The Office of Undergraduate Research, in partnership with academic departments at WashU, offers Summer Undergraduate Research Awards (SURA) to financially support WashU undergraduates pursuing faculty-mentored research or creative projects during the summer from all academic backgrounds, except life sciences and physics. Students from the life sciences should apply for the BioSURF award; however, students conducting biodiversity-related research may seek nomination for a Living Earth Collaborative SURA. Students conducting research in Physics should apply to the Physics Department for summer funding. The OUR expects to make about 50 awards this summer.

Program Highlights

• SURAs range from $2,500-$5,000 based on the length and nature of the proposed project. The length of the proposed project and whether travel is involved determines the award amount:
  • A $5,000 award requires a 360-hour (~9-10 weeks full-time) commitment. These monies are to defray living expenses — no budget submission is required.
  • For research requiring less than 360 hours, the award will be prorated based on the proposed project period; however, the minimum commitment is 180 hours. No budget submission required.
  • For research requiring extensive travel and/or fieldwork, the award amount is not determined by project length. The maximum award amount is $5,000 and is based on submitting an itemized budget.
• The SURA Program is intended to support WashU students working with a WashU faculty mentor in their field of research who will actively guide and support the research project.
• Students may also apply for a $500 award supplement to cover consumable supplies (e.g., participant incentives, art supplies) for projects not requiring travel. Please note that due to funding restrictions, these monies are not guaranteed. 
• Students build professional relationships with their mentor and the broader research community.
• For Summer 2024, the proposed research should occur between May 13 and August 23. 
• If you are considering seeking nomination for a SURA and have an interest in journalism, consider also applying for The Pulitzer Center’s International Reporting Student Fellowship.

Eligibility

• Open to all continuing WashU undergraduate students.
• Recipients must be able to conduct research for the proposed project period between May 13 - August 23, 2024.
• Students from the life sciences should apply for the BioSURF or Living Earth Collaborative SURA. Students conducting research in Physics should apply to the Physics Department for summer funding.
• Students must be nominated by a Washington University tenure track or TRaP faculty mentor in their field of research who agrees to actively engage in guiding the research project.
• Priority is given to students pursuing their first SURA. Past recipients may seek funding for an second summer research project but are strongly encouraged to develop alternative summer plans, because funding limitations may prevent the OUR from granting second awards.

How to be Nominated

• The SURA Program aims to recognize and support excellence in undergraduate research by funding research endeavors nominated by a WashU faculty mentor.  It is the student’s responsibility to work with their mentor to complete and submit all the necessary documents, including a 4-5 page research proposal and the faculty nomination request.
• For guidance on the research proposal and a detailed list of application requirements, see the SURA Application Components. 

Award Selection Criteria

• The importance of the research experience to the student’s development
• Clarity of research question and methodological approach to address the question
• Demonstrated ability to place research in the broader context
• The feasibility of the proposed project within the project period (all proposed summer research activities should be completed by the first day of classes in August) and its contribution to the discipline
• Mentor’s assessment of nominee’s potential for learning and contribution to the research

Award Recipient Expectations

1. Students who receive a SURA must actively participate in the summer community of WashU undergraduate researchers, including attending a required research ethics workshop, giving a lightning talk on their project, and submitting mid- and end-of-award reports.
2. Awardees must present their work at the Fall Undergraduate Research Symposium in the semester following receipt of the award.
3. To facilitate an immersive research experience, students receiving awards for a summer research project should not engage in more than 3 credits of coursework or in additional full-time employment during the project period.
4. For research activities involving human subjects, nominees must seek and receive approval (or exemption) from the University's Human Research Protection Office.
5. All awards are considered taxable income by federal, state, and local government. Domestic students should declare their awards when filing annual taxes; the WashU Tax Department will mail a document listing the taxable award amount in late January. For international students, the tax burden can be substantial (up to 30%), and taxes are automatically withdrawn by the WashU Tax Department upfront.

Still have questions? Contact the Office of Undergraduate Research at undergradresearch@wustl.edu.