Student Research Funding

Funding may be needed for the purchase of research materials, equipment, and travel to present at conferences. The Office of Undergraduate Research (OUR) awards research grants each semester to support student research.

OUR grant funding includes an expectation that the student will present research at the Undergraduate Research Exhibition (URE). EFSC has a myriad of equipment that research students can use under the guidance of their Research Mentor; therefore, most research grants awarded for the purchase of materials and equipment are under $100. Research grants for conference travel range in cost and are available to both students and their Research Mentors.

The OUR Funding Review Board determines the distribution of EFSC research funds for student research, with the OUR acting as an intermediary agent between grant applicants and the board to process funding requests.

How to Request Funding

Students can apply for funding alongside their Research Mentors by submitting a grant proposal (a research proposal plus a budget) to the OUR.

Grant proposals minimally need to include:

• Project title
• Student name and email
• Research Mentor name and email
• Literature review with citations
• Hypothesis
• Experimental design
• Budget
• List of materials and equipment (including quantities, costs, and material designations: consumable, non-consumable, or equipment*)
• Vendors and vendor websites
• Projected research timeline
• Research Mentor's signature (email is sufficient) to indicate their review and approval of the funding proposal

*Consumable materials are items that will be used up during the research project. Non-consumable materials are items that can be reused by other research students. Equipment are materials that can be used over a long period of time by many research students.

Deadline: None. Grant proposals are accepted anytime during fall and spring semesters, but not during summer semesters because of budget constraints.

Funding Review Process

Upon receipt by the OUR, the grant proposal is reviewed and voted on by the OUR Funding Review Board, and the student and Research Mentor are notified of the board’s decision.

Please note that funds are not disbursed directly to students; the OUR will work with the Research Mentor to purchase the approved list of materials and equipment. Items purchased directly by students are not guaranteed for reimbursement from the OUR.

Materials and equipment purchased using OUR funds are the property of the OUR and must be returned to the OUR upon completion of the research project.

Students and their Research Mentors may also apply for funding from outside sources with assistance from the EFSC Grants Development Office.