NSERC Undergraduate Student Research Awards 2025-26
December 13, 2024
The Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) subsidizes eligible faculty supervisors to hire domestic students to work on interesting research-related jobs and projects. Find funding opportunities for international students.
If you’re a Canadian citizen or permanent resident of Canada, consider applying for this award to work full-time with a UBC professor for a minimum of 14 weeks over the 2025 Summer Session, Term 1 of the 2025-26 Winter Session OR Term 2 of the 2025-26 Winter Session. Application deadlines vary by Department or Faculty throughout Term 2; the earliest deadline is mid-January, 2025.
NSERC allows UBC to recommend applications from self-identified Black and Indigenous student researchers for awards beyond our institutional allocation of funding. We encourage Indigenous or Black student researchers to apply. If you are interested and wish to know more, contact the Science Dean’s Office via email.
How to Apply
1. Learn about the specific Departmental or Faculty’s application instructions and requirements
- Apply through your home Department in the Faculty of Science or your faculty supervisor's home Department or Faculty. Check with the relevant Science Department (see below) or Faculty for their specific application process and additional requirements, which are in addition to the eligibility requirements for all UBC’s USRA awards.
- Looking for an eligible faculty supervisor? Refer to Eligible Grant Holders for NSERC USRA 2025-26.
2. Complete Form 202 Part I for your NSERC USRA application
- Note that some Science Departments may require that students apply to the Department first using a Departmental form or draft Form 202 Part I. Then if shortlisted for or selected as an award recommendation, you will proceed to fill out or complete Form 202 Part I on the NSERC system. Do NOT submit it until you are instructed by the Department to do so.
- It is your responsibility to complete your Part I correctly. Incorrect or incomplete submissions will result in rejection of your USRA application by NSERC. See a list of common errors and self-check questions below.
- Submit the Form and share the ‘Reference Number’ with your supervisor to link your Part I with their Part II. Once the supervisor’s Part II is submitted, your award application is officially completed on the NSERC system.
3. Receive the result of your application
- In general, the Department or Faculty you apply through will inform you if they are recommending your proposed research project for an NSERC USRA between late March and late April 2025.
- Note that only the NSERC office can officially confirm that the award is granted. An award letter is typically issued to students around the midpoint of the award term.
Form 202 Part I: Common errors and self-check questions
Below are common errors that we have seen in the past years, and these errors will result in rejection of an award application by NSERC, even if the application is recommended for an NSERC USRA by the University. Please double check your form before submitting. (Refer to NSERC instructions for completing Form 202 and a video of NSERC USRA program application tutorial)
- Have you included all your post-secondary education, including your current program at UBC?
- Have you ever held a USRA or Experience Award (previously IUSRA) in the past? If yes:
- Have you listed out your previous NSERC USRA’s in the scholarships and awards section?
Note: NSERC allows a maximum of 3 USRAs per student during their undergraduate studies.
- Have you listed out your previous NSERC USRA’s in the scholarships and awards section?
- Have you provided the “leaving date” for your current address, if it’s different from your permanent mailing address?
- Have you uploaded your official transcripts for all post-secondary institutions you have attended?
- Have you confirmed with the Department/supervisor that if you are recommended for an NSERC USRA:
- You will reside within B.C. during the award term?
Note: USRA holders must reside within B.C. during the award term, even if the project is remote/hybrid, as per UBC HR guidelines. - You will drop any courses beyond the number allowed by NSERC in order to meet the course registration requirement?
Note: NSERC requires that USRA holders may not take more than 1 course per Summer Term, or more than 2 courses per Term of the Winter Session.
- You will reside within B.C. during the award term?
Have further questions?
Please contact the relevant office or Department or check out the relevant website below:
| NSERC USRA information | NSERC website |
| General program inquiries: UBC Career Centre | UBC USRA website or email contact |
| Science-specific inquiries: Science Dean’s Office | Email contact |
Science Department
| USRA Coordinator | Departmental Deadline | Application Instructions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Botany | Alice Liou | Feb 14, 2025 |
|
| Chemistry | Molly Wang | Jan 31, 2025 | Find more information on the Chemistry Summer Research Awards page. (Reminder: Double-check the completeness and accuracy of your Form 202 Part I when you are instructed to submit it.) |
| Computer Science | Josh Bruan | Feb 7, 2025 at 4 PM (extended to Feb 12, 2025 at 4 PM) | Find more information on the Computer Science Research Award Opportunities page, including existing research project proposals. (Reminder: Double-check the completeness and accuracy of your Form 202 Part I when you are instructed to submit it.) |
| Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences | Emma Liu | Mar 10, 2025 |
|
| Institute for Resources, Environment and Sustainability (IRES) | Kristen Eredics | Feb 28, 2025 |
|
| Institute for the Ocean and Fisheries | Madeline Doig Neil Maclean | Feb 28, 2025 |
|
| Mathematics | Katie Wong | Jan 20, 2025 | Find more information on the Mathematics Undergraduate Research Positions page. (Reminder: Double-check the completeness and accuracy of your Form 202 Part I when you are instructed to submit it.) |
| Microbiology and Immunology | Dr. David Oliver Jiaojiao Lu | Feb 21, 2025 | Find more information on the Microbiology and Immunology Financial Support page. (Reminder: Double-check the completeness and accuracy of your Form 202 Part I when you are instructed to submit it.) |
| Physics and Astronomy | Shawn Salgadoe | Jan 15, 2025 | Find more information on the Physics & Astronomy Undergraduate Summer Research Awards page. (Reminder: Double-check the completeness and accuracy of your Form 202 Part I when you are instructed to submit it.) |
| Statistics | Mairéad Roche | Feb 27, 2025 | Find more information on the Statistics Summer Undergraduate Research Assistants page. (Reminder: Double-check the completeness and accuracy of your Form 202 Part I when you are instructed to submit it.) |
| Zoology | Mimi Yu | Feb 20, 2025 | Find more information on the Zoology Undergraduate Research Opportunities page. (Reminder: Double-check the completeness and accuracy of your Form 202 Part I when you are instructed to submit it.) |
Other Undergraduate Research Awards
Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) USRA offer awards exclusively for Canadian Black students. More information regarding these two awards can be found at the Black Student Researchers Pathway.
If you’re an international student, you may be eligible for Summer 2025 Work Learn International Undergraduate Research Awards.
More information about UBC’s Science Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE) Awards will be available in the new year. Stay tuned and keep an eye out for more details in the Distillation newsletter.
