The National Science and Engineering Research Council's (NSERC's) Undergraduate Student Research Awards (USRAs) are meant to stimulate your interest in research in the natural sciences and engineering. They are also meant to encourage you to undertake graduate studies and pursue a research career in these fields. If you would like to gain research work experience that complements your studies in an academic setting, these competitive awards can provide you with financial support.

Details:
Application DEADLINE: 12:00 p.m. (Noon) February 20, 2015
Duration: A full 16-week period, full-time
Value: $4,500 from NSERC, plus a minimum of $1,125 from the supervisor

Travel Allowances: a travel allowance may also be granted if you take up the award at a university other than the one at which you are currently registered. Click here for details about Travel Allowances.

How to apply:

• Apply through the Office of the Dean, Faculty of Science
• Students from other universities may also apply

Application Package - Three (3) required elements:

1. Application Form: NSERC form 202, Part I and Part II

• Create an NSERC online portfolio here.
• Create a form 202 from the drop down menu, and follow the instructions here:
• Students complete form 202 Part I, and forward the reference number provided by the system to their potential supervisor(s) – this is required to link Parts I and II
• Students upload a PDF of official transcripts.
• Supervisors complete form 202 Part II and submit online
• Supervisors print a copy of form 202 Part II and give to student who will submit with the hardcopy of their application to the Office of the Dean of Science

2. Carleton transcripts and other postsecondary transcripts.

Students must submit official sealed hardcopies of all postsecondary transcripts. Transcripts from Carleton University can be obtained through the Registrar’s Office.

3. Cover Page

Students must prepare a cover page that includes the following:

• Name
  Carleton Student Number (100XXXXXX)
  Carleton Email Address
  CGPA (found on your audit)
  Status (Domestic or International)
  NSERC Reference Number
  Proposed Supervisor

Non Carleton Students:
If you are not a Carleton student, you may send your application electronically to Ashley-Dawn McKee at ashleydawn [dot] mckee [at] carleton [dot] ca. Please ensure that you receive an email confirmation from Ashley that your application has been received successfully.

*Please note applications that are not delivered as a hardcopy by the deadline will not be considered.*

NSERC USRA contact information:
Ashley-Dawn McKee, Office of the Dean of Science, 3230 Herzberg, (613) 520-4388.
Email: ashleydawn [dot] mckee [at] carleton [dot] ca

Award Decisions:
Applicants will be informed of award decisions after the selection process has been completed.

Payment of awards:
Successful candidates will receive payment from the University in accordance with its pay procedures. The University will also issue a T4 or T4A slip (Statement of Income) at the end of the calendar year. NSERC will pay its contribution directly to the University.

Student Eligibility:
To be eligible to apply for an award, you must:

• be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident of Canada;
• be registered, at the time you apply, in a bachelor's degree program at an eligible university; and
• have obtained, over the previous years of study, a CGPA of A minus or 10

In addition...

• If you already hold a bachelor's degree and are studying toward a second bachelor's degree, you may still apply to this program.
• You may hold only one USRA per fiscal year (April 1 to March 31), and a maximum of three USRAs throughout your university career.

To hold an award, you must:

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

Who is not eligible?
You are not eligible for an Undergraduate Student Research Award if:

• you are currently enrolled in an undergraduate professional degree program in the health sciences (e.g., MD, DDS, BScN); or
• you hold higher degrees in the natural sciences or engineering.

More information available at the links below:
http://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/students-etudiants/ug-pc/usra-brpc_eng.asp
http://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/Students-Etudiants/UG-PC/index_eng.asp

Which faculty are eligible to supervise USRA holders?

Holders of the following types of grants are eligible to supervise USRA holders for the 2014 competition.

NSERC Research Grants Programs 

• Climate Change and Atmospheric Research
• Discovery Grants (Individual, Group and Subatomic Physics (SAP) Project, Northern Research Supplements, Frontiers, Accelerator Supplements, Ship Time) 
• G8 Research Councils Initiative on Multilateral Research Funding and Belmont Forum
• CREATE (Collaborative Research and Training Experience Program)
• Brockhouse Canada Prize for Interdisciplinary Research in Science and Engineering
• NSERC John C. Polanyi Award
• NSERC/NRCan/AECL Generation IV Energy Technologies Grants

Partnerships Programs

• Automotive Partnership Canada (APC)
• Strategic Network Grants (SNG)
• Strategic Project Grants (SPG)
• Chairs in Design Engineering (CDE)
• Collaborative Research and Development (CRD) Grants
• Engage Grants (EG)
• Industrial Research Chairs (IRC)
• Innovation Frontiers (IF)
• Interaction Grants (IG)
• Partnership Workshops Grants (PWG)
• Idea to Innovation (I2I) Grants

Chairs and Faculty Support Programs

• Chairs for Women in Science and Engineering (CWSE)
• Northern Research Chairs Program (NRCP)

Canada Research Chairs

Canada Excellence Research Chairs

Visit list of Faculty who are interested in having USRA holders work in their labs. Please note that this is not a complete list. Click here for list.