The Undergraduate Research in Science & Technology Endowment, funded by generous donors and alumni, supports excellence in undergraduate research in fields related to science and technology for students from any major at UC Santa Cruz. To apply you must have a UC Santa Cruz faculty sponsor, and that sponsor must complete an online recommendation for your project.
Grant amount: $3,000–4,500 per proposal; multiple awards given
How the funds may be used: Each grantee will receive a $3,000 stipend and may request up to $1,500 in additional funds to cover costs associated with conducting research or presenting research results, such as lab fees, supplies, equipment expenses, travel associated with field work, and costs associated with presenting research at conferences; please create this budget in consultation with your faculty sponsor. These additional funds must be used by the end of the quarter in which the project is completed.
Grants will be announced per the schedule below, with actual funding provided in the quarter when you begin the project, as confirmed by your faculty advisor.
Undergraduate Research in Science and Technology Grants
How to apply
Completed applications and faculty reference form should both be submitted by the posted deadline. If you have questions, please contact the dean’s office at awards.science@ucsc.edu.
The online application form asks for a description of your project in 500 words or less and a budget for your project using the template provided below. The application requires a recommendation from your faculty sponsor, which you should obtain by sending them the faculty recommendation form link. Before you submit your application online, please make sure you have completed your project proposal and budget and have secured your faculty sponsorship.
- Application form – Student completes
- Budget example
- Budget template – Save your own copy, complete it, and then upload it within the application.
- Faculty recommendation form – Forward to your faculty sponsor to complete
Any undergraduate registered and enrolled at UC Santa Cruz who is in good academic standing and will not graduate before the project is completed.
All grant recipients will be required to provide a handwritten or typed thank-you note and complete a questionnaire for donor stewardship purposes and may be asked to participate in other recognition events. If for any reason you would not be able to participate in the recognition activities outlined above, we will work with you on an alternative.
Selection criteria:Proposals will be evaluated based on the quality and strength of the written research proposal, the feasibility of the project, the budget request, and the quality of the faculty recommendation.
Selection process: The Physical and Biological Sciences Undergraduate Award Committee, composed of faculty in the Sciences at UC Santa Cruz, will review the application materials, rank each proposal, and select recipients.