Apply for Funding for Undergraduate Research

Paid undergraduate research opportunities are often supported (fully or partially) by award-based funding programs specifically designed to support undergraduate trainees. These award-based programs may go by different names (e.g. stipends, studentships, awards), but are similar in that they provide funding to undergraduate students to support their involvement in a research project.

In most cases, undergraduate research awards are paid directly to the student (similar to a salary or wage), and are not expected to cover research expenses (e.g. materials or supplies for your project). Research expenses are normally covered by the supervisor’s research grants.

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General eligibility requirements & timelines

Although each funding program has its own specific criteria, most programs have a few common requirements:

• You must secure a supervisor before you can apply (supervisor eligibility may vary for different programs). Need help finding a supervisor? Connect with a URI advisor.
• For most programs, you must be enrolled in an undergraduate degree program as of the application deadline (i.e. you cannot apply if you have completed your coursework, have graduated, or are taking a semester off).
• Most programs require students to have a minimum satisfactory academic standing (i.e. you cannot apply if you are on academic warning or probation). Some awards have higher GPA requirements.
• Although students may apply for multiple awards, most programs will not allow you to hold multiple awards concurrently.
• These awards are normally intended to support non-credit opportunities. Students are not normally permitted to hold awards for course-based projects (e.g. 399/499 projects).
• Applications typically open in late Fall, with deadlines in January-March. Most funding programs run a single application cycle each year for projects starting in Summer, Fall or Winter terms.

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How to apply