The UBC Vice-President, Research and Innovation (VPRI) office has committed a total of $2 million to UBC Vancouver Faculties to support undergraduate research since 2025.
The Science Dean's Office is excited to share that we have received $100,000 in funding to sustain the impact of the Enhanced Science Undergraduate Research (EnSURE) Awards Program for Summer 2026, established in Spring 2025 as part of VPRI's Expanded Undergraduate Research Opportunities initiative. This is the second year of the four-year program.
Highlights
- Available for projects where either you or your supervisor (or both) are from the Faculty of Science. For example, Science supervisors may hire non-Science students; Science students may also work with a non-Science supervisor.
- Available to both full-time and part-time research projects.
- A centralized process to solicit student applications for open, funded positions.
Working Hours, Subsidy, and Additional Details
- Full-time research projects (35 hours per week) must have a duration of 8 to 16 consecutive weeks:
- Subsidy: $3,000 for 8 to 11 weeks; $3,500 for 12 weeks or longer
- Part-time research projects are limited to 10 to 20 hours per week and run for at least 8 consecutive weeks (but no more than 16 weeks):
- Subsidy: $10 per hour
- A 1:1 matching commitment to the EnSURE funding: Supervisors are required to provide matching funds on a 1:1 basis for the EnSURE funding received. The student salary must also meet the BC minimum wage standards (currently $17.85 per hour; $18.25 per hour as of June 1, 2026)
- Example: 8-week full-time (35 hr/wk) project total student salary is approx. $5,721
35 hours per week @ $20.44/hr ($17.85 plus 14.47% required benefits - e.g., vacation pay, EI, CPP, WorkSafe, and BC EHT)
$3,000 EnSURE subsidy + $3,000 funding match from supervisor = $6,000 - Example: 8-week part-time (10 hr/wk) project total student salary is approx. $1,635.2
10 hours per week @ $20.44/hr ($17.85 plus 14.47% required benefits - e.g., vacation pay, EI, CPP, WorkSafe, and BC EHT) less $10/hr EnSURE subsidy = $10.44/hr funding provided by supervisor
- Example: 8-week full-time (35 hr/wk) project total student salary is approx. $5,721
- Due to limited funding, each supervisor may apply for only one award for a single student in the 2026 program.
- Students may receive funding from only one of the following programs if they receive multiple offers: NSERC USRA, WLIURA, SURE, EnSURE, or Work Learn.
How to Apply
Note: Applications for the EnSURE Awards are submitted directly to the Dean’s Office; it is important that you follow the directions below and not the information for the original SURE awards.
- Departments may submit proposals on behalf of their faculty members that have been reviewed but have not yet been matched with any funding.
- Please use the provided recommendation spreadsheet to submit applications, and include a short outline of the research project.
- Faculty members who haven't applied for or been matched with any funding may apply directly to the Science Dean's Office via an online form.
- Supervisors will be asked to provide a brief outline of the research project and the project format (e.g., full-time or part-time, weekly work hours, the project length, etc.), and indicate whether an internal candidate has been identified.
- Students may work with a faculty member to prepare a joint proposal, but the application must be submitted by the faculty supervisor.
Timeline
Stage 1 | Dates |
|---|---|
| Central call for applications (or research projects) | Deadline Tuesday, March 31, 2026 |
| Funding announcement | In the first two weeks of April |
Stage 2: If there are open, funded positions | Dates |
|---|---|
| Eligible students are invited to apply for open, funded positions via a centralized application process managed by the Dean’s Office. | Mid-late April |
| Student applications are forwarded to supervisors for review and selection. | Late April – early May |
Student Appointment and Reimbursement
Award holders will be hired as undergraduate research assistants. More information about how to set up an appointment in Workday will be provided in April. Supervisors will be reimbursed after the student appointment ends (in the Fall).
Have Questions?
If you have any questions, please contact the Dean’s Office.