NSERC USRA & IDChem Summer Studentship Awards
If you are a student enrolled (full- or part-time) in a Science or Engineering program, you may be eligible to apply for the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) Undergraduate Student Research Award (USRA) or IDChem Summer Studentship award. Note that if you are eligible for one or both awards, you will follow the same application process. Applications from self-identified Black students, self-identified Indigenous students, as well as students from other under-represented groups are highly encouraged.
How to Apply
Step 1 Find a supervisor and discuss your potential research project and the USRA application process.
Step 2 Prepare your documents:
- Cover letter that states your interests in chemistry and how a research experience fits into your future plans
- Official University Transcript
- obtain a hard copy of your Official Transcript or an official e-transcript from the Registrar's Office
- for a hard copy, scan and save as a PDF file (the department's photocopier can be used to produce PDF scans)
- keep the hard copy of the transcript for the application
- NSERC Form 202, Part I: complete this form online at NSERC Online Services, and generate a PDF. Registration is required for first time users.
- A detailed guide to completing the NSERC USRA online application may be found here. (PDF, 1.65mb)
- NSERC Form 202, Part II: ask your supervisor to complete this form online at NSERC Online Services and generate a PDF of the draft. Note that this form should not be submitted to NSERC at this stage. The supervisor's Grant Application Number is printed on the letter from NSERC that announced the NSERC Discovery Grant. Research Subject Codes are available here.
Step 2B International students complete the following:
- Departmental Form, Part I: Download and complete this form. Refer to the NSERC instructions regarding the data for these fields. However, you will not fill this out using the online system. You do not need a PIN or registration number. You may append your transcript or submit it as a separate PDF.
- Departmental Form, Part II: Ask your supervisor to Download and complete this form, and provide a PDF of the draft. A PIN is not required. Research Subject Codes are available here.
Step 3
- Request one reference letter (used for internal departmental ranking) to be sent to undergrad@chem.ualberta.ca
Step 4 Submit your completed application documents electronically to the undergraduate chemistry office using this form. The deadline for submission is 4:00 pm Tuesday, February 20th, 2024.
Additional Information for NSERC USRA applications:
The NSERC contribution for successful applications is $1500 per month (for a period of four months); the supervisors will supplement each award by at least $550 per month (amount depends on year in program); the total value of the scholarship is more than $8200 over 16 weeks.
- the student must be a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident.
- the student must have completed all the course requirements of at least the first year of university study (or two academic terms) of a bachelor's degree by the summer of 2024.
- the student must be registered as a student in an eligible academic program at the time of the application. Students in undergraduate professional programs (nursing, pharmacy, dentistry, medicine) and those students who hold higher degrees in the natural sciences and engineering are not eligible
- NSERC's instructions state that the student must have attained a cumulative GPA of at least 2.7 (on the scale of 4.0) in their program up to the time of application. However, depending on the quality of applications received, it is unlikely that an applicant with a cumulative GPA of less than 3.0 (on the scale of 4.0) will be accepted.
- no student may hold more than three USRAs in their academic career, nor may any student hold more than one award in a given fiscal year (May 1 to April 30)
Please consult the NSERC websites below for complete details and for specific information on Form 202.