Current competition year: May 1st, 2025 to April 30th, 2026
Program Description
USRAs are meant to nurture undergraduate student interest and fully develop their potential for a research career in health, natural sciences and engineering, or social sciences and humanities. These competitive awards are also meant to encourage undergraduate students to undertake graduate studies by providing research work experience that complements their studies in an academic setting.
Without exception, USRAs are tenable only at eligible Canadian institutions with an assigned allocation. Awards must be held at the institution where the offer of award originates.
Please note the following important eligibility criteria presently:
- Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR):
- Black student researchers ONLY
- Health fields study
- Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC):.
- Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC)
- Natural sciences and engineering fields study
- all students (applications are particularly encouraged from Indigenous and Black student researchers.)
- Award Value
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Award Value
For the 14-16 week duration of positions held between May 1 and August 31, 2024, the total value of the award ranges from:
- 14 weeks: minimum amount of $8,109.50
- 16 weeks: minimum amount of $9,268.00
- The minimum values correspond to minimum wage in Ontario
- Students will receive 4% vacation pay, as per the Ontario Employment Standards (ESA). (Students are not eligible for paid days off/vacation days).
- The program makes no provisions for sick leave, or for other types of interruptions
- Should sick or vacation leave be incurred during the employment period, the student would just need to ensure they worked their total number of hours by their award end date
- Should a USRA be interrupted or terminated early for any reason, CORIS (coris@carleton.ca) should be informed immediately. Positions may not be deferred.
- Duration of Awards
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Duration of Awards
- The duration of the award is 14 to 16 weeks on a full-time basis (35 hours/week)
- USRA awards are tenable at any time during the year as permitted by your academic program and faculty, and agreed upon by student and supervisor
- A maximum of two (2) courses/1.0 credit are allowed during the tenure of the award, if special arrangements to make up the time have been made with the Supervisor (for courses scheduled during business hours).
- Over the summer, a maximum of 0.5 credit is allowed in early summer, and 0.5 credit in late summer
- Recipients are not permitted to do thesis research during the term of the award. It is permitted to use data acquired during a USRA as the basis of a thesis, provided registration in the thesis course start after the USRA employment is completed.
- USRAs may be held during co-op placements
- Remote work is acceptable with supervision expected on a frequent basis. This must be agreed on between the student and the supervisor
- Student Eligibility
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ELIGIBLE Applicants
To be eligible to apply for an award, you must, as of the deadline date for applications at Carleton University:
- Be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or Protected Person under subsection (95)2 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (Canada);
- Be registered in a bachelor’s degree program at an eligible institution;
- Have obtained, over the previous year(s) of study, a second class Overall CGPA. At Carleton, this translates into a B-/7.0
In addition…
- if you already hold a bachelor’s degree and are studying toward a second bachelor’s degree, you may still apply for this award
- you may hold only one (1) USRA per fiscal year (April 1 to March 31)
- you may hold a maximum of three (3) USRAs throughout their undergraduate career (regardless of agency)
INELIGIBLE Applicants
You are NOT eligible to apply for a USRA if, you:
- are currently enrolled in an undergraduate professional degree program in the health sciences (e.g., MD, DDS, BScN) (does not apply for CIHR USRAs); or
- are currently registered or have previously been registered in a graduate program in the same field of study
- have completed all your degree requirements by the deadline date for applications at Carleton University.
TO HOLD AN AWARD, you must:
- Have completed all the course requirements of at least the first year of university study of your bachelor’s degree
- Have been registered in at least one of the two terms immediately before holding the award, in a bachelor’s degree program – whether part-time or full-time
- (Study abroad is permitted within this rule, provided the student was registered in a bachelor’s degree program)
- Not be registered in a graduate program; and
- be working full-time in eligible research and development activities in your proposed field of research
You may also find it helpful to review: Frequently asked questions about USRAs
- Supervisor Eligibility
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Eligible Supervisors of USRA Students
Any faculty member who is authorized to supervise undergraduate students at Carleton in the relevant discipline is eligible to act as a supervisor. It is not necessary for the Supervisor’s research program to fall exclusively within the purview of the selected agency.
- Carleton Competition Results
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Faculty Award Decisions
NSERC USRA: Each faculty will inform applicants of its award decisions after it has completed its selection process.
CIHR and SSHRC: CORIS will inform applicants of award decisions after adjudication. No feedback is provided to the applicants.
- Carleton Payment of Awards
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Payment of Awards
NSERC, SSHRC and CIHR pay the awards to the Carleton University.
Successful candidates will receive payment from the university in accordance with its pay procedures (twice per month, on the following dates). Students who have not been employed by Carleton before will need to fill out an Online Employee Intake Form. Supervisors communicate their funding information to their faculty contact directly (FASS: Sarah Mohammed, FED: Tom Morrice, SCI: Lubna Mahmoud, or for SSHRC and CIHR-USRAs to Sarah Adams).
After completing the Online Employee Intake Form (if applicable), no further action is required by the student or the supervisor with regards to payroll. The university will issue a T4 or T4A slip (Statement of Income) at the end of the calendar year.
APPLICATION PROCESS and DEADLINES by Council
Please click on one of the relevant link below to read about the application process and GOOD LUCK with your application!
Internal Contacts
CIHR and SSHRC USRA: Sarah Adams, Internal Research Programs Administrator (CORIS)
NSERC USRA:
*Note that late applications will not be accepted
Page last updated October 23, 2024
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