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Undergraduate

NSERC University Summer Research Awards (USRA)

The NSERC Undergraduate Student Research Awards (USRAs) are intended to nurture your interest and enhance your skills in the natural sciences or engineering. Research work experience will complement your undergraduate studies, prepare you for an interesting career in your field and, ideally, encourage you to undertake graduate studies.

2023 Announcement

The Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) are pleased to implement the new USRA Black student researchers starting competition 2023-2024. These funds will help address the disproportionate underfunding of Black scholars at the undergraduate level; will contribute to making Canada's research culture more equitable, diverse and inclusive; and will strengthen Canada's innovation potential.
For NSERC USRAs, institutions may recommend applications from self-identified Black student researchers for USRAs beyond their allocations of awards (the current process already in place for Indigenous students).

Value and Duration

  • Students typically work full-time for 16 consecutive weeks from May 1 to August 31.
  • In 2023, students should be paid a minimum of $17.50 per hour × 35 hours × 16 weeks, for a total of $9800.00.
    • USRAs have a value of $6,000.
    • Your supervisor is expected to top up the grant by $3,072.00.
    • As part of the 2023 pilot Undergraduate Research Grant Program, the VPR will provide an additional top-up to each award to increase the salary rate to $17.50 per hour.

Supervision

You must find a faculty member in the School to work with before you complete your application.

How to Apply

  1. The 2023 deadline for School of Computing submissions is February 27th.
  2. Students must fill out Form 202, Part I in NSERC's online system.
  3. Supervisors must fill out Form 202, Part II in NSERC's online system.
  4. Both students and supervisors must submit a paper copy of their respective parts to Deborah Lewis before the announced deadline near the end of February.
  5. Students must also provide Deborah with a transcript, either an official one from the Registrar's Office or an unofficial one from SOLUS.

Do not submit more than one application; you should choose which project you want to be involved with before submitting your application.

More Information

Please consult the resources provided by the Vice-Principal Research, including their FAQ.

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