Undergraduate Student Research Awards

These awards are meant to stimulate interest in research and to encourage undergraduate students to undertake graduate studies and pursue a research career in these fields.

 

Sciences Undergraduate Student Research Awards

NSERC has announced the 2011 NSERC Undergraduate Student Research Awards (USRA) Competition. These awards are meant to stimulate interest in research in the natural sciences and engineering and to encourage undergraduate students to undertake graduate studies and pursue a research career in these fields. There will be 68 NSERC USRA awards granted to SFU undergraduate students in 2011-12.

In addition, SFU's Vice-President, Research (VPR), will be supporting approximately 58 undergraduate students who are working with faculty members who hold research grants (independent of source) through the VPR USRA program. 

The value of these two awards is $4,500 over the 16-week period of the award. NSERC requires that all students holding USRAs receive a supplement of at least 25% of the value of the award. NSERC emphasizes that this mandatory supplement is a minimum value; any supplement above this level may be set at the department’s discretion. Thus, the minimum additional salary supplement which must be provided at the departmental level is $1,125 (over the 16-week period).

How to Apply for the NSERC USRA

  1. Review the eligibility criteria at: http://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/Students-Etudiants/UG-PC/USRA-BRPC_eng.asp 
    Applicants meeting the eligiblity criteria for the NSERC USRA program will automatically be considered for the VPR USRA program
  2. Contact the proposed supervisor or department at Simon Fraser University in the faculty in which you would like to hold the award. 
  3. Complete the online application for an Undergraduate Student Research Award Part I (Form 202) online and send it, along with your up-to-date official transcripts, to the proposed department. 
  4. Include the completed Student Checklist. 
  5. Communicate with your proposed supervisor – they will need to know your application reference number.  
  6. The proposed supervisor must complete Part II (Form 202) online and send it to the person who is responsible for the USRA program in their department. 

Please note: NSERC will not accept hand written applications. Consequently, hand written applications will be removed from the competition and returned to the applicant.

How to Apply for a VPR USRA (Sciences)
If you do not meet the eligiblity criteria for an NSERC USRA, you be eligible for a VPR USRA. (For example, you may be an international student, or wish to work with a faculty member whose research support is not from NSERC).

  1. To apply for this funding, the undergraduate student and proposed supervisor should complete the Application Form.
  2. Please attach your unofficial up-to-date SFU transcript or a photocopy of your SFU transcript to the application form. Advising transcripts are not acceptable.
  3. The completed applications should be submitted to the person in your department responsible for the Sciences USRA programs.

 

Application deadline for NSERC and VPR USRA Awards: February 1, 2011.


Social Sciences & Humanities Undergraduate Student Research Awards

SFU's Vice-President Research has provided  funding for an award program entitled “Vice-President, Research Undergraduate Student Research Awards” (VPR USRA) for the social sciences and humanities departments at Simon Fraser University. 

Eligible applicants must work a minimum of 16 weeks under the supervision of a faculty supervisor who currently holds a Research Grant in your department. Awards can be held on a full-time or part-time basis.

Full-time awards are available to undergraduate students not enrolled in any courses during the academic term in which the award will be held (spring 2011). The value of a full-time VPR USRA is $4,500 paid on a biweekly basis, over a minimum 16-week period. In addition, recipients must receive a supplement of at least 25% of the value of the award from the faculty supervisor’s research grant. This mandatory supplement is a minimum value; any supplement above this level may be set at the faculty supervisor’s discretion. Thus, the minimum additional ‘salary supplement’ which must be provided at the department level is $1,125 (over the minimum 16-week period).

Part-time awards are available to undergraduate students enrolled in no more than two courses during the academic term(s) in which the award will be held. The value of a part-time VPR USRA is $2,250 paid on a biweekly basis, over a minimum 16-week period. Part-time VPR USRA recipients must receive a ‘salary supplement’ of $552.50 from the faculty supervisor’s research grant. Again, this is the minimum supplement required; any supplement above this level may be set at the faculty supervisor’s discretion.

How to Apply

  1. To apply for this funding, the undergraduate student and proposed supervisor should complete the Application Form.
  2. Please attach your unofficial up-to-date SFU transcript or a photocopy of your SFU transcript to the application forms. Advising transcripts are not acceptable.
  3.  Awards are currently available for the Summer 2011, Fall 2011, and Spring 2012 terms. The awards are available on a first come first serve basis.

 

 

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