Take advantage of this amazing opportunity to do research at the undergraduate level. The goals of the NSERC USRA program are:
- To stimulate interest in natural sciences and engineering
- To provide career-related work experience for the award recipient/student
- To provide students with financial support
Eligibility
- Canadian citizen or permanent resident of Canada
- Minimum cumulative average 68%
- Must have completed at least your first year
Please familiarize yourself with the award and the full eligibility requirements through the information found on the UBC NSERC USRA webpage.
Work Terms
The Faculty of Applied Science is provided with a quota of NSERC USRAs annually for the UBC Vancouver and Okanagan campuses.
A USRA can be held during the following terms:
- Summer (May 1 to August 31)
- Fall (September 1 to December 31)
- Winter (January 1 to April 31)
There is one application deadline per academic year.
How to Apply
Find a professor who is willing to hire and supervise you for a research project. Due to the recent changes made by NSERC, both eligible grant holders and non-grant holders can apply for the NSERC grant. Non-grant holders will require approval from their specific departments.
A list of School of Engineering faculty with research foci can be found here.
The NSERC USRA application process for the Faculty of Applied Science is two-fold.
1. Complete and submit Form 202 on the NSERC website.
Please refer to the NSERC USRA Checklist for Common Errors and the resources provided under the ‘Additional Information’ section to ensure you have completed the form correctly:
- Part I Example (to be filled by the student)
- Part II Example (to be filled by the supervisor). This now includes a section on ‘Quality of Training’ where faculty members must include a brief description of the expected quality of training for the student under “Outline of Student’s Role”
2. Follow the department-specific instructions to apply:
- School of Engineering – UBC Okanagan
- Form 202 Part 1 (student application) and Form 202 Part II (supervisor application) and all supporting documents must be downloaded and submitted digitally to soe.advising@ubc.ca (subject line: NSERC USRA Application) for vetting by the application deadline below. If approved to move forward, you will be formally nominated to NSERC on the school’s behalf. You will not be considered unless you complete both applications.
Please not that these are the instructions to work with professors from the Faculty of Applied Science. If you are interested in working with a professor from another faculty, please refer to the corresponding faculty/school contacts.
Deadlines
Applications must be submitted to the School of Engineering directly by February 28, 2023.
Additional Information
Here are some important reference tools and required documents for students, supervisors, and coordinators that will help to explain application procedure, ensure the applicants are eligible, and that they complete the application correctly:
For further questions, please email soe.advising@ubc.ca
