NSERC Undergraduate Student Research Awards

The Undergraduate Student Research Awards (USRA) aim to stimulate the interests of students in the research fields of natural sciences and engineering and encourage students to pursue graduate studies as well as a research career in these fields. These awards target students interested in gaining practical work experience in their chosen areas of academic studies. Qualified Aboriginal students are encouraged to apply. The award provides $4,500 for a full 16-week period.  Supervisors are expected to supply a supplement in the amount of a minimum of 25 percent of the award value from their NSERC grants.

Please refer to the following instructions and forms for completion and submission of an application to the NSERC USRA competition.  Failure to comply with the instructions will result in your application being removed from the competition.

 USRA Instructions Forms for Supporting Documentation USRA checklist

Eligibility Criteria:

  • The applicant must be a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident
  • The applicant must be registered in a Bachelor’s program at the time of application at an eligible university

  • The applicant must have obtained a cumulative average of at least second class (a grade of “B” or “B-”) Students with transfer credit from another institution must check eligibility with the Registrar's Office.  The cumulative GPA shown on their Bridge account does not include transfer credit and thus, is not accurate for application purposes.

  • Must not have held more than 2 previous USRA awards, as the maximum times to hold an NSERC USRA is three awards.

No hard copies of the application or supporting documentation will be accepted.  A complete application must include:

  • One complete copy of Form 202, Application for a USRA. Part I completed by the student; Part II, completed by the proposed supervisor and submitted on line through NSERC’s on line system.
  • A letter of reference from a faculty member sent in PDF format to oris@uleth.ca .
  • Supporting Documentation that includes: Student Statement describing why you wish to pursue research, an explanation for course loads of less than 5 per Fall/Spring semester (if applicable), a list of scholarships, awards and research experience (if applicable), and a list of publications & presentations (if applicable). The information should be complied into one document and sent electronically to oris@uleth.ca
  • Up-to-date official transcripts, including a transcript of transfer credits from other institutions, uploaded to Form 202 on line. Please allow sufficient time for transcripts to be sent from the Registrar's Office to you - 2 weeks in advance of the deadline is strongly recommended.

For additional information see:

If you have questions, please contact Christine Picken, Research Officer, Office of Research Services.

Applications must be submitted by Monday, January 21, 2013 to the Office of Research Services, B610 University Hall.