Graduate Scholarships & Awards

Undergraduate Student Research Awards (USRA) 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 awards can provide you with financial support through your host university. NSERC encourages qualified Aboriginal students to apply to this program.

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

• 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 cumulative average of at least second class (a grade of "B" or "B-," if applicable) as defined by your university.

• If you already hold a bachelor's degree and are studying towards a second bachelor's degree, you may still apply to this program.
• You must be a Canadian or a permanent resident
• You may hold only one USRA per fiscal year (April 1 to March 31).
• You may hold 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.

Indigenous students are strongly encouraged to self declare on their application.

A complete application for a USRA includes Part I and Part II of an Application for an Undergraduate Student Research Award (Form 202).  Form 202 and its instructions are available as a PDF Document.

NSERC requires that students and their proposed supervisors fill out the electronic form directly from its web-site by selecting Login to the system or Register as a New User.

Once completed, Part I and Part II of Form 202 must be submitted electronically  through the NSERC website.

Indigenous students are strongly encouraged to self declare on their NSERC USRA application.

All transcripts for any post secondary institutions must be submitted.  If you are in classes in Fall semester, transcripts must be updated to show your fall grades. NO exceptions.  That means DO NOT SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION UNTIL JANUARY, 2019 WHEN YOU HAVE RECIEVED YOUR UPDATED AND OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPTS WITH YOUR FALL 2018 GRADES ALL INCLUDED.

We will be hosting an NSERC USRA Student Session for Best Practices on applying on Wednesday, January 9, 2019 from 1:30-2:15 in FGSR Boardroom - PA 110.3.