2024 Undergraduate Student Research Awards (USRA)

Eligibility

To be eligible to apply, a student must be currently registered in a bachelor's program. To be eligible to hold the award, a student must have been registered in at least one of the two preceding terms. Students who have graduated may hold a USRA in one of the two terms immediately following their graduation. Students who have already graduated by the application deadline are not eligible to apply. (This is understood to mean that a student who has received their degree by the application deadline is not eligible to apply). 

To be eligible to apply for an award, a student must:

• be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident of Canada as of the deadline date for applications at the university;
• be registered, as of the deadline date for applications at the university, in a bachelor's degree program at an eligible university;
• have obtained, over the entire period of undergraduate studies, a minimum cumulative B average (3.0 gpa, 2nd class).

In addition:

• A student who holds a bachelor's degree and is studying toward a second bachelor's degree may still apply for this award.
• A student may hold only one university USRA per fiscal year (April 1 to March 31).
• A student may hold a maximum of three university USRAs throughout his/her undergraduate university career.
• USRAs may be held during co-op placements.
• Students studying at a foreign institution who are a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident of Canada may be eligible for USRA provided they meet all other eligibility requirements.

To hold an award, a student must:

• have completed all the course requirements of at least the first year of university study (or two academic terms) of the student's bachelor's degree;
• have been registered in at least one of the two terms immediately before holding the award in a bachelor's degree program at an eligible university;
• not have started a program of graduate studies at any time;
• be engaged on a full-time basis in research and development activities in the natural sciences or engineering during the tenure of the award

A student is NOT eligible if:

• he/she is currently enrolled in an undergraduate professional degree program in the health sciences (e.g. MD, DDS, BScN);
• he/she holds higher degrees in the natural sciences or engineering (i.e. Master's or PhD).

Funding for Black undergraduate student research with USRA

To reduce racial inequities in research opportunities, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) implemented a new Undergraduate Student Research Award (USRA) program in 2023 to support Black students in summer research projects in health research or social sciences or humanities research. Students must apply using the same common application form.

In addition, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) announced additional federal government funding to support Black undergraduate students in summer research projects. All applications from students of Indigenous and/or Black heritage who meet the eligibility requirements will be put forward to NSERC for funding. 

Note: CIHR and SSHRC USRAs are, at the present time, exclusively for Black student researchers. To be considered, you must self-identify as Black.

Summary

Student Application Form

Student Deadline: 11:59 pm MST Friday, February 2, 2024

Supervisor Deadline: 11:59 pm MST Friday, February 9, 2024

Please visit the common application system to submit your application for the internal selection process.

Note: External applicants must request a UCID in order to access the application. Refer to Important Application Information for Non-UCalgary Students on this website. 

The Request for UCID webform will close 12PM MST January 31, 2024. Due to high request volume, processing can take 1-2 business days.

Undergraduate Student Research Awards (USRAs) are meant to nurture your interest and fully develop your potential for a research career in health, natural sciences, engineering, social sciences or humanities. These awards are also meant to encourage you to undertake graduate studies by providing research work experience that complements your studies in an academic setting. UCalgary offers a 16-week USRA program where undergraduate students make a full-time commitment to their research for 16 consecutive weeks with a faculty member.

The USRA program is allocation based with limited number of awards available.

Students will apply through Award Spring for the USRA selection process. Successful applicants will be notified and directed to complete form 202 Part I and II for submission in the NSERC online portal.

A student may submit one (1) application with one (1) supervisor only per competition.

Due to the limited number of awards and to create the maximum number of opportunities for students and supervisors, a supervisor must oversee only two students in the application system.

Students are required to upload an official transcripts issued by Student and Enrolment Services (Registrar's Office) to the USRA application:

• After the official transcripts have been received from the Registrar's Office, break the seal (disregard the watermark) and upload this version of the official transcripts to the USRA application.
• Students whose home institution is not the University of Calgary are also required to upload a copy of the grading scale (grading legend) from the official transcripts to the USRA application.

Application deadlines

Program application deadline

Application deadlines

Supervisor Deadline

Applicants to the Alberta Innovates Summer Research Studentship program will use the common application form for undergraduate research awards at the University of Calgary.

The common application form supports applications to the following programs:

• Alberta Cancer Foundation (ACF)
• Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute (ACHRI)
• Alberta Innovates Summer Research Studentships (SRS)
• Biomedical Engineering (BME)
• BRAIN CREATE 
• Dianne LaFlamme-McCauley Summer Research Studentships
• Libin Cardiovascular Institute Donald and Loreen Dunklee Summer Studentship in Heart Research
• McCaig Institute for Bone and Joint Health
• O’Brien Centre Summer Studentships (OCSS)
• Program for Undergraduate Research Experience (PURE)
• Undergraduate Student Research Award (USRA -NSERC, CIHR, SSHRC)

Award eligibility will be automatically determined at application based on your qualifications. Applicants will be considered for all awards they meet eligibility criteria for, however only ONE (1) offer of award will be made to successful students.