Undergraduate Student Research Awards (USRAs) are meant to nurture your interest and fully develop your potential for a research career in health, natural sciences, engineering, social sciences or humanities. These awards are also meant to encourage you to undertake graduate studies by providing research work experience that complements your studies in an academic setting.
The USRA program was previously specific to NSERC, meaning the natural sciences and engineering disciplines. Each of the Carleton faculties listed below has a number of available positions, and its own selection process. Applications are particularly encouraged from Indigenous and Black student researchers, for whom there is additional funding.
As with last year’s competition, the university will additionally receive a quota of 1 award through the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and 2 awards through the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC), for the entire university. These 3 positions are available only to student researchers who self-identify as Black. The mechanics of these awards (eligibility, duration, stipend, etc.) remain the same as the NSERC stream. The subject matter being researched, however, must fall under the mandate of the relevant council.
For more information about the USRA program and application instructions, please visit: the Carleton Office for Research Initiatives and Services - Carleton University page and CORIS program page, as well as the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada Undergraduate Student Research Awards page.
Number of Awards Available in the 2024 competition:FASS’s quota of NSERC awards is for three awards.*NSERC applications are particularly encouraged from Indigenous and Black student researchers, for whom there is additional funding.
Carleton as a whole also has quotas of the following (adjudicated centrally by CORIS, the research office):- 2** SSHRC awards- 1** CIHR award** These 3 positions (with SSHRC and CIHR funding) are only available to student researchers who self-identify as Black.
To be eligible to apply for an award, you must:
You may also find it helpful to review: Frequently asked questions about USRAs
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.
Important: Supervisors must provide (from any of their sources of funds), per USRA student, a minimum contribution of: $3,325.93 for 14 weeks OR $4,658.20 for 16 weeks.
For the 14-16 week duration of positions held between May 1, 2024, to August 31, 2024, the total value of the award ranges from:
All submissions should be made through Carleton USRA website. See the links to each funding agency at the bottom of the site.
For the CIHR/SSHRC USRA: submission is via webform by March 8, 2024
For the NSERC USRA: submission is via webform to FASS by February 26, 2024
Please, submit your application through the USRA information page. At the bottom of the page, you will find links for each of the three funding agency opportunities with detailed information about eligibility, the application, etc.