Completed URCO proposals for students in the arts for the current period are due to the Caine School Administrative Office by June 5, Oct 5, or Feb 5. Send all required grant materials, including a budget signed by your mentor, to elaine.olson@usu.edu. Late submissions will not be excepted.
It is the student's responsibility to confirm and meet the Office of Research and Caine School of the Arts deadlines.
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.
To support students in this program, the Caine School of the Arts will set 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 Art + Design, Music, Theatre Arts. Proposals will be funded on a first-come, first-served basis until the appropriated funding has been exhausted. Departmental matches are appropriate and encouraged, since they will make the funds go farther.
Students applying for an URCO grant through the USU Office of Research should work with a faculty member to develop their proposal according to the official guidelines.
The Caine School of the Arts may provide up to $250 in matching scholarship funds and $500 for matching equipment/supplies/travel funds (total of $750). Matching scholarship funding may also be awarded for group projects. Matching funds will only be released to students if their URCO grants are successfully reviewed and funded by the Office of Research.
Deadlines
Completed URCO proposals are due to the Caine School of the Arts Administrative Office for review on the 5th day of each month in which an Office of Research URCO deadline takes place. Typically, this means the Caine School of the Arts deadlines are February 5th, June 5th, and October 5th each year. The deadline is on the 5th of the month even if it falls on a weekend or holiday. Following review, the Caine School will send letters of commitment for matching funds to students, which the student will submit with their completed proposal to the Office of Research.
Students who are awarded URCO grants must submit a copy of their award letter to the Caine School of the Arts Business Manager, at which point they will work with their department head and department staff assistant to receive their matching funds.
URCO Matching Funds Application
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Remember to check the dates carefully—it is the student's responsibility to confirm and meet the Office of Research and Caine School of the Arts deadlines.
- Application Form
Sample Applications
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Previous URCO grant recipients have shared their successful proposals to help students as they apply. These examples do not provide a precise template to follow, but rather help illustrate the range of projects funded.
- Rachel Hancey | Art + Design
Light and Space: The Intersection of Art & Architecture - Tyler Homer | Art + Design
Universal Design: Where Design and Utility Meet - Alyssa Landroche | Theatre
Exploring Theatre for the Very Young with Cache Valley Infants - Amy Thacker | Music
Citizen Musicianship: Communicating Crisis - Roderer, L. A., & Barker, K. | Music
Chamber Opera: On the Art of Becoming