Undergraduate Research Funding
URCO Grants
Three Deadlines Annually: usually Feb 5 | Jun 5 | Oct 5
Send all required grant materials, including a budget signed by your mentor, to C.maughan@usu.edu.
Undergraduate Research and Creative Opportunity (URCO) awards provide a one semester, $1,000 scholarship, to support original research, scholarship, or creative work by USU undergraduates with the guidance of a faculty member. Proposals may also include requests for additional funds to cover the costs of equipment, supplies, and project-related travel.
Applicants for URCO grants must have matching funds, which require a separate application. The College of Arts & Sciences Supports students by setting aside funds from Differential Tuition each semester to provide matching funding for student URCO grants. Students applying for matching funds must be a current major in one of the Arts departments of the College of Arts & Sciences to be eligible (Art+Design, Music, Theatre Arts). Proposals are funded on a first-come, first-served basis until the appropriate funding has been exhausted.
Learn More and Apply for Matching Funds
URCO Mentors
View a brief overview of the why's and how's of mentoring Undergraduate Research at USU.
Office of Research Travel Grants
Deadline: Rolling. Apply early, as these funds are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis.
The USU Office of Research provides funds to support student travel to present research at conferences. Students may request $200 for a regional conference, $300 for a national conference, or $400 for an international conference. These funds must be matched by another university unit.
Graduate Research Funding
GRCO Grants
Deadline: Once annually, usually in June
Graduate Research and Creative Opportunity (GRCO) grants provide a $1,000 grant to support original research, scholarship, or creative work by USU graduate students with the guidance of a faculty member. Proposals include requests for funds to cover the costs of equipment, supplies and project-related travel.
School of Graduate Studies Travel Awards
Deadline: Rolling
The Graduate Student Travel Award promotes student involvement in their disciplines by partially funding travel costs associated with professional presentations at regional, national, and international conferences. Each year, the School of Graduate Studies (SGS) allocates $50,000 to the Travel Award program. A portion of this funding is allocated for travel in each calendar month, and, for each month, funds are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.
Research Funding For All Students
College of Arts & Sciences Student Travel Funding
Deadline: Rolling. Funding is on a first-come, first-served basis.
The College of Arts & Sciences sets aside funds from Differential Tuition each semester to fund student travel to conferences and other events that contribute to their professional and creative development as artists and scholars.
Academic Opportunity Fund - Travel
Deadline: Rolling. Applications must be submitted no less than 4 weeks but no more than 6 months before the travel occurs.
The purpose of the Academic Opportunity Fund (AOF) is to provide financial support to undergraduate and graduate students who have been accepted or invited by a reputable organization to present a scholastic achievement or participate in an academic competition. Individuals are awarded up to $500.00. Groups are awarded up to $2,000.
Summer Arts Research Grant
Deadline: March 1. Applications accepted February 1.
The College of Arts & Sciences Summer Arts Research Grant will fund a select cohort of highly engaged undergraduate and graduate students with majors in the College of Arts & Sciences through a summer research or creative experience. These students will spend ten weeks actively engaging in research with faculty mentors, have access to special training and workshops, and will come out of this grant poised to succeed in competitive applications for graduate school and national fellowships and grants.
College of Arts & Sciences Differential Tuition
Deadline: Once annually. November 4, 2022
The College of Arts & Sciences offers the opportunity for any member of the College, including faculty, staff or declared student major, to submit a proposal for differential tuition funding to enhance the experience of students in the college. Funds generated from differential tuition have enabled College of Arts & Sciences to fund visiting artists, classroom improvements, student travel, matching URCO, and many more projects that continue to improve students' personal academic success.
Present Your Research!
Research in the Arts Day
RAD takes place in April as part of Research Week.
Research in the Arts Day (RAD) began as an independent celebration of creative and scholarly research by students, faculty, and staff in the College of Arts & Sciences, and has become an integral part of Research Week through its integration with SRS. Accommodations will be made for performance and pop-up gallery presentations. RAD takes place in April as part of Research Week.
USU Student Research Symposium
The SRS takes place in April as part of Research Week.
The Student Research Symposium is Utah State University’s largest showcase of student research. The SRS both celebrates student research and improves each student’s ability to communicate their research. Students present their work in short videos, posters, visual arts exhibitions, and performances and get feedback from judges on their work. The most highly rated presenters in each broad disciplinary category will be recognized in various digital formats after the symposium.