The first thing you'll need to do to use AURA as a mentor is create a listing. There are two types of listings: research groups and projects. Research groups are more general and open-ended listings, and are intended as a way for students to apply to join your group without necessarily defining a specific project. There's no timeline or specific work descriptions required to make this type of listing. You can also have other undergraduate mentors (e.g. graduate students or postdocs) join your research group listing, so students can see the profiles of your group members. Research group postings do not have a termination date, so you can leave these postings up for extended periods of time to recruit students to your group. If you're looking for students for a specific and well-defined project, then a project posting is most appropriate. Projects allow mentors to specify a specific timeline for applicants, and give a more in depth explanation of what the student will do and the type of students you are looking for.

Creating a listing is easiest with an AURA account. With an account, you can easily manage all your listings in one place, and you'll never have to worry about repeatedly confirming your email address. However, AURA does allow mentors to create listings without first creating an account. We then store a cookie on your computer, letting us know that you own that specific listing. In order to create a listing while logged in, simply navigate to your profile and click "Create listing." If you're not logged in, first click "For Mentors" in the header bar, then click "Create a listing."

Once you've reached the create a listing screen, select the type of listing you want to create, and fill out the form with all relevant information. If you are logged out, you will also be asked to verify your email address. Once you create a listing, you gain access to your applicant settings, which allow you to change settings like your opportunities visibility, applicant questions, and applicant filters.