watchlab and user interviews. Also accelerant research is a good one. Field work is another I’ve done them with. I’m sure there is more that I’ve used but i gotta tell u that these have been a life saver for me at times. I most recently did one that paid $400 which is the most I’ve made. I am signed up and in the databases of all that u listed plus a few others like accelerant research. Oh yeah another great place is Elliot Benson research.

Thanks for sharing Shelley!

you might try Mturk if you money to pay…

Great job on this article! I’ve been doing focus groups for many years. Probably made about $2,000 or so altogether.

I’d also recommend instapanel. I’ve been using them for several years to complete video surveys. They pay $20 for about 5-10 minutes of work. Here’s a link: https://instapanel.com/ .

I work for one of the market research companies that hire these focus group facilities/recruiters to get us the research we need. For in person focus groups (in facility) you can expect to get paid around $100 per hour, and more expensive if you’re in a specialty group (certain ailments, professionals such as tech). For online focus groups they run around $75 per hour.

If you want to know the panels to join around your area to join focus groups, I’d recommend going on Green Book (for research) and search on recruiters or facility around your neighborhood. This is where researchers go to find panels to do research with and you’ll get more opportunities with the facilities/recruiters there.

I don’t recommend online surveys bc you might terminate out of many surveys before you complete one and they won’t pay you more than $5 for one, and that’s on the rare end. Hope this helps!

Appreciate the insight — thanks Michelle!

I love love love all the great information I just obtained by reading your blog. OMG ! If anyone has any leads for Indiana specifically please let me know. I know of Herron Associates does a lot of research focus groups. Just go to their website and sign up. Ive done a few for them in the past and made anywhere from $50-150 for about an hour or so in person focus group. I think those are great and very interesting. If anyone wants to contact me to give me some tips on the mystery shopping I’d greatly appreciate it. TIA ( Thanks in Advance) Carrie

Thanks a bunch for the informative post! I signed up for several of the ones you have on this list and already got selected for a study. Just curious – most of the prescreen questions ask if you’ve recently participated in a study. If you have (I’ll fall into this bucket once I complete the study I just got picked for), does that greatly reduce your chances of being selected for another one?

Hi, are any of these open to people under 18?

All clinical trials are for ages 18-99.

Amalia, I apologize. I read your question to quickly & transposed the numbers. I thought you said 81.I’m rarely asked to prove my age, but they may have some way of checking. Product reviews are open to 16+, I believe. I’ve never had to show my ID online, only when I do things in person. Obviously medical care you’d show your ID.

Withpower.com is a great website to checkout medical trials. There are all sorts & bonus if you need medical care & don’t have the money to pay for it. Some just monitor or interview you…all the way up to getting medicated treatment for your condition. I even saw dental work on there.

Every clinical research compensated me for my time & travel. It’s always paid out very well for me & it’s definitely worth the time. I got $365 for downloading an app on my phone that I recorded how long I slept the night before.They sent a little survey with 4 questions every day to the app & I told them what time I went to bed, did I wake up during the night, how long did it take me to get back to sleep, and what time I woke up. I got paid in intervals at week 2, 6, 10, & 14. Super easy money.

I’m on #4 of this list now. User interviews has been fair to me. I’ve seen product reviews, online, and focus groups on there. If they let you know that you are qualified, act quickly!

Clinical research & focus groups are my favorite. I used to like doing product reviews & I still do. But once you really start getting into it, the rewards get better & better. Thank you so much, Nick. Yes, I referred you when signing up. You deserve it.

Hi Nick, this is a great job.

Many of these websites do not authorize participants from Nigeria and Africa. They have country-based restrictions. It sucks.

I have a master’s degree in business administration. I have a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering. I have a postgraduate diploma in economics, a postgraduate diploma in education and a professional diploma in early childhood education. I have a CEFR Level C1 in IELTS exam. I have done some surveys in my country, Nigeria and I performed well.

What survey sites do you recommend that do not have country-based restrictions? I am really curious Nick.

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Usually hustling, occasionally social.

The Company About Contact Books Advertise Media

Free Resources Blog Community $500 Challenge Personalized Playlists Side Hustle Quiz

The Fine Print Terms of Use Privacy How We Make Money CCPA Do Not Sell My Personal Information As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

ivetriedthat

35 Paid Online Research Studies Seeking Participants

How can one participate in paid online research studies and get paid for your brain, your health, and your opinions?

• Inbox Dollars - Get paid to check your email. $5 bonus just for signing up!
• Survey Junkie - The #1 survey site that doesn't suck. Short surveys, high payouts, simply the best.
• Nielsen - Download their app and get paid $50!

Well, you’re in the right place.

Today, let’s look at 35 different opportunities to get paid as a participant in research studies.

Types of Paid Online Research Studies

A medical study involves a group of people within an age group, gender, race, ethnic group, or individuals with the same specific health issues.

Participating in these studies often involves answering a combination of interviews, tests, surveys, or experimentation to be able to answer questions on how to diagnose, treat, prevent, or cure health disorders and diseases.

Aside from paid medical studies, market research makes use of paid online research to find out what customers want or need from various products and companies.

The cool thing about paid online research studies available today is that even if you are not a part of the target audience, you can still participate in the study in another capacity.

Online research studies can be either quantitative or qualitative.

Quantitative studies are the ones with static, pre-planned answers. A questionnaire with multiple-choice answers is a good example of this study. It is made as such so that the researcher can easily analyze the results.

Qualitative studies are a bit more complex since they involve open-ended answers.

However, this type of study ends up with better data. Focus groups and interviews are both methods used in qualitative studies.

How Much Can You Earn from Paid Research Studies?

Imagine earning up to $1,000 just for sharing your opinion, review of a product, or thoughts about a particular experience without even stepping out of the house.

You don’t even have to spend a cent to participate in these research studies.

Most of the time, you’d only have to be at least 18 years old and currently live in the US.

Even when you’re below 18 years old, researchers sometimes allow you to participate as long as you had a waiver from your parent or legal guardian.

The amount you earn from joining research studies depend on the following:

• Method of research — Did you join a focus group? Answered a lengthy interview? Filled out a survey form?
• Length of study — Some interviews only take an hour and earn you $150. Some focus groups could take several sessions and end only after several weeks.
• Type of payment — Not all companies pay cash. Some use PayPal, while others prefer checks, gift cards, prepaid cards, and so on.

Quick surveys can be as little as $10 and high as $100.

Focus group sessions range between $50 and $500 per session.

Interviews can earn you somewhere from $50 to $400 for an hour of your time.

Simply put, the amount you’ll be paid will vary from study to study.

Join These to Start Making Money Today!

Before digging into the list below, I suggest you sign up for the 3 best focus group/market research companies.

Anyone can participate and you will be invited to take part in research studies, focus groups, and product testing opportunities.

These companies pay in cash and offer cash signup bonuses to get you started.

• SurveyJunkie - Get paid CASH to share your thoughts on some of the world's biggest brands.
• Branded Surveys - Work directly with companies like Nike, Samsung, Amazon, and Disney to improve their product lines.

On to the list!

35 Ways to Get Paid for Research Studies Online

The following universities have year-long research studies in a wide range of topics.

1. Northwestern University Department of Psychology

Earn from $10 to $40 an hour if you participate in one of the school’s online studies.

The studies change regularly and vary widely from topics such as phone usage, changes in thoughts and feelings, Artificial Intelligence,  sleeping patterns, psychosis, aging, and even products like hearing aids.

2. Harvard University Psychology Study Pool

Join Harvard’s Psychology Study Pool and earn from $10 to $25 an hour, paid via gift cards.

The online studies are available year-round for both Harvard students and guests.

3. Carnegie Mellon University

If you’re at least 18 years old, can read and speak English, and have never joined any research studies at the Center for Behavioral and Decision Research at Carnegie Mellon, you can sign up for their paid online research studies.

Topics range from personal beliefs, attitudes, decision-making, human judgment, interpersonal perceptions, and group performance, among others.

You’ll earn $8 an hour, paid in gift cards. Each study takes anywhere from 5 and 20 minutes.

Paid participants are needed for in-person studies in labs on campus, but may sometimes be able to participate online on a home computer.

Note that only students are accepted (ID will be requested).

4. Center for Decision Sciences Columbia Business School

For participating in an online survey or study, you can earn $16 an hour, as long as you’re 18+ years old and have a PayPal or Amazon.com account to receive payments.

No need to be a student at Columbia Business School, but you need to register in the CDS Virtual Lab Online Panel.

5. MIT Behavioral Research Lab

There are in-person and paid online research studies available at MIT.

Payment amounts vary from study to study, but participants usually earn $11 to $20 per hour for online studies.

Anyone aged 18 or older, residing in the United States, and proficient in spoken and written English can join the BRL participant pool.

Membership is open to all; you don’t need any association with MIT to participate. Other requirements may be needed for studies requiring specific respondents.

6. University of Maryland Robert H. Smith School of Business

As long as you’re a current Smith student (and eligible for certain studies), you can get paid for research studies online here.

Make sure you create an account, sign up for the studies that you want to participate in, and get paid once you fulfill your role.

7. Purdue University

You can find a lot of paid online studies here.

Currently, they have studies on Parkinson’s disease (and other neurodegenerative diseases), flavored water, biosensors, mushroom nutrition, linguistics, cancer, and so on.

Participants are paid somewhere between $10 and $500.

What’s great about Purdue University is that the studies are varied and open to the public.

8. Stanford Graduate School of Business

You’ll be paid up to $25 an hour for online research studies, but you’d have to be eligible and complete a prescreen form.

You also can’t participate in the same study more than once.

9. UCLA Anderson School of Management

The behavioral lab has some paid online studies, if you’re interested in topics like consumer behavior, organizational behavior, judgment, and other similar topics.

Most studies here pay from $10 to $20 an hour.

They also have in-lab and in-person studies.

10. Boston University Behavioral Lab

If you’re interested in human behavior and is willing to participate in online studies, try to join if you’re eligible.

These studies pay between $10 and $20 an hour.

The studies from Boston University’s Behavioral Lab is open to both BU students and the general public.

11. University of Maryland Department of Psychology

You need to create an account at the SONA System website to see available research studies.

Each of the studies have different eligibilities and payment.

12. University of Nebraska-Lincoln

This college holds a wide range of research studies revolving MRI research, human brain, behavior, and so on.

There are studies exclusively for seniors, and those that are for teens.

There are two ways to volunteer for these studies:

• Join the CB3 Research Participant Volunteer Registry (and wait for them to e-mail you)
• Pick the study and contact researchers directly.

Pay can go as high as $80 per study.

13. American University Psychology Department

Topics vary widely, but they are related to psychology and human behavior.

You can earn up to $20 an hour for just filling out a form as a smoker’s first-hand experience during stressful situations.

14. Respondent.IO

This next one isn’t a university, but it’s a comprehensive resource if you plan to participate in numerous market research and other online studies.

Pay ranges from $25 to $200.

Eligibility requirements vary between studies.

Make sure to check details and never pay to join a focus group or study.

15. Brand Institute

Want to be at the forefront of the pharmaceutical industry?

Join consumer market research panel groups by signing up with Brand Institute.

16. mindswarms

It’s sort of like an interview since you are required to answer ten questions with a video.

In exchange for your thoughts, you’ll be paid $50.

Earn somewhere between $50 and $250 by participating in healthcare or consumer market research studies.

18. Probe Market Research

The company pays people for online, phone or group interviews about their clients’ products, services, ads, or other campaigns.

Payment goes as high as $400.

19. Penn State University

(Quick shoutout to my Alma Mater… We Are!)

… and they are seeking just about anyone who’s alive to participate in a research study. With over 200 current open studies, odds are, you’ll qualify for something they have available.

Keep an eye out for “Total Compensation” to see just what the study pays.

20. User Interviews

Get paid for your feedback on real projects.

Create an account by filling up a form and wait for project invitations if you’re eligible.

There are online and in-phone interviews available.

21. Yale School of Management

If you live anywhere near Yale campus, be sure to sign up for their newsletter as they frequently put out requests for both in person and paid online research studies.

You will be paid, in cash, at the completion of your study.

They also have a Facebook group that announces when new studies are available to participate in.

22. Georgetown University Department of Psychology

Georgetown’s Department of Psychology is regularly looking for both students and non-students alike to participate in studies.

Average pay will run you about $10 per hour, so it can be some nice change to pick up in your spare time.

Their research includes personality, memory, and impulse control tests to name a few.

23. UCLA Semel Institute

UCLA offers both in-person and online research studies to check out.

They have a massive list of open opportunities for you to click through. The highest paying ones often need you to come into their offices for scans and interviews, but there are a lot of remote positions available too.

24. PingPong

Web designers and developers working on websites and applications value the input of real-life users and are willing to pay for these users’ opinions and insights

You can get paid anywhere from €15 to €40 per hour and even up to €100 for special projects.

Payment is credited through Transferwise or PayPal.

25. American Consumer Opinion

Yet another survey site, American Consumer Opinion (ACOP) pays you for your answers to their survey questions.

You can even get paid up to $100 if you fit a certain demographic and able to participate in special projects.

Research studies on this site may not be constantly available, though. It’s best to check back frequently.

26. Recruit and Field

Recruit and Field is a market research company that hosts paid online research studies all around the US and even in international locations.

They look for participants from any gender and age for their studies, including professionals and medical professionals (doctor, nurse, lab technician).

They normally pay via PayPal but also offer Amazon or digital gift cards.

The pay ranges from $100 to $275 for phone interviews, online surveys, and sometimes in-home product testing.

27. Focus Group

Focus Group is an aptly named online community comprised of participants interested in sharing opinions and views on popular products and brands through in-person, telephone, or online surveys.

The pay ranges from $75 to $200, and specialized health studies may pay more.

28. 20|20 Panel

Since 1986, 20|20 Panel has been recruiting participants to share their opinion on various companies.

They specialize in qualitative market research, which is achieved via in-person or online roundtable discussions. You can get paid from $50 to $350 to participate in these discussions.

They also send out quick surveys for which you can get paid smaller amounts (from $1 to $10).

29. FindFocusGroups

Wouldn’t it be great if there were a directory of all the paid research opportunities in the country?

FindFocusGroups is probably the closest one, as it lists more than 75,000 verified and legitimate focus groups in the country.

It’s quite simple to search by city and state, and check the information for details on whether the discussions are online or in-person.

It’s difficult to know how much the average payment would be, but upon browsing the first few studies on the homepage, they range from $50 to $300.

30. SIS International

SIS International conducts focus group discussions in cities all over the US and globally and collects consumer feedback on anything from appliances, skincare products, gadgets, and just about anything.

Rates range from $25 to $200 for 2 to 3 hours of your time.

31.  Apex Focus Group

Apex Focus Group connects regular people like you and me with researchers, who will pay for participants to join clinical research trials, phone interviews and focus groups.

As a participant at any Apex Focus Group study, you can be paid up to $750 a week.

Online and in-person studies are available.

32.  Fieldwork

If you live near New Jersey, New York City, Phoenix, San Francisco, Seattle, Boston, Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles, or Minneapolis, you can participate in current Fieldwork research studies.

Most of the paid focus groups are face-to-face (but online are sometimes available).

Each study lasts about 1 or 2 hours. Participants earn between $75 and $100 for their time.

33. Rare Patient Voice

This company mostly looks for participants who have rare diseases and medical conditions. As such, only eligible people can benefit from the studies.

However, anyone who qualifies will receive $120/hour.

You can share your views via online surveys, clinical trials, or web-assisted phone interviews.

34. ClinicalTrials.gov

The federal government continually seeks individuals willing to participate in clinical trials testing different medications and treatments.

Studies are often conducted by the National Institutes of Health.

You can check out a list of ongoing clinical trials at clinicaltrials.gov.

Unlike other paid online research studies on this list, DScout is an app you can download.

You need to register to become a “scout” and participate in research “missions,” which will earn you money after completion.

DScout studies are usually 1-on-1 interviews or video responses, so you’d have to be comfortable in front of the camera.

Missions pay from $50 to $100, each lasting about 30 minutes.

Can I turn these Paid Online Research Studies into a Full-Time Job?

While paid online studies are highly interesting and offer legitimate side cash, this gig cannot replicate the steady income and benefits you can get with a full-time job.

You’d have to consider that many research studies:

• have eligibility requirements (which means you’re not guaranteed a slot every time)
• cannot be joined twice (once you’ve participated in a specific study, you can’t do a repeat)
• have varying payments (there’s no stability in such income)

I do think it’s a legitimate side gig if you’re in between jobs or have a lot of free time on your hands.

You can also get paid answering surveys , joining focus groups , or testing products .

READ THIS NEXT: The EASIEST ways to make money online. See how.

• Share on Facebook
• Share on Twitter

More Ways to Make Money

The HOTTEST New Way to Make Money in 2021

This is one of the best ways to make real money online. Don't pass this one up.

Continue Reading

100 Different Side Hustles to Fill Your Pockets with Cash

Everyone loves easy ways to make money online. You already have the skills. Turn those hidden talents into extra money from side gigs in 2021.

48 Free Baby Samples for Expecting Parents

A new baby comes with all new expenses. I’ve rounded up 48 ways to get free baby samples to help alleviate some of the costs that come with child care.

15 Ways to Make Money Playing Video Games

Love video games? Here are 15 ways you can actually make money playing video games to help you earn doing something you love.

20 Free Things You Can Get on Your Birthday Without Signing Up

Make your day extra special and claim these 20 birthday freebies without signing up, filling up forms or paying a cent.

The 15 Best Sites for Paid Research Studies

Jenni Sisson, Contributor

• Updated September 11, 2023

Paid research studies are somewhat similar to survey sites , but these studies go a lot more in-depth. The marketing company may ask you to keep a diary of your activities for a week or longer, or they may conduct multiple hour-long phone interviews. They’ll also screen your demographic info much more carefully than if you were conducting simple product tests . 

As such, the payout for research studies is much more than for surveys, with between $50 and $100 per hour being common. Read on to find out more about paid research studies, and which ones are worth your time.

Table of Contents

Key Facts About Paid Research Studies

These studies vary in form and topic and sometimes go by different names, like clinical trials, focus groups, shopalongs, user surveys, paid research opportunities and more. In each case, a company or organization hires a market research firm to answer a question. It could be anything from “Which baby food logo do moms prefer?” to “How many Hispanic citizens in Cincinnati have a favorable view of candidate John Doe?” 

The topic of the research determines what kind of study subjects the project requires, so researchers have to gather respondents of specific demographics. If you sign up for the research company’s database and you fit the profile, they will email or call you to participate in the study. In some cases, you can browse research opportunities and apply to the ones you’re most interested in.

Studies can take various forms: an emailed survey, a phone interview, a video chat, an in-person group panel, keeping a diary of certain activities and more. Your honest responses help companies make marketing and product decisions. 

Here are a few things to keep in mind as you pursue this side hustle:

• You won’t qualify for every study, so plan to apply to a lot of them and with multiple marketing companies.
• Answer honestly. Lie on the surveys and the recruiter will likely ban you from the platform permanently.
• Check your email regularly. Paid research studies are usually time-sensitive, and often the first respondents are rewarded for their punctuality.
• Do your homework. Not every company that claims to do research is legit. Some take your info, “disqualify you” for the study, then sell that info to other companies. Check sites like the Better Business Bureau, Yelp, Reddit and Trustpilot to sift out the time wasters and bad actors.
• Check their payment terms. Companies pay in gift cards, cash, or via apps like PayPal. The timeframe of when you’ll be paid varies widely between companies, so read the fine print.

We’ve compiled a list of some popular companies that conduct paid research studies. Some are generalists, while some cater to a specific clientele or demographic. 

#1. User Interviews

In our experience, User Interviews offers a very high payout compared to the time spent. During our test, we earned a net rate of $55 per hour . Most of the payments are in the form of Amazon gift cards rather than cash, though there are occasionally PayPal options.

#2. Respondent

Respondent focuses their recruitment on IT/tech employees, CEOs and other industry professionals. They offer hefty compensation for participants, which can rise to as much as $750 per hour (according to their website). Respondent pays in PayPal only and only allows you to apply to three studies per day.

While the payouts for Respondent studies are high, it can be difficult to qualify for them. Professionals in IT and other technology business roles tend to have an easier time. You can only apply to the B2B studies if you link your work email to your Respondent profile.

We only earned $31 per hour in our Respondent testing , but that still makes this one of the highest-paying market research opportunities we’ve discovered. 

A Reddit user who goes by the screen name sauciestcoconut claims to have made over $2,000 with DScout , noting that their key to success is that they “literally apply to almost every single mission that I might qualify for. I skip the ones that obviously don’t relate to me (about kids or certain occupations) but I submit several applications a day.”

#4. Universities

These are the original source of paid research studies, so if you live near a university, they can be a great option to make some extra cash. They can be trickier to locate, as each department will have its own recruitment methods.

There is no central repository for these studies that we could find, but here is a list of a few major institutions to get you started:

• Carnegie Mellon (offers online research opportunities)
• University of Nebraska
• University of Texas
• University of Colorado

To sign up to be part of the pool of research study participants at your local university, do an internet search for the university’s name and “paid research studies.” Many (though not all) research studies are conducted in person.

Here’s another route to find these opportunities: if you live near a medical research university, ask your doctor if they know of any clinical trials going on that you may qualify for.

#5. Fieldwork

Fieldwork offers focus groups in 13 locations around the U.S. If you don’t live near one, you can join their online database. They especially need doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals for their studies.

After you register with their site, an employee will call or email you when you come up as a match for a study’s requirements. They have a good reputation as a legitimate company, but users say it’s imperative that you answer the phone when they call . Otherwise, they’ll move on to the next qualifying person on their list.

#6. U.S. Government Clinical Trials

The federal government is always looking for people to participate in clinical trials of various medications and treatments, many of which are conducted through the National Institutes of Health.

These studies can be a particularly good option if you suffer from a chronic medical condition, as you may gain access to cutting-edge treatments before they’re widely available. And as a general rule, these trials are safe; although they may not produce the results that the researchers are hoping for, researchers don’t conduct trials that they believe have the potential to cause harm. 

You can find a list of ongoing clinical trials at clinicaltrials.gov . This is just a repository for the information; each trial is conducted by a different company, university or organization, and you’ll have to contact each study you’re applying for by phone or email. No compensation information is available on the site, and pay rates vary widely depending on factors such as the required time commitment. 

#7. FocusGroup.com

FocusGroup.com has 16 facilities nationwide where you can participate in face-to-face focus groups and panels. These typically pay well, since there’s more work involved in attending an in-person interview than a phone or internet survey.

This company is now owned by Schlesinger Group (rebranded as SAGO), and the change has caused some operational hiccups. For example, there have been several complaints to the Better Business Bureau of participants not getting paid and receiving poor or no communication from the company. However, most of these issues have reportedly been resolved. 

#8. Rare Patient Voice

Due to the nature of this company’s clientele, it is extremely difficult for them to match people to research studies, as they focus on rare diseases and conditions. That said, if you do qualify (and they list their ongoing studies directly on their site), you are handsomely compensated.

Rare Patient Voice has a good reputation, earning an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau . Most of the complaints from participants are related to delayed payment due to an investigation on whether the participant sped through the questions too quickly to give a thorough review. 

#9. FindFocusGroups.com

This site doesn’t host paid research studies directly; it’s more like Craigslist for vetted, high-paying focus groups. (That means you’ll have to apply to each study individually.) Focus groups are sorted by city and state, but there are nationwide online groups as well.

The interface of the site is filled with ads, so make sure that when you click on a sign-up link you’re signing up for an individual study, not clicking over to a random advertiser (some of whom make their ads looks like study invitations).

The reputation of FindFocusGroups.com is hard to speak to as the site is just a board that posts the focus groups of various companies.

#10. SIS International

As you might guess from the name, SIS International is one of the few companies on this list that is open to participants around the world. Their research covers a broad range of industries — everything from burgers to butane.

Participants seem to like participating in SIS International’s research. The company has five stars on Trustpilot and many complimentary reviews from former study participants. 

#11. Probe Market Research

Probe Market Research has three focuses: consumer studies, business-to-business research and healthcare. It’s a legit company, though some participants complain of late payments and the inconvenience of getting paid in virtual Visa cards , which can only be used online and expire in 90 days. However, the company has four stars on Yelp and most reviews are positive.

#12. Focus Insite

Though they pay well, several Reddit users note that it’s pretty hard to qualify for these studies . Though the reviews aren’t all bad; for example, Redditor stormborn29 said , “Focus Insite sent me a really nice vacuum to test, and I was paid $200 — plus I got to keep the vacuum.” 

Focus Insite does, however, have a few unresolved BBB complaints regarding the lack of payment to participants . They have an active Facebook page, but the reviews on that page look unrelated to market research or surveys. In other words, this research company appears to be legit, but we still recommend proceeding with caution. 

#13. WatchLab

If you’re curious about the latest WatchLab studies, check out their Facebook page . WatchLab’s website is geared toward companies that employ them, not participants, so you’ll get more information on Facebook. Many studies are related to social media use.

This firm is notorious for taking a long time to pay , and they’ve been dinged by many users for not paying at all. They only have 2.5 stars on Yelp (based on 32 reviews), and most of the complaints are due to nonpayment. 

GLG presents a different type of opportunity than most of the other companies on this list. They do research on big purchasing decisions, recruit expert witnesses for trials and more. They keep a list of industry experts in management, law, finance and other professional fields to interview or consult on special cases or niche studies.

“Consultants” usually have years of industry experience, and often have leadership roles. A handful of other companies do this too; AlphaSights, Guidepoint, Third Bridge and Coleman are a few others. 

The screening required to become a consultant for GLG and other high-paying research firms is extensive, as they only want respondents that have specific credentials. To get selected, veterans in this consulting side gig world recommend being very detailed in your LinkedIn profile, as recruiters for these studies rely heavily on the platform to identify potential participants.

Many studies are geared toward mid to senior-level professionals, and if you’re matched with a study, you can make up to $500 per hour or more.

#15. Recruit + Field

Recruit + Field covers the U.S., UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. They have an impressive list of clients, including Apple, Netflix, Clinique, Spotify and more. This company is somewhere between a GLG (looking for experts) and FieldWork (looking for all walks of life plus healthcare professionals), as they recruit in each of these areas.

Their reputation is fairly good; Recruit + Field has an A- rating on BBB (only 4 complaints, all of which have been answered). 

What About Apex Focus Group?

When we tested Apex Focus Group , we found that the platform offers none of its own paid research studies and uses misleading marketing tactics to get users to sign up for its email list. Once opted in, the company sends affiliate marketing messages to your inbox. Some of those messages contain legit focus group opportunities, but they’re the same focus groups you could find on your own — often by visiting the sites listed above.

Paid Research Study Sites: Summary and Final Thoughts

You won’t qualify for every study, and unfortunately, no amount of hard work will change that. (Plus these companies now have layers of checks and AI algorithms to vet cheating and lying, so don’t try that either). 

Because of this, paid research studies fall squarely in the side-hustle-only camp. For the best return, apply to a number of studies you have a good chance of qualifying for, and quickly respond when you get a call or email from the market research company (as many studies are deadline driven). 

Whether you’re a stay-at-home parent looking to make a few bucks during naptime or a senior project manager looking for a good-paying, low-maintenance side gig , paid research studies can be an easy way to make extra money.

Different companies cater to different demographics, and hence, want different research participants. So do your homework on the research company before you sign up to get a better response rate. 

Leave a reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Comment Read our comment policy.

A Message From Our Founder

Welcome to The Ways To Wealth. I founded this site to help make a difference in people's lives by delivering objective, reliable advice and recommendations that help them make more money, save more money, and invest wisely.

• Money Management
• Debt Payoff
• About The Ways To Wealth
• Media & Advertising
• Privacy Policy

Latest Posts

Usertesting.com review: we applied to 46 tests and got approved for none, m1 review (2024): a fantastic all-in-one investing choice, how to build credit at 18: six smart tips, infinite banking explained: how it works and should you do it, arrived vs. fundrise (2024): pros, cons and what’s best for you, popular tags.

• Reading Lists

11 Best Paid Research Studies Online (Legit & Free to Join)

There are plenty of ways to earn extra cash online, and one easy method that is known to pay decent money is to do paid research studies.

But the question is, where can you find the best paid research studies online?

I have tested hundreds of paid research opportunities, and in this guide, you will learn everything you need to know about paid research studies so you can find out how to get the most out of earning this way.

I’ll also list down several sites you can join and include a brief summary of each site, so you can easily figure out which ones will fit your needs.

All the sites I will be including in this guide are legit and free to join . So, you’ll just need to invest a bit of time and some effort in order to earn.

Disclosure: Some articles on this website contain affiliate/sponsored links. Click for more info .

What are paid research studies?

Paid research studies are activities done by companies, businesses, or even schools that are designed to gather data.

Technically speaking, if a company or business is the one conducting it, it is called paid market research. But regardless of who is doing it, the process still remains the same. The participants of these activities will get paid to provide valuable input.

There are several types of paid research studies you can find online. Among the common ones are one-on-one interviews, focus groups, and surveys. These activities can be conducted online or in person.

For one-on-one interviews, whether they are conducted online or in person, the process usually involves discussing a certain topic. You will be asked to provide your opinion on certain topics. And once you are done with the interview, that’s when you will be compensated.

For focus groups, the dynamic will be a bit different because this activity will involve multiple people. Just like with interviews, it can be done online or in person. The activity will have one or more moderators and the rest will be participants.

Focus groups are conducted to gather opinions about a specific topic in a group setting to gain extra insights from the group dynamic. For example, a movie company wants to get the best ending for its movie. They conduct a focus group on which kind of ending will resonate with more people. Then you as a participant, will choose which kind of ending you prefer and discuss it in the group. This is actually a pretty common thing, especially with big companies.

Surveys, on the other hand, are less personal, because you won’t be interacting with anyone. You will just be answering a set of questions. But what you need to know about surveys is, they usually have a qualifying process you need to go through.

This is how companies are able to filter the appropriate respondents. So, when you answer a survey, the first set of questions are usually the qualifying questions. If you qualify, you get to proceed to the actual survey.

By far, among all the types of paid research studies, the most common one you can find online is paid surveys. This is also the type of paid research study that pays the lowest. It’s not surprising though since this kind of study requires the least time and effort to complete.

All the other activities usually take up a bit of time and some effort too.

Now, if you are wondering where these in-person research studies take place, it is usually conducted in facilities provided by the company/business/school. So, you will have to travel to that facility in order to participate.

How to earn the most?

Each site that offers paid research studies has different pay structures. Some pay more than others. So, it’s really hard to put an exact figure on how much money you can earn per site.

But, in my experience, the best way to earn the most from these sites is to join around 5 to 7 sites . That way, you gain access to more opportunities and therefore, you can earn more.

In my experience, this is the perfect number of sites to get involved with especially if you are just starting out. It won’t overwhelm you, but you will still be able to earn a decent amount. You can always join more sites further down the line when you become more experienced with this kind of stuff.

11 best paid research studies online

Now that you know the basics, let’s talk about the actual sites you can join that offer paid research studies. Take note that these aren’t the only sites that offer this kind of opportunity.

Instead, they are what I found to be worthy of your time. I will keep updating this list if I find more opportunities worth adding. So, make sure to bookmark this page and check on it from time to time for new additions.

#1 – Weinberg College of Arts & Sciences

Available in: US Payout methods:  Cash Payout threshold: N/A More information:   Check out their website

Short summary: This school’s Department of Psychology regularly conducts research studies that require participants. The research activities offered will vary but most of them are conducted in person. So, you will have to go to their facility to participate.

That means, it is only really available for people who live in the vicinity. Weinberg College is located in Evanston, Illinois. So, if you don’t live near that area, then this isn’t really something worth doing. As for how they pay you, you will usually get compensated in cash after every session you complete.

#2 - YouGov

Available in: 50+ countries Payout methods:  PayPal, gift cards Payout threshold: Depends on your country More information:   Read full YouGov review

Short summary: YouGov is a survey site that is available in a lot of countries and every country has its own survey panel you can join. So, if you are looking for a survey site that offers surveys in your native language, this is one of the best sites you can join.

The payment methods it offers will depend on your country, but usually, PayPal, products, or gift cards  are used to withdraw your earnings. As to the payout threshold you need to reach before you can withdraw your earnings, it will depend on the country you live in.

But in my experience, it will usually be around $10 or so (or the equivalent to your local currency). So, it’s not hard to reach since they do have a decent number of surveys available.

#3 - CDS Virtual Lab Online Panel

Available in: More or less worldwide Payout methods:  PayPal, Amazon gift cards Payout threshold: N/A More information:   Check out their website

Short summary: CDS or Columbia Decision Sciences, will allow you to participate in their studies online. The research studies you can participate in will vary but they will mainly be conducted online.

To participate, you have to fill out their sign-up form and submit it. Then, just wait for them to contact you via email for any opportunities to earn. After you’ve completed any of their research activities, you will be able to receive your payment via PayPal or you can convert your earnings to an Amazon gift card.

The site pays by the hour ($16/hour) for all the research studies they offer. And the best thing is, you don’t have to reach a threshold to withdraw your earnings. You will immediately be able to withdraw the payment after you complete a study.

It also accepts members anywhere in the world (more or less). So, you can register as a member regardless of where you live.

#4 – Toluna Influencers

Available in: More or less worldwide Payout methods:  PayPal, gift cards Payout threshold:  Depends on your country More information:   Read full Toluna Influencers review

Short summary: Another survey site that offers decent earnings is called Toluna Influencers. This site is available more or less worldwide and each country has its own survey panel too. That means surveys will be offered in the local language (if applicable, otherwise, it will be in English).

You will get paid via PayPal or in gift cards. The threshold you need to reach to withdraw your earnings will depend on the country you live in though. It also has a mobile app you can download so you can convenient answer surveys from your mobile device.

#5 - Prolific Surveys

Available in:  Available in many countries Payout methods:  PayPal Payout threshold:  £5/$7 More info:   Read full Prolific Surveys review

Short summary: Prolific Surveys is more a crowdsourcing platform rather than a straight up survey site. It is available in many countries. To earn from this site, you can answer surveys or participate in research studies offered by other participants of the site.

You will get paid via PayPal as long as you’ve earned £5 (if you live somewhere in Europe) or $7 (if you live in the US or other regions). That’s a pretty low payout threshold, in my opinion. So, if you get to answer surveys or participate in even just one research activity, you will be able to withdraw your earnings because they do pay a decent amount.

#6 – Branded Surveys

Available in:  US, UK, or Canada Payout methods:  PayPal, gift cards Payout threshold:  $5 More info:   Read full Branded Surveys review

Short summary: Branded Surveys is a straight-up survey site where you can earn by answering surveys and polls. That’s how easy it is to earn from this site. The only downside is, it is only available in the US, UK, or Canada. So, it has a pretty limited reach.

But if you are eligible to join, you can get paid via PayPal or gift cards. And best of all, their payout threshold is very low ($5). So, you won’t have to wait very long to withdraw your earnings.

They also have a decent number of surveys available, so you can definitely rely on this site for earning extra cash.

#7 – MIT Behavioral Research Lab

Available in: US Payout methods:  Check, gift cards Payout threshold: N/A More information:   Check out their website

Short summary: Another school that offers paid research opportunities is the MIT Behavioral Research Laboratory. Their research studies can be conducted in-lab or online. Lab studies will take place in Cambridge, Massachusetts. So, if you don’t live in that area, then that opportunity isn’t for you.

When you sign up, you may be asked to do various things like filling out questionnaires, playing games, performing various tasks on a computer, completing group assignments, and taking part in discussions or interviews.

You get paid in cash, gift cards, electronic gift certificates, or checks. If the amount exceeds $75, MIT BRL is required to pay you via check for tax reporting purposes. This panel is only available for US residents who are at least 18 years of age.

#8 – Surveytime

Available in:  Worldwide Payout methods:  PayPal, Bitcoin, gift cards Payout threshold:  Pays instantly More information:   Read full Surveytime review

Short summary: Surveytime is a survey site that will pay you instantly. Yes, you read that right. You get paid every time you complete a survey. You will earn a flat rate of $1 per survey regardless of how long it will take to complete it.

Once you complete the survey, you can choose to get paid via PayPal or have your earnings converted to gift cards or Bitcoin. It is available globally, so you can sign up as a member anywhere in the world.

#9 – Respondent

Available in:  Worldwide Payout methods:  PayPal Payout threshold:  Pays instantly More information:   Read full Respondent review

Short summary: Respondent is a form of crowdsourcing site that will pay you for participating in research activities. These activities are called projects, but before you can work on one though, you will have to apply for it.

A study will either be one-on-one or an unmoderated study, and it can be conducted in person or online. The in-person study pays more, but it is harder to qualify for. Every time you complete a project, you will get paid via PayPal immediately.

But, Respondent will charge 5% or $1 (whichever is higher) every time you get paid. That’s a part of how they make money. It is available globally, so you can register as a member regardless of where you live.

#10 – Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior

Short summary: The Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior is part of UCLA and it is located in Los Angeles, California. Most of the research studies it offers are conducted in person. So, if you don’t live in the vicinity of their facility, I don’t really recommend this for you.

Most of the studies pertain to the brain, so qualifying for one can be hard. It’s considered a niche platform but it does pay well. It pays every participant in cash once the research session has been completed.

#11 - Focusgroup.com

Available in:  US Payout methods:  PayPal, Prepaid Visa cards, gift cards Payout threshold:  $10 More information:   Read full Focusgroup.com review

Short summary: As the name of the site suggests, you will be able to earn from Focusgroup.com by participating in, well, focus groups. But aside from that, you can also participate in interviews, shop along activities, and product testing.

It pays a decent amount per study you participate in. And you can usually withdraw your earnings right away for every study you complete because you only need to earn at least $10 to reach their payout threshold.

When you hit their threshold, you can withdraw your earnings via PayPal or convert them to a prepaid Visa card or gift card of your choice. The only downside of this site is, it is only available in the US.

Final Thoughts

So there you go. Those are the best paid research studies online that I have found after having tested hundreds of options.

Keep in mind that all the sites on this list are legit and free to join . You just need to invest your time and a bit of effort in order to earn from them. You also need to be patient because you won’t always qualify for these earning opportunities.

As I’ve suggested earlier, if you want to maximize your earnings, you should join around 5-7 of the sites so you gain access to more earning opportunities. I will keep updating this list if there are any new good sites to join so make sure to bookmark this page .

If you have any comments, questions, or know of paid research studies online that is not on the list, I would love to hear from you in a comment below.

6 thoughts on “11 Best Paid Research Studies Online (Legit & Free to Join)”

Love from India bro I see your all viedo keep growing ❤️??

Thanks. All the best to you too.

Hye Mikael Can you make a video or write article on Paid online Research Studies that pay via Payoneer or airtm and are available for Asian countries especially Pakistan. BTW your videos helped me a lot keep it up?

Sorry, but you will not really find any platforms like that in your country, so I cannot make any content about it.

I live in South United States. I recently am looking to find out how to find these places that pay for clinical trials. Do to my current situation, this seems to be my only option. I’m about to lose my job over an injury/illness situation. If anyone could give me a tip on how to find trial jobs or what is the best state for high demand of clinical trials. I would greatly appreciate it.

You can use some of the options on the list above. And you can also check out some clinical trials here .

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Notify me of followup comments via e-mail. You will at the same term confirm you accept our privacy policy .

DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHOLOGY

• Participate in Research Studies

Paid Research Opportunities

The following studies are recruiting participants and pay for your time. Read the descriptions and requirements. If you are interested, email the researcher asking to participate. Information on some studies is also posted on bulletin boards in Swift Hall.

Narrative Generation During Music Listening

Northwestern's Music Cognition Lab is looking for people interested in how we make meaning of pieces of music that we hear.

You will listen to two pieces of music and share any experiences or imagined stories you thought of during that time. Then you will be asked to fill in a brief questionnaire concerning your musical background and involvement.

You may be eligible if: - You reside in the United States - You are 18 years of age or older - You have some experience with classical music - You have no deficits in your hearing The study should take about 20 minutes.  Participants will be compensated with a $5.00 Amazon gift card. Contact Richard Ashley at [email protected]   to participate or if you have questions.

Principal investigator: Dr. Richard Ashley Study Title: Narrative Generation During Music Listening IRB #: STU00220275

Cognitive Architecture of Bilingual Language Processing

The  Bilingualism and Psycholinguistics Research Group  at Northwestern University is looking for  Korean-English bilinguals  for an EEG study on language and cognition. We are interested in how languages are represented in the mind. Electroencephalography (EEG) is a safe and non-invasive neuroimaging technique. We are recording the neural activity at the surface of the scalp as it naturally occurs in the brain. The testing session takes approximately 3 hours to complete. For your time and effort, you will be compensated $15 per hour.

You may be eligible to participate if: 

-You are proficient in Korean and English.

-You are between the ages of 18 and 35.

-You are right-handed.

-You have normal or corrected-to-normal vision (glasses, contacts).

-You have no history of neurologic, cognitive, or psychiatric disorders. 

The study takes place at Northwestern’s Evanston campus at 2240 Campus Drive (Frances Searle Building) in room 3-367. Appointments will be scheduled at a time that is most convenient for you. 

If you are interested, please email Ashley Chung-Fat-Yim at  [email protected]  or give us a call at 847-467-2709.

Principal Investigator:  Dr. Viorica Marian

Study Title:  Cognitive Architecture of Bilingual Language Processing

IRB #:  STU00023477

Can over-the-counter hearing aids help with hearing loss?

The Hearing Aid Laboratory at Northwestern University is looking for participants for a research study about how over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aids impact how we listen and communicate with others. We are looking for adults with known or suspected mild-to-moderate hearing loss to bring a communication partner with them (i.e., spouse, friend, neighbor, adult child, etc.) to have a conversation together while wearing OTC hearing aids.

What to expect:

• The study involves a total of 2 visits to our lab.
• The first visit involves tests of memory, hearing, and communication with a partner for one visit to our lab, lasting approximately 2 hours. We will provide you with a free comprehensive hearing test, and you will be fit with OTC hearing aids during your visit to the lab.
• The second visit involves a test of speech in background noise while wearing OTC hearing aids.

You may be eligible to participate if:

• You have diagnosed or suspected mild to moderate hearing loss in both ears

• You are 18 years or older

• You are able to bring someone with you to your first visit

• You have normal or corrected-to-normal vision (glasses, contacts)

• No history of neurologic, cognitive, or psychiatric disorders

The person you bring to the study with you is eligible if:

• They have no hearing loss, OR wear hearing aids consistently if they have hearing loss

• Are at least 18 years of age

• English is their primary language

• Normal or corrected-to-normal vision (glasses, contacts)

The study takes place in either Northwestern’s main campus at 2240 Campus Drive in Evanston, or at our downtown location at 710 N Lake Shore Drive in Chicago. Visits will be scheduled at the located that is most convenient for you. 

If you are interested, please email us at [email protected]  or give us a call at 847-467-0897.

You can also fill out an initial interest form by clicking here.  

Principal Investigator: Dr. Pamela Souza

Study Title: Investigation of direct-to-consumer hearing aids on conversation efficiency and listening effort

IRB #: STU00217791

Visual Adaptation, Selective Attention, and Shape Coding: An Integrative Investigation of Visual Attention; Understanding the Mechanisms that Control the Dynamics of Perceptual Switches

The laboratories of Dr. Satoru Suzuki and Dr. Marcia Grabowecky are currently seeking healthy adults to participate in research on perception. Studies take place on the Northwestern University Evanston campus. Participants are compensated $15/hour for volunteering. Note: no transportation or parking costs will be covered.

If you are interested in participating, please contact our laboratory by telephone (847) 467-6539, or email for more information: [email protected]  

Once you contact the laboratory, you will be informed of studies in progress and their specific requirements (for example, handedness, age range, gender) and procedures. Typically, studies involve responding to images or sounds presented by a computer and last from 1-2 hours. Some studies also require responding to personality or mood questionnaires, or having physiological responses recorded (for example, brain waves or eye movements). The details of the particular study will be provided when you contact the laboratory. If you are interested in volunteering and you qualify to participate in any ongoing studies, an appointment will be scheduled.

Principal Investigators: Dr. Satoru Suzuki and Dr. Marcia Grabowecky

Study Title: Visual Adaptation, Selective Attention, and Shape Coding: An Integrative Investigation of Visual Attention; Understanding the Mechanisms that Control the Dynamics of Perceptual Switches 

IRB #: CR1_STU00013229 

Psychosis Risk Outcomes Network Study

We are seeking young people who are concerned about recent changes in mood, thinking or behavior. This research project aims to increase understanding of mental health concerns in young people and how to prevent the development of a more serious mental illness such as psychosis.

You may be eligible for the study if you meet any of the following criteria:

• Ages 12 - 30
• Noticing a recent change in thinking, behavior, or experiences, such as:
• Confusion about what is real or imaginary
• Feeling not in control of your own thoughts of ideas
• Feeling suspicious or paranoid
• Having experiences that may not be real, such as hearing sounds or seeing things that may not be there
• Having trouble communicating clearly

The study would entail visits over a 2-year period, and you would be paid $30 per hour for your participation.  Eligible participants will be asked to come in for various assessments including:

• clinical interviews
• biological assessments (MRI & EEG brain scans; blood and saliva testing)
• cognitive testing

If you are interested, please email us at [email protected]  or fill out this online eligibility survey , and a member of our team will get back to you shortly.

Principal investigator: Dr. Vijay Mittal Study Title: ProNET IRB #: STU00215145

Has your mind been playing tricks on you?

Northwestern's ADAPT Lab is looking for people worried about recent changes in their thoughts and perceptions. The purpose of this study is to see how unusual thoughts, suspiciousness or paranoia, and unusual experiences with seeing or hearing things that are not really there can be used to predict risk of psychosis through computerized tasks. The study will be conducted online through Northwestern University. You may be eligible if experiencing one or more of the following: - Unusual thoughts - Questioning if things are real or imaginary - Suspiciousness or paranoia - A sense of having special powers or unrealistic plans for the future - Unusual experiences with seeing or hearing things that are not there An initial screening will be done. Then, if the study is found to be a good fit, you will be invited to participate in the main study. Participants will be compensated $30 per hour. Visit  our website  for more information or to set up a confidential screening. You can also call (847) 467-5907. If you are younger than 18, please have your parent/guardian reach out. Principal investigator: Dr. Vijay Mittal Study Title: CAPR IRB #: STU00211351

Good at sleeping?

The Cognitive Neuroscience Lab in the Department of Psychology at Northwestern is recruiting volunteers to participate in sleep research ( STU00034353 )

 Compensation is provided for studies ($12.50/hr)

You can participate in Chicago or at our sleep lab on the Evanston campus.

 To sign up and learn more about the The Paller Lab, visit:    www.northwestern.edu/people/kap/apply  

Principal Investigator: Dr. Ken Paller

Study Title: Strategically strengthening declarative memories during sleep: Learning, Creative Problem-Solving, REM Sleep, and Dreaming

IRB# STU00034353-MOD0044

• See all labs
• Physical Lab | University lab for Experimental Economics
• Classroom Lab | Create a lab in your own classroom
• Remote Field Lab | Run experiments anywhere
• Consumer Product Testing Lab | Companies and Agencies
• oTree | zTree | Experiments
• Lab Experiments | Online studies | Product & UX tests
• PayPal | Amazon Gift Cards | Charities
• Collect Data | Monitor behaviour
• Support on Experimental design
• Web Scraping for Research | Data processing
• Websites for research groups
• GDPR and IRB for online research
• Experience | Our clients | Open Jobs
• Participants Area

Build the future

Participate in online studies and help the scientific community to design innovative policies. In return, you will receive a fixed payment of 5 euros plus another variable payment based on your result.

About studies

It is an online game or questionnaire designed by a group of reserachers aiming to test how a new strategy works before implementing it in the real world. Volunteers participate anonymously.

PARTICIPANTS 

They can play from any computer, tablet or mobile phone. It is free and intuitive. Participants make decisions for a few minutes and once they finish they receive a payment of 5 euros plus a variable payment for their result.

Check available studies. Seats run out very quickly. If you want to be notified when opening new studies sign up as participant.

Type of studies

Each study is different. Go to available studies and check all details. 

Individual studies

You will play making decisions individually and anonymously. You will have a certain time to complete the study and you will receive a minimum payment of 5 euros plus another payment based on your result

Multiplayer experiments

You will play against other participants and you all will have play at the same time. Your decisions will be anonymous and you will receive a minimum payment of 12 euros per hour

Interviews and usability tests

In this case you will have an interview with a member of our team. They will ask you questions about a situation or a product to get your opinion. You will receive a minimum payment of 15 euros per hour

Guide for participants

10 Frequent Asked Questions

What is a study?

It is an online game or questionnaire. Participants take anonimous decisions and get a payment according to their results (5 euros guaranteed + a variable ammount depending on their choices). Our studies are designed by worldwide researchers and institutions willing to test their strategies before real implementation. Check all details about the study before.

What do I need to do?

Volunteers will make decisions online for a few minutes. You will need to use a device with good internet connection (computer, tablet or mobile phone). At the end, participants receive their payment.

Will I always get a payment?

Yes. All participants who complete the study will always receive a minimum payment of 5 euros.

What do I need to participate?

Any phone, tablet or laptop with Internet connection. In case you need a particular device it will be specified in the study description.

Do I need to know anything?

No, prior knowledge is not required. At the beginning of the study you will read the rules of the game. From that moment on you will make the decisions that you consider appropriate, always anonymously. There are no right answers, you just have to be yourself.  The payment you receive will depend on the results of your decisions. 

Who can participate?

In general terms, everyone can participate. However, sometimes we need specific profiles. You can see the profile of the required participant in the description of the study. 

Where can I see new studies who are looking for participants?

Use the form below to register and you will receive an email when we open a study for your profile.

Is it free to participate?

Yes, its free. There is no cost of any kind either to reserve the place or to receive payment. Even if you don’t have a good result you will receive the minimum payment of 5 euros.

How do I receive the payment?

We use Paypal, a secure, free and trusted platform. If you don´t have an account yet you can create an account for free .

Is it 100% anonymous?

Yes, your decisions are anonymous and will never be associated to your identity. Researchers will see decisions but will never know who has made them. To do that, we will send you a participant personal code. You will use it to start the study. We´ll ask you for some personal data intended to check the identity and suitability of required profiles for specific studies and will be used for recruitment and payment purposes only.  Data will only be managed by ourselves and is protected by our privacy policy and will never be disclosed to third parties. You can read all details here .

Available studies

Open studies right now. We´ll send invites to registered participants when we start data collection

DECEMBER 2023

Study #DecisionGame

• Individual online questionnaire
• Use a phone/tablet/laptop

NOVEMBER 2023

Study #PlanetaDinero

• Multiplayer online game

SEPTEMBER 2023

Study #NokiaLab

• Individual decision making game

Sign up and participate

You will send an invitation email as soon as we launch a study suitable for your profile

• I accept the Playstudies privacy policy

Playstudies

© 2024 Playstudies Illustration by Freepik Stories Legal notice Privacy policy

• Recruit research participants
• Programming oTree experiments and research studies
• Pay research participants
• Safe data collection
• How to reduce dropouts in online experiments
• How to design your online study
• Create your research website
• GDPR and IRB
• Remote Field Lab
• Classroom Lab
• About | Experience

• [email protected]
• 0117 921 0008
• Looking for participant recruitment?

Take part in paid research studies Improve your digital & consumer experiences

Feed back on products and services and get paid for your opinions. Paid market research and usability testing – Website testing, game testing, app testing, focus groups, one to one interviews and more.

How does it work?

Companies and organisations across the UK (London, Bristol, Manchester, Leeds, Cardiff, Edinburgh and other cities) will pay you for your feedback about the digital and consumer products and services you use.

What’s in it for me?

You get to inform the design of new products and services as well as receive a cash or gift voucher incentive for taking part in paid market research and usability testing. Learn more here

What’s next?

Simply sign up and we will email you relevant opportunities .

Taking part in research

Paid market research and usability testing – Find out more about the many types of paid research in the UK.

Common questions

How can I apply for paid market research and usability testing in London, Bristol and other cities? What happens during a research session or focus group?

People for Research have been recruiting members of the public to take part in paid research studies and usability testing across the UK and overseas for the last 25 years.

Recent opportunities

London & Birmingham technology research!

Where? London & Birmingham When? Friday 31st May How much will I get paid? Up to £65 bank transfer/voucher How long do you need me for? 60 minutes

Has your company applied for business funding?

Where? UK and International When? Friday 24th May How much will I get paid? £80 (or equivalent in your local currency) How long do you need me for? 60 minutes

Employed, self-employed or retired?

Where? UK wide When? Friday 03rd May How much will I get paid? £80 bank transfer/voucher How long do you need me for? 60 minutes

Paid focus groups

Make money by participating in online focus groups with Respondent. Researchers from leading brands use focus groups to understand pain points, sentiments and identify product usage patterns that can help build better experiences. Share your insights and get paid to participate in a focus group. You can find focus groups targeted at professionals in industries such as software as well as consumer audiences such as for packaged goods. Apply below to get started.

Type of research

Research methodology, paid studies faq, how does participating in a paid research project work.

The first step is to apply to a project, you can do this by signing up as a participant or logging in and selecting 'Start Screener' on the project you are interested in. Researchers will then review your responses and invite qualifying participants for the project. You will receive an email notification if you have been selected, with instructions on how to participate in the research session. Upon successful completion of the project, the researcher will typically initiate payment within 5 business days.

How much can I earn with Respondent incentives and how long does it take?

Research incentives vary from one research project to another and can range from $5 to $1000 per project, the average incentive for an active participant is around $100. Before you apply to a project you will be able to view the time required for the research task, the type of research and the incentive offered. Research studies on Respondent are typically open for 1-2 weeks and incentive payout is usually processed within 5-10 business days after successful participation.

Is Respondent legit? Can I really make money here?

Respondent is 100% legit and pays participants for completing research studies and is an attractive source of side income. Successful participants on Respondent create a strong, accurate profile and apply to relevant projects, and share their insights with researchers in different kinds of research tasks. Highly trusted platforms such as G2 and Side Hustle Nation rate Respondent as a reliable platform for supplemental income.

How can I find participants for a research project, as a researcher using this service?

Researchers can publish their projects to this page and to the entire Respondent participant panel in 3 easy steps: 1. Create a researcher account 2. Create your project and define the target audience 3. Publish your project Learn more about how to recruit participants with Respondent.

Stay informed. Be inspired. Get Connected.

• AMIE (your personal data security status)
• Data Security Resources
• Stanford Medicine Technology and Digital Solutions (TDS)
• Essential Stanford Software
• Enterprise System Support
• University IT
• Submit Facilities Work Order
• Safety & Emergency Contacts
• Stanford Emergency Information
• Career Counseling
• Personal Counseling Services
• WellMD (Physician Wellness)
• Stanford Webmail & Calendar
• Stanford YOU
• Stanford Medicine Box
• Google Drive
• Zoom Video Conferencing
• Medscheduler (Space Reservations)
• Mailing Lists (Mailman)
• Manage Mailing Lists
• SHC Connect
• StanfordWho
• One Directory
• Stanford University Profiles (CAP)
• SU Administrative Offices
• SU Org Chart
• Office of Academic Affairs
• School of Medicine Departments
• Directors of Finance & Administration
• Human Resource Managers
• Searchable Campus Map
• Marguerite Shuttle Schedule
• Department of Parking & Transportation
• Map of Major Construction Projects
• Facilities & Planning Management
• Financial Activities (Fingate)
• Human Resources Group
• Fiscal Affairs
• Administrative Guide
• Administrative Policies
• Help SU (Technical Support)
• AMIE (Check Device Encryption)
• Technology and Digital Solutions
• Websites, Wikis, Forms & Surveys
• Educational Technology
• Research Management Group (RMG)
• RMG Funding
• Research Administration (DoResearch)
• Research IT Services
• Lane Library
• Shared Scientific Facilities Management (iLab)
• Stanford Data Science Resources
• Privacy & HIPAA
• Cardinal at Work (Benefits)
• University Holiday Schedule
• School of Medicine Winter Closure Schedule
• Work Life Office
• Stanford Federal Credit Union
• Health Improvement Program
• Stanford Recreation & Wellness
• Counseling Services
• Jobs at Stanford
• Staff Mentorship Program
• Communities of Practice
• Tuition & Training Assistance
• Training & Development Resources
• Stanford Arts Map
• Outdoor Art Collection
• Exhibition Spaces
• Cantor Arts Center
• Lane Library Medical History Center
• Anderson Collection at Stanford University
• Stanford Live & Bing Concert Hall Events
• Department of Theater & Performance Studies
• Stanford Department of Music Upcoming Events
• Campus Tours
• Points of Interest
• The O'Donohue Family Stanford Educational Farm
• Hoover Tower
• Stanford Medicine Discovery Walk
• Tour the new Stanford Hospital Construction Site

Research Participants Wanted

New opportunities.

Bladder basics study – a kid-friendly bladder health program

We’re seeking English-speaking families of children 5-10 years old with bladder concerns (i.e., daytime accidents, urgency, recurrent infections) to join our Bladder Basics Study. This study aims to learn how well Bladder Basics, an online self-paced bladder health education program, teaches families about bladder health.

Participants will:

• Watch 7 videos, each 5-10 minutes long, to learn about bladder health over 4 weeks.
• Complete surveys before, during, and after Bladder Basics within a period of 3 months.
• Receive up to $80 gift card upon completion of this study.

For more information, please contact  [email protected] .

Stanford-Omada blood pressure digital health study

Join our study to help us learn about home monitoring and digital health coaching programs for the treatment of high blood pressure. You can earn up to $100 gift card. Learn more .

Looking for a new birth control option? Join the LUMINOUS study

This study aims to learn more about whether a new birth control patch prevents pregnancy in women and to assess how well tolerated the study patch is. Learn more .

Research opportunity for Amazon gift cards

Now recruiting individuals assigned male at birth aged 18-40 to complete an anonymous ten minute survey about personal views on sperm donation. Enter for the chance to win one of twenty $75 amazon gift cards. Learn more .

Recruiting healthy male participants for a research study on genetic variation

Participate in the genetic variation study at Stanford University to explore the role of genetic variation between human sperm and somatic cells in relation to fertility issues. Learn more .

Looking for volunteers for a PET-MRI study

The Stanford University musculoskeletal radiology department is looking for healthy adult volunteers (between 18-80 years old) or those with unilateral knee osteoarthritis for a PET-MRI study.

Participants will undergo a 2.5-3 hour examination ($100 compensation) which includes:

• 50 mins of PET-MRI Scan 1
• 10 mins of stair-climbing exercise
• 50 mins of PET-MRI Scan 2
• 10 mins of questionnaires

For more information and to schedule a consent call please email Yael Vainberg at  [email protected] .

Healthy control volunteers needed

Seeking healthy pediatric volunteers (and healthy adults up to 24 years old) to serve as study controls to help investigate sudden-onset psychiatric disease.

Eligibility criteria:

• 4-24 years old
• No current or past medical or mental health concerns (i.e., anxiety, depression, OCD, tics, ADHD)
• Willing to complete questionnaires and at least one blood draw, urine collection, teeth plaque collection

Participants will receive:

• $50 for each blood draw or community service hours
• Reward of knowing that you are helping to make breakthroughs in mental health disorders caused by infections and immune activation

To get started, please take this survey: https://redcap.stanford.edu/surveys/?s=TRYPJMWMX37EHFM4 .  For more information, please visit this page or contact [email protected] .  For general rights for research participants, contact 1-866-680-2906.

Recruiting children with autism spectrum disorder to participate in a research study

Stanford University researchers are currently recruiting children with autism spectrum disorder to participate in a research study which examines the effects of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) on restricted and repetitive behaviors (RRBs).

Eligibility: Children with autism spectrum disorder who:

• are aged between 3 and 12 years old
• exhibit restricted and repetitive behaviors
• will drink N-acetyl cysteine dissolved in water
• will undergo brain scanning with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
• will undergo brain scanning with electroencephalography (EEG)

What is involved in the study: The study will take place at Stanford University over 12-to-16-week period. Our safety protocols have been updated for COVID-19 and many research activities will be completed remotely using Zoom and virtual surveys.

For more information about the study, please visit this page or contact  [email protected] .

Healthy female participants needed for a research study on sarcopenia

Researchers at the Stanford Pelvic Health Center are recruiting generally healthy women between the ages of 18-85 years, who don’t have chronic gastrointestinal health conditions, to participate in a study examining the association between sarcopenia and fecal incontinence.

You will be asked to complete:

• Health surveys (~ 15 minutes) • Anorectal Manometry and Anal Ultrasound (<60 minutes) • MRI of Back (< 15 minutes)

Participants will be reimbursed.

For more information about the study or to express your interest in participating, please email:  [email protected]

What sleep can teach us about Autism

You are invited to participate in a new research study to better understand how sleep affects children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The study is led by the Stanford Autism Center of Excellence for Sleep.

What is involved?

• In-person cognitive and behavioral assessments 
• Day-time Electroencephalogram (EEG) 
• In-home, 2 night sleep monitoring session 
• Collection of saliva to measure cortisol and melatonin levels 
• Wearing a watch device that tracks sleep and daily activity 

You may be eligible if your child is...

• Between the ages of 4 and 17 years old 
• Has an ASD Diagnosis 
• Willing to complete on-site assessments, wear an activity tracking watch for 2 weeks, provide saliva samples, and participate in a day-time EEG and a 2 night sleep monitoring session

Learn more .

Prediabetic research participants wanted

If you are an adult between the ages of 18-65 who has been diagnosed with prediabetes, join Project Health!

Participants will take part in a six-week intervention designed to help prevent the progression from prediabetes to Type 2 Diabetes. This intervention involves either taking part in group lifestyle sessions or watching educational videos. 

If you’re interested, you can  take this survey  or contact us at  [email protected] . To learn more about participant’s rights, please reach out to 1-866-680-2906.

Chronic low back pain and brain imaging: opioid and non-opioid pain medications

We are looking for participants for a new research study that uses two types of brain imaging (MRI and PET) to understand how changes in brain activity and biochemistry contribute to chronic low back pain. We are also seeking to understand the differences between individuals who have chosen opioid medications and those who have not.

You may be eligible if:

• You are between 21-65 years old 
• You have chronic lower back pain 
• You are either currently taking opioids for more than 3 months or not taking any opioids for the last 3 months 
• Are not pregnant or nursing 

This study consists of remote online testing, questionnaires, one in-person visit to Palo Alto for a PET/MRI scan, and one visit for sensory testing using heat and pressure. Participant compensation is between $25 (for remote-only participants) and up to $200 for completing all visits. Contact the study coordinator at [email protected] or 650-724-4022 for more information. Learn more .

Healthy participants wanted for PET/MRI study

We are seeking healthy participants, ages 18-35 years old, for our PET/MRI study that images synapses in the brain with a recently developed radiotracer [11C]UCB-J. This is the first in-human tracer of the synapse in the brain. Our goal of this study is to see if there is reduced synaptic density in schizophrenia versus healthy people.

Participation entails a phone screen, interviews, and visits to Stanford University for one PET/MRI scan. Participants will be compensated $200 for the scan and $15 per hour for any non-scan time. Please give us a call at (650) 849-0552, or email  [email protected]  for more information!

BEST trial: Chronic low-back pain research participants wanted

The BEST (Biomarkers for Evaluating Spine Treatment) trial is a clinical trial being conducted through the Back Pain Consortium (BACPAC) Research Program. The main goal of the BEST trial is to help patients determine which of the four chronic low back pain treatment will work best.  Learn more .

Stanford Migraine Study

Do you get migraines? Would you like to participate in a study of behavioral treatment for people with migraine? Study participants from Stanford, Bay Area & California are needed. Participants will be compensated with payment.

To register for the clinical trial, or for more information, please contact: Tel: (650) 304-6402 Email:  [email protected]

Participate in focus groups on data management and sharing

The Stanford Program for Rigor and Reproducibility (SPORR) is aiming to understand the research data-related practices of Stanford researchers as well as the support the community might need to implement the new National Institutes of Health (NIH) Data Management and Sharing policy.

School of Medicine students, staff, postdocs, and faculty willing to participate will be awarded $25 amazon gift card for their time.  Apply here .

CoPsyN Sleep Lab's LUNA study

Sleep loss can negatively impact the brain networks that regulate emotion. Research suggests that insomnia contributes to depressive mood symptoms. Individuals who are between 50 and 90 years old, experiencing mood symptoms, memory impairments and trouble sleeping may be eligible for this study. Learn more .

New exercise study: HIIT versus MICT

We are looking for sedentary individuals who want to begin exercising. Help Stanford scientists understand the molecular changes that occur during exercise. Participate in a 12-week exercise research study investigating the molecular changes that occur in your body. Learn more .

Maternal Offspring Microbiome Study (MOMS): Pregnancy, Nutrition & Microbiome Study

We are recruiting healthy pregnant women up to 20 weeks to participate in an exciting new diet and microbiome study! We want to know…

• How do diets influence the microbiota during pregnancy?
• How does the maternal microbiota influence the infant microbiota during pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum?

Household transmission study for COVID-19 and influenza

We aim to learn how the COVID-19 and Influenza viruses are transmitted among household members and whether vaccination can help reduce transmission. The study will collect information from you and your household members on symptoms and patterns of contact. Email us at  [email protected] .  Learn more .

Gait retraining for adults two years post ACL reconstruction

We are conducting a study on active feedback gait retraining and are interested in determining if knee joint loading and cartilage structure will change before and after the program. You may be eligible if you are:

(1) 18-40 years old and

(2) had a primary, unilateral ACL reconstruction about 2 years ago

To find out more about the study, please check the study webpage and contact us ( [email protected] ).

Adults with depression wanted for research study

Stanford’s Virtual Reality-Immersive Technology (VR-IT) Clinic & Laboratory is inviting people who experience symptoms of depression to participate in an immersive virtual experience and receive free evidence-based therapy. Participation may include using a Quest virtual reality headset, a mobile application, and completing questionnaires regarding your experience. Participation takes approximately 60 minutes per week for 3 weeks.

If you are interested in participating in this study, please contact  [email protected]  or call 650-736-1569 to sign up.

For general participant’s rights questions, contact 1-866-680-2906.

Young and old participants wanted for skin aging study

Stanford Dermatology is looking for participants aged 18-30 and participants older than 70 years old to participate in our skin aging study. Participants can be of any gender as long as they are non-smoking and not pregnant or breastfeeding. Learn more .

Long-COVID and Paxlovid treatment study at Stanford

​The goal of this Stanford research study is to find out if the drug Paxlovid (a drug that works against the COVID-19 virus) can treat Long-COVID symptoms.

Long-COVID: A wide range of symptoms that develop and persist after COVID-19 infection. Learn more .

HOPE Project: Recurrent pregnancy loss study at Stanford

We are enrolling men, women, and couples who have experienced pregnancy loss. Participants will be asked to complete an online survey and donate a blood or saliva sample for DNA analysis. This data will help us find patterns in recurrent pregnancy loss and better understand your journey. Learn more .

Thinking about LASIK?

Adults sought for laser vision correction research study 

The Stanford Eye Laser Center is accepting participants for a research study assessing outcomes after small incision lenticule surgery. Learn more .

Never had COVID? Recently had COVID? You can help us understand long-COVID

Join a study to help us find ways to prevent and treat the long-term health effects of COVID, called long-COVID. 

Researchers will compare people who never had COVID or who just had COVID – this helps us learn things that may be related to long-COVID, such as certain symptoms or health conditions. You can join if you’ve never had COVID or if you had COVID in the last 2-4 weeks.

We need adults from all races, ethnicities, and backgrounds to join. Please see attached flyers for more information.  Email  for more information.

Pregnancy and heart health

Are you currently pregnant and interested in how pregnancy affects your heart health? This innovative study known as EPOCH is hoping to improve the identification and treatment of women at an increased risk of heart disease. 

You may be eligible if: 

• You are currently pregnant (32+ weeks of gestation)
• Between the ages of 18 and 45 years old
• Were diagnosed with gestational hypertension or preeclampsia during this pregnancy or have a normal pregnancy and are willing to participate in a comparison group. To see if you qualify, please contact us at 650-725-5720 or email at  [email protected] .

Summer Reading Intervention Study

Children ages 8 to 11 (current 3rd-5th graders) with reading difficulties are needed for a brain-imaging study at Stanford that includes 8 weeks of intensive and targeted reading instruction provided at no cost. We are interested in the effects of reading instruction on brain development. If qualified, commitment to this study is extensive and will involve multiple visits to the lab for brain scans (MRI) and behavioral tests. Participants will be compensated for each visit. Sign up at dyslexia.stanford.edu to complete a screening form and have your child be considered for this study.

Healthy Volunteers Needed!

We are looking for healthy pediatric volunteers (and healthy adults up to 24 years old) to help in our study of sudden-onset psychiatric disease.

• No current or past mental health concerns (i.e. anxiety, ADHD, depression, OCD, tics)
• Willing to complete questionnaires and at least one blood draw
• $50 for each blood draw

To get started, please take this survey:  https://redcap.stanford.edu/surveys/?s=TRYPJMWMX37EHFM4

For more information, contact:   [email protected]

For general rights for research participants, contact 1-866-680-2906

Learn more .

Depression treatment study

​The Stanford Medicine Depression Research Clinic is currently enrolling for a study evaluating an oral medication to treat depression or major depressive disorder. Participants must be ages 18-65 and must have been diagnosed with and currently experiencing depression or major depresssive disorder. Learn more .

ADVANCE study on blood donor eligibility

Stanford Blood Center is proud to participate in an FDA study that could potentially lead to a change in blood donor eligibility for men who have sex with men (MSM). The center welcomes participants who are 18 to 39 years old to enroll in the study at our research site in Palo Alto (3373 Hillview Avenue). Learn more .

Research study on mealtime inhaled insulin for kids and teenagers with diabetes

Looking for a change to your child’s mealtime insulin regimen? Learn more about a new study on mealtime inhaled insulin for kids and teenagers ages 4-17 with type 1 or type 2 diabetes who are not currently on insulin pumps. Visit the  study website  for more information and to see if your child is eligible. You can also give us a call at (650) 498-4976 or email the study coordinator Dom Mitchell at [email protected].

Participants needed for brain development study on girls with typical development

The Center for Interdisciplinary Brain Sciences Research (CIBSR) are studying brain development in relation to behavior, cognition and mood in girls aged 6-14 with typical development. The project uses fNIRS and is designed to improve our understanding of brain and behavioral growth in girls during a critical time in their development. You will receive a $50 honorarium for participation. If interested, email Safiyyah Bachar at [email protected] or call (650)883-8393. Or fill out our interest survey here .  Learn more .

SPARK for Autism

SPARK will be the largest autism study in US history and the goal is to speed up research to better understand genetic causes and treatments for ASD. There is no cost to join SPARK and participation can be completed entirely online and from home. You will also receive a $50 Amazon gift card for your family’s participation as a small token of appreciation! You can find out more or register  here . If you have any questions, please email:  [email protected] . Learn more .

Participants wanted for Male Fertility Study

Interested in learning about your fertility? We are recruiting for a Urology study looking for East Asian (Chinese, Korean, Japanese, or Taiwanese) males to participate in our study. Participants will receive a $20 amazon gift card for their time. If you or anyone you know who might be interested in finding out more information please reach out to Satvir Basran at  [email protected]  for more details. Learn more .

Calling pediatricians to participate in a Happy Health Bladder focus group

We are interested in learning more about how pediatricians in northern and central California understand and approach bladder problems in young children. This information may be used to develop new programs to help families of children with bladder problems. Upon completing participation, you will be compensated with a $50 Amazon gift card! Learn more .

PET-MR imaging study of COVID-19 associated neurological complications

We need volunteers! Reach out to help us battle COVID-19 by participating in the evaluation of new PET technology for simultaneous PET/MR imaging of the brain. Learn more .

Participants needed to assess fall risk and improve hearing aid use

Individuals above the age of 55 years are invited to participate in a research study conducted at Stanford. We are using advanced-technology hearing aids equipped with motion tracking sensors to assist in the assessment of balance abilities and improve speech intelligibility. To qualify for the fall risk phases, at least one of the following should apply to you: 

• Feel unsteady while walking
• Worry about falling or have fallen in the last year

Participate in the Teen Health Study

The Teen Health Study is investigating factors of healthy adolescent development and eating behaviors! We hope to use the results of our study to inform future eating disorder prevention programs. If you are a parent with a 13–15-year-old daughter, we invite you to join us! You could receive up to $255!  Learn more . 

Contact the study coordinator at  [email protected] . If interested, here’s the  interest form !

Healthy older adult volunteers wanted for study on attention, memory and aging

The Stanford Memory Lab is looking for healthy older adults to participate in a study on attention and memory.

We need participants between the ages of 65 and 80; right-handed; able to lie flat for an MRI scan and hear without aid; no history of memory loss or neurological illness; no MRI-incompatible metal implants; normal or corrected-to-normal vision; and no color blindness. Learn more .

Seeking participants for study on voice problems associated with aging

If you are 60 years old or above and having voice problems associated with aging, you may be eligible to participate in a research study on using voice and breathing exercises to improve your voice. Contact Theresa Yao at  [email protected]  or (650) 690-1031 for more information. Each participant will receive up to $100 Amazon gift cards for completion of the study.

Participate in study on long COVID at Stanford

The NIH RECOVER study on long COVID aims to enroll ~17K participants across the country to understand who recovers well from COVID and who is more likely to get long COVID and to identify ways to prevent and treat this condition. Anyone who is >18 years old & has had COVID (either recently or in the last two years) can participate in the Stanford study. If interested, email  [email protected] .  Learn more .

Participate in the Diabetes Body Acceptance Program

The Diabetes Body Acceptance Program is comparing two programs designed to improve body acceptance, reduce body image concerns, and reduce disordered eating behaviors. Female identifying individuals between the ages of 15-30 with Type 1 Diabetes who have body image concerns and/or struggle with disordered eating behaviors are invited to participate. Learn more .

Twin Nutrition study

The Nutrition Studies Research Group is recruiting adult identical twins to participate in a diet intervention study. Twin pairs will be randomized to eat vegan or omnivorous for 8 weeks. They will receive free meal delivery for the first 4 weeks. Participants will need to come to Stanford for 3 blood draws and provide stool samples from home.  Learn more .

Stanford Women's Heart Health study

Are you between the ages of 21-55? Has it been over two years since you delivered a baby at Stanford/Lucile Packard Children's Hospital? You may be eligible to participate in a research study about the connections between pregnancy and long-term heart health in women. Access the  survey  and see if you qualify. You can also contact us at (650) 725-0620 or by email at  [email protected] . Learn more .

Hair biomarkers study for child wellness and health

We’re partnering with families and young children (aged 9-72 months) for research on early childhood wellness by measuring various biomarkers in painlessly obtained hair samples. Our convenient, contact-free enrollment helps you to give informed consent, obtain hair sample(s), and complete online questionnaires. We offer junior scientist certificates and gift cards of $75 for each child and $25 for each parent. Visit our  website  and  apply here . For questions, please contact us at  [email protected] .

​Participate in Stanford study on risk factors of eating disorders

Do you have a daughter between the ages of 13-15? Then you may be eligible to participate in a teen health study. Our study is investigating risk factors of eating disorders and we hope to use the results to inform future eating disorder prevention programs.  Learn more  or take the  eligibility survey . Contact the study coordinator at  [email protected]  or (650) 549-4829. For participant’s rights questions, contact 1-866-680-2906.

Healthy subjects needed for PET/MRI study

We are seeking male participants, ages 22-30 years old, for our PET/MRI study that images synapses in the brain with a recently developed radiotracer [11C]UCB-J. This is the first in-human tracer of the synapse in the brain. Our goal of this study is to see if there is reduced synaptic density in schizophrenia versus healthy people. $250 for completion of the study.  Learn more .

You may be eligible for a study on OCD

The Rodriguez lab at Stanford is looking for individuals with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) who are not satisfied taking standard medication treatment. You may be eligible to participate in a study with an investigational medication that would be added to your current treatment. Participants are compensated. If you would like to learn more, contact us at  [email protected]  or (650) 723-4095.  Learn more .

Math Training Study for children with autism

We are currently seeking 2nd-4th grade children with high-functioning autism who are right-handed and do not have metal in their bodies/mouth. The study will include tutoring, take-home games, multiple visits & assessments, and MRI scans where children play games while we take cool pictures of their brain. Participants receive up to $375 upon study completion, pictures of your brain, and a Stanford Brain Development T-Shirt. If interested, please fill out a form  here . Learn more .

Math Learning Study for elementary school kids

The Stanford Brain Development Project is looking for right-handed, 2nd-4th graders without metal in their bodies. The study will include tutoring and take-home tablet games, multiple visits & assessments, and MRI scans where children play games while pictures of their brain are taken. Participants will receive up to $325 upon study completion, a picture of their brain, and a Stanford Brain Development T-Shirt. If interested, please fill out a form  here . Learn more .

Flex Study (Fluoxetine/Dextromethorphan in Obsessive-Compulsive and Related Disorders: an Open-Label Crossover Pilot Study)

Rodriguez/Translational Therapeutics Laboratory is actively screening individuals with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and the related disorders body dysmorphic disorder (BDD), illness anxiety disorder (IAD) and somatic symptom disorder (SSD) for our Flex Study

Purpose: To understand whether dextromethorphan, an over-the-counter cough medicine, may bring about improvement in symptoms of OCD and other disorders characterized by recurrent intrusive thoughts when used together with fluoxetine. Learn more .

NOOC (Nitrous Oxide in Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder) Study.

Rodriguez/Translational Therapeutics Laboratory is actively screening individuals with OCD for our NOOC study.

Purpose: To understand whether inhaled nitrous oxide may bring about rapid improvement in OCD symptoms. See if you are eligible and learn more .

Online paid research study: Understanding suicide attempt risk factors

Have you had suicidal thoughts in the past month?

Have you ever attempted suicide? Contribute to reducing suicide by volunteering in a Stanford University research study funded by American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. Learn more .

Parents & teens needed for Android phone study

We're seeking teen (13-17) and parent Android users for a study on smartphone use.

At least one teen and at least one parent from your family are needed. Participants need to be Android phone users and live in the United States. Each participant will receive up to $125 in e-gift cards for their time and effort. For more details about the study, please visit our  website .

Looking for healthy East Asian (Chinese, Japanese, Korean, or Taiwanese) men, ages 18-50, Study participation includes a ~30 min in-person clinic visit and a short survey. Volunteers will be compensated with a $20 Amazon giftcard for their participation. Please contact Satvir Basran: email  [email protected] for more information. Participant rights questions, contact 1-866-680-2906.

Accerated Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation for Treatment Resistant Major Depression

Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is effective at inducing antidepressant responses in patients with treatment-resistant depression.  Initial studies suggest that rTMS could be effective at inducing antidepressant responses transdiagnostically but responses typically take two to four weeks. A new type of rTMS, intermittent theta-burst stimulation (iTBS), has been shown to be five times more potent than traditional rTMS. More potent stimulation means patients can be stimulated for less time, meaning more sessions could be administered per day, potentially resulting in much faster antidepressant responses.

Eligibility Requirements

• Primary Diagnosis of Major Depressive Disorder
• tried at least 1 anti-depressant medication
• No history of Seizures or diagnosis of Epilepsy

Ultrashort Light Pulses as a Personalized Countermeasure for Circadian Desynchrony

Stanford University and the Palo Alto VA are seeking participants, ages 18-35, for a research study investigating the use of bright light to improve nighttime alertness and change the timing of the circadian clock.

Learn more . 

Research Participants Wanted for TIRED-Brain Study

Unhealthy sleep patterns can contribute to emotional distress by disrupting the brain networks that regulate emotion. Several lines of evidence suggest that insomnia contributes to emotionally distressing depressive mood symptoms.

Investigating the immune system in the disease process of schizophrenia

Looking for healthy volunteers, Ages 18-40, without medical or mental health diagnoses, or current use of cannabis or any illegal substances.

Study participation includes 2 parts: video interview and in person blood draw, height and weight measurement and urine drug screen.

Volunteers will be compensated $30 for their participation.

Please contact Dr. Anker: email  [email protected]  for more information

Participant rights questions, contact 1-866-680-2906

Systemic Allergic Reactions to SARS-CoV-2 Vaccination Study

Are you interested in getting vaccinated against COVID-19? 

We are looking for volunteers for a COVID-19 vaccine research study. 

The Systemic Allergic Reactions to SARS-CoV-2 Vaccination study is recruiting volunteers to receive one of the two mRNA vaccines - Pfizer BioNtech COVID-19 Vaccine or Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine. These are the same vaccines that have received emergency use authorization by the FDA and are being used at public vaccination sites. 

You may qualify if you are 18-69 years of age and:

• You have a history of Severe Allergies, OR
• You have been diagnosed with a Mast Cell Disorder, OR
• You have a history of No Allergies

For more information, please contact the Sean N. Parker Center for Allergy and Asthma Research at 650-521-7237 or  [email protected] .

Healthy subjects needed for PET/MRI Study  

We are seeking  male participants, ages 22-30 years old , for our PET/MRI study that images synapses in the brain with a recently developed radiotracer C11-UBC-J. This is the first in-human tracer of the synapse in the brain. Our goal of this study is to see if there is reduced synaptic density in schizophrenia versus healthy people.

• One visit, if eligible, to Stanford Lucas Center for up to 4.5 hours of study participation
• 1.5 hour scan
• 1 hour of cognitive testing
• 1 hour clinical interview, if applicable
• $250 for completion of the study

Potential risks/discomfort

• Injection of radioactive material required for PET scan
• Intravenous (IV) delivery of radiotracer needed
• Lying down for a long period of time

For more information, contact us at (650)-849-0552 or email us at  [email protected]

Healthy Adults Needed for FLASH Study

Two separate lab stays, each consisting of: 

• 2-day/night stay at the VA Sleep Lab
• 2 weeks of at-home sleep monitoring using a wrist-watch device
• In lab performance will be tested using flight simulation software

Participants must be healthy, non-smokers, without sleep problems. Volunteers paid up to $700 for successful completion of both 2-day/night stays in VA Sleep Lab.

For more information, please contact Yvonne Quevedo at (650) 849-1971 or email [email protected]

For further information regarding questions, concerns, or complaints about research, research related injury, and questions about the rights of research participants, please call (650) 723-5244 or call toll free 1-866-680-2906 or write the Administrative Panel on Human Subjects in Medical Research, Administrative Panels Office, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305-5401.

Calling all vaccinated individuals to join COVID-19 post-Vaccination Safety Study 

HERO-TOGETHER is a research study, funded by PCOR (Patient-Centered-Outcome-Research) for Vaccinated Healthcare Workers, their families, and their larger communities, to help the researchers understand the health effects of the COVID-19 vaccines over time. By joining this study, you will help the researchers learn how the vaccine affects healthcare workers and how different people do after vaccination.  

Please join HERO-TOGETHER study at  http://heroesresearch.org/together

Confirming the Efficacy/Mechanism of Family Therapy for Children with Low Weight Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) 

Children ages 6-12 with a diagnosis of Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) and their families are invited to participate in a Family-Based Treatment (FBT) vs. a manualized Non-Specific Care (NSC) research study through the Stanford Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. The study consists of 14 one-hour telehealth sessions in either treatment arm, along with required medical management, over the course of 4 months. Treatment will be provided by doctoral-level, highly skilled therapists.

Who Can Participate?

• Children ages 6-12
• Current diagnosis of ARFID
• Able to speak English
• Living with at least one parent (the whole family will be enrolled for treatment)
• Medically stable for outpatient treatment
• Able to make a 6-month commitment

For more information, or to sign up for the study, please email Eliza at  [email protected] , or call her at (650) 723-5521. Please reach out to Eliza with any questions or concerns!

The Effects of Micro Fragmented Adipose Tissue (MFAT) Injections on Knee Osteoarthritis

We aim to determine whether MFAT injection as an alternative therapy in patients with degenerative arthritis will result in improved clinical outcomes and structural improvement compared to conventional therapy. This study will be a randomized controlled trial to compare outcomes between intra-articular injection of MFAT and intra-articular injection of corticosteroid. We are recruiting patients who are 25-75 years old, diagnosed with mild to moderate osteoarthritis of the knee(s), and have previous trial and failure of conservative therapy.

For more information, please email  [email protected]  or call (650)723-0003.  

Longitudinal Effects of Dietary Fiber Supplementation

The study uses a big data systems biology approach to find detailed effects of purified dietary fiber supplementation. Genomic and microbiome data will be returned participants. Volunteers must be 18 years of age or older, and not pregnant. During the initial visit, researchers will collect samples for genomic analysis. The participation period will have four cycles that take approximately seven weeks from start to finish. For more information contact  Alessandra Celli .

Molecular Profiling of COVID-19 Vaccine Response – At-home Microsampling Study

You are invited to participate in a research study to better understand your how body responds to COVID-19 vaccination. Participants must be 18 years or older, live in the United States, and not yet received any COVID-19 vaccine.  

We hope to learn more about COVID-19 vaccination through monitoring of molecules in your blood and stool using multi-omics profiling. “Multi-omics” means we will be looking at many different types of molecules, including: metabolites, lipids, proteins, and antibodies.

You will receive a study kit and complete the study from home. Your first vaccine appointment should be at least 2 week after the date you enroll in the study. For details and to enroll, please visit  https://snyderlabs.stanford.edu/vaccine . For questions, please email  [email protected] .

Stanford’s new COVID-19 Study Directory:   https://stan.md/covid19-participate

Browse and connect with actively recruiting COVID-19 studies at Stanford.

Stanford Medicine researchers and scientists have launched dozens of research projects as part of the global response to COVID-19. Some aim to prevent, diagnose and treat the disease; others aim to understand how it spreads and how people’s immune systems respond to it.

By participating in our COVID-19 clinical research, you help accelerate medical science by providing valuable insights into potential treatments and methods of prevention.

Stanford Researchers : To have your study listed here, following IRB and COVID-19 Review Panel approvals, please contact Stanford Research Participation at  [email protected]

Negative Symptoms of Schizophrenia

Stanford researchers are recruiting participants with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder who struggle with negative symptoms (such as inactivity, social withdrawal and emotional inexpressiveness). The purpose of this study is to find out what effects the study medication RO6889450 has on the negative symptoms of schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder.  If you would like further information or you’re interested in taking part please contact us at  [email protected] .

The Gratitude Study

Stanford researchers are recruiting participants with schizophrenia who have experienced weight gain due to taking antipsychotic medications. The purpose of this study is to find out whether an investigational study drug, Miricorilant, is safe and effective in reducing weight gain in participants taking antipsychotic medications. If you would like further information or you’re interested in taking part please contact us at  [email protected] .

Improving Cognition via Exercise in Schizophrenia (ICE)

Participants are invited to take part in a research study investigating the influence of exercise on cognitive functioning in individuals with schizophrenia. This study will examine the impact of exercise training on cognition, suicide risk, daily functioning, and biomarkers of cognitive change and suicidality in people with schizophrenia. Eligible participants will be randomized into aerobic exercise training or stretching and toning exercise training. Participants in both groups will take part in a 12-week, 3 times per week, 1-hour training program, in addition to their regular treatment. If you’re interested in taking part please contact us at  [email protected] .

Stanford Home Sleep Study

The Stanford Home Sleep Study is seeking participants with or without sleep-time teeth grinding for a remote study that investigates the relationship between sleep and well-being. Receive a personalized sleep report, earn up to $80, and provide information that may help us develop interventions aimed at improving sleep and quality of life.

Learn more here. 

For questions, email  [email protected] .

 Stanford Autism Spectrum Disorder and Intellectual Disability Research Registry

Does your child have autism? Researchers at Stanford University are developing a Research Registry to better understand the causes and treatment of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Intellectual Disability (ID). The Research Registry will allow researchers to identify and recruit patients who might be eligible for participation in future research studies, and review and study the medical records of your child to help answer questions about ASD and/or ID and its treatment. In order to be part of the Research Registry, your child must have a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder and/or Intellectual Disability.  There is no cost to participate. For more information, call (650) 736-1235. Register here:  http://med.stanford.edu/autism/registry.html

Stanford Hoarding Disorder Research Study

If you have difficulty with clutter, are feeling overwhelmed and needing help, and over 55, you may be eligible to receive peer-support group sessions paired with virtual reality (VR) sessions at no cost to you.

Physician Investigator: Carolyn Rodriguez, M.D, Ph.D., Stanford Medical Center

For more information contact:  [email protected]  ; 650-497-2577

Learn more here.  Participant's right questions, contact 1-866-680-2906.

COVID-19 long-term symptoms study

Stanford University researchers need your help to understand how COVID-19 symptoms evolve over time. Participants will be asked to fill out a brief online survey regarding their general health as well as symptoms that may have appeared after the COVID-19 illness began. The survey will repeat every three months for one year to assess change over time. Help spread the word and ask any adults you know who had or suspected they had COVID-19 to take this  quick survey.

SPARK for Autism seeks to speed up research and improve understanding of autism.  This includes learning what causes autism and how best to treat it. Stanford University and over 20 of the nation’s leading medical schools and autism research centers are part of this effort. Participating in SPARK is free and can be done entirely from home. Registration can be done entirely online at  www.SPARKforAutism.org/stanford   and typically takes about 20 minutes. To participate in SPARK, please register, complete a few questionnaires online, and provide a saliva sample using a saliva collection kit that will be shipped directly to your home. Please contact  [email protected]  with any questions.

Study on treatment resistant depression with suicidal ideation

A new study funded by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention is recruiting people currently experiencing symptoms of depression and suicidal thoughts.  All eligible participants will receive one infusion of ketamine followed by four weeks of a medication or placebo. You may be eligible to participate in this six-week study if you are between 18-70 years of age and have not responded to previous depression treatment.  Learn more about the study and complete an online screening form . Reach out to  Jessica Hawkins  with questions.

COVID-19 IRIS Study

The IRIS Study is currently seeking participants who have had symptoms of COVID-19 to learn more about infection recovery. Eligible subjects will be required to do an initial blood draw and participate in surveys, neuropsychological testing and a physical exam. There are two follow-up visits involving a chest x-ray and pulmonary function test. Participants will be compensated $80 per visit. For more information call (650) 498-7284 or  email Mallika Rao.

Favipiravir study for asymptomatic and mild COVID-19

Favipiravir, an antiviral medicine, is currently used to treat influenza in some countries as well as mild and asymptomatic COVID-19. Researchers at Stanford Medicine are investigating if favipiravir may help patients get better faster, prevent them from getting worse and lower the chance of infection. The study is open to people within two days after they have tested positive for COVID-19.  Learn more about the study . If you are interested in participating in the study, email  [email protected] .

Healthy Adults Needed for Alzheimer’s Disease Prevention Study

A Stanford University team is conducting a study to learn about the relationship between diet , specifically fiber intake and cognitive function over time, to learn about lifestyle ways to prevent Alzheimer’s Disease.

There are 3 data collection time points: at beginning, 6 months, and 1 year. These include:

• Online cognitive tests (duration of about 12 minutes)
• Filling diet records for 2 weeks and 1 diet questionnaire
• Self-collected blood microsample

All the testing will be done from your home with no need of physical visits. What you will receive:

• An analysis of your diet
• Any interesting results we learn from the relationships between diet and cognition

If interested, please contact the research team at [email protected]

Or visit our study webpage at   snyderlabs.stanford.edu/fiberandcognition

Submit a research participation opportunity Internal Communications Intake Form (smartsheet.com)

Office of Undergraduate Research

• Office of Undergraduate Research FAQ's
• URSA Engage
• Resources for Students
• Resources for Faculty
• Engaging in Research
• Presenting Your Research
• Earn Money by Participating in Research Studies
• Transcript Notation
• Student Publications
• International Student Event

Current Research Projects

Current research projects in search of undergraduate student assistance.

Sometimes students are unsure about the direction they want to go in their research and other times students are just looking for the experience. Here you can explore available opportunities from Faculty Mentors in need of undergraduate student help.

List of Current Projects 

Are you a faculty member looking for undergraduate assistance.

Fill out the form below!

Request to Share Current Projects

Contact Info

618 Kerr Administration Building Corvallis, OR 97331

541-737-5105