Undergraduate Student Research Award (USRA)

The McMaster Undergraduate Student Research Awards (USRAs) are designed to cultivate and support research partnerships between undergraduate students and faculty members.

These awards provide an opportunity to receive funding for research-based activities during the spring/summer or fall/winter terms.

Next Round of Applications Due: October 31, 2026 (fall/winter) before 4pm.

Overview of McMaster Undergraduate Student Research Awards (USRAs)

The McMaster Undergraduate Student Research Awards (USRAs) support undergraduate research projects that are to be completed over a period of approximately 16 weeks under the supervision of a faculty member. Students are expected to devote approximately 10-20 hours per week to research activities. The outcome of the USRA will be a research poster presented by the student at the annual USRA poster symposium.

USRAs are valued at $7,500, and there are up to 18 awarded annually. Application deadlines are February 16th and October 31st each year (or the following Monday, if these dates fall on a weekend). In consultation with your supervisor, USRAs can be taken up in the Fall/Winter or Spring/Summer terms.*

Guidance for Applicants
To be competitive, applicants should ensure that their submissions are:

  • Clear and well-organized, with ideas explained in a focused and logical way
  • Specific and detailed, particularly in describing the research question and approach
  • Feasible and realistic in scope, given the limited duration of the award
  • Closely aligned with the supervisor’s area of expertise

Note: Carefully prepared applications that strongly address these criteria are more likely to be successful.

Interested undergraduate students are encouraged to contact a faculty member about the prospects of their being involved in their research well in advance of USRA application deadlines. Students from equity-deserving groups are strongly encouraged to apply.

The McMaster Undergraduate Research Awards (USRAs) are supported by the Office of the Vice-President, Research, and the Faculty of Social Sciences.

Download the Application Document Now

Undergraduate Research Award Student Information

The Undergraduate Research Award gives undergraduate students a paid opportunity to gain hands-on experience with research, working alongside a faculty member.

As a student, USRAs allow you to:

  • Obtain funding for meaningful research-based activities with a faculty member.
  • Explore career opportunities in a research environment.
  • Develop skills and gain experience.
  • Learn more about a specific area of interest.
  • Foster a positive working relationship with a faculty member, research team, and/or other professionals.

To be eligible for the USRA, students must:

  1. Be registered as a student in the Faculty of Social Sciences (*see FAQ section for more information about students completing Combined Honours Programs).
  2. Be in good academic standing with the university (not on academic probation).
  3. Be in good financial standing with the university (no outstanding financial accounts on the student record).
  4. Have completed a minimum of 60 units of study (see FAQ for more information).
  5. Have received fewer than two (2) USRAs to this point in your studies at McMaster.
  6. Have a commitment to supervise the project from an eligible supervisor in the Faculty of Social Sciences at McMaster. Eligible supervisors include: all full-time faculty members; associate faculty members; adjunct professors; and contractually limited appointments (CLAs) whose appointments run in the Faculty of Social Sciences through the duration of the award.
To be eligible to supervise a student through the USRA process, faculty must:
  • Belong to the Faculty of Social Science in any of the following capacities: full-time faculty members; associate faculty members; adjunct professors; and contractually limited appointments (CLAs) whose appointments run in the Faculty of Social Sciences through the duration of the award.
  • Please note, normally, supervisors can only supervise one student per cycle; under exceptional circumstances it may be possible for a supervisor to supervise two students in the same cycle.

Past USRA Recipients

Visit our YouTube page to hear from previous recipients of the Social Sciences Undergraduate Student Research Awards (USRAs).

Learn about their hands-on research experiences, the funding for meaningful research-based activities they received, and how working with faculty members helped them explore career opportunities in a research environment.

USRA FAQs

Yes, however, the proposal must be for a different project to qualify for the Social Sciences Undergraduate Student Research Awards (USRAs).

This ensures that each undergraduate student gains unique hands-on research experiences and opportunities for funding for meaningful research-based activities with a faculty member.

Yes, students can receive up to 2 Social Sciences Undergraduate Student Research Awards (USRAs) during their undergraduate studies.

However, the proposal must be for a different project to qualify.

Unfortunately, not all applicants will be successful in their pursuit of the USRA. As interest in the USRA has grown in recent years, it has become more competitive. Should you not be successful in your application, we encourage you to discuss with your faculty supervisor to create a revised plan to help you resubmit for a future round.

Undergraduate students are eligible to apply for a Social Sciences Undergraduate Student Research Award (USRA) in their graduating year.

Preference will be given to students who have applied for graduate studies commencing in the following academic year.

Interested undergraduate students are encouraged to contact a faculty member about the prospect of being involved in their research well in advance of USRA application deadlines.

For example, students wishing to apply for the spring/summer award should be connected with a faculty supervisor in the fall semester prior to applying.

Completed USRA applications must be emailed electronically, as a single PDF to Nourhan Wassim.

The email must be sent by the Faculty Supervisor with the Student Applicant cc-ed on the email.

Applications submitted after 4:00pm on the due date and incomplete applications will not be considered. It is the joint responsibility of the student and supervisor to ensure that applications are complete, and that all information is accurate.

Unfortunately, undergraduate students cannot have a Sessional Instructor as their primary faculty supervisor for the Social Sciences Undergraduate Student Research Awards (USRAs).

Student researchers are required to present their research findings at our annual Research in Action: Showcasing Undergraduate Student Research in the Social Sciences poster session in November following the completion of the research. Student researchers are responsible for all costs associated with presenting the Research in Action poster event in November. Poster printing costs approximately $50-60.

A ‘typical’ semester-long course (e.g. SOCSCI 1T03) consists of 3 units of study (see the last number in the course code to confirm this). For example, a level I undergraduate student takes 5 (3-unit) courses in the fall, 4 (3-unit) courses in the winter term, and 1 (3-unit) course in the summer term.

This student would have completed 30 units of study after their first year at McMaster. Students are encouraged to access their student centre in Mosaic for specific details about the successful number of units completed.

Undergraduate students who are in combined honours programs with another Bachelor of Arts (BA) granting faculty (i.e. Humanities) are welcome to apply, provided their proposed faculty supervisor resides in the Social Sciences. For example, a student completing a combined honours degree in Society, Culture, and Religion (SCAR) (in the Social Sciences) and Linguistics (in the Humanities), who has secured a supervisor affiliated with the SCAR program, is welcome to apply.

Students completing a combined honours in Arts & Science (BArtSci) and a Social Science program are typically registered with the Arts & Science Program and thus are not permitted to apply for the Social Sciences USRA. These students should apply for the Arts & Science USRA, even if their proposed faculty supervisor resides in the Social Sciences. Students who are unsure about their faculty/program status can find this information in Mosaic or email Julie Gouweloos to confirm.

For More Information

Completed USRA applications are to be submitted electronically by the faculty supervisor.

Applications submitted after 4:00PM on the due date and incomplete applications will not be considered.

It is the joint responsibility of the student and supervisor to ensure that applications are complete, and that all information is accurate.

Julie Gouweloos Student Inquiries - USRA

Academic and Experiential Learning Coordinator | Course Instructor

 

Nourhan Wassim Faculty Inquiries - USRA

Research Administration Specialist