NSERC Undergraduate Student Research Awards
Are you an undergraduate student interested in gaining research experience in an academic setting?
If so, you may be eligible to receive an Undergraduate Student Research Award (USRA). Eligible areas of research include: biology, chemistry, computer science, earth science, environmental science, math, statistics, physics, psychology, and interdisciplinary studies that bridge these subjects. If you are a student enrolled in a related program within the Irving K. Barber School of Arts & Sciences or the undergraduate program of Human Kinetics then you should consider applying.
Value of the award
Award recipients will be paid for 16 weeks of full-time research work conducted under the supervision of a UBC Okanagan faculty member. You may work at any time during the year, as permitted by your academic program, but usually positions are held during the summer.
Application deadline
The application deadline February 6th, 2012. Please have your completed application, as well as all supporting documents into Deanna Simmons, On Campus Employment Program Coordinator, University Center room 325 by 4:30 pm.
Application procedures
- For information on application requirements, plus forms and instructions, visit the NSERC Website. Talk to professors who you would like to work with. Professors must have a current NSERC grant or have applied for an NSERC Discovery Grant in November 2011. If the faculty member is not currently funded by NSERC but has applied for a Discovery Grant in the current competition, then the student must also submit a letter from a faculty member who would be willing to supervise the student should the student’s first choice supervisor fail to be awarded a Discovery Grant. Select your potential supervisor carefully because you cannot change supervisors after submitting your application. NSERCHoldersapplicants2011rev 2
-
You are responsible for accessing and completing Part I of Form 202, available on the NSERC website (http://www.nserc.ca/forms/pdf/F202-1_e.pdf), and for submitting official transcripts.
* Please note: unofficial UBC/UBCO transcripts will be accepted with the application; successful students will need to submit UBC/UBCO transcripts later.
OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPTS ARE REQUIRED WITH THE APPLICATION from all other universities.
The student must then forward Part I, his/her registration number, and the transcripts to the proposed supervisor, who will complete Part II of Form 202.
For completing the forms, go to NSERC Online Services to register and create your login. You will be guided to have your Form 202 (Part 1) created and the NSERC online system will give you a reference number that you send to your supervisor for completing Form 202 (Part 2).
In addition:
-
In addition, the IKBSAS requires:
- a 250-word statement from the student describing how the USRA would benefit their career and their interest in research to be signed off by the potential supervisor
- the potential supervisor will provide a separate reference letter clearly outlining the project and its goals, the role of the student in the project and the academic and research potential of the student in addition to completing Part II of Form 202.
- No other reference letters will be required.
For further details please visit NSERC Undergraduate Student Research Assistantships (USRA) for the Irving K. Barber School of Arts and Sciences (IKBSAS) website.
Submit your completed applications and all supporting documentation no later than 4:30 pm on February 6th, 2012 to:
University of British Columbia
University Centre, Room 325,
Attention: Deanna Simmons
Evaluation criteria
The objectives of the USRA program are to stimulate interest among undergraduates in research in the natural sciences and engineering, and to encourage students to pursue graduate studies and a career in research.
Applications will be selected according to this criteria, with the primary objective being your academic record and demonstrated research aptitude.
Award notification
We will inform you of our decision after completing the selection procedure. You should hear the results by the first week of March.
Last reviewed 
1/23/2012 10:28:48 AM
For more information
Visit the NSERC website for instructions and application forms.
