Undergraduate student research award (USRA)
About the award
The Undergraduate Student Research Awards (USRA) program supports more than 3,000 students annually and are opportunities for undergraduate students to consider graduate studies and/or a research career by providing research work experience that complements their studies in an academic setting.
These awards are administered by Canada’s 3 research granting agencies:
- Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC)*
- Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)**
- Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC)**
*All undergraduate students who are Canadian Citizens or Permanent Residents can apply to this award. For NSERC USRAs, additional allocations are available for self-identified Black students, and Indigenous students. These allocations will not be counted against the total NSERC USRA allocation.
**CIHR and SSHRC USRA are exclusively offered to Canadian Black students only
Note: NSERC oversees the administration of the USRA program and the application process on behalf of the three agencies. Accordingly, applications must be submitted through NSERC’s online system.
For more details about how to apply, students can check out the full USRA guidelines on the NSERC Website.
Award details
Value of awards
Each Undergraduate Student Research Award (USRA) is valued at $6,000, which is reimbursed to the supervisor after the student successfully completes their research term.
Departments or supervisors are required to supplement the USRA amount to meet BC Employment Standards. Based on the current BC minimum wage of $17.85 per hour, the minimum total compensation for the 14-week award period is $9,780.00. This amount includes 4% vacation pay and mandatory employee related costs (MERCS).
To estimate the required top-up amount, please refer to the USRA top-up calculator.
Award duration
The duration of the award is a minimum of 14 consecutive weeks on a full-time basis. In some instances, the student may be hired for 18 weeks.
The USRA program makes no provision for sick leave or vacation, or for other types of interruptions. Should a USRA be interrupted or terminated early for any reason, the department should inform Research Finance immediately.
Payment of awards
Payment is made through the University of Victoria’s payroll system according to standard pay procedures. Students will receive a T4 or T4A slip from UVic Payroll for tax purposes.
Eligibility
Eligibility criteria
To be eligible for a Undergraduate Student Research Award (USRA), applicants, must
- Be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident.
- Be an undergraduate student who has completed at least 2 academic terms as of April 1.
- Be registered in a bachelor’s degree program at the time of application and in at least one of the two terms immediately before holding the award.
- Students should have a minimum cumulative GPA of 4.0. Supervisors can email Research Finance a letter of consideration for students that do not meet the GPA threshold.
- Students pursing a second bachelor’s degree are eligible to apply.
- Students do not have to be enrolled full-time in their program to be eligible to apply and hold a USRA award. Part-time students are eligible to apply but all awards must be held on a full-time basis.
- Students may hold only one USRA per fiscal year (April 1 to March 31)
- Students may hold a maximum of three USRAs during their undergraduate university career.
- Students are not permitted to do thesis research during the term of the award.
Please refer to the UVic Guidelines for the full eligibility list.
Prospective students
Agency-specific eligbility
NSERC:
All undergraduate students who are Canadian citizens or permanent residents are eligible to apply. Students who self-identify as Black or Indigenous are encouraged to apply through the Black or Indigenous student pathways to USRA.
SSHRC and CIHR:
USRAs are exclusively offered to Canadian Black students only through the Black student research pathway to USRA.
There are additional allocations for Black students. To apply through this pathway, you must self-identify as black on the Form 202 Part I under ‘Personal Profile’ on the NSERC online portal.
- On the “Form 202 Part 1 – Personal Profile” page, scroll down to the “Self-identification statement” section. Under “Statement 2: Black applicants,” indicate that you self-identify as Black.
There are additional allocations for indigenous students. To apply through this pathway, you must self-identify as indigenous on the Form 202 Part I under ‘Personal Profile’ on the NSERC online portal.
How to apply for USRA
Students interested in pursuing an Undergraduate Student Research Award (USRA) should first contact a faculty supervisor they would like to work with, apply through the supervisor’s home department, and follow that department’s internal selection process.
You are responsible for contacting and securing a faculty supervisor to supervise your research project. You will apply through your supervisor’s department. Each department establishes procedures for identifying and ranking applicants. Make sure you are aware of your Department’s deadlines and criteria.
Work with your supervisor to complete Form 202 on the NSERC Online Portal (see the application instruction for details).
There are additional USRA allocations for Indigenous or Black students. To be eligible for these awards, you must self-identify by checking the relevant box in Form 202 Part I under ‘Personal Profile'.
You can also watch a video tutorial for the NSERC application process. If you experience any technical issues with the NSERC online portal, please contact NSERC.
Submit your complete application package to your department.
Contact your Department USRA Coordinator to confirm the required documents. Generally, the package includes:
- Form 202 Part I and II
- your transcript
- a brief research proposal
Your department will review and rank all applications. The ranked list of recommended students will then be submitted to Research Finance for verification.
Research Finance will review all applications for completeness and accuracy.
If any errors or omissions are found, your application will be returned for correction, and your department will be notified.
Award notifications will be sent by early April.
If selected, you will receive an award letter from Research Finance to formally accept the offer.
You must respond to confirm your acceptance by April 15 in order to finalize your award.
Important dates
| Date | Deliverable |
|---|---|
| Early December | Departments are notified of their allocations for the fiscal year (April 1 – March 31). |
| January | Departments will receive a copy of the updated UVIC guidelines. |
| January - March | Students apply through their Department. Please contact your supervisor’s Department USRA coordinator and review their specific deadlines and criteria. Each Department will have their own internal deadlines and application requirements. |
| March 16 | Deadline for Departments to submit their ranked List of Recommended Applicants for ALL terms to Research Finance. |
| By March 30 | Awardees are notified via email by Research Finance and must accept the award by April 15. |
| Early April | Research Finance sends every Department a list of their successful applicants. The Department notifies applicants that were not successful. |
| April, August, and December | Departments send Payroll the “Recommendation for Appointment Forms” for awards starting in May, September, or January respectively. |
USRA terms
| Term | Dates |
|---|---|
|
Summer Term |
May 1 to August 31 |
|
Fall Term |
September 1 to December 31 |
|
Winter Term |
January 1 to April 30 |
For department administrators
Departments must select students for the USRA awards according to the USRA guidelines and Appendix A. Each application must be assessed based on the student’s academic record AND research aptitude.
The department must submit their List of Recommended Applicants to the Office of Research Services by email to orsfinance@uvic.ca by March 16. The department is also responsible for notifying their unsuccessful applicants.
Lastly, the department must provide the Office of Research Services with a copy of the Recommendation for Appointment form used to pay each student. This should include the following:
- the start and end dates are accurate and within the appropriate USRA term
- the appointment is for a minimum number of consecutive weeks
- the student salary includes the top-up amount of at least the minimum required.
Please note the original completed Recommendation for Appointment form should be sent directly to the payroll department for processing at least 2 weeks prior to the start of the work term.
For more information about USRA, please refer to the UVic Guidelines.
USRA top-up calculator
USRAs have a value of $6,000. Departments are required to supplement the NSERC/SSHRC/CHIRC portion of the award to comply with Employment Standards. Refer to the calculator below to calculate the estimated top-up required.
|
Number of Hours per Week |
|
|
No. of Weeks (duration of the award) |
|
|
Total Hours |
0 |
|
USRA Award |
$6,000.00 |
|
Effective Hourly Rate |
$0.00 |
|
BC Minimum Wage |
$17.85 |
|
Minimum Vacation (4%) |
$0.00 |
|
Total Minimum Wage |
$0.00 |
|
Total Award (# of hrs × Total Min Wage) |
$0.00 |
|
Hourly Wage Top-Up Required |
$0.00 |
|
Total Top-Up Required* |
$0.00 |
|
Top-Up Rounded: |
$0.00 |
|
Mandatory Employee Related Costs (7.48%)* |
$0.00 |
|
MERCS (rounded) |
$0.00 |
|
TOTAL TOP-UP AMOUNT |
$0.00 |
*The department will need to fund the required top up to comply with minimum wage standards as well as mandatory employement related costs
Funding supplement to active USRA recipients
Canadian Forest Sector Workforce Diversity supplement
The Canadian Forest Sector Workforce Diversity Supplement supports students from underrepresented groups by offering research opportunities in forestry and related fields. The program provides an additional $5,000 to students applying for NSERC scholarships in areas aligned with the Canadian Forest Service’s priorities, such as environmental engineering, forestry, and plant biology. This initiative encourages diversity and fosters future careers in the Canadian forest sector.
Eligibility:
Applicants applying for an Undergraduate Student Research Award (USRA) are automatically considered for this supplement. At the time of the application, the proposed research project must fall within the research areas of relevance to Natural Resources Canada – Canadian Forest Service, including the following:
Payment
The supplement payment will be made by NSERC on behalf of the Canadian Forest Service to UVIC. UVIC will issue payment to the student for the total value of the supplement in accordance with its own payment schedule. The supplement will be paid to the student as an additional payment and is not part of the student’s salary and does not impact the top-up.
- Civil engineering (1000)
- Construction engineering and management (1001)
- Structural engineering (1100)
- Forest engineering (1300)
- Environmental engineering (1500)
- Industrial engineering (1600)
- Design and manufacturing (1700)
- Chemical engineering (1800)
- Mechanical engineering (2100)
- Statistics and probability (3000)
- Geosciences (4000)
- Geographical information (4100)
- Remote sensing (4102)
- Physical geography (4150)
- Biogeography and landscape ecology (4704)
- Soil sciences (4800)
- Plant and tree biology (4900)
- Cell biology (5100)
- Biochemistry (5400)
For more information, visit the Canadian Forest Sector Workforce Diversity supplement.
Environment and Climate Change Canada Atmospheric and Meteorological undergraduate supplement
The Atmospheric and Meteorological Undergraduate Supplement from Environment and Climate Change Canada supports undergraduate students in atmospheric and meteorological sciences. The supplement offers an additional $1,000 to students who are already receiving an Undergraduate Student Research Award (USRA), encouraging research that contributes to the advancement of atmospheric sciences and promoting future opportunities in graduate studies or employment with Environment and Climate Change Canada.
Eligibility:
- Must hold or have held a USRA.
- Must be enrolled in atmospheric science or meteorology courses at a Canadian institution.
- If an award is held in the fall or winter, those students can apply the summer after they hold their award
Application:
Submit your USRA award letter, transcripts, completed USRA application, and a brief research explanation to Environment and Climate Change Canada by August 1.
Payment
Environment and Climate Change Canada is responsible for releasing the award supplement. Environment and Climate Change Canada will release payment directly to the student. The supplement is an additional payment and does not impact the student’s salary and top-up.
For full details and to apply, visit the Environment and Climate Change Canada Atmospheric and Meteorological undergraduate supplement.
FAQ
General questions
Select the agency whose mandate most closely aligns with your research area. You must also ensure that you are submitting your application to an institution that has an allocation for your selected agency. Note that at the present time, CIHR and SSHRC awards are exclusively for Black student researchers. For further details, refer to the Selecting the appropriate federal granting agency and the Undergraduate Student Research Awards allocations web pages.
Most of the eligibility criteria for USRAs are the same across the agencies. One notable exception is the fact that, at the present time, CIHR and SSHRC USRAs are exclusively for Black student researchers. The same selection criteria apply to all agencies. For further details, refer to the USRA program description web page.
You must complete form 202 via NSERC’s online system. This system is the unique platform you will use regardless of the agency (NSERC, CIHR, SSHRC) to which you wish to submit your application. Read the instructions carefully to ensure that the form is properly completed. Also, refer to the USRA program description web page before completing your application.
Your first point of contact is Research Finance. This will ensure that all requirements are met. The department conducts an internal selection process, has its own internal deadlines and may have additional eligibility requirements.
Yes, part-time and full-time students are eligible to apply to the USRA program as long as they are registered in a bachelor’s degree program and meet all other eligibility criteria.
Yes, you can hold a USRA after completing your degree, provided you have not yet started your graduate studies, and you meet all other eligibility criteria. You must be registered at the time of application.
You must be registered in a Bachelor’s degree program as of the deadline date for applications.
If you are a Canadian citizen, a permanent resident of Canada or a Protected Person under subsection 95(2) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (Canada) and are registered at a recognized institution outside of Canada as of the deadline date, you may apply to a Canadian institution with an allocation for a USRA.
Yes, you can apply with more than one department or institution, but you can hold only one USRA per fiscal year (April 1 to March 31). Awards must be held at UVic.
You may take a maximum of two courses during the tenure of the award if you have your research supervisor’s approval. Requests for exceptions should be submitted to NSERC through Research Finance. Credits obtained for a co-op placement during the USRA are permitted.
Award holders are not permitted to do thesis research during the term of their award. It is permitted to use data generated during a USRA as the basis of a thesis, so long as registration in the thesis course starts after the USRA is held.
Shorter work terms will only be considered under exceptional circumstances outside the student’s control. The request must be made directly to Research Finance, and a justification must be provided.
The USRA program makes no provision for sick leave or vacation, or for any other types of interruptions. Contact Research Finance and supervisor if there are special circumstances that prevent you from completing your work term. Should a USRA be interrupted or terminated early for any reason, the agencies must be informed immediately.
Completing Part I of form 202 (to be completed by the applicant)
If you have already applied using Part I of form 202, you must use the same form for your next application. Update the form to reapply, and don’t forget to update your transcripts.
Refer to the instructions for details on the transcripts section of the application. If you require further information, contact Research Finance.
Completing Part II of form 202 (to be completed by the proposed research supervisor)
Provided you are authorized by your institution to independently supervise students, the agencies consider you eligible to supervise USRA holders. You must be approved by your institution to supervise a USRA student.
There is no limit imposed by the agencies; however, UVic promotes to have a reasonable number of USRA students working under one person at the same time.
Yes; however, only one person can complete Part II of form 202. Co-supervision of a student can be mentioned in the Research proposal section of the application. There is no other place in the application where it can be indicated.
The agencies expect the research supervisor to be present for the majority of the period of the award. It is acceptable for the research supervisor to delegate supervision for short periods to other faculty members, experienced technicians, postdoctoral fellows or doctoral students. Remote work is acceptable, with supervision expected on a frequent basis.
The agencies permit USRA holders to spend a portion of time away from their host institution, including outside of Canada. Students are not permitted to spend the entire period of their award away from their host institution if not in the company of their supervisor.
Need help?
For questions about the application process or general inquiries, contact Research Finance.
For more information about department-specific selection processes and deadlines, contact your respective department.