The Faculty of Science has 2 competitive programs of paid employment for science undergraduate students interested in conducting research projects with Faculty of Science academic staff members:

1. NSERC Undergraduate Student Research Awards (USRA) program
2. Faculty of Science Undergraduate Research Awards (SURA) program

Each program has its own eligibility requirements and the prospective students are responsible for completing and submitting their own applications. The purpose of these programs is to introduce science undergraduate students to academic research outside the course-based laboratory setting. While there is no academic credit for these programs, receipt of these awards and the experienced gained over the 16 weeks are excellent additions to the students’ resume and will improve their employability and scholarship potential.

NSERC USRA Program

The NSERC USRA is a prestigious national award for qualified undergraduate students who are Canadian citizens or permanent residents of Canada. Students are required to consult the NSERC USRA information page for the official information regarding eligibility and how to apply for the award.

Faculty of Science SURA Program

Students are required to consult the Faculty of Science SURA information page for the most up-to-date and correct information.

For Canadian citizens or permanent residents of Canada, the application for the NSERC USRA is automatically considered their SURA application. The eligibility requirements for a SURA are exactly the same as for an NSERC USRA, except for the following additional SURA requirements:

• Students must be registered with Memorial University (St. John’s campus) with a declared major in the Faculty of Science.
• International students are not allowed to receive NSERC USRA but are eligible for SURA.
• The tenure of the award is the Spring/Summer (16 weeks) immediately following award notification. Awards cannot be deferred and must be for the full 16-week duration.
• Supervisors do not need to have NSERC funding but must have research funds available to cover the supervisor portion of the award.
• Supervisors must be academic staff members in the Faculty of Science and SURA employment must be done in the Faculty of Science (St. John’s campus).

Application Procedures for NSERC USRA and Faculty of Science SURA Programs

All students applying for either the NSERC USRA or the Faculty of Science SURA need to complete the NSERC USRA application. The deadline for application submission for the 2018-2019 award cycle is Thursday 01 February 2018. Canadian citizens or permanent residents must apply to the NSERC USRA program through their online services portal – click here – to become eligible for both the USRA and the SURA programs. International students must use the NSERC online services portal to complete the NSERC USRA application package, but then submit a printout of the completed package directly to the Dean of Science office not to NSERC. For instructions on how to complete the application package students should refer to the NSERC website for this award – click here.

Application Checklist

A complete application package includes:

- Form 202, Part I (to be completed by the applicant)
- Application Profile  Personal Profile
- Addresses
- Academic Background
- Awards
- Official University Transcripts (attachment)

Important Notes:

1. Form 202, Part 2 does not need to be completed by the potential supervisor at this time. This will be completed once the USRA or SURA is awarded.
2. All Canadian citizens and permanent residents must submit directly to NERSC via the online services portal by the NSERC deadline of Thursday 01 February 2018. No paper copies will be accepted by the Dean’s Office.
3. Canadian citizens who also have recognized Aboriginal status are encouraged to apply and self-identify their status on their application.
4. All International Students must complete the Form 202, Part 1 and include their official university transcripts in a paper submission to the Dean of Science Office by the 5:00pm Thursday 01 February 2018 deadline.
5. Successful applicants will receive notification of their awards after 07 March 2018.