Faculty of Science Undergraduate Research Awards

The Faculty of Science at UVic also offers a number of undergraduate research awards for students who wish to participate in research project on campus under the direction of a faculty member in the Departments of Biochemistry & Microbiology, Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics & Statistics, Phyiscs & Astronomy, and the School of Earth & Ocean Sciences.

Where do I find information about SURAs and SERAs?

SURA (Science Undergraduate Research Award)
There are six Faculty of Science SURA awards (one selected by each Science department).  One additional award is available to a self-declared Canadian or International Indigenous student.
These awards provide $4,000 from the Faculty of Science plus a minimum of $4,500 from the research supervisor.  

SERA (Science Emerging Researcher Award)
*Important Update: As of January 2025, SERA will be offered for 2025.
Please refer to 'How do I apply for a SURA or SERA?' for the application process and deadline.


There are three Faculty of Science SERA awards available each year (one selected by each of BCMB, BIOL and SEOS in even years and CHEM, MATH, PHYS in odd years).  These awards provide $5,000 from the Faculty of Science plus a minimum of $3,500 from the research supervisor for students with emphasis on supporting members of under-represented groups.  

How do I apply for a SURA or SERA?

To be eligible for a SURA or a SERA tenable within the Department of Physics & Astronomy, a student, at the time of application, must:
- be registered as a full-time student in a bachelor's degree in the Faculty of Science at the University of Victoria in the current Winter Session (Sep - Apr),
- have completed at least 30 units of course credits toward a B.Sc. degree by the end of the Fall term prior to submitting an application,
- intend to continue full-time undergraduate studies in the term immediately following the research project,
- have a cumulative GPA of 6.0 or higher for all courses completed at the time of application.

It is expected that undergraduate students holding an award would use the award to work full-time on a research project for a term of 14-16 consecutive weeks over one academic term, prior to continuing undergraduate studies in a subsequent term. A student may take up the award in the Summer (May-Aug), Fall (Sep-Dec), or Winter (Jan-Apr) term, as agreed between the student and their supervisor. The awards are not intended to support a student performing research on a part-time basis, or for research performed outside the term during which the student is to be engaged in their research project.

To apply for a SURA or a SERA, students must submit their award application package through the link below:
"University of Victoria, Dept of Physics and Astronomy, UG Research Award Application" 

Complete application package includes the following document 

  • Parts IA and 1B of the application form (no handwritten applications will be accepted).
  • Cover Letter (Indicate the projects you are interested in; if more than one project, please rank them according to your preference.)
  • Curriculum Vitae

*The list of projects available for both SURA and SERA awards are the same as those listed for NSERC USRAs.

The application deadline is January 24, 2025. 

Contact Dept Administrative Officer, Monica Lee-Bonar for questions