In support of social distancing during the COVID-19 outbreak, we have transitioned all services to online delivery.
If you have any questions about the NSERC USRA, please email nserc.usra@ubc.ca or phone 604 827 2937, from 9 am - 4 pm, Monday through Friday.
If you are an undergraduate student who'd like to get research experience in an academic setting, you should consider applying for an Undergraduate Student Research Award (USRA). Through these awards, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) subsidizes eligible professors to hire students to work on interesting research-related jobs and projects.
The information on this page applies to both UBC Okanagan and Vancouver students.
For more details on Student Eligibility, please review the Information for Students Handout (pdf) and FAQ (pdf).
You should be registered, as of the deadline date for applications at the university, in a bachelor's degree program at an eligible university
You must have obtained, over the previous years of study, a minimum cumulative B- (68%) average.
You can not be currently enrolled in an undergraduate professional degree program in the health sciences (e.g., MD, DDS, BScN, PharmD).
You have not started a program of graduate studies in the natural sciences or engineering at any time.
You must have completed all the course requirements of at least the first year of university study (or two academic terms) of your bachelor's degree
You must have been registered in at least one of the two terms immediately previous to holding the award in a bachelor's degree program at an eligible university. The terms of an academic year are: Summer (May 1 to August 31), Fall (September 1 to December 31), Winter (January 1 to April 30). Registration in either one of the two summer sessions will count as registration in that term.
You cannot have started a graduate studies program in the natural sciences or engineering at any time.
You cannot have held a previous USRA in this fiscal year (April 1 to March 31), or more than 2 previous USRA awards in total.
You must be engaged on a full-time basis in research and development activities in the natural sciences or engineering during the tenure of the award.
You may hold only one university USRA per fiscal year (April 1 to March 31).
You may hold a maximum of three university USRAs throughout your undergraduate university career.
You cannot receive academic credits for the work done during the term of a USRA. Students may take a maximum of two courses if special arrangements to make up the time under supervision have been made with the supervisor.
Review the government's website for more information.
| USRA Coordinator | Application Deadline | Finding USRA Positions |
|
UBC Vancouver: Cherrie Kwok |
Each department has their own deadlines in early to mid-March. Please check with the department. |
Please see our APSC website for application instructions. See the eligible Grant Holder list (pdf) in Applied Science at UBC Vancouver. |
| USRA Coordinator | Application Deadline | Finding USRA Positions |
|
Samantha Luckow |
Mon, February 28, 2022 |
Please review the details of the award and confirm your eligibility. If eligible and interested, students and supervisors must register or log onto the NSERC on-line system to complete Form 202 Part 1 (student application) and Form 202 Part II (supervisor application). Review the list of School of Engineering faculty with research foci. Your application and all supporting documents must be downloaded and submitted online to soe.advising@ubc.ca by the application deadline. Use the subject line "NSERC USRA Application". If approved to move forward, you will be formally nominated to NSERC on the school's behalf. Contact soe.advising@ubc.ca if you have questions. See the eligible Grant Holder list (pdf) for the School of Engineering at UBC Okanagan. |
| USRA Coordinator | Application Deadline | Finding USRA Positions |
|
Marcy Caouette |
Fri, February 18, 2022 |
You can contact the USRA Coordinator or the professors directly. See the eligible Grant Holder list (pdf) for Arts at UBC Vancouver. |
| USRA Coordinator | Application Deadline | Finding USRA Positions |
|
Suzanne Lawrence |
Fri, February 18, 2022 |
You can contact the USRA Coordinator or professors directly. See the eligible Grant Holder list (pdf) for Arts at UBC Vancouver. |
| USRA Coordinator | Application Deadline | Finding USRA Positions |
|
Jennifer Janicki |
Fri, February 18, 2022 |
If that individual agrees to nominate you for this award, both of you will have to complete and submit Form 202-part 1 and part 2 (USRA - Undergraduate Student Research Awards) and email it to undergrad@psych.ubc.ca along with an official copy of your transcript. The form and more information about NSERC can be found on the NSERC website. Only complete applications will be accepted. See eligible Grant Holders (pdf) for Arts at UBC Vancouver. |
| USRA Coordinator | Application Deadline | Finding USRA Positions |
|
Ingrid Ellis |
Tues, March 1, 2022 |
Contact the professors directly. See eligible Grant Holder lists (pdf) for Dentistry at UBC Vancouver. |
| USRA Coordinator | Application Deadline | Finding USRA Positions |
|
Robert Olaj |
Not applicable |
The Faculty of Education is not accepting NSERC-USRA applications for the 2022/2023 cycle. |
| USRA Coordinator | Application Deadline | Finding USRA Positions |
|
Chiara Longhi |
Mon, March 14, 2022 |
A copy of your application must also be submitted to chiara.longhi@ubc.ca. Please make sure to include your student number and the professor you are applying within the body of the email. See eligible Grant Holders (pdf) for Forestry at UBC Vancouver. |
| USRA Coordinator | Application Deadline | Finding USRA Positions |
|
Prof. Mark Beauchamp |
Deadline for LOI from Faculty members: Fri, February 11, 2022 Full Application deadline: Fri, March 4, 2022 |
Contact potential supervisors early, submit your LOI, and then send your full application directly to the USRA Coordinator. See eligible Grant Holders (pdf) for Kinesiology at UBC Vancouver. |
| USRA Coordinator | Application Deadline | Finding USRA Positions |
|
David Kitts Baohua Wang lfs.nserc-usra@ubc.ca |
Fri, March 11, 2022 |
Instructions for students in terms of how to apply for the award will be posted on the faculty website. See eligible Grant Holders (pdf) for LFS at UBC Vancouver. |
| USRA Coordinator | Application Deadline | Finding USRA Positions |
|
Dr. Debbie Giaschi |
Thu, March 10, 2022 |
Find more information on the Faculty of Medicine's NSERC USRA page or contact eligible supervisors directly See eligible Grant Holders (pdf) for Medicine at UBC Vancouver. |
| USRA Coordinator | Application Deadline | Finding USRA Positions |
|
Dr. Ricky Turgeon |
Thu, March 3, 2022 |
Please visit the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences NSERC USRA webpage for additional information on how to apply to the program. See eligible Grant Holders (pdf) for Pharmaceutical Sciences at UBC Vancouver. |
| USRA Coordinator | Application Deadline | Finding USRA Positions |
|
Jessie Lam |
Fri, March 11, 2021 (date by which supervisor and student pairs must have their application complete and verified online) |
1. Look for in-class announcements by professors 2. Interested students should contact Jessie Lam, Sauder NSERC USRA Coordinator at jessie.lam@sauder.ubc.ca as soon as possible to facilitate finding a supervisor. 3. Contact professors directly to set up meeting See eligible Grant Holders (pdf) for Sauder at UBC Vancouver. |
| USRA Coordinator | Application Deadline | Finding USRA Positions |
|
Alice Liou |
Tues, February 22, 2022 |
Contact professors directly. See eligible Grant Holders (pdf) for Science at UBC Vancouver. |
| USRA Coordinator | Application Deadline | Finding USRA Positions |
|
Wayne Mah |
Fri, January 28, 2021 |
Go to the Chemistry NSERC USRA website for application instructions. See eligible Grant Holders (pdf) for Science at UBC Vancouver. |
| USRA Coordinator | Application Deadline | Finding USRA Positions |
|
Celine Francis |
Mon, February 21, 2022 |
For more information, please visit Undergraduate Student Research Awards. See eligible Grant Holders (pdf) for Science at UBC Vancouver. |
| USRA Coordinator | Application Deadline | Finding USRA Positions |
|
Emma Liu |
Mon, March 14, 2022 |
See eligible Grant Holders (pdf) for Science at UBC Vancouver. |
| USRA Coordinator | Application Deadline | Finding USRA Positions |
|
Eden Raines |
Mon, February 28, 2022 |
Contact professors directly. Students should apply directlly online via the NSERC website. Save one combined PDF document of all the application forms (Part I and Part II) and transcripts that were submitted to the NSERC Online Application Portal. Send the document via email to e.raines@oceans.ubc.ca with "NSERC USRA 2022-23 Application (Your last name)" in the subject line. See eligible Grant Holders (pdf) for Science at UBC Vancouver. |
| USRA Coordinator | Application Deadline | Finding USRA Positions |
|
Kendra Yu kendra.yu@ires.ubc.ca |
Thu, March 3, 2022 |
You can contact professors directly (see eligible Grant Holders for Science at UBC Vancouver). Apply directly online via the NSERC website. Please save one PDF copy of Part I and Part II of the application form and send it to ires.applications@ubc.ca with the subject line "NSERC USRA 2022/23 (Your last name)". See eligible Grant Holders (pdf) for Science at UBC Vancouver. |
| USRA Coordinator | Application Deadline | Finding USRA Positions |
|
Allen Yang Prof. Sven Bachmann |
Sat, February 5, 2022 |
Find instructions to apply on the Mathematics Department's NSERC USRA page. See eligible Grant Holders (pdf) for Science at UBC Vancouver. |
| USRA Coordinator | Application Deadline | Finding USRA Positions |
|
Dr. David (Dave) Oliver |
Mon, February 28, 2022 |
Find application instructions for students. See eligible Grant Holders (pdf) for Science at UBC Vancouver. |
| USRA Coordinator | Application Deadline | Finding USRA Positions |
|
Kirsty Dickson |
Mon, January 31, 2022 |
Find application instructions online. See eligible Grant Holders (pdf) for Science at UBC Vancouver. |
| USRA Coordinator | Application Deadline | Finding USRA Positions |
|
Mairead Roche |
Mon, February 21, 2022 |
All applicants are required to apply with a confirmed supervisor. The list of projects and supervisors will be posted on the Summer Undergraduate Research Assistants webpage. See eligible Grant Holders (pdf) for Science at UBC Vancouver. |
| USRA Coordinator | Application Deadline | Finding USRA Positions |
|
Mimi Yu |
Mon, February 21, 2022 |
Contact professors directly. When applying online via the NSERC website, save a PDF copy of both parts of the application form and send it to the Zoology graduate program at coordinator@zoology.ubc.ca. See eligible Grant Holders (pdf) for Science at UBC Vancouver. |
| USRA Coordinator | Application Deadline | Finding USRA Positions |
|
Dr. Tanya Forneris |
Fri, February 25, 2022 |
Please visit the URSA award page for instructions on how to apply for the award. See eligible Grant Holders (pdf) for Health and Exercise Sciences at UBC Okanagan. |
| USRA Coordinator | Application Deadline | Finding USRA Positions |
|
Dr. Trudy Kavanaugh fosawards.ubco@ubc.ca |
Thu, January 27, 2022 |
Please see the IKB Faculty of Science website with instructions. See eligible Grant Holders (pdf) for the IKB Faculty of Science at UBC Okanagan. |
Try to create your own research opportunity by contacting eligible professors you would like to work with and tell them about this program. Many professors will be happy to talk to you about the opportunity to hire you at a subsidized wage. If you find a professor who is interested, ask them to contact their USRA Coordinator for more information.
Here are some tips:
Review the Information for Students Handout to better understand the application process.
The NSERC USRA program is administered and coordinated through the Faculty/School USRA Coordinators. Each faculty establishes procedures for identifying and ranking applicants and setting deadlines.
Once you have found an eligible professor, both faculty supervisors and students must complete and submit an online NSERC USRA application Form 202 part I (student) and Part II (supervisor), by clicking on “System Login” or, if you are a first time user, “Register”. Forward your reference number to the supervisor so they can include it in their part of the application.
Follow the instructions on how to complete the forms. can be found on the NSERC USRA website. See additional resources:
You must also upload, with your application form, a copy of your official transcripts, including one copy of the back page legend.
Once completed online, a copy of the forms (Part I and Part II, as well as the student’s transcripts) have to be submitted to your Faculty/School/Department USRA Coordinator for review.
Your Faculty/School/Department USRA Coordinator will be in touch with your proposed project supervisor about the outcome of the application.
NSERC will not accept hardcopy forms so the official application must be completed and submitted electronically. The copies sent to the Faculty/School/Department USRA Coordinator are only necessary for the internal review process.
These awards have a value of $6,000 CAD. This amount will be reimbursed to your faculty supervisor's account at the end of your work tenure.
The minimum pay for the tenure of your award of 16 weeks is $8,512.00 to meet BC’s minimum wage requirements of $15.20/hr. If the award is longer than 16 weeks, your pay should increase by a minimum of $532.00/week for each additional week or $106.40/day for each additional day.
You will receive your payment from the university in accordance with its pay procedures. You will also receive a T4 or T4A slip (Statement of Income) for tax purposes from UBC Payroll.
NSERC will not reimburse the University for any period during which you worked part-time. No payment will be approved for any vacation leave you take during the tenure of the award.
An Undergraduate Student Research Award is tenable at any eligible Canadian university and can allow you to expand your background training at other universities. You must apply at the institution where you would like to hold the URSA and must comply with the internal selection criteria of that institution and be selected by that university to hold one of their quotas of awards. Once NSERC has approved your award for tenure at one particular institution, you may not transfer to another institution.
| NSERC USRA Application Period |
Students and supervisors must register or log onto the NSERC online system to complete Form 202 Part 1 (student application) and Form 202 Part II (supervisor application) starting January 2022. See the Faculty and school application details section above for internal application deadlines. UBC holds one annual completion a year for Summer 2022, Fall 2022 and Winter 2023 terms. Applications for all terms (from May 2022 to April 2023) must be submitted during this period. |
|
USRA Placements |
|
|
NSERC Award Notification |
Award letters for the summer term will be issued directly to students in July for the Summer term, November for the Fall term, and February for the Winter term. |
For application process and general questions, contact your faculty, school, or department USRA Coordinator. You can see the faculty or school application details section above for deadlines and contacts.
As a second resource, you can also contact NSERC USRA Liaison Officer UBC Centre for Student Involvement and Careers by emailing nserc.usra@ubc.ca.
